My chaotic life raising six kids
All the kids have been involved in Vacation Bible School this week. This was Falyn’s first year being old enough to attend, as we was so excited! Talia and Kayli had fun being leaders and the boys enjoyed participating this week. At the end of the week they have a little show for the parents. Falyn was thrilled to be able to be on stage for the show and preformed like a pro. All in all, it was a great week.
Falyn made this birdfeeder at preschool. We finally got around to putting it out and filling it up with birdseed. The birds love it and Falyn loves watching them enjoy her feeder.
I took some pics with the underwater camera of the kids playing in the pool today. Here’s some of my favorites.
Aidan
Falyn
Jared
Riley
We have been planning to remodel our kitchen since January. We bought all the appliance earlier this year and they have been sitting in our garage for months now. We are finally able to take the remodel job. We’ve moved everything out of the kitchen, putting temporary racks in the dinner room area so we can start the demo. We are doing everything ourselves, so it is bound to take a long time. Here’s what it looks like today.
We made it back home in record time, stopping just one time along the way to get gas and lunch. Everyone was happy to be back home. After unloading the car, we all jumped into the pool. We had a great trip, but it is nice to be back home.
It’s our last day at the Grand Canyon so we decided to take one last hike down into the canyon. We went down the South Kaibab Trail to Ooh-Ahh point. The name certainly does this spot justice as it is absolutely breathtaking and well worth the hike. It is about a 1.5 mile hike, during which we took many water and snack breaks. Falyn discovered during this hike that it is much easier to go down than to go up. After the hike we had lunch and then headed over to the Visitor Center so they kids could get their Junior Ranger Badges.
We spent the morning and a good part of the afternoon hanging out at camp before heading off down Desert View Drive. We drove all the way out to watchtower, stopping at each point along the way. We then drove back to Grandview Point to watch the sunset.
We spent the morning hanging out at camp. After lunch we went to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, where the kids got their Jr. Ranger Night Explorer Patches. We then walked out to Mather Point and hiked over to the Yavapai Geology Museum.
We had a late breakfast this morning then headed off to explore the village area. Dan, Talia, Kayli and Aidan went on a hike down Bright Angel Trail, while Grandma Nancy, Grandpa Ron, Jared, Riley, Falyn and I checked out all the shops. We were very glad we didn’t go on the hike, as a thunderstorm rolled in drenching everyone caught out in it. We got ice cream and sat on a covered patio area outside a shop to watch the rain. During a break in the rain, we spotted a California Condor. The one we spotted was number 33. Meanwhile, the hikers scrambled up against the side of the trail with a rock overhang above them protecting them somewhat from the rain. When the rain stopped, we continued to explore the village shops. We ended up at Verkamp’s Visitor Center just in time for the Ranger Porch Talk on the geology of the canyon. We were joined there by the hikers, who arrived just in time for the talk.
Talia, Kayli and Aidan head down Bright Angel Trail
Talia, Kayli and Aidan sheltering from the rain on Bright Angel Trail
Condor #33 in flight
Condor #33 resting
Talia and the Canyon
It’s raining, it’s pouring…
Canyon after the rain
We headed out early this morning to catch the bus out to Hermits Rest. We parked at the ranger station and took one bus to the Hermits Rest Transfer bus stop. We then got on another bus for the 45 minute ride out to Hermits Rest. We join Ranger Lexie for the Junior Ranger Adventure Hike down Hermit Trail. Ranger Lexie gave the kids the history of the canyon and at one point sent them off on a fossil hunt. Falyn the the twins really loved hunting for all the fossils listed on the sheets the Ranger handed out. You get a whole new perspective on the canyon when you walk down into it. I really think all visitors should hike down a trail into the canyon, even if it just for a short hike. After our hike, we caught the bus back, stopping at Hopi Point to take pictures of the Colorado River. We also got rained on at this stop. When we got back to camp, we found that the ravens had pecked into our watermelon! Everyone was tired from our long hike, so we spent a quiet evening at camp.
Waiting at the bus stop
On the bus
Made it to Hermits Rest
Ranger Lexie talking about the canyon
Looking for fossils
Hiking down Hermit Trail
Jared and Riley on Hermit Trail
Falyn taking a break
The boys taking a break
Talia and Kayli on Hermit Trail
Snack break
View of Canyon from down the trail
We made it back to the top of the trail!
Waiting for the bus
At Hopi Point
What was left of the watermelon
