Summer Vacation 2010

This year for our family vacation, we wanted to do something that would leave a lasting memory for our family.  First of all it will be our last vacation before Weston goes on his mission, and then Michael will go and then Zac will go and we won't be all together again for a long time!  Second of all we wanted to go camping, mainly because Aubrie doesn't remember going (she was little when we used to go) and Third, we wanted to go somewhere that would involve the teens, and not be "kiddish"

We went to Mesa Verde National Park in Cortez Colorado and then drove down to Moab, Utah.  Then we went to Arches National Park, and Canyon Lands National Park, and Dead Horse Point State Park.  We wanted to go to the 4 corners so that we could be in 4 places at 1 time, but it was closed.  It was a long drive, but worth it!

The neat thing about Mesa Verde is that They are Indian Ruins starting from 600 AD to about 1300 AD.  From my religious standpoint, we learn from the Book Of Mormon, that the people who inhabited the Americas at that time were called Lamentites (or Native Americans) It was great to see their culture and how they lived.  They built their homes in caves and used hand and foot holds to scale up and down to the caves.   Some of the caves required climbing ladders 30 ft high and crawling through tunnels carved out of the stone

Aubrie was the only one that had fears of height while climbing the ladders.  It is a good thing that I have lost 40 pounds, otherwise this would have been a tight squeeze for me!  While at Mesa Verde, they had some Indian dancers from New Mexico they were Puebloans.

they did several dances for us.  This one was the Buffalo Dance.  They then asked if any of the audience wanted to join in the friendship dance.  I was the first one on my feet.  I defiantly wanted to do it!  Weston, Michael and Aubrie came up too.  We formed a circle and side stepped to the left, while the Indians chanted a song.  The song was easy, and kept repeating its self, so I started to sing along, LOUD, and my kids were so embarrassed! but oh well, I was having fun bonding with my fellow peubloans.  It is something I am sure my kids will always remember... The day my mom danced and chanted along with Indians!

 On Sunday we had our own church and had a testimony meeting about the Book of Mormon.  It was a neat experience to be so close to the Indian ruins of that time period, knowing that some of these lamentites were descendants of those who saw Christ just 300 years
earlier.
                                                                                               

This is called Newspaper Rock, it is in Canyon Lands  National Park, it is really neat to see that the story of hunting and other things that were important to the people at this time is preserved so we can enjoy it alsoThis is Wilson Arch, it is off of the main Highway in Moab, UT.  I never knew the diversity of Utah, I just thought there were really tall mountains there, but there are also arches, and beautiful plateaus and the most Awesome rock formations!  This is a close up of us under the Wilson arch 

We nearly lost Zachary on one of the cliffs! it is a good thing there was only a 4 ft drop!  It mad a awesome visual effect!This is Dead Horse Point.  It is awesome how the Colorado River has Cut away this beautiful canyon over millions of years.  Tim said he went on a scout trip as a teen and they floated through this canyon.  As a child we were in this very spot and saw the stars falling from the night sky, or maybe they were UFOs  flying around.  Michael brought his bag pipes and played some songs.  It was awesome to hear as they echoed through out the canyon.  The other visitors were taking photos of him, and he had quite a crowd listening to him, which reminds me about when we were in Cortez Colorado,  Michael played his bagpipes at our campground; and people gave him tips, I think he earned $15.00.  Weston and Zac wanted to earn some tips too and joined Mike, Zac played the big green Rubbermaid container, and Weston played the stainless steel bowl!  They made quite a good band actually!

I honestly have to say that this was one of the best vacations we have ever had!  There wasn't any complaining (except when we had to stop at every pit stop along the way  so I could potty....

Perhaps that is why they call me Lottie Potty Body?!!) 

The kids were at the right age that we were able to go on all the hikes, and the terrain was not to hard for them (now Tim and I were a little sore after hiking 20 miles but not the kids) 

And this vacation was very educational.  I especially liked the visitor centers where they taught you about how the canyons and rocks were formed.  There was a sign in the visitor center to not go off the path because the soil was very fragile, Tim and Mike and Zac are Lizard hunters and occasionally would see a lizard, if they started to go off the path we would hear our  Jr Ranger (Weston) yell "Get on the path you are going to hurt the soil, get on the path!"  We decided that Weston would not make a good park ranger because he would yell at everyone get on the path! it was quite funny actually!