Zion, Cedar Breaks, and Nonna and Papa

The kids and I were able to spend a week in St. George with my parents.  Gil stayed home and got some projects done around the house without his usual 'helpers.'

We left early Monday morning and stopped for lunch at Jacob Lake, right at the turn for the north rim Grand Canyon.  

Wesley got into my mom's jewelry box and decked himself out.

Kids and I headed up to Zion National Park.  It was incredibly hot and surprisingly crowded for how hot it was.  Highlights for the kids were riding on the shuttle bus and filling up water bottles at the wall of spigots.  Zion is gorgeous and I'd love to go back again when it's not so hot.

We got some good cousin play time too.

Wednesday, we went up, up, up the mountain to Cedar Breaks National Monument with Nonna and Papa.  (PS - school started in Chandler that day.  I felt really smug hiking and adventuring with my five year old who wasn't starting kindergarten.)  It was WONDERFUL!!  The temp when we pulled up to the visitor center was in the mid 60s.  We hiked and enjoyed the beautiful views.  We had a picnic and watched an afternoon thunder shower.  We hadn't seen rain in forever and the temps dropped into the 50s.  Such a wonderful outing and break from the heat.

Wesley listening to, as he calls it, 'Gentlemen's' Conference on Nonna's headphones.

Of course, a trip to St. George is going to include a day at the Children's Museum!

Worn out!  My parents took the kids for the morning and they played hard as seen here by a completely zonked Lauren.

We love visits with Nonna and Papa!  Thanks for letting us come and invade!

Allred Reunion 2024

We love the Allreds!  The Allred reunion is quite the big ta-do and we're so grateful to the D&D Allred's for organizing a wonderful event.

Loaded and ready to go!  The reunion was at a California State Park campground in Malibu.

Wesley takes his responsibility of cleaning the windshield very seriously.

There were quite a few Minute-to-Win-It type activities this year.  Wesley is taking some time to consider how to get the Oreo from his forehead to his mouth without using his hands.

The new tent served us well this weekend and the picnic table Gil made for the kids was very handy to have as well.

We had a beach day.  Lauren as a mermaid.

This little girl got incredibly dirty.  If they'd had the dirty baby/toddler contest, she would have won.

The campground was close to where the tv show MASH was filmed.  Gil and Wesley did a hike one morning with some of the cousins to check out the location.

Next, they found a hidden spring.

Wesley was absolutely set on having a candy stand.  We got a few items in the bulk section of our grocery store and then set it up.  He was in heaven manning his shop and handing out candy to the cousins.

We had to leave early enough Saturday morning to make it to a Home Depot to complete the kid's workshop project.  How lovely the weather is nice enough in southern CA to have it outside in the parking lot.