Bryce Canyon

June 12-15th we took a vacation to Bryce Canyon.  We had never been there and over the last few years we've tried to go to at least one national park in Utah each year.  So after rescheduling from earlier in the year due to weather we took off.  We started off on a Sunday and our first stop was in Fillmore, Utah.  This was the state's first capital and this was the first state capital building.  We also found out that it was named after the 13th president of the United States, President Millard Fillmore.

These were a couple of cabins by the capital building.

Mossy Cave

Our second stop was after we got to Bryce and close to our hotel.  This was a trail to Mossy Cave.

This was our first snake sighting.  We weren't sure if it was a baby rattlesnake or not so we had to warn the kids to stay far, far away from any snakes that they see since baby ones are more dangerous than the adult ones.

Sunset Point

Our next stop was actually inside the park.  We stopped at Sunset Point and looked around a bit but didn't do much since it was still Sunday.

I was very paranoid about the kids getting too close to the edge because it was a LONG drop to the bottom.

Day Two

Queen's Garden

On the second day we started out hiking the Queen's Garden Trail.  The hike down was not too bad...because it was all downhill.  Later you will see where it got a little tougher since we would be going all uphill.

 

This is the reason why they call the trail Queen's Garden.  If you look at this rock formation it looks like a queen sitting on her throne.  It's supposed to be Queen Victoria and she's looking down on all the rock formations, hence the Queen's Garden.

 

Wall Street

This is the uphill part but the coolest part at least in my opinion.

 

These two trees were GIGANTIC.  If you notice they had no leaves on the bottom parts.  That's because there is very little sunlight that reaches the bottom of the slot canyon here.

Here is when we start up the slot canyon.

Notice that the way to get up the canyon is thankfully by lots and lots of switchbacks.  I can't even imagine if it was a straight shot up the canyon.  You could just bury me right there at the bottom.

This was looking out a little "window" out to the other side of the canyon.

When we got to the top!!!

Old Bryce Town

This was the little tourist stop before you entered the park.  They had a rock shop which we all were happy about since our tradition is to always find a family rock to remember our vacations, an ice cream shop and other little places to look around.  Then of course they had the fun things that our kids to do like these things below.

Like the finger in the picture?  It's the only we have with Austin in these things.

Yeah...he's just lucky we got him back out and took him with us.

Day Three

Peek-A-Boo Loop

Day three we decided to go on a trail called Peek-A-Boo Loop.  Curt mapped it all out.  We had to start by going down Wall Street again then it curved around this other mountain and came back up to Wall Street.

Here we go veering off of the Wall Street path to go towards Peek-A-Boo.  Austin loved the signs because he would point to each of the letters and either count them or tell us what the letters were.

Austin was such a good hiker.  He only had to be carried just a few times until the end then he had had enough.

We loved all the different colors with the sky, then the rocks and the sand.  It was cool to see it even in the rock formations themselves.

Notice Austin has a stick in this picture?  He was such a good hiker as long as he had at least one (most of the time two) stick in his hand.  Some he would bang together and others he would pretend they were guns but they kept him busy and his feet moving.  What a good little hiker!!!

Here is our second snake we saw.  Curt was up ahead with the three older kids and I was back with Austin.  Curt said as he was walking by this tree and bush he heard a rattling noise and thought at the very first, "Is that a rattle snake?"  Then he thought, "No, it's probably just Carson dragging a stick or something."  He looked back and Carson didn't have anything.  So he stopped and had the kids stop to see where the snake was.  They found it under the tree in strike position.  They carefully moved away and warned us as we were coming up to them.  The kids thought it was scary but cool at the same time.  They were warning everyone that they came across that there was a rattlesnake down by the tree.  Personally, this was my first rattlesnake I've ever seen out in the wild.  It was kind of cool but only because I knew where it was and I kept my distance.

Rainbow Point

After our long (and I mean long) hike up the Peek-A-Boo loop - it took us at least three hours if not longer - Curt wanted to go look at some other places.  He and the kids hiked the small hikes at Rainbow Point and Bristlecone Loop.  I stayed in the car with Austin since after his long hike he decided to crash.

Inspiration Point

This was our last stop for the day.  We were all so tired but wanted to get one last look in. 

This was the highlight of Austin's trip.  Everywhere you looked you could see squirrels.  Austin would chase them and loved to say "Squirrel!"

Day 4

Butch Cassidy's Homestead

On our way out of town we saw on a map that there was an old homestead of where Butch Cassidy grew up really close by.  SO we thought we would check it out.  When they say small they mean small.  It was just an old cabin out in the middle of a field wtih no sign even saying, "Butch Cassidy Homestead, Turn here," or anything of that sort.  After driving by and then having to stop to ask for directions we finally found it.  It's just this little, tiny cabin with a shed and then farm equipment which I'm willing to bet wasn't Butch Cassidy's.  Since the kids were already driving us crazy we told them that this is where we were going to drop them off to live.  They freaked out...which of course was hilarious to Curt and I.  Then they caught on and knew we were just joking, although I think there was still a bit of skepticism on their part until they got back in the car.

Manti

Also on our way home we stopped in Manti for lunch.  As you can see they were getting ready for the Mormon Miracle Pageant which started that night.

By the time we got home we were all exhausted and glad to be home but we had a great time!

Cousin Birthday Party 2011

On June 18th, 2011 we had the annual Nye Cousin Birthday Party.  We had it at a park in Roy that has a splash pad so that the kids could play and get wet.  As it got closer to the day the weather said that is was supposed to rain but we lucked out and it turned out to be a semi-nice day although not as warm as we had hoped.  But it was still fun for the kids.

Here is the cupcake cake that we had.

Here Austin got a MagnaDoodle which he loves.  Shelby got a gift card and some candy which she loves, too.

Kaylee got some Polly Pockets that as you can see she was very happy to get.

Carson got some Legos.  He loves Legos not just because you can make what it says you can make but he is very creative and can sit and make cars or other things from his imagination.

Here are all the Nye Cousins!

Then it was time for fun.  Austin wasn't quite sure he wanted to participate in this type of "fun".

Curt had to make him participate and apparently the water was VERY cold!

Can you tell by this picture how cold he was?

It was a fun place for the kids though and they all seemed to have fun.  Can't wait for next year!!!

Shelby's 13th Birthday

On June 4th Shelby turned the ripe old age of 13.  She was very excited for her birthday because then she would be a teenager.  For her presents she got...

Body spray and lotion...

an iPod Touch (the one thing she REALLY, REALLY wanted)...

an iPod accessory kit...

and a new bike which she needed very much.

Happy Birthday Shelby!!  We love you more every year!!!

Memorial Day

May 30th was Memorial Day.  SO we decided to go visit the graves of our grandparents and take pictures so our family will know where they are at. 

We started at the Syracuse Cemetery.  This is where my grandma and grandpa, Virginia and Leland Bodily are buried.  They are my mom's parents.  My grandma Bodily was my only grandparent for a long time, since I was two years old.  So she is really all I have known.  She died two weeks before Carson was born.  Shelby used to call her, "Grandma Blobly."  We still laugh when we think of that.

Then we went to the Farmington Cemetery.  Here is where my dad is buried, Douglas Marshall Moon.  He died from prostrate cancer in January 2008.

This is my aunt's grave.  Her name was Annie.  She was my Dad's oldest sister and she had down syndrome.  I dont' have a lot of memories of her but I remember certain things about her like she used to twist Kleenex and that her room was in the basement of my grandparents.  I've heard that she was kind of a prankster and that she laughed a lot.

This is my Grandma and Grandpa Moon's graves.  They both died before I was born.  My Grandma died when my dad was 13 and my Grandpa died five years before I was born.  I've heard they were AMAZING people and I look forward to the day when I get to be reunited with them.

This is my Great Aunt's grave.  After my Grandma Moon passed away my Grandpa married my Aunt Marg.  A little bit of weird family history...she was my Grandma's sister.  Apparently, if I remember this right, she was engaged to someone and they died before they got married.  So she had never been married.  So my Grandpa married her and she and Annie were all that I remember from my dad's side of the family.

Then we went to the South Ogden Cemetery.  This is Curt's Grandma Moss' grave.  She died very recently.  So I have known them for all my married life with Curt.  She was a great, great lady and always had a song to sing for any topic.  She also had some very fun stories.  We miss her a lot.

Then our last stop was to the Ogden Cemetery to visit Curt's Grandpa Nye's grave.  He died before I got a chance to meet him.  He was very sick and died after Curt got home off his mission and before we started dating seriously.  I've heard that I will never meet anyone quite like him and some of the stories that I've heard about him are some of the funniest ones I think I've ever heard.  Both he and my Grandpa Moon had red hair so Curt and I always said that we wouldn't be surprised if we got a redhead but as it turns out that didn't happen.  I can't wait to meet him as well one day and I hope that he is as impressed with me as I'm sure I will be with him.

Les Miserables

For Christmas 2010 Curt's parents gave us tickets to Les Miserables on May 27, 2011.  It's my favorite Broadway play and we both absolutely loved it.  So many times I got chills and tears from the music.  Thanks Bev and Steve.  We had a WONDERFUL TIME!!!

Shelby's Run for Office 2011

At the end of Shelby's 7th grade year she decided that she wanted to run for 8th grade office.  They needed to make three posters for the primaries.  That's what the first three pictures are for.  My favorite is the second one.  The third one is one of those singing cards that sings, "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang so the kids could open the card and hear the song.  Cheezy...but effective.  She made it passed the primaries and into the finals.  She had to make two more posters so that's what the last two pictures are.  Unfortunately she didn't make office but she was very close and we are still proud of her no matter what the outcome was.  She did a great job!!!

Easter 2011

Easter was on April 23rd this year.  As you can see it was still very cold since we had a very late spring.  All the kids had fun as we went to the West Point Easter Egg Hunt the Saturday before.  We've started going to West Point instead of Clinton's egg hunt since that's where all the cousins go.  It's a lot of fun to see how much everybody gets.

Austin had a great time.  Look at that smile!

Here is all the cousins with their "loot".

We try and get a picture with the Easter Bunny each year.  I'm surprised that Austin wasn't scared of him, but his cousin Tre was and WOULD NOT take a picture with him.

Later that night we decorated Easter Eggs.  I love this!  It's so fun to see how everyone decorates their eggs.

Austin got to do his eggs for the first time this year...of course he had some help though.  He had a great time seeing them turn colors.

Here are the kids doing their eggs.

Here is Curt's eggs.

Here are Austin's eggs.

Here are Kaylee's eggs.

Here are my eggs.

Here are Carson's eggs.

Here are Shelby's eggs.

This year the Easter Bunny did something different with the kids' Easter baskets and Easter eggs.  He hid them and then left clues for a treasure hunt.  The kids had a bunch of fun with this.  It was funny because when they first woke up they didn't know what was going on.

As you can see, Carson is not in this picture.  That's because he threw a fit that he didn't get to find a certain egg because it was Kaylee's turn to find it and so he decided to pout and sit out on the swing set in the cold rather than continue with the hunt to find the baskets...but eventually he came back in and life was good again once he saw all the stuff he got.it was a great Easter!