Getting Away and Getting Together

It was an incredible stroke of good luck that the West/Barratt cabin was free the same weekend WE were free, which was the same weekend the SHELTON's were free. It almost seemed too good to be true, but instead of marveling about how it was too good to be true, we just packed up our crap and left.

First order of business:

CATCH A LIZARD. Immediately.

Bruce snagged the first lizard, which garnered him the admiration of his children, nephew, and niece.

The lizard, however, holds Bruce personally responsible for a near-deadly mauling. Perhaps "completely deadly" is a more apt description since the lizard seemed to be moving in slo-mo when the kids finally let it go.

But, worrying about that will get you nowhere, so we relaxed on the porch.

My kids are wimps and far too pampered in every day life. They complained about the bugs, the heat, the cold, the dirt, the water, the food, the sleeping arrangements, the toilet...and on...and on...

Kiki refused to use the toilet at the cabin. "I'll just hold it until we get home," she said when we had been at the cabin for only a few hours. Long story short: She peed only four times in 3 days, each time under duress or the influence of extreme bribery.

(And yes, Kiki, I hope you come across this post in 25 years when you are searching for photos for your wedding video. And I hope the nice young man you've betrothed yourself to just peed his pants laughing about your mother's description of your bowels. You deserve it for the amount of stress I experienced worrying about your potential kidney stones this weekend.)

Charlie had a pretty good time, except for he felt a little outnumbered by all of the girls. His dad designated a "Boy Area" where no girls were allowed.

I was scolded for taking this picture while he was trying to whittle in Boytown.

Yesterday brought warm weather and blue skies.

Bruce and Dave set out for a long bike ride, and Liza and I met up with them later at the Capitol

Reef Visitor's Center.

Kiki begged and begged to ride Bruce's bike so he let her give it a try.

We went on a little hike up Sulphur Creek to a waterfall.

When the kids saw the waterfall, their reaction made the whole trip worthwhile.

They were completely and absolutely thrilled.

We played and played.

Bruce and Dave generally don't hike in bike shorts, but it didn't seem worth it to them to change out of their dirty biking clothes just to get clean hiking clothes all wet. Ignore, then, their fancy outfits.

Nature's Hot Tub

Nature's Slippery Slide

The cutest baby in all of nature.

Nope, not having any fun at all.

"This is TOTALLY AWESOME!" Kiki shouted.

About this time, Shelton thought maybe wearing his pricey bike shorts to slide down the sandstone was NOT such a good idea.

Whitney digs the dirt.

We picnicked in the Park and then headed back to Torrey for shakes and the playground.

The best part of the picnic lunch was Liza saying to Dave, "You make a plate for the rude one, and I'll make a plate for the mean one."

Here's the rude one with her cousin Kate.

It's a tradition at the cabin to take at least one picture on the front steps before you go.

Our kids were somewhat cooperative, but getting 5 kids to look at a camera and smile all at the same time is a little tricky.

Oh well.

One more try at the little cabin.

After an awesome breakfast at Country Cafe in Loa, we were bound for home.

We had an incredible time.