About a month ago, Jared's brother and family came down and invited us to enjoy a day of fun four-wheeling with them at Sand Hollow Reservoir. I've never done much four-wheeling before and I have to say I'm hooked now! It was so much fun zooming over those red sand hills and seeing the amazing scenery from way up above the reservoir. Aaron and Michelle had these really nice machines - a little kid ATV (Ashton and Isaac thought it was SO cool), a nice adult one, and one of those new rhino things - like a little jeep that 4 people can sit in. Those things can go anywhere and tackle some crazy terrain. The twins were laughing in glee as we hit each bump and had perma-grins on the entire time they got to be on a machine. Liza took a while to warm up to the whole things but then had a wonderful time. So fun! Thanks again Aaron and Michelle!
We finished off that day at the annual Kite Festival where kids get a kite if they've read a certain number of minutes and show their reading chart. The kids had a great time flying their kites (even though they didn't fully earn them. Ashton did all his reading and they gave him his kite and since they had a lot of extra kites they gave kites to all the other kids as well - the kids were thrilled but we did have to have a little talk about how they'll have to read extra to make up for it!). At the festival in the evening, there was a great a'cappella group singing fun 50's songs followed by a really good fireworks display. This turned out to be, as the kids put it when we tucked them in that night "the best day EVER!"
A couple weeks ago, we headed out on our annual "Cactus Flower Hunt" and found some gorgeous stuff! The twins were SO excited about EVERY flower they found (and there were a lot) and Isaac was especially good at noticing the more subtle stuff - that kid is really in tune with nature. Springtime in the desert is an amazing thing - and this year it's extra beautiful since we had such a wet winter. It seems every plant, tree blooms, one after another so that this delicate loveliness of flowers is scattered everywhere you look.
Last week, my mom and dad came down and we had a great time horseback riding at the Kolob side of Zion with them. We haven't taken the kids on a real horseback ride (on trails, not just wandering around the pasture) before and they LOVED it (as did Jared and I). I haven't been on a horse in way too long and I'd forgotten how pleasant it is to be able to enjoy the scenery from a higher vantage point without having to look down and watch your footing - the horse takes care of that for you. I rode good old King. We've had him since I was a teenager. He's an old sway-back who you sort of feel bad riding at this point in his life - but he's sure-footed and tough and gave us some fun as he decided to set off in a gallop now and again!
Don't worry - this was just for a picture - we didn't try having all 5 of them ride together!(although my Grandma wrote in her journal about riding to school
on a horse with several siblings so this made me think of her)
Isn't Kolob gorgeous?
Looks like so much fun, Sar. Love you.
ReplyDeleteSaren, your family is adorable! Looks like it was fun!
ReplyDeletethose are some great places. it is great to see such beautiful flowers from your camera. i am really glad you got out on the 4-wheeler too. i can just see you zooming along.
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