Adventures in the Sun Part 3: The Grand Canyon

This is the last post in a three-post series regarding our recent family vacation to the sunny south.  The following pictures are beautiful and meaningful to our family and while I post them here to share with you, I also post them here because we have no external hard drive linked to our computer.  I don't really know why we don't, we just don't.  We live dangerously around here.

Unlike our home, our RV was equipped with a microwave so we stocked up on microwave popcorn and made our way to our KOA RV park outside of the Grand Canyon.  We logged onto the wifi and streamed The Man From Snowy River on Netflix.  Unfortunately our laptop speakers provided little volume so we all strained to hear it.  Things sure cleared up once everyone finished their popcorn.  While we watched the movie we were serenaded by a pack of coyotes outside the camper!

Look closely at the following three pictures, paying attention to Anna, in the purple sweatshirt: 

Imagine my horror, as I watched from afar, to see Anna coming quickly down the rock.  I thought she was going to push Jeremy off the cliff!

Here we are (above) at the start of Bright Angel Trail which leads down to the bottom of the canyon.

I bravely walked out to a point from which I prayed I would not fall.  It would have been the end of a wonderful life.  Notice, I cannot make myself stand straight up.  I must have figured hunching would help keep my center of gravity lower.

We're so thankful to have been blessed with a beautiful and memorable family vacation.

Adventures in the Sun- Part 2: California and Arizona FAMILY

In-N-Out-  My California cousin Danielle Horsman worked here for several years, so she, Uncle Don and Aunt Karen took us to experience the freshest "fast food" anywhere.  They boast always-fresh, never-frozen food and it was yummy.

In-N-Out:  been there; done that; bought the t-shirt! (Well, actually Aunt Karen bought us the t-shirts.)

Uncle Don and Ryley pose together for a picture, despite the fact that Uncle Don is wearing a Packers sweatshirt

 

We were all awarded our very own In-N-Out hat and the kids are modeling them in our RV.

 

Uncle Don and Danielle took us to Huntington Beach where we bought milkshakes at Ruby's at the end of the pier and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.  We thoroughly enjoyed spending time with our California relatives!  (I'm terrible at being on the look out for Kodak Moments, which is why I have NO pictures of my cousin Ali and her boyfriend and my lovely Aunt Karen. :-(

The pictures below were taken when we were visiting my cousins and their families, my Aunt Cheryl and my Grandma and Grandpa Steele, in the Phoenix area.  They took us hiking one day and the weather was perfect and the scenery, beautiful.

See?  I told you the weather was perfect!

 

My cousin Eric regaled the guys with disgusting, albeit entertaining, tales from the fire department.

 

Anna became fast friends with my cousins' daughters- Laynie and Gracie.  She's already written letters to them!

Charlie, my cousin Amy's husband, talked Ryley into a mohawk.  He didn't have to do much convincing.  Charlie gives a mean mohawk!

 

 

 I was SO thankful to spend time with three of my four beautiful cousins.  (I missed Diana, as she lives in Seattle with her family.)  They look amazing...I look like I just rolled out of a camper.

 

 

Great Grandma LOVES her great grandchildren (and her grandchildren, too, I'm pretty sure;-)

 

The view toward Maricopa

 

Looking toward Phoenix