Next Stop: Lake Powell & Glen Canyon

Beautious lake


Lovely scenery


Canyon views


Flying monkeys


Natural playscape


Casual dining


Did I mention, great scenery?


A splashy little respite


A workout for Joe


Local fauna


A little hiking


Ethereal beauty


Flaky biscuits


Floaty tour


Floating family


Talking fish


Hatted grand couple


Delicate shrubbery


Structural engineer's dream


A wonderful visit!

Adventures in the Great SW (continued...)

More South Rim of the Grand Canyon


The Watchtower


Looking down from the top


Inside looking out



Ooh, a crack in the wall with a gauge over it. An interesting find...for our family anyway!


Grampy, straining to see the strain gauge.


Now leaving...


...South Rim.

Well, not exactly right NOW.

We left quite some time ago...you know, when we were still on vaca.



(Disclaimer: I apologize if you're viewing this and are getting tired of seeing someone else's vacation pictures. I just need to document all of this now since I've realized I can no longer fully rely on my memory later. Then they'll be set to print, bind, and go down in our little family's history...sometime. This is the closest I come to scrapbooking.)

Adventures in the Great SW -- Day 2

South Rim of the Grand Canyon

The canyon almost looks like a fake backdrop.


The bold squirrel that joined our family photo. Can you tell it's the most dangerous animal in the park? (Most injuries are bites from cute, seemingly friendly squirrels.)


A cute beggar


On our hike in the canyon


Our oldest little monkey using his pinoculars (as Grampy kept calling them).


The whole crew


The kids seemed chivalrous enough giving up their seats on the park shuttle bus a number of times. It was a facade. They really just looked forward to a full bus so they could stand, sway, and bounce around. Unrestrained. Free Willy!

We WERE at a park, so they made their own amusement.

And one bus driver, in particular, gave them a very good ride!


A Hitchcock moment

I hadn't realized how very large ravens are. Two feet tall, four+ foot wing span...and their walk is akin to the proverbial pregnancy waddle.

Jimmer says their color is purplish, bluish, black. Right on!

A couple of them liked our camping neighbor's potato salad and mozzarella cheese.

National parks --

-- world's largest jungle gyms!

Adventures in the Great Southwest -- Day 1

The kids were blissfully unaware of the magnitude of preparations it took to finally make it on the plane, but -- on nine, nine, oh nine -- off we went with full gear for our camping rig. Eight people -- 31 foot RV.

Just right!

We met up with Grammy & Grampy for our 2nd annual RV tour.

First stop:

Well, a store.

Filled up four grocery carts!

First REAL stop:


Hoover Dam


Here's Mary Kate smack dab in the middle of the dam. We walked through this tunnel and felt it shaking. Ummmm...don't know if it's supposed to be doing that unless there's an earthquake. Not much you can do when you're in the middle of a dam that big!

(The tour guide said he didn't feel it. I almost lost my balance...as did a few others.)


As a bonus, we got to see the progression of the new Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge being built. The middle concrete arch piece was just set in place joining the two sides.


This bridge family thought it was a dandy spectacle!

A full Day 1.

Adventure gear

Sandals scrubbed and drying in the sun


Monkeypacks all in a row


A few things for the hands, mind, and mouth


Sun hats clean and good to go


Lights, cords...action!


An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered.
- G.K. Chesterton

A purposeful adventure is extraordinary!

Gotta love adventures of ALL kinds!

Praying Mantis

I hope I wasn't interrupting his (her?) prayers.

I just can't help it when I see a one.


I just have to watch its head turn and then turn the other way, and back again...


Following me as I shift from side to side, back and forth...at least a good 73 times...tapping on the wall to get its attention.

I also enjoy watching different animals (birds, dogs, cats, horses, etc.) eat their food. Always have.

In my simple life, I'm so easily amused.
Too bad the kids were sleeping.
They would have had fun...and worn its little head out.

What's a simple amusement for you?

Now, excuse me while I go wash my windows.