Christmas in Heber

We had such a fun Christmas with Kelly, Brenda, Logan, Reed and Jacob. We went on a ride on the Polar Express on Christmas Eve day and the REAL Santa came on board and gave all the kids bells. Everyone was a believer.

Kevin, Kalie and Isaac came to Heber on Saturday and spent some time cross-country skiing and then came back on Monday morning to do more of the same. They all had a blast and the boys were able to show off their amazing skills. They get to ski three times a week for gym. This picture is in the lodge before they hit the slopes.

We had a very Merry Christmas with some of the best boys in the world.

Christmas cookies and snow

Mark, Lori and their kids came for the weekend and we had a blast. We make lots of Christmas cookies and had a very good time.

Lexi lost her second front tooth. Maybe the cookies had something to do with that.
We also had a skiff of snow and the kids couldn't wait to go out and play in it. They lasted for a few minutes then in they came. It was pretty cold but really pretty.
Brent and Mark went to an area called the Pinnacles. Mark had fun driving the rhino on the fairly difficult ride--the off-road sign post called the trail extremely hazardous but that didn't stop them.

Thanksgiving visit

We sure did have a fun Thanksgiving with the kids that could come. We had perfect weather and did a lot of fun things. The kids loved being buried in leaves and it was nice to have some of the leaves raked.

Everyone had a good time with this friendship bracelet activity.
The kids had their dessert outside and loved the pie.
Of course, Garth was in rare form that night and shirts were a pretty good protection from the toxic air.
Jacob and Lucas spent lots in time in the tent. Little boys just need a tent.

Random Rhino trips

The most recent trip was Thanksgiving weekend. Brent took Kelly, Logan, and Reed with some friends to Red Cave slot canyon. He said it was quite a hike and the big boys want to go back with rope and harnesses and go all the way through.

This trip was to the Pinnacles at Hog Canyon. We went with Marty and Ilene with their new side-by-side. We had a blast.
The pictures don't do this ride justice because it was down right scary. I got out on the way down to 'take pictures'. The guys had lots of fun with this one.
Take a look at Garth. Isn't he something. Just kidding--that is Allie, (my brother's dog) the lab that knows she is a lab. Garth won't go in the rhino because it might be too dusty, hot, windy, cold, messy... Anyway, isn't this a beautiful picture and the pinnacles are just amazing.
This place is called White Pockets and is beyond description. We went with Marty, Ilene and Marty's friend from Page. It looks other-worldly and I would really love to go there with a geologist to learn how this area was formed.
Some more White Pocket pictures. We were just amazed at the beautiful formations.


This was taken at the overlook to Lee's Ferry. You can see the beginning of the Grand Canyon from here. We went with a group of people and everyone had a great time.
This is Garry Graf, Brent's brother-in-law. He has wanted to climb to the top of Sugar Knoll for 50 years and it happened a few weeks ago. Brent took Garry and our neighbor, Jack, and some ropes and gear and they all made it to the top. It was a great experience for Brent to be there with Garry. He was like a Dad to Brent when he was growing up and he means a lot to all of us.
View from the top.
Jack and Garry

Apples and more apples

Take a look at the end result of several days of apple work. Kevin and Kalie and Isaac came to Kanab for a working vacation and we sure did have a good time. Everyone did their part and we felt pretty proud of ourselves.

Isaac bonded with Garth and discovered his favorite room in the house--our bathroom. We all spent time in there with that little sweet boy so he could figure out how those faucets worked.
Look at that adorable little boy.
Scott, Brittany, Melanie and Lucas came too and we had so much fun. Lucas wore his cape in preparation for Halloween. He was Malfoy, or Harry Potter or whatever he wanted.
Who could resist that?
Brent gave me tickets to Little Mermaid at Tuachan and included the granddaughters and their mom's. It was a fantastic show and the little girls just loved it (we all did).

Bremerton Trip

As usual, we had a blast visiting Kristen's family in Bremerton. We had an event filled few days and really loved being with that precious family.

We carved pumpkins,

spent time with a princess,

watched a soccer game,
went to the Fall Harvest Festival at Landon's school,
went to a corn maze,
built the Frandsen Library,
and last, but certainly not least, went bowling and watched Landon bowl with reckless abandon and win every game. His technique is priceless.

"Backpacking Trip" via Rhino and ATV

So when Kevin and Scott came to Kanab they wanted to go backpacking. But being the basic lazy type, I turned it into a camping trip with our backpacks loaded in the back of the Rhino, and an ATV. The best of both worlds, roughing it without too much effort. We traveled to a location called White Pocket. When we arrived a Japanese film crew was there filming for a Martian landscape. Doesn't take too much imagination to see this as Mars.

Kevin and Scott setting up for some cool photos

"Backpacking Trip" continued

More of the photos of the surreal scenery at White Pocket.

I don't like spiders and snakes...

Melanie and I found our first tarantula!! I really can't tell you how excited we were to find this mammoth thing. I had been anticipating this since we moved here and I guess I wasn't as horrified as I thought I would be. Maybe because I was trying to be mature in front of my granddaughter. So, now we've had 3 rattlesnakes, a scorpion and a tarantula and in spite of the wildlife we still love Kanab.

Luke liked it but didn't want to touch it. I really can't imagine why.