Private lunch for two at Bright Angel Point, etc.

We took advantage of a great opportunity for a working vacation Friday and Saturday.  A company that we have done some previous work for at the North and South Rims called up and have another job they needed us to check out and give them a bid for.  We were more than happy to take the time to go over and do that.  We left Friday right after I got done with school and stopped off in Hurricane to try the outdoor pizza oven for lunch.  It was really good.  Then we took off for Jacob's Lake to spend the night.  We stopped of at a viewpoint and bought some pretty jewelry from some Navajo ladies and then took a side road for a cool walk in the ponderosa forest.  We arrived at Jacob's Lake and checked in.  We had reserved one of their old rooms, but they gave us one at their new building because they are doing remodeling on the old rooms.  It was a nice upgrade and even had a balcony.  We learned that you don't want to go out on the balcony without bringing your key!  We both went out and then couldn't get back in.  There was nobody around, so I volunteered Paul to make the climb down.  Luckily there was a big pile of snow just below our balcony that made the drop shorter.  When Paul asked them for a second key the kid at the desk was amazed that he had gotten down from the 2nd floor.  After a nice dinner we took a wonderful evening walk in the forest.  In the morning after breakfast we were off to the North Rim.  We checked out the job and measured it up and then headed out to Bright Angel Point where we had lunch. It was so cool that it was just the two of us at one of the most popular places to go when the park is open.   We saw maybe 5 other people there working to get ready for the park opening on May 15th.  After lunch we did a short hike - Uncle Jim's loop.  It has some very nice views of the canyon.  Too bad a lot of the trees had in that area had been burned or it would have been even prettier.  After that it was time to head home via dinner in Kanab and the drive through Zion.  It was so much fun, and just what we needed.  Hopefully we will get the job and be able to get back over there to wash it!  It was a great Earth Day celebration...just one day early!

This little guy seemed to want his picture taken.

The skies and clouds were magnificent.

Easter Fun and more

Our family Easter gathering was on Friday this year.  It included a picnic in the backyard and presents and cheesecake for Christie and Sarai's belated birthdays.  After that the parents headed up behind the tank on the Red Hill to hide eggs while Paul, Juge and I herded the youngsters up there taking the long route.  The eggs were in place when we got there and the hunting began.  Every egg was found.  Then we trekked back down where the kids commenced and pretty much finished up on the consumption of the goodies.  Before everyone came over we made it down to the Art Festival and enjoyed it.

On Saturday we took a drive looking for a "hidden" waterfall.  It's still hidden, but we did see some interesting territory.  After that we took a hike in the Red Cliffs reserve.  It was tame, but close by with some nice views.

I had Monday off and we went up to Zion with Juge, Lance and kids to take a short hike to see some petroglyphs and then went up a pretty little canyon and ate our lunch along the way.  It was a beautiful day and a fun time.  Eden just loves the pretty sand.  Every time we go hiking with her she seems to come up with a bag that she has to fill with sand.  This time was the same.  She and Noah both seem to like it...enough that I saw both of them take a little pinch to eat!  Funny birds!  Sometimes it is so pretty that it looks "good enough to eat"!

Yesterday I had to talk myself into being happy that it was raining when I was so hoping to get out on a hike.  Instead I did housework that I had been putting off and after that Paul and I took in the Scout Expo and ran some errands.  Then I got started on another task I have been saving up - making a bunch of tiny sugar cube temples for a stake activity for the girls 8-11.  We are taking them on a hike to the temple quarry and learning about how the temple was built.  Hopefully it won't rain that day.

Lots of scouting and a relaxing walk to boot

Scout - the eagle - was part the the Eagle Scout program

It's been a very scouty week at our house.  I went to two pack meetings this week and then Paul and I attended one of his former scouts Eagle Court of Honor last night.  It was all good.  I helped judge a heptathlon at one pack meeting and helped judge pinewood derby cars at another.  I'm getting to be a regular at the meetings so they don't consider me a scary "stake visitor" anymore - I'm just someone there to be an extra pair of hands to help out.  I like that a lot better.  One of the pack meetings started pretty early and when I got done I was so excited that the sun was still up.  I nagged Paul - it didn't take much - to go and take our evening walk at Snow Canyon.  It was perfect - perfect temperature, perfectly quiet, and perfectly beautiful!  So glad we live where we can enjoy all this beauty almost in our own back yard.  We've had the flu and are finally starting to feel close to normal.  It was great to feel good enough to go for a walk again.

No cap & gown, hoopla or pictures... but a graduate nevertheless!

Just in case you haven't heard, Supe graduated on Tuesday, March 20th, from Utah State University.  He earned Bachelor's degree in history and a minor in business.  He will be finishing up this semester and then moving across the country to start a job for Epic Systems Corporation, a  health care software company,  located in Madison, Wisconsin on May 7th.

A quick blurb I found:

Recognized by the 2007 Place Rated Almanac as one of the "One of the Ten Most Livable Cities in the United States," Madison continually ranks as one of the best places to live, work and play in the United States. Built on an Isthmus between Lake Monona and Lake Mendota. (He says he might learn to sail - he's learned the St. George and Logan sports, so now on to new adventures.) Madison offers incredible natural beauty, stimulating cultural opportunities and a plethora of restaurants, shops and attractions. Healthcare is another of Madison's strengths with five general hospitals, more than 20 major medical clinics and UW-Madison's medical, nursing and pharmacy schools. Madison also boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation.

Doesn't sound too bad...not St. George, but not too bad.  Here's hoping planes fly Supe our way every so often and that he will eventually find a job in a more westerly vicinity.  I'm proud of him and excited about the very great job offer and opportunities it will bring, but I miss him already.  I have a hard time with the idea of him leaving the Utah nest. I have been too spoiled so far. I guess I survived Italy and Africa...Supe, tell me this is only temporary too please.  

For now...to infinity and beyond!

Spring break madness to Pito's empty nest

It seems really quiet now without our energetic company here using every waking moment to seek some adventure.  Our other Spring break adventures were quite tame, but very enjoyable.  Paul and I went up one morning and walked the old Temple Quarry Trail to check out the mileage, etc. for a possible stake primary activity.  Seeing the sun coming up over Zion and all of the historical stuff up there made for a nice morning stroll.

We spent Friday getting Paul ready for the stake camporee. They camped out and then helped at the Thunder Over Utah airshow.  Saturday Ferf and kids and Bean and I went to the airshow.  It was a really cool event despite the quirky weather and crowds.  Pretty amazing stuff.

The 6 Angels at rest

Gaige trying out some of the static display stuff

The F22 Raptor

The Osprey hovering

That thing on top of the wings is a lady!

Angels in flight patterns

USAF F-22 Raptor with P-51 Mustang flying the "Heritage Flight" celebrating 50 year spread of USAF aircraft, "classic and current".

More Angels

Acrobatic show  (not my picture)

Here she is up close.  (Not my picture)

Loved this stunt - right in front of my face!  Scaaaary! (Not my picture)

On the down side - we also spent time in Las Vegas at the Trauma center visiting a sweet friend of Supe's.  She is an outstanding young lady with a wonderful family. Such a bad way to meet such good people. We are praying for her full recovery from some very serious injuries.  It's one of those things that makes you wish you could just turn back the clock for everyone involved.

Spring Break...zip off those pant legs at last!

View of the crag from the trail head

Pine Valley Mountain view from the trail

Zion view from the trail

The crag from the upper trail

Cool stuff along the trail

Paul and a view of the crag

More close ups

More Zion Views

Tree's reservoir view from the trail

Supe and all of his buds arrived Friday night and we all stayed up too late.  After a bit of a sleep in, they went off to their climbing adventures and Paul and I went off to ours.  We decided to finally go and do the Eagle Crag hike.  We always love looking at those cool little peaks on our way to Zion and we were not disappointed.  We hiked for about 9 miles, a little past the end of the designated hike.  It was a beautiful, zip off the pant legs day.  (We zipped off about a quarter of the way up.)  We did encounter some patches of snow at the upper elevations.  The views from this hike are simply spectacular although they were hard to capture by camera.  It was a little hazy and very sunny.  It's a really nice hike that's not too extreme in ups and downs.  So glad we got out and enjoyed all that scenery.  Afterwards we drove on up to Springdale and visited an art gallery that we both like and then headed for home and dinner (left chalupas cooking in the crock-pot) with Supe and friends.  It was a great way to spend the first day of Spring Break!

Benja birthday surprise & baptism and family dinner...all in one weekend!

Friday night Ryan took Ferf to dinner for her birthday...and found the rest of us there waiting.  It was fun to have an adult get together to celebrate that great day when we added Ferf to our little (then) family.  She has been such a wonderful addition.  I even ate (and pretty much liked) some sushi as part of the fun.  Happy Birthday Ferf!  We love you!!!

All ready to get baptized!

Check out that Zader boy's funny face!

Isn't she a cutie!

Oops...blurry, but beautiful!

On Saturday we got together again for another grand "shout for joy" occasion.  Kennis (and her cousin Madi) were baptized.  It's the kind of thing that can make a grandma feel teary-eyed and proud.  Kennis is a sweetie.  We are so proud of her. It's so good to see her heading down the right path.  We love you Kennis.  Keep on CingTR. After the baptism we all went over to Ryan's sister's house for lunch.  What a fun gang to eat and visit with.

Didn't get too many pictures - just these few.

On to the next eating/visiting/celebrating get together - the family "feast of the fast over".  It was at Ferf and Ryan's this time.  We were missing Paul since he is up visiting the northern herd.  We had good food, a little more birthday for Ferf, and the little kids were so busy playing with the new little chicks outside or being Super Heroes that the older set had quite a nice (quiet) time visiting for a spell.  It was good food and good company all in one place.  Thanks for the grub and fun everybody.  See you next month.

Fun stuff along the road from Ashfork

We saw about 8 of these things in all different sizes.

Not my photograph of course.  It is a cool bridge.  

Just needed to add a few of the latest activities - Have been to two Blue & Gold Banquets for Cub Scouts and am going to one more tonight.  I'm liking this part of my calling...don't have to cook dinner!  Wished Grandma Kurtz a happy birthday Sunday evening since we would be out of town on her birthday - she's 80!.  She hadn't felt well that day and couldn't come to dinner, so we went to her later with her present.  No pictures since she wasn't looking her usual stylish self.  She was looking forward to spending the next day (her birthday) at home fielding phone calls from well wishers.  Went to Ashfork via Jacob's Lake/Flagstaff on Monday/Tuesday.  Got the last two chocolate chip cookies for dessert with our lunch at Jacob's Lake - couldn't wait for them to cook up a new batch so we could have more.  Spent the night in Williams and woke up to snow and the weather report saying we would be better off not to go back home the way we came.  We got our stone and then took the Las Vegas route home.  Had a first on the road a little way from Kingman - we saw a bunch of wild pigs - peccary - along side the road.  Wish we could have stopped and taken photos, but it wasn't a good place to pull over.  Then we got to cross the finally finished bridge for our first time at Hoover Dam on the way into Las Vegas.  We treated ourselves to lunch at Macaroni Grill and then took our rocks home so that Paul could get back for the final night of the Scout Merit Badge Pow Wow.  It's always restful to go on a rock trip and listen to #1 Ladies Detective Agency books (or others), snooze while Paul does the driving and get away from the housework that I really should have stayed home to do. 

Oak Grove & Birthday girl

Sometimes we would catch a whiff of pine on the breeze...heavenly!  We saw lots of  turkey tracks along the way and even saw where one probably became turkey dinner for a coyote.

Saturday we slept in too long and had afternoon obligations so we opted to go for a short outing to Oak Grove.  We had hoped to be able to drive to the gate by the campground and then hike up to see a waterfall we have heard about but never been to...but there were two gates...the first one about 4 or 5 miles from the campground.  So we just decided that if we could make it to the campground, eat our lunch and then get back to the truck and home in time that would be the plan.  We did.  It was a beautiful day and we ended up shedding jackets and layers along the trail.  We tramped through quite a bit of mud and then snow near the top - some of the snow in the shade was about a foot deep.  We didn't see anyone else; it was very peaceful.  We always jump the gun on heading to the mountains when we should still be enjoying the desert. 

Unwrapping presents and wrapping up children!

 Today we took B-day presents over to Weed.  It was already past the day and the upcoming week's schedule isn't leaving any room for b-day get togetherness, so we decided to just get on with it.  It was fun.  Derek gave us good suggestions...thanks Derek.  Happy Birthday Weed!  So glad you joined our family those short few years ago.  We love you!!!

Off the beaten path...and back

Monday we finished up our President's Day holiday wanderings.  We decided to head back up to Red Cliffs area to see some of the stuff we didn't have time for on Saturday.  We parked at the Red Cliffs recreation area and then set off...off the beaten path. (Sometimes its just not as fun to stay on the "designated" trails.)  We explored a really beautiful box canyon, saw several dinosaur tracks, and old rusty, bullet-ridden car, some exceptional waterfalls, Indian ruins and lots and lots of beautiful scenery.  We ate lunch overlooking Quail Creek lake before we started.  After we got home Moss and Christie joined us for biscuits and gravy.  It was a very relaxing and enjoyable day off.