Before it got too hot we were able to get out for some hiking and camping. We haven't hiked Emerald Pools in Zion for years so we took Griff. The next week we went camping up at Pine Valley and hiked around there as well. We also made it to Snow Canyon where we saw a Gila Monster, biggest lizard I've ever seen.
EMERALD POOL - ZION NAT'L PARK
Before the hike we played with cousins in the river. I got a few pictures of Griff sitting on a sign laughing and hugging his best friend, his cousin Sawyer. She can get him to laugh louder than anyone and he can do the same for her. They are little buddies.
We had to take the Zion park shuttle to the trail head. Griff's first time on a bus. He liked it.
The Hike
approaching wildlife
PINE VALLEY CAMPING
We decided to ditch a heat wave that hit our town and head up into the mountains. The days were still warm, but the nights and mornings were perfectly chilly, requiring a camp fire. Brandon's family joined us for some play time and dinner the night we went up, but left before bed. The next morning Brandon went for a run while Griff and I walked. Then we hiked around before heading home. It was a short trip, but refreshing and fun.
Getting the fire going as the cool air moves in
Love the pop-up
tin foil dinner. So good
Grandma, Grandpa with a few of the grandkids
Chilly morning
Our short distance walk took a long time. Griff had to stop and pick up everything. I wouldn't have had it any other way
Griff saw Dad stretching after ran over to join him
Griff started off in the backpack
It wasn't long before he was walking with us
Griff is starting to learn and use a lot of new words.
First Powell trip this year. It started off with our family, Dwight and Kathy, and Griff's cousin Sawyer. Jaime and the rest of her family came out mid week when I left to head to SLC to meet up with my mom and Beate for Women's Conf. It was hard to leave Powell mid-week with more family showing up, but the conference was worth it. The rest of Brandon's family couldn't make it this time. Casey and Beate and their boys were in the states and stopped in for a day. It was so fun getting to share Powell with them.
The water was pretty cold, but the air (while I was there) was warm enough by mid morning to be outside. We had to use the heater in the mornings and the kids played inside with Thomas the train toys until it was warm enough to head out. I only got in the water up to my waist and that was painful enough for me. Brandon dove in several times. So did Casey, of course he's used to getting in colder water in colder air in Norway. Kathy was brave in got in once or twice.
Brandon, Dwight and I got a lucky fishing trip with Brandon's Uncle Dana and Aunt Colleen in the party barge. We found several schools of Striper. There were so many that we rarely waited more than 10 seconds for a bite. It was insane. A few times all of had a fish on the line at the same time.
Griffin is the perfect age this year to start getting into Powell. He was loving it. Last year he would sit on the sand, tip over, and then lick the sand, but that's about as engaged as he got. This year he played and played on the boat and in the sand and wanted to play more when it was time to come in. He still loved driving the boat and got to take the controls by himself a few times this year. He rode up front and would walk to the back while in motion just for fun. He and Sawyer are the best little buddies and kept each other laughing and entertained.
Good morning Powell. I love sleeping on the roof of the houseboat
Morning train time (Kathy was in the hold getting something that's why there is a big hole in the floor on the right)
The kids loved the buckets as much as the beach or the lake water, if not more
Walking the gang plank. He only fell off once...
Happy Grandma
Driving with his feet
As soon as Griff would see the houseboat he'd say, "Bampa!!" (Grandpa)
Brothers
My first fish
Not the biggest fish Dana caught
Maybe we should have thrown some of these back....cleaning and filleting them took forever. We kept 32 of the 100+ fish we caught in two hours. It was crazy.
G was impressed
We picked up Casey and Beate and kids. Noah was so tired he laid on the boat floor and stared at me for a long time. SO adorable. If only the picture showed how blue his eyes are.
Casey, Lukas, and Oliver across the bay from the boat
Beate and Noah, who wasn't a fan of the sand texture
