Capitol Reef 2011

*Picture overload*...sorry!

Last year for Spring Break we did a quick trip to Moab. This year I wanted to go to Capitol Reef. I told Mat that we live too close to really beautiful National Parks to not go and see them sometime in our lives! He is a good man and lets me plan on where I want to go. I already have the next one in mind...I just can't tell him quite yet because it stresses him out. :)

A lot of Mat's side of the family came with us again. We got there earlier than everyone else so we went exploring. It was so cold! I was worried that it would be like this for the whole trip but it warmed up for the next couple days.

Here we are freezing at Chimney Rock!
I had a budget for our trip so I found a campground that has small cabins for $35 a night. I was a little worried but they were great! I would totally do it again. It even had a wonderful heater, which we got our use out of. The boys loved the bunkbeds too!

We got up bright and early the next day and the kids wanted to play. It was cold so we worked on breakfast while they explored the campground.

Sayla and I

Ben went right for the climbing trees...which he did get stuck in.

Mat & I played with Lyndsays big soccer ball. Best toy that was brought! Notice all the cute cabins. We had 4 out of the 5 that were right there so we used all the tables and firepits that we could!

When it finally warmed up, we went out for our hikes. I tried to research which ones to do and I think that I almost killed Mat's parents with hikes that I thought were "easy" but I am proud to say that everyone made it to the end of each hike!

The whole group!

(on a sidenote, we missed Mat's sisters family who were coming and their son broke his arm while they were in Goblin Valley. So sad)

We did half of the hike and turned around so we could go on a couple more.

We went to the visitors center and then found a picnic area to have our lunches. The trees were just in bloom so it was beautiful!

We went on a hike called Cohob Canyon. It was hard at first but at the end, it was beautiful with really neat slot canyons.

Taking a rest!

Ben & I found a cool hole that we climbed up in. A lot of fun but kind of scary getting down!

Mat's mom

Sam wanted to try the hole too!

Mat's dad and step-mom

The rest of the kids wanted to try the hole too! I think this hole was a highlight of the trip! :)

Mat & Ben attempting to go into a slot...they didn't get very far!

We ended up finding a slot canyon that was great for everyone! Those who wanted to went in and the kids had a ball exploring!

The guys. It got so tight that Mat had to push me through one part. Yikes!

Makenna, Ben & Sam made it to the very end!

Mat & I

Me, Summer & Lyndsay

After our hike, most of the group went back to rest and shower but our family and half of Mat's brothers family went for one more hike called Grand Wash. It leads to the Narrows but we weren't able to make it that far. The kids were too tired form hiking all day. What we did see of the hike was beautiful!

Sam on a rock!

Ben & Sam on a rock. All they wanted to do was climb, climb, climb and it was the perfect spot to do that!!

I love these two! They get along so great and are a lot of fun to take places!

There is nothing like eating outside when you are camping. Everything tastes great! Since it was chilly in the morning, we had plenty of time to relax and let the kids play.

I love this picture because Sam looks like Elf next to all the little girls at the table! :)

They loved the ghetto playground and Sam even found a new friend, Kimball. They were inseparable for a good hour. It was sad when we had to say goodbye!

Our last day we decided to hike Capitol Gorge. It's a cool hike where there used to be the old highway down in a dried out riverbed. There were pioneer names written on the sides of the walls and at the end was something called the Tanks. It was a great hike!

Makenna and Sam took over grandma and grandpas walking sticks. They were ready!

You could run up the sides of the walls and climb into small holes. Mat & the boys had a ball doing it!

Ben is our Spiderman of the family. He climbs EVERYTHING!!!

After a hard hike up to the Tanks we made it. They are natural pits in the rocks that collect rainwater. They were really cool but it's been a dry year down there and so there wasn't much water to see. We still had a good time climbing around them and playing in the sand.

Family picture @ the Tanks...Sam wouldn't get off his ledge.

Here is a picture of one of the Tanks. Really gross water...really gross. Notice Sam standing on the left. He kept getting closer and closer even though we told him not too. Then...

this happened. I couldn't take a picture of him sitting on the rock, in his underwear crying. We heard a splash and someone pulled him out of that disgusting water.

He was so embarrassed and his mean mom made him take off his pants so they could "dry". To make matters worse, a group of UVU kids came up so they saw him huddling in the sun with only his underwear and a t-shirt on. We ended up cutting off his pants and he had to hike back the 1.5 miles in the sand with wet shoes and socks! By the ends, they were disgusting!

Luckily it was the last hike of the trip and we were able to change and drive home. It was a great trip and I am so glad that we were able to go!