The 4 Aguas!: July 2010

Pat has made it a tradition to take all the girls (Jenna, her friend Richelle, Kate, and Amy) to the beach every summer. They love boogie boarding and playing in the water (Owen and I prefer the pool). Here are the pics:

The back side of the beach :)

Jenna and Richelle making sand castles

"Kake" and "Mayme" eating lunch

Bathing beauties

Pat said the first time he tried to take this picture, Kate fell into a sand hole :), so they had to do another take. I think it looks "Charlie's Angel-ish". It is nice to know that clumsiness runs in the family.

Pat and Amy trying to help the girls catch a wave

Action shot--future lifeguards

Jenna, Richelle, Pat and Amy heading into the water

Best Friends

The End--literally (that is Jenna's new saying)

Just so you know--Owen and I weren't jealous at all. I asked him what he wanted to do on our date day and he said "Hmm, let's see Mom, see a train, ride on a fire engine, and go into shops". So, we saw a train on our way to Toys R Us, he rode a fire engine at Chuck E. Cheese with the Earl girls, and we went to Target. Super Mom strikes again--hahaha!

Here they are! Finally! We have been going strong since summer started, but we are finally home, and here are the vacation pictures. We decided to take a different camping route this year. First stop was Flagstaff, Az. We stayed in Pine Cove--about 15 minutes outside Flagstaff in the mountains. It was BEAUTIFUL!

The first thing Owen did was make a new friend from the neighboring campsite. He and Chelsea were bike riding buddies the whole time we were there. I think she wanted to stay with us even though her grandpa had a HUGE motor home. She liked our snacks and sparkling cider--and she LOVED Owen. She was 4, but Owen didn't mind hooking up with an "older woman" :)

Chelsea also had an older sister who Jenna made friends with and they all had fun!

Our first camp site

In our third grade curriculum, we had a story about Slide Rock in Sedona, AZ so I told Jenna that would be our first stop. It was AWESOME! All natural water slides, and red rock climbing.

Pat and Jenna deciding who was going to go first down the slide

Dad won--here he goes

Now it's Jenna's turn!

Owen liked climbing the rocks best

And the snacks

There was also a great place to jump off a huge rock--we all had to try it! Jenna was the bravest of course

Then she had to talk me into it--so did the guy behind us

But I finally did it

These are more pictures at Slide Rock

Then we took a day and walked around Flagstaff. We rode our bikes and got caught in a thunderstorm

The next day we headed our for Chama, NM to visit my Mom and Dad at the property they bought 10 years ago. We had to stop by Meteor Crater to check it out first.

When we finally reached Chama we were in for another thunderstorm. Mom and Dad's place is GORGEOUS! This was the view from our trailer "set-up". They don't have a house on the property yet, but they have hook ups for their fifth wheel and fresh water and electrical

My Dad built two swings for Grandma and the kids

Check out the sky behind my Dad!

Our first night there we had a thunderstorm. Pat and Jenna were staying in the tent. They said it was a BLAST--I was jealous. You can see there little faces peeking out of the tent

The day after we got to Chama, Mom and Dad took us to Pagosa Springs, CO to the hot springs. IT was very relaxing, but Owen kept saying that the water smalled like eggs, and he wasn't getting in--so he opted for the pool :)

Papa and Owen had a chat and some snacks while we enjoyed the hot pools

Mom and Owie got some special time too!

Grandma and Papa took us out for a YUMMY lunch too!

The next day was our BIG train ride on a "REAL STEAMIE" as Owen would say. He was SO excited! We went to the Chama station to check out the trains before we went.

Owen was overwhelmed by the size of the trains. He was in awe and kept saying "Mom look, its a coupling hose, Dad look, its a steam dome"...on and on

I have never seen a kid SO interested in trains

The BIG kids were excited too

Then came the day that Owen has been talking about for the last few MONTHS. We went for an all day ride on a real steam engine. The Cumbres and Toltec steam train took us through two tunnels, a stop for a great lunch and back. We had great seats, we stood in the open car, we talkied to a REAL engineer, and made friends. Pat stood in the open car through the whole trip. I think he MIGHT have been a little more excited than even Owen was.

Jenna got her hat, so she was happy:)

Owen was a little nervous when it started out. His favorite was the water towers and when the train let off the excess water we got "misted".

Grandma and Jenna enjoying the view

Outside in the open car

I think Pat took about 100 train pictures, so here are just a few

Pat and I love this shot of Mom

Owen liked to stand in between the train cars and watch the wheels on the tracks

Here is a shot of one of the tunnels

Pat HAD to take a picture of the Amish people--he thought it was appropriate for the times :)

Our day came to an end. Everyone was tired, but it was a wonderful experience. Thanks again Grandma and Papa!

My parents also took us to a little shop where they make Navajo rugs on looms. The factory had about 8 looms and they rugs were beautiful. The dye the wool by hand and do the weaving piece by piece. The rugs cost about $2-7 thousand

I tired to get Jenna and Owen interest so they could make a little cash on the side :)

Papa mimicking Pat--look in the window

We stopped in Chama on the way home for ice cream from our favorite ice cream lady and Owen was WORN OUT!

The next day was the Fourth of July, so we all packed in the Expedition and headed into town for an AWESOME fireworks show. They were selling fireworks EVERYWHERE, and plenty of people displayed their own shows whiule we were waiting

Pat and I took turns sleeping with Jenna in the tent, so I was able to catch him with Owen snuggling in one morning. Owen was GREAT about sleeping in his own bed this time--YEAH! Then he would want to come in with us and cuddle in the morning.

After 5 days, we had to say goodbye to Grandma and Papa and we headed out for Moab, UT for a night. We camped right on the Colorado River in 100 degree heat and millions of gnats found our trailer--the ONLY place we didn't like, but it was only a stop over spot. The town of MOab was cool thought, and we were able to go to Arches National Park which was the most gorgeous place I think I've seen yet!

This was the view from our campsite

Jenna LOVES the water and will go in anywhere at any time.

Owen's favorite spot was on top of the cooler :)

We checked out the shops in Moab and got a few goodies. Owen LOVES shopping--weirdo!

Here are some pics from Arches

Outside the park was a HUGE red sand mountain that Jenna just HAD to climb--so she did

Our next campsite was in Duck Creek, UT--up in the mountains at about 8,500 feet elevation--just like we like it! The deer came through our camp site every morning and the chipmunks loved us too!

We finally got to use the outside shower on our trailer. I told Pat it reminded me of when my brother and I took baths in buckets when my parents took us camping. I promised Jenna I wouldn't post the pictures of her, but she was the FIRST to want to try it out. She is the BOMB--love that girl--she is SO adventurous!

Once we hit Duck Creek, our first destination was Bryce Canyon National Park--if you have never been, it is a must see.

They call these rocks the HooDoos, but we had to name a few on our own, like....

Butt Rock

And neopolitan ice cream

Window to the trees

We took a few family hikes, too.

Now, Bryce was beautiful, but Zion National Park was my favorite. Pictures just can't capture it! We took out car into the park, then you have to take a tram to the "good spots" we loved it all!