Our Amazing Arizona {and Utah, and Colorado} Adventure!!

The disclaimer for this vacation..

TOTALLY different than anything we've done before..

In fact, none of us have been to ANY of theses places {with two exceptions}

We are not "outdoorsy" or "hike-y" vacationers

..so some of this was waaaaaay out of our comfort zones..

So.. let's begin, shall we?

MAY 31, 2010

After spending the night in Page, Arizona..

^^..in a great hotel,

..with a great pool..

{well, great until the BATS

(yes, bats)

started swooping over our heads}

We headed to Glen Canyon Dam..

Not exciting, I realize for all of those Lake Powell lovers..

But {exception #1} for Chelsea none of us had ever been!

^^on the bridge

^^the bridge

^^view from the top of the dam

^^the girls at the top

^^looking over & down

^^from the bottom

^^looking up

^^gotta love pictures

of pictures being taken!!

Next..

We headed off for our first adventure!!

This is where our vacation took on its sub-title..

THE LAMANITE CELEBRATION VACATION

Really.. we saw TONS of Native American history..

just you wait..

I will admit, Chelsea and I gave Davy a VERY hard time about this first activity..

We may had worried {repeatedly} that we would be scalped..

{^^please don't be offended}

We were about to "hop in a jeep

with our Native American guide,

and drive on to restricted Navajo lands",

to tour.. ANTELOPE CANYON!!

{did you know the Navajo Nation doesn't pave their roads?

All sand makes for a very bumpy ride..}

Now, our guide was a cute, loud little lady named Bonnie..

I'd say she was a little younger than my mom..

She was a hoot..

{she told us how the Mormon Missionaries

found her herding sheep as an adolescent..

(her parents considered her "slow"

and weren't sending her to school)

She was a part of the old

"Mormon Lamanite Outreach Program"

..and basically lived with a foster family in Ogden

where she went to high school..

She said when she got back,

her parents told her she talked too much!!}

So, the deal is, they take you through this slot canyon,

and basically help you take AMAZING photos..

Even my little girls got fabulous shots on their cameras!

If you're ever in the market, go to Chief Tsosi's..

They do a great job,

where most of the other companies just take you through,

these guys show you where & how to get your best photos..

{camera settings, spots for best pictures,

and they'll even yell to get people out of your way!!}

Entering the canyon..

Davy took hundreds of photos..

It was really hard to pick a few for the blog..

Pretty amazing.. right??

AND..

We still have all of our hair..

Mother's Day Tribute..

In our ward, they asked all of the Primary children some "mom" questions, then made a pamphlet that they included in the Sacrament Program on Mother's Day..

We have a tiny Primary, so my kids were featured a couple of times..

Here are the ones they answered:

What kind of little girl was your mother?

S: "A very energetic one"

What did your mother need to know about your dad before she married him?

S: "That she loves him"

What does your mother like about your dad?

A: "He helps her"

What does your mom do while you are at school?

A: "She gets everything ready so we can do our homework"

NOW my favorites..

What is your mother's favorite chore?

S: "Probably one of the easier ones, 'cause it doesn't take as long"

::hmm.. okay, probably true..::

What does your mother always say to you?

S: Go and clean your room

A: Get your homework done, and clean

::are you noticing a trend??::

What is your mother's favorite song?

A: "Glee songs"

::again, true, but I'm not sure I wanted this published in the Sacrament program!!::

{especially since these are all of the other answers: "The Mother's Day song", "Oldies from the 70's and 80's", "Church songs", "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", "She likes all my favorite songs", and "She likes it when we play our instruments"..}

Really, this was so cute to read.. I have to include a few more of the funnier ones from other kids..

Who is the "boss" at your house?

"My dad, because my mom said he was"

How tall is your mother?

"She is way high"

What does your mother do while you are at school?

"Hold our guinea pig"

When your mom goes shopping, what does she like to buy?

"Clothes. That's pretty much all she buys, and shoes"

"She usually gets all the things on her list"

What makes your mother feel happy?

"When we don't bother her"

So, here's hoping all of my "Mother" friends had a great Mother's day..

And here's hoping you get to hold all the guinea pigs you want..

And Now, the Flipside..

We did do some fun stuff over Spring Break..

Starting with EASTER!!

Easter Morning girlies..

AND visiting our cousins new CHICKS!!

Yolko, Omelette, and Buffalo Wings..

Waking up to cuteness!!

Savannah & Dug

Working on CRAFTS!!

{really, my little girls LOVE crafting..}

.."assisted" sewing..

..stuffing..

..rotary cutting..

{Savannah did this whole project by herself!}

..um..

The finished products??

New bedding for the American Girl beds,

to match our new bedrooms!!

..another craft..

..going to Dear Lizzie for lunch!!..

..cutest place..

..making difficult dessert decisions..

..even the dressing rooms are fancy!!

..it was tough,

but we finally each picked a treat!!

..we shopped,

and laughed at ugly clothes..

..we bowled!!

..and to make it more fun we went with our cousins!!

Davy

Savannah

Chelsea

Aunt Julie

Uncle Brian

Adi

Nick

{totally the winner for "best form"}

Hailey

Marcikay

{um, yes, I'm wearing a skirt..}

Back to Dear Lizzie..

This time with dad in tow!!

I guess we should be dessert models..

..or, maybe not..

Then, a "mini-vacation" to North Utah County..

{Lehi}

To do lots and lots of SWIMMING!!