We had an incredible trip to Zion this last week and I think are still getting back in the swing of things, but here are some highlights of our adventures!
On our way to Las Vegas, we stopped for In N'Out to meet up with our family so that we could caravan:
Beautiful views on the drive:
The first time the kids have ever left California:
The kids rode with my parents so we were kid free for the majority of our driving time on this trip.
We stayed at The Paris:
It was Eden's first hotel stay and she thought it was pretty special!
Being up high and seeing the views was pretty special:
She could see the leaping water at the Bellagio:
Then we headed to the Bellagio for crepes:
She couldn't stand how fun all the chocolate displays were:
We went the the classic Nutella:
Then we had dinner at Trevi at Caesars Palace:
Then we headed to the Venetian to see the canals:
Then we headed back to our hotel for baths and a movie:
(My absolute LEAST favorite part of our ENTIRE trip was walking on the strip at night to get back to our hotel. It was crowded and all of the crazies had come out... I was ready to be back in our room. I know, I know, it's Las Vegas and I should know that, but the change that takes place as soon as the sun goes down is CRAZY! I wasn't ready for it.)
The next morning we were ready to hit the road!
We crossed two more state lines:
Then we had lunch at the Cracker Barrel in St George:
Breakfast was really tasty:
And Ryder got this special car from his Mia and Papa from the gift shop:
Then it was on to our cabin.
Our home for the week:
Complete with zip line:
fire pit:
An incredible views:
We alternated each day between Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.
The first day we did Zion:
We did the Emerald Pools trail and part of the Grotto.
Playing in the water
Ryder felt I was taking too many pictures, so I told him he could take a break.
Eden was THRILLED wight the water!
The next day we did Bryce Canyon:
This little lady has so much personality!
It was really so breathtakingly beautiful!
That afternoon that we got back, the kids did the zip line. Ryder was nervous about it at first and didn't want to do it, but then he watched his cousins and saw how much his sister wanted to do it and he was sold!
Then it was his sister's turn:
She was so excited to do it!
When she was done, her cousin Xander helped her up the hill so that her rope didn't drag.
"Eden, what did you think?" I got an enthusiastic and out of breath thumbs up.♥
That night we had smokes at the fire pit:
With the stars and the fire and the big open sky, it was really a beautiful memory.
The next day we went back to Zion to see the entrance to the Narrows:
She just decided to sit for a snack and get some sun...
Playing in the water:
She helped to make sure that Kit didn't fall over on the shuttle ride home...♥
After that, we ate at a cafe in Zion called "Oscar's" that we had found on Yelp.
It was so good!
These are their green chili and sweet onion enchiladas. I am still salivating over them.
They are known for their fish tacos and those were so tasty too!
The kids rode with my parents, which meant that we had all grownups going to and from the parks.
It was very nice. And very quiet...♥
Did I mention that the kiddos slept in a loft the whole trip?
This was what we would wake up to every morning:
The next day we headed back to Bryce Canyon. We first ate lunch at Ruby's Cafe just outside the park:
Then we did something that we had always thought would be fun...
Here is a hint. I'll tell you more about that later this week...♥
Then we headed to Bryce Canyon to walk on the rim trail.
Walking with her Papa:
Before we left the next day, we got a picture of our group:
We decided last minute that we would extend our trip and stay a night in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Hotel. We knew we wouldn't be going on the strip and that the whole goal would be to be in the pool and to see the shark reef.
The Shark tunnel was our favorite:
She loved the jellyfish:
Oh the sharks...
My babies looked so little!
Because they couldn't get us a room that was adjoining our family, they upgraded us to our own suites. We have ruined our kids for their next hotel stay...
They couldn't believe that they were not only in their own room, but that they had their own beds AND they could watch PBS?!?
It was so nice!
This was our view!
We went to dinner after the Shark Reef and then we headed to dinner where eden fell asleep in my lap.
We then took our dinner to our room where the kids took a bath in a huge tub then fell asleep for the rest of the night.
The next day after we checked out the kids passed out on the way home!
It was a great trip but it was probably the hardest that we have taken the kids on. Lots of prep and hiking and driving and no one napped at all so there was a lot more whining and melt downs and tired kiddos than we would have normally had. It is so great to be with our family and that washes away any of the hard but I have to tell you that I was really ready to get back to our regular routine.
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It's always hard to come back from vacation to work, school schedules, laundry, house cleaning, and grocery shopping, but we had a wonderful trip and we feel ready to tackle all that is next. It really is so good being home! Now we are in full prep for Easter, Ryder's 5th birthday, (with family as well as for his class...), I'm hosting my cousins baby shower and we are celebrating my niece's birthday. And that's all happening in April. Hold on to your hats, it's going to be crazy around here!
