We did our third year in a row camping for Spring Break. Again we went with our friends the Bucks, Farnsworths, and Drapers. This year we headed way south to Quail Creek State Park and spent our days in St. George, Zion National Park, and Snow Canyon.
The first night we were there it got cold and super windy! I was so thankful for our trailer!! The tent flapping around me is NOT how I enjoy sleeping.
I was eating my fire cooked calzone for dinner and noticed this creepy cup on the table. Bleh.
Our first full day was spent on the Johnson Farm. Our friend Amy is originally from St. George and her family still owns a lot of property there. They also own ATVs and big machinery. It was a pretty cool place to spend our day! Bobby and I drove around in “the mule” having a good time!
Kevin gave the big rigs a try!
It was a little crowded with Rusty and Tommy in there!
Bobby didn’t actually like riding the ATV with me … he wanted to be in the bulldozer with his dad … the traitor!
Amy’s family also rents out some the farm land. A gentleman rents some horse corrals to keep horses that he uses for therapy. He was there and happily gave our kids a ride! Pretty sure it was most of my boys’ first time on a horse!
Ricky would have been happy just talking to the horse, but he gave it a try, too!
Tommy…
Billy had no fear …
I don’t seem to have a picture of Rusty on the horse, but he rode, too!
Each of the families that went with us have 5 children, so we are an overwhelming bunch! The Drapers weren’t with us this first day, so here we are with just the 15 children (and one mom).
Add in the grown-ups and you get a group of good friends!
Walking around the farm and who do we find? Red, the fire truck from the CARS movies! Bobby was quick to point him out to me!
Our second day took us to Zion National Park. You do things a little different as a group of 28 with kids ranging in age from 15 to 1.
We started with a nice easy hike (Kevin is in the orange with Rusty in front and holding Bobby’s hand).
And when you are a group of 28, it is really hard to get a good picture of just your own children!
A couple of the hikes we were hoping to take were unavailable due to rock falls and the high river. We still found our fun …
Those creepy eyes!
Poppy was definitely Bobby’s favorite …
A little bit of water makes any hike better! (Tommy in the background)
And if a log is suspended over a river, why wouldn’t you try to cross it?
On our way to the Narrows with our Lilly friend!
The Narrows was one of those impassible hikes. And numerous restroom stops also made it really hard to get a picture of all my family!
The Riverside Walk to the Narrows is infested with squirrels. They don’t fear humans. Bobby kept trying to touch them and I kept having to discourage it. This time I think he actually DID touch it – because, you know, mom was too busy taking a picture to tell him not to.
Evenings were spent around the campfire toasting marshmallows and sharing stories. Sometimes singing songs …
Usually we stayed out until the little people couldn’t keep their eyes open any more. No early bedtimes on camping trips!
Our third day began with looking for Glitter Mountain, the old gypsum mine. We had to compare notes when the road our phones told us to take didn’t exist …
We ended up on a bouncy, dirty, delightful-because-we-were-the-only-ones-with-four-wheel-drive road.
The mine was pretty cool. There was a wall of gypsum you could “mine” or you could just sit and dig up big pieces of it out of the dirt.
The dig it up technique is what Billy used here…
Kevin trying his hand at mining!
Tommy trying. Watch your fingers!!
Ricky did NOT listen when I told him it is dangerous to stick your hand in random holes! Kids! There wasn’t anything in there but crystal, but there might have been! I’ve seen movies…
After we had our fill of mining (and had run out of bags, buckets, and even Billy’s jacket to put all the rocks in), we went to Snow Canyon and started with lunch. A good picnic in a beautiful place is always refreshing!
The big kids and dads went off to roll down some big sand dunes. The moms stayed behind so the littler people could play in the sand. Bobby was perfectly happy to dig and dig and drive his trucks.
I was content to sit and run my fingers and toes through the sand. Definitely refreshing!
Our last stop in Snow Canyon was a hike to some lava tubes. Bobby was still preferring Kevin’s company to mine.
The big kids got to the first lava tube before I did, which is the only reason Billy was in it! I didn’t even go close, I was just happy when all of our kids and friends were OUT! Perhaps spelunking isn’t for me!
We were planning on Navajo Tacos for dinner and I think the dough was fully thawed when we got back!
Good, good times. It was a beautiful campground with plenty of places for the kids to explore.
The reservoir was close enough for fishing and one family brought a couple of inflatable rafts that the boys tried out. It was just splendid!
I enjoy the time with our friends, but it is these 5 that I really enjoy!
Okay, Kevin’s pretty cool, too.
