Just the one!
We started the day with off-brand honey nut cheerios in our super tiny motel room. Luckily, I had the forethought to get our gallon of milk that I accidentally froze solid back in Spanish Fork out of the fridge and let it sit out over night.
It was only about 1/2 ice by morning... just enough that everyone could have some slightly ice-crystally milk on their honey nut cheerios that I've been dragging around since Kansas.
Then we filled up our BYU dance water bottles (thanks for letting us go through your Helaman Halls lost and found, Jay!), a few snacks, and sent the kids out to the foyer to sit while I finished piggy tails and braids for the girls.
We drove up to Sunset Viewpoint and started the Navajo Loop hike.
I was amazed by the beauty! I had no idea that we would be able to really hike down into these beautiful rock formations. I'll never forget it.
The funny thing about a Hufford selfie is that it doesn't matter where we are....you can't see anything but us!
Megan was a little freaked out by the switchbacks and feeling like she might slide off and fall...so we devised a system for her to always be on the inside and have a hand to hold. She also found that it helped to scream periodically and whimper constantly.
But hey! Facing that fear, right?
My favorite part was this gorgeous slot canyon. I have always wanted to hike through one of these.
There was this beautiful tree growing right in the gap.
Perspective from the bottom of the tree.
Once we were out of the canyon, we stopped for a snack of cuties and chocolate animal crackers....hiker food.
I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take photos of each of the kids.
Me and Mat.
He's cute even while drinking water :)
And then it was time to start going back up the hill. Everly was surprisingly energetic and did a large part of the hike without a "helper".
I love her dusty buns.
I took this photo because of the great leaning tree....but I love this photo because it captures what a great dad Mark is....a kid on the shoulders and water bottles in the cargo pockets.
I love him.
There aren't many photos of the boys because they hiked on at a faster pace. This is something that scares me and also something that I know I need to let them do or I'll have to move to college with them.
Baby steps.
Don't leave me, girls.
And some beautiful shots of the hoodoos....I think they are miraculous.
Towards the end, we had to take those switchbacks pretty slow. Anna and Everly started to get tired and Megan was getting increasingly nervous about the steep drop offs....and if I wasn't so busy reassuring her, I would have been pretty scared too.
But we made it back to the viewpoint and we headed back to the motel for (you guessed it!) sandwiches.
We promised the kids if they didn't complain about another cooler lunch, we'd go next door to the hotel store/bakery and get ice cream cones.
DEAL!!
So we headed over....piggy back style.
And even though there were flavors and prices written up on a WHITEBOARD, there wasn't actually any ice cream. In his words, "Oh. We don't have ice cream."
Uh.....why is there a list of flavors written behind your head?
And why don't you just ERASE THEM?? I don't understand people.
So we hopped in the van, headed to Panguitch and went to Henrie's Drive-In. I've never been so glad that a whiteboard wasn't erased.
Because it was super delicious. And about half the price.
Also there was grass and a picnic table. And a cute white fence. And shade!
Before you know it, the Roylances were in the area and we headed out to the campsite.
We finally found them (no easy task) and settled in for some good old camping activities!
Marble puzzle games with Aunt Lara.
The big people playing koob (I have no idea what the name means or how it's spelled). Don't laugh. I never got around to playing. I was busy sitting down and taking a break from...everything.
Kaira and her family arrived and we set about making the very best camp dinner I have ever had. It was tinfoil philly cheesesteak.....I'm drooling.
And then she told me that she put oyster sauce in it. I laughed and told her that I didn't care, but I am not that grown up. It made my eyes water a little bit. I have issues with the very idea of things that lived in the water. Why do they have to smell so bad?
But it was still crazy delicious.
After dinner, Kylie took me on a ride in their side by side ATV. She's adorable. And she's a cute country chick....
I tried to take her picture when we stopped to drink from this natural spring, but she wasn't having that.
Good thing I have no pride and was willing to run around in circles to get the photo.
We spent the next hour or so going out on the ATVs....
Mat was in heaven.
And the truth is...we were all in heaven. I hope heaven is something like this!
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