Loa, Torrey and Capitol Reef...

Sunday afternoon we headed for Wayne County.  One of my favorite spots on earth!  We stopped in Loa to visit my Aunt Beverly and Uncle Dudley.  We took a tour of the "workshop" which is a huge garage building that holds their tractor and "stuff."  Uncle Dudley is retired from ranching so it's more of a storage place now, but he loved showing it off and we had fun seeing it.  Especially the little boys!  Then we drove on down the road a few more miles to Torrey and Aunt Lew's house.  She and Curtis put us up for the night.  We had fun visiting there too!  Aunt Lew babysits her 2 year old great-grandson so she had fun toys that the boys played with.  They especially loved the power wheels!  Aunt Beverly followed us over so she, Aunt Lew and I could go over Grandma and Grandpa's history that I have been working on.  Trying to get it done in time for our reunion and could not finish it without their valuable help!  We had a great evening! Aunt Lew had made a yummy Rasberry Ice cream treat that little David had 3 servings of!  He kept saying, "I love this!" I think Aunt Lew was pleased.  Amanda and Dave got up early Monday next morning and drove into Capitol Reef to get us a camping spot.  They picked out a good one!  Of course it's very scenic everywhere in the park, but we think our spot was the best.  It was right by a small river and a HUGE tree we called the "Winnie the Pooh Tree."  There was a big hole in it where Pooh could for sure fit and get his honey!  The river was shallow and had tons of rocks in the bottom that the boys loved picking out the pretties ones (we have quite a collection!).  Amanda and Dave came back to get us and we set up camp.  Then we went to the visitor center and off to our first hike!  We hiked to Hickman Bridge.  It was a warm day, but the hike was great.  Very scenic and not too hard.  Of course we stop a lot for quick drinks and short rests.  I loved seeing all the layers and colors of rock, and of course flowers growing in the sandy, desert-like place.  Pictures don't do it justice, but we really enjoyed the hike and there are a ton of pictures to prove it.  After we got back to the parking lot, Amanda was trying to help Jacob go potty in those stinky pit toilets..she held him up in front of it and he promptly dropped his head and his cute little hat went right down the hole!  Neither of them were very happy when they came out of that stinky place!  So we went back to the visitor's center and bought him a new hat before our next hike (that hike will be in the next post.)

Hickman Bridge

Hiking to the G...

When we sit in our back yard, we can see the G up there on the hill.  We always said we should hike to it.  Well, Memorial day was the day!  It was a little strenuous at first and this Grandma needed to stop and rest a LOT.  It took us a little over an hour to get to it.  It's not as pretty close up!  The Y is painted white rocks all cemented and nice looking...the G looks like it is made out of old lawn chairs or something and there are weeds growing up through it all not to mention the graffiti...but that aside, it was a fun hike and a great view over the valley.  We always love looking for our house and other things we recognize.  The boys were once again great hikers and we just had a very fun morning!  Many other people had the same idea so we passed lots of people on the trail.  I'm glad we went in the morning because it warmed up fast! And remember, the G stands for Grandma! Happy Memorial Day!

 Can you see them all waving down at me?  I stayed at the bottom of the G as it was too steep for me to climb up to the top of it!

 Little David AKA Dusty Pants Stewart

Memorial day in Utah...

We went out to the cemetery on Saturday to decorate Mom, Dad, and Lori's graves.  I am so happy to live close enough to do that now!  I looked at a few stores for red, white and blue arrangements for my dad, but was having no luck.  Then I realized, COSTCO!  They will have them...and they did!  Apparently decorating graves is a HUGE thing here in Utah.  When we got to the cemetery, we almost couldn't find parking!  Whenever we go out there other times to put flowers out, we are usually the only ones there!  But even more amazing was how many flowers were there!  That whole hillside was COVERED!  Practically EVERY grave decorated.  It was an amazing sight!  Pictures don't do it justice at all.  And there was red, white and blue everywhere...loved it!  Of course my sweet cousin Joni had already been there and placed some pots of mums.  We brought fresh flowers to put in the vases. There was a tiny headstone a few feet away that I have NEVER seen before (wish I would have taken a picture!  I will next time).  It was of a little girl named Lori who died either the year before or the year after our Lori.  How have I never seen this?  The pics of me aren't that great, but Dave was "journaling" the event for me.  I was looking at him and asking if he wasn't going to help and go get water in the vases...Anyway, the cemetery was a beautiful sight and I am glad we could witness it.  Love and miss Mom and Dad, and I look forward to seeing them again someday and meeting my sister Lori.  

Battle Creek Falls

Since the weather is delightful once again, we are ready to start our hiking season!  (Can you believe it!?  ME, hiking!) We heard of this hike which is only about 10 minutes away from us in Pleasant Grove.  Dave and I went up and hiked it one evening...we went further than the actual falls.  It was a beautiful hike. The different rock formations were very interesting...all the layers.  The next evening we went with Amanda and the boys and our friends the Shurtleffs.  It is only a 20 minute hike and we had a lot of fun!  We will do this one again I'm sure.

 My favorite hiking buddy...

 

Spring weather...

We are loving our beautiful days!  We like to go for walks and we planted a garden!  Amanda is babysitting a little guy from our ward since his mom went back to work.  It's just for a few weeks until her regular babysitter can take over.  We have never been very good gardeners in our 31 years of marriage, but we always try!  We are anxious to see how it will be different in Utah.  We have high hopes!  While we were gone to Disneyland, Eric and Kai came and put down mulch for us.  Thank you!  They even spread it all out.  Dave just had to till it and we were ready to go.  Praying for some kind of produce to grow from this lovely spot!  And of course looking forward to fresh eggs from our chickens when they start to lay.  And look what Joel sent in his email today!  He made that Costco muffin look giant!  Great photo trick Joel!  

Joel's 19th birthday!

Joel is 19!  Wow does time fly...looking at his baby pictures makes it all seem like yesterday! We of course delivered a birthday box to the mission home..complete with his favorite Costco muffins and candles to put in them with a note that he better take a picture and send it to me!  We also put in a Mickey Mouse t-shirt (so he wouldn't feel TOO left out from our Disneyland trip!), a new tie (of course!) and some other fun little things (like Hex bugs for him and his companion) that he will hopefully have fun with.  The boys drew him some pictures.  David drew a cake and wanted to put candles and eyes on it.  Jacob wrote his name, he knows all the letters and what order they go in, but it comes out in different places on the page when he's writing it.  He's so cute!  We are so proud of Joel and his desire to serve the Lord for two years.  Even if it means missing out on family events and special occasions like birthdays!  Love you Joel!

Newport Beach...

What is a trip to Anaheim without a quick stop at the beach!?  We decided to stop off at Newport Beach for a little while before we headed home.  It was a beautiful morning and hardly anyone there yet.  We enjoyed walking in the sand and getting our toes wet.  Okay, the boys got more than their toes wet!  It was fun trying to rinse them off with water bottles before putting clean clothes on them and getting back in the car.  I'm sure it was a little itchy for them on the ride home.  We drove all the way in one day...it was long, but they did really well.  So did the adults.  ha ha.  What a fun week!  And the short time on the beach was the perfect ending...wish the pictures could show the sounds and the smells of the beach...you will just have to use your imagination!