Grand Canyon Vacation (part 1)

For Memorial weekend we went on a family trip to the Grand Canyon. It was amazing!! Randy and Winnie (Grandpa & Grandma) left early Friday morning. Dewey, I and the boys left as soon as Luke got out of school. (Both boys last day of school). Our first stop was the Hoover Dam.

It is a HUGE structure, if your an architecture nerd like me you would love it.

A little alarming to see how low the water is. All the white that you can see on the rocks is where there used to be water. Lake Meed is way way to low.

For security reasons a new bridge was built to drive over. But you can still drive over the Hoover dam if you go through a security check first. We drove over then parked and walked back over it for the best view.

We stayed in Williams AZ. A darling little western town. We stayed at the Grand Canyon Train Hotel which was a block from downtown. So it was easy to walk everywhere. To the boys delight walking involved going past a lot of trains and tracks.

Because it was Memorial Weekend there was a Parade on Saturday. We spent the morning walking around town and then watching the parade.

It was about this time that Luke started to not feel good. Hey it wouldn't be a Warner vacation if it was all smooth sailing :)

More to follow...



Kolby's Kindergarten Graduation

 We were driving into town to go to Kolbys Kindergarten graduation when he informs me that he has lost a tooth. (perfect timing that's us) Being a "seasoned" mom I reached down to grab a napkin (I keep a stack close and handy) handed it back to him and told him nor to drip blood on his suit.

How is it that my baby has already graduated kindergarten?

Kolby was so excited to wear his "handsome" outfit. Luke on the other hand informed me that it wasn't his graduation so he didn't need to dress up.

All of the kindergarten classes put on a Dr. Seuss themed program. It was beyond stinking cute. Kolby asked if I was going to cry. I asked "what do you think?" he said "Try not to be to loud".

We lucked out and got front row seats thanks to some friends that got there an hour early. Who ever came up with kindergartners singing "oh the places you'll go" was brilliant.

Kolby went to preschool and then kindergarten with 6 of his best friends. It's such a great group of kids. So sad to think after 4 years together this is their last year together. Next year Kolby will go to the same school Luke goes to. A few of the other kids have moved and will be going to new schools too. So we had to celebrate after the graduation by going to sushi.

The restaurant was great and gave the "graduates" and their siblings their very own table. A very big deal. The parents sat a few feet away all trying to relax but failing miserably :)


One more week of school and summer vacation starts.

Happy Mothers Day!

I had a simply wonderful Mothers day and hope you did too. I woke up to breakfast ready and waiting out on the patio. The boys had each made me the cutest present at school. Luke made a vase with tape and Kolby made Hot pads with his hand print on them. Both just perfect. They also picked out a plant for me, they told me it was a "man eating flower". Its official name is a red rose plant. :)

When they asked what I wanted to do I said "Lets go hiking". We decided to try a new hike about 15 minutes to the south of us. As a fun added bonus grandpa came with us.

A lot of the hike was in and through a stream. Which just happened to be ice cold. (that's what happens when snow melts :)

But the absolutely stunning scenery made up for it.

The slot canyon was amazing. These pics were all taken with my phone. I did take my camera but forget to change the lens (derr) we were in way to confined spaces to use it. So keep in mind phone pics and frozen feet when you look at the pics.

At one point we came to a ladder which really was just a log with little wood pieces nailed in for steps. I have never really thought about doing these kind of things before. Now that I have boys that also have to do them it changes things a bit. (scared out of my mind)

Grandpa went first and then the boys were brave little troopers and clamored right up after him. Once we got to the top Luke did ask if there was any other way to get back to the car that didn't involve going back down the ladder. There wasn't but we all made it back none the worse for wear.

Well almost, Kolbys wet shoes caused a blister so he "had" to be carried part of the way back.

A beautiful perfect Mothers day hike!

When we got back we went to Grandma and Grandpas to have a BBQ for Grandmas mothers day. A wonderful relaxing way to end the day.