Meeting Zion Paul Weaver!

We are so thankful that Juge and Lance got their new baby boy here safe and sound.  He was born Thursday, November 21st around 8:30 pm in Cedar City, Utah.  He is a big boy at 9 lbs. 3 oz. and 20" long.  He has some seriously chubby cheeks and looks like a little Noah...only with bigger cheeks!  We wished we could have gotten there a bit sooner, but we waited until Sunday afternoon to be sure the weather was good and so that Grandma Kurtz could come along with us.  This little guy makes #20 for our grand kids.  20 wonderful blessings to be thankful for and enjoy watching grow up!  What a lucky little guy to come to a great home where he will be loved and taught the Gospel.  We love you Zion! Welcome to a great life!

Happy #39th Anniversary!

Usually Thanksgiving interferes with our anniversary, but this year with Thanksgiving being later, we actually celebrated on the day before and the day of.  Friday after work we went to a really good movie.  Then we had a gift card for a great dinner.  Then we came home and watched another movie!  Saturday morning we went to the temple.  After lunch we headed for Pine Valley.  We had wanted to go on a hike up by Zion, but we were afraid it would just be rain and mud.  Pine Valley ended up being amazing, beautiful and we had it pretty much to ourselves.  The snow was about 6-8 inches deep in the valley and then up the canyon and by the lake it was much deeper - some places looked like about 12-14 inches deep. It was snowing just a bit the whole time we were there.  A guy that had been fishing broke trail to the lake, but after that we had to do it ourselves. We wished we had brought our CC skis. On the way home we stopped in at Veyo Pies and got some of their great cookies to have with hot chocolate when we got home. We had a great time celebrating a great 39 years!  

The lake was just getting a little ice crust on it.  If you threw a snowball at it, it would break through.  

It looks like next year they will be putting this bridge across the spillway coming out of the lake.  The footings are in, but for now, the bridge is just sitting at the side of the spillway.

The snow was piled up so deep on rocks and stumps that we could just poke holes in it with our walking sticks to make snowmen.  I got pretty hot, so I had to eat some of it.  Very refreshing!

Peek-A-Boo Canyon

Tuesday I didn't have school so we turned it into one of those business + fun days.  Paul needed some stone in Fredonia and Kanab and I have been wanting to see Peek-a-Boo/Red slot canyon over that way.  It requires 4WD to get there.  Our 4WD vehicle is the same one that we needed to get stone in, so it worked out to do both.  Let me say that I'm not sure I would go there again in that vehicle.  It would be a lot better on a 4 wheeler or in a Jeep.  It was CRAZY driving through the deep sand with less than good directions.  We got way off route a couple of times and had given up and were heading back when we saw a landmark that finally got us back on track and to our destination. Paul has such a good sense in that way.  We were so glad to park it and just enjoy the canyon for a while!  It was worth the trouble.  We hiked the .35 miles to what they call the "choke stone" which is about 15' in the air, and then scrambled up and over and enjoyed the canyon quite a bit further until it was time to head back.  The canyon still hadn't come to an end and it was hard to stop when we wanted to get to where it started.  We saw some other people filming a commercial at the mouth of the canyon when we came out and a couple of other guys hiking up.  We also visited the pencil hoo doo that is just outside of the canyon.  Then it was back to the sand.  We ended up getting stuck in a bad place and having to let quite a bit of air out of our tires to be able to drive out, but after we did that, it was fine. Then it was off to get our stone and head on home.  It was a great day with some very tense driving moments.  We took the Cane Beds road on the way there and drove by Coral Pink Sand Dunes.  That's a really pretty drive.

Going down the choke stone.

Coal Pits Wash - finally!

We have been wanting to do Coal Pits Wash trail for quite some time.  It just never happened.  Yesterday we wanted some place close to go explore.  Usually I have thought of it when it is way too hot.  It was perfect yesterday.  We got a little bit of a late start and came out just as the moon rose.  We did about 12 miles and only saw two other people.

Upper left and bottom right - the beginning of the hike. The crazy looking equipment is what is left of someone trying to drill an oil well out there in the middle of no where. Crazy! It was our final destination. We had a bit of trouble locating it, but finally found it. There weren't too many leaves left, but this tree was still ablaze in color. Loved it!

Lots of amazing wind and water carved rocks everywhere.

Loved seeing so much water still running at this time of year.

The top and bottom left pics are at Coal Pits Wash spring. It was so cool. The water (you can't see it) was just running out of the bottom of the lower clump of plants in a steady stream. Ferns were growing out all over under the overhang that the water seeps down through. A fire went through the area in 2006 and left lots of old Cottonwood tree skeletons. They are white, barkless and hollow. Very interesting. The back side view of Zion peaks - so cool to see them from the other side.

This baby Cottonwood couldn't decide - green or yellow? Eagle Crags view as we left for the hike in the morning. Loved this sweet rock - it couldn't decide either...black or cream color?

Zion cliff views. The top right was on our way out and the sun was setting the cliffs on fire. Can't wait to see more of this area.

Friday evening we went on the moon light hike sponsored by Snow Canyon State Park.  It was a little tame, but we it was beautiful and we enjoyed it despite a cold wind blowing down the canyon that cut it a little short.  We did learn a few interesting facts - there are two kinds of skunks in the park.  There are the traditional striped ones and also the spotted variety.  They also have quite a few ring tail cats.  The gray foxes in the park have been seen climbing the Hackberry trees to harvest that goodness.  I didn't know they could climb trees.  Also, I didn't know that the berries on those trees taste like apricots.  I am going to try them next year to see if I agree.  

A little visit from Brynn and the girls

Brynn and the girls took to the road while Jay is in Russia.  We were lucky to be one of their stops.  It was a quick, fun visit.  It was so fun to see Tahlia up walking around and Madi growing up so cute and smart!  Brynn is always patient and always helpful.  Love you all!  Thanks for visiting!

We had fun times cooking out (S'mores) with Moss and Brenden, dancing with Grandpa, playing in the sand and climbing around with the Weavers at White Rocks and not as much fun feeding the very ravenous, finger pecking ducks.

Happy Birthday Ryan!

It's a perfect fit!  Ryan got a just right "man apron" from us to wish him a happy birthday.  "Grill Master - the man - they myth - the legend".  Hope he will enjoy a great year of grilling to come Ryan.  Happy Birthday -we love you!

Cottonwood Narrows, Grosvenor Arch, Kodachrome Basin

We finally had a Saturday of our own and decided to get all we could out of it.  We left about 9 am and got home around 10 pm.  It was nice the time changed and gave us an extra hour of sleep in the morning.  All of these things were over in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument area.  We started at Cottonwood Narrows where we did the mapped hike and then some more.  It was beautiful and the unplanned part was every bit as good if not better.  After that we just enjoyed stopping in at the other places en route back home and want to go back and spend more time at them at some future date.  

Grosvernor Arch

 Kodachrome Basin State Park

Bryce and Red Canyon area

Happy #1 Sweet Eliza "Gray"

We did join them and it was such a "sweet" party.  Eliza didn't have her usual smiles since she wasn't feeling well, but even so, she still had some little smiles.  Christy is amazing.  She has such fun ideas for parties and this was no exception.  The decorations and treats were so cute.  The movie left us teary eyed. We love hanging out with the Key gang too. We are so happy this sweet little one joined the family only a year ago. Happy Birthday Eliza!  We love you.

Halloween 2013

The annual Halloween party happened once again.  We didn't have the Randalls or Jay and Brynn and kids, but the rest made it for at least part of the time.  We had good food and fun games.  Ferf was the organizer and deserves a big THANKS for all of her work.  Some dressed up and some didn't, but it was all good!

Here's the whole gang minus Ryan who got off work later.  Moss and Christie provided donuts for dessert!  They were yummy!  Speed mummy wrapping game.

Koen the fire-breathing dragon, Jack Frost (Tavin) and friend MoMo, Brynnnli (punkrocker), Kennis and Gaige (Flamingo dancer and Ninja), Christy and Brenden (OB One and 80's gal), Indiana Jones (Moss), Columbo (Paul), Me (a little bit catish), Tasia (Mavis of Hotel Transylvania), Kaebri (Dorothy), Weed and Derek (Miss Pepper and Ironman), Zade the skeleton, Sarai the puppy, Noah the ghost, Bean the soccer keeper.  I missed getting a single picture of Eden the butterfly or of Eliza or Trigg (see the family shot).