A week after Rod and Alicia hiked the Grand Canyon, Rod went on a super activity with our ward Priests hiking the Narrows at Zion's and exploring southern Utah. Here are a few highlights.
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| Piute shelter |
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| Spear thrower |
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| The St George Temple |
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| Windsor Castle |
They had a great time, and learned a lot...about themselves and about our history!
Rod got home from that, discovered that plans had changed...he had to go cover a few days of scout camp....and then...another leader had to cancel so he went on the whitewater rafting trip with the teachers to Moab this past week.
Tucked into this month of adventure, between scout camp and Moab, we did manage to have our Castillo family camp out. It was such fun! We invited my sister and her kids too....We aren't too picky about actual last names.
Rod has often observed that there are many lessons and experiences kids get while on camp outs that can't be learned anywhere else. Sooo we are grateful that our kids and their spouses are willing to load up all the equipment, brave spiders, rain and camp ground toilets, and come spend a couple of days together! Geneva and new baby Merrick, John, and Sara couldn't come but, gratefully, we got Great Grandma and everyone else there.
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| The camp host got his golf cart stuck so we all worked together and rescued it....He was our friend for the whole time of course. He came several times during our stay to compliment our family, saying he was impressed with how well everyone got along. |
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| Everyone helped set up tents! |
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| The cousins had a great time....at any speed1 |
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| The empty seats just tickled me. |
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| We learned to speak 'Jace'..a language new to us. |
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| My Mom's blinks are faster than my shutter speed! She was such a trouper! |
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| New skills were learned...log walking especially. |
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| This was on 'Diamond' mountain, so called because of the mica in the rocks....'it sparkles like diamonds'. |
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| the Queen..for the moment. |
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| Owner and builder of 'the fort'. |
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| stick em up....with a stick! |
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| The little chairs didn't get used nearly as much as the big ones. |
Hydration is key!
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| That is a palm sized spider....one granddaughter wanted to use the bathroom the host was cleaning. He asked her to use the next one. She protested that she couldn't cause there was a spider....He heroically took care of it for her. |
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| This was aged Ben....using a cane very creditably! |
We had a craft... painting rocks. It was a hit!
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| Rod and I provided breakfast and supper...lunch was a community meal...Fun! |
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| Cheese |
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| Poor sweet Miles got a fever...but seemed to recover by next day. We were glad he wasn't with new baby brother. |
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| Weston's collection of treasures in his backpack was fantastic! |
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| Having a real baby to play with was a treat! |
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| We had very little conflict too! I was impressed! |
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| We had a pretty heavy afternoon rain! We were glad when it cleared up! |
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| We were so fashionable though! |
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| Matching Poppop made poor sick Miles feel better. The hands are using web shooters in case you couldn't tell. |
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| Cousin Jace was awestruck when he saw the pair of them! |
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| glow sticks are wonderful and the lit slingshot copters were marvelous! |
We Sure do Love our family! Thanks all for coming...I know your kids sleep better at home, and everything is easier, but Wow! We loved having this time together!!!
This year on the 30 th of June, my husband was out of town with the young men of our ward. His tradition has been that a rose for every year appears on the counter to surprise me! It Still HAPPENED! He is a good man! Thanks to whoever helped! I have loved every moment with him! So glad he is mine!!!
