CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK

We spent a day at Canyonlands, which is a great park but difficult to traverse as it’s separated into three areas that aren’t connected.  It’s also one of the smallest parks we’ve hit.  We spent our time in a portion of the park called Island in the Sky.  It’s as if God just sucked some of the earth in and wahla- the Canyonlands were formed!  It’s breathtaking!

The fam lined up on the edge of the canyon

Story behind this arch… we allowed the girls to run ahead on this particular trail to go on top of the arch as we could see others up there.  We followed about 2 mins later and laughed as they were posing and walking around on the arch.  I headed up to get a picture on top of the arch with them and about passed out… the arch was about 6 feet wide but on the back side it was a straight cliff down into the canyon!  Sure death if my cherubs happened to make a wrong move as they frolicked around up there!  It was so high that I couldn’t even bring myself to go up there and get a picture taken!!  Ugh!  Alas, Jody saved the day, and my sanity, by joining them for a quick pic!

Delicate Arch

The girls working on their Junior Ranger badges

Lexie posing with a stuffed snake in the gift shop;-)!

Eli munching on a strawberry!

The girls having a blast running down a sand dune as Jody and I sit exhausted at the bottom;-)

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

We took a day trip into Arches National Park… it’s a smaller, beautiful park and pretty manageable to do in a day.

 

We started by hiking into the Double Arch… it’s awesome! It’s been interesting to attend the Ranger programs in each park as they all speak of the parks being created “800 million years ago” and such, and as Believers we obviously believe different so the rangers have gotten some great responses from the girls as they’ve questioned them to get their badges;-)!  They’re just being “the light”!

Doubles Arches

 

Jody & the kids up in the Double Arches

 

Arches is known for their massive amounts of red rock formations, rock pinnacles, fins and balanced rocks.

Our favorite Balanced Rock!

Hiking into a canyon

Eli at one of the arches!

The fam under the North Window Arch

LOVE this pic!

 

Eli on top of a Mesa.

Lexie & Emily earning their Junior Ranger badge at Arches…

Answering questions from the ranger;-)

On to Canyonlands National Park tomorrow…

 

 

 

 

A TUCKED AWAY GEM

We ended up in Moab, Utah and it’s AWESOME!  It’s dry, hot and filled with fun things to do outdoors!!  We always stalk out locals when we’re in new places and get their opinions on what to see, where to go, etc.  One woman suggested a local hot spot for swimming… it was a hot day so off we went in search of the Mill Creek springs!  This water flowed down from the mountains so it was a bit chilly but super fun and well worthwhile, Eli even got in!

The lower spring…

The upper spring. While we were there we couldn’t help but notice that many college-aged people were “bathing” there… all modestly, but it led to some great conversations with the girls;-)

The upper spring was a little too treacherous to hike Eli in and out of so he and I cheered Jody and the girls on from the rim…although he wasn’t really happy about being left behind.

The next local recommendation was to take an ATV out to the desert, which sounded like LOADS of fun so off we went….

We let Lexie drive for awhile, which she thought was crazy cool!

Yes, you are seeing correctly… we did strap Eli’s car seat into the ATV. We wanted him to be safe while Jody was reliving his teenage 4-wheeling days!

Some SERIOUS helmet hair!!

Eli even managed to sneak in his afternoon nap!

I love family pics!

Stopped for a lil’ picnic lunch…

Sweet Bubba enjoying a snack on the go!

I just have to mention a very noticeable difference of having a son after two daughters… Elijah LOVES anything with a motor!  It seems to be instinctual- seriously!  You families with boys can probably attest to this too!  It’s awesome! As we pulled into the ATV rental business, Eli was already beyond excited to even be in the vicinity of these machines…. when we hitched up the trailer to tow it out to the trails, he was beside himself… but the big moment came when I was latching his car seat in to the ATV… he was literally standing beside the ATV, squealing like a girl, jumping around and couldn’t control his lil’ body… he was SO excited to get in this thing!  He had the time of  his life!  Love this kid!!

Off to Arches National Park tomorrow…

THE TETONS!!!

We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Tetons!  If you haven’t been here and enjoy the outdoors, this is the place for you!  Adventurous hiking, spacious campsites, great restaurants, lots of wildlife to observe, as well as pure and untouched nature.  Great for families or a getaway as a couple… or if you’re totally introverted a perfect spot to go and be alone!  We picked Jody up in the Tetons after his annual men’s hiking trip which is always so great for his soul….

The guys!

Upon returning to the campsite my parents had helped the girls decorate the campsite for my birthday- so sweet!…. and made a chocolate cake- even better!!….and created games for us to play!  So we enjoyed some Pin the Cross on the Horizon, Shoot It (Eli’s fav!) and a foil “apple” game- very creative, if I do say so myself;-)!  All in all, my birthday couldn’t have been celebrated in a more fantastic way- with my fam!

A birthday gift wrapped in originally decorated artwork by my kiddos;-)

My bday cake with “lots of candles on it”, according to Emily!

 

We were able to get a couple hikes in as a fam at the Tetons… so mountainous and beautiful!  Jody had to change gears from hiking with a bunch of weekend warrior men to hiking with children;-)  Slightly different….both in sound and speed.

 

At the trailhead…

 

Amazing views at Jenny Lake…

 

Em checking out a Mama Moose!

 

And the mama moose had two calves; one of which came very close to us;-)

 

Emily cooling her toes down in the chilly stream.

 

The girls repeating their Teton Junior Ranger oath…

 

Playing at a waterfall at the Laurence Rockefeller preserve. Mr Rockefeller donated over 33,000 acres to the Tetons, which he intended for mediation and reflection for the visitors. It’s a serene place to slow your mind….

 

After our too-short-time here we moved on to see Flaming Gorge….. it wasn’t all that impressive, in our humble opinions so we kept on driving.  Although we did stop for lunch here and since we were in the middle of nowhere (see pic) we ate out of the camper and counted cars… ONE passed in the time we were lunching;-)

 

On to UT…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OLD, FAITHFUL AND WILD

We made it to Yellowstone and enjoyed some time hiking, sightseeing and earning the girls’ 2nd National Park Junior Ranger badge (1st one was in the Badlands).  Jody met up with his normal group of September hiking guys and hiked 30 miles over the course of 2 days and 2 National Parks.  Needless to say, we were excited to pick him up on Wednesday am!  Papa and Gigi trucked in on Sunday; it’s nice to have them here!

We started our first day by heading over to the Old Faithful area… it’s so different from the last time I was here!  They’ve done a beautiful job with the lodges, restaurants, shops and visitor center.  We arrived about 20 minutes before Old Faithful was to go off and it about put Emily over the edge… patience isn’t her strong suit… hmm, wonder where that comes from???  Alas, she blew and the kids completely enjoyed it!  It was a great science experience to say the least.

At Old Faithful

Waiting…..waiting…..waiting….

Ahh, there she goes!

The girls working on their Junior Ranger badges… GREAT program by they way!

Writing away for their Yellowstone Junior Ranger badges.

Repeating their oaths to the Ranger.

The buffalo roamed everywhere here!  It was so fun!  This evening in particular the kids and I were heading out for a little trail walk and ran into a herd of  buffalo heading toward our campground… so we turned around and motored back to camp… the pictures speak for themselves;-)

Like we were headed out for an evening walk, so were they!

LOVE this one… Lex & the buffalo were having a staring contest.

Right out our camper door! Eli was checking this big guy out!

We visited some mud volcanoes, which were super cool… and stinky.

The kids and I went hiking to check out the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

Hiking Uncle Tom’s Trail to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Checking out the upper falls

We attended a bear safety ranger program as one of the requirements for their junior ranger badges and about halfway through the presentation another ranger came out and said there was a grizzly bear on the shore of Yellowstone Lake so we got to go and see it from the back porch of the ranger station.  Pretty cool!

Bear Safety Ranger program

The grizzly bear!

We spent a day at Mammoth Springs… such beautiful steaming limestone terraces!

At the terraces

Gigi & the girls at Mammoth Springs

Papa & Bubba

Emmy’s #1 thing to see at Yellowstone was the Grand Prismatic spring!  Unfortunately on the day we went it was cooler outside which meant LOTS of hot steam pouring off the springs which made it hard to see their radiant, vibrant colors.  Their blue hues are that of the Carribean and the primary colors look like they were pulled from a rainbow- simply gorgeous!  Wish my picture did it justice…

Had my first all-by-myself-pack-up-and-towing experience, little stressful but didn’t send me over the cliff…. we decided to pack up camp and head to the Tetons where Jody was ending his hiking trip rather than back tracking so with dad’s VERY helpful hand and eye we packed and hitched up and I drove down to the Tetons….  Made me appreciate Jody more than usual as he normally takes care of all the outside parts of the camper, including the all dreaded sewer!  Didn’t even know I had it in me!!;-)

And we’re off…

HOT SPRINGS, DONKEYS AND GREAT FRIENDS…

After a little over a week, we’re finally back to cell service/wifi land!  Yeah!  It’s amazing, and kind of sad, how dependent we are on technology.  Despite not being able to be in touch with the world, our last days in South Dakota, time with friends in Montana, and exploring Yellowstone and the Tetons was awesome!  There’s something to be said for unplugging every now and then…

We spent a day at Evan’s Plunge in Hot Springs, SD… it’s a natural spring that they’ve enterprised into a pool of sorts.  The spring pumps in 5,000 gallons of 87 degree water per minute so it was nice and warm, which wimpy Eli and I enjoyed!  The bottom was covered with smooth river stones, which Eli enjoyed playing with.

Eli & I getting a big splash!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lexie flying out of the water slide!

Emmy splashing into the hot spring!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went a little further north to Montana to visit some friends we adopted with…. The Grays!  They own a beautiful home/ranch surrounded by mountains so the kids got to play outside and enjoy the animals for 48 hours.  The Grays are super inspirational to us….. not only did they raise 3 biological children, but they adopted a sibling set of 3 from Russia several years ago and then traveled with us to China and adopted 2 special needs boys…. Luke and Levi…. AND are heading back to China next year to bring little Jonathan home.  They have huge hearts, open hands and super adventurous spirits (they traveled the world on a sailboat for 8 YEARS with their 2 bio sons!!).  Our time with them was precious and much too short!

Bobbie & Lona Gray

Dallas, Levi, Lexie, Luke, Elijah and Emily

Lexie and Russell the donkey sharing a special moment;-)!

 

Mr Gray led us in a devotion and Emily ended it with some worship music!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We headed south on the Beartooth Highway to Yellowstone.  Thank goodness Jody’s a confident driver as this highway took us straight up the mountain and then twisted and turned us back down!  Lots of excitement with this drive!

Jod & the kids taking a breather along the Beartooth…

Lexie eating snow at the top of Beartooth on Sept 7th!!

Yellowstone and the Tetons to come soon…

 

 

 

MOUNT RUSHMORE!

We hit Mt Rushmore and it was fabulous!  Jody and I were there about 17 years ago and since then they’ve completely redone the whole monument…. it’s quite majestic and very honoring to the US!  The entire area was well thought out and organized and now allows for tons of visitors to enjoy their time there.  I purchased a book called Mount Rushmore by J. Cohen so the girls would have all the background information and details before we went; Jody & I managed to learn some new things too!  Like Mr Borglum, the creator and sculptor, passed away about 7 months before the completion of his life’s work so his son finished it for him and he originally began carving Jefferson on the left hand side of Washington but the rock was too soft there so he had to start over on the right hand side of Washington.  Anyway, great history lesson here ;-)!

AND WE BEGIN…

After much anticipation and loads of packing, we began our journey out west by stopping in to see our friends, the Klingers in Chicago!  We traveled to China together and we were one of the few families in our travel group adopting for the first time so connected in that way, and we both brought our bio-kids.  Their daughter Rose and Lexie have become good friends via exchanging letters every week.  We enjoyed some pool time at our hotel and then indulged in Chicago-style pizza at their comfy home.

 

Mr & Mrs Klinger, Rose, Sarah & Wade

 

Rose & Lexie Lou with their China peace sign fingers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elijah & Sarah!

 

 

 

All our kiddos!

 

 

 

 

The next morning we hit the road… and boy was it a long road… we exited IL, drove through WI, MN and all the way to Rapid City, SD!  All in all, a 16 HOUR drive…. but it took us to the Badlands!  What we thought would be a quick jaunt through this National Park turned into an all day hiking extravaganza!  Such amazing, beautiful scenery- some of God’s most glorious work;-)  

 

Posing for daddy!

 

Jody’s helping Em across a little crevice…

 

 

 

We met a sweet family up top and swapped photo shoots!  

 

Seriously?!?!…. such majestic beauty!  Lexie was soaking it in…

 

 

On our way to Hill City, SD…