The past 3 weeks have been a little busy at my house. This seems to happen every summer, but I can’t complain…it’s a good kind of busy full of family, friends and fun. Three weeks ago, my father-in-law flew in and stayed with us for a day. We were getting ready to head up to a house we had rented for my husband’s family reunion. We packed up the next day and headed up to meet the family.
We spent Wednesday through Sunday playing with our fun aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins. We were all there except for the oldest brother and his family who we really missed. We are fortunate that all the cousins are fairly close in age which means plenty of fun friends for everyone!
I love this picture! It pretty much sums up the weekend. A lot of fun and silliness! This was the best picture we could get with almost everyone looking at the camera!
On Sunday morning we rushed home so that we could get to attend our church. I had to lead and sing with the group of children in our congregation. We had one hour to get all cleaned up and in the church doors…phew!
After church, we drove my father-in-law back to the airport and sent him back to his home. Then we unpacked, quickly did some laundry and repacked our bags. We were headed to Bryce Canyon the very next morning. My husband had a work meeting with Board Members who were meeting at Bryce Canyon on Monday night for an opening dinner and then all day Tuesday.
His work is so family friendly and we were welcome to come along and enjoy Bryce Canyon and stay with him in his hotel room. I had been there as a child growing up in Utah, but my kids had never been. So we jumped at the chance to make it into a family vacation.
On Tuesday, while Mr. Idea Room was in his meetings, the kids and I slept in and watched Shark Week ;)! Then we spent a couple of hours at the pool swimming. We grabbed some lunch and then did a little “shopping” in the fun little souvenir shops. Just when we were headed back to the hotel we got a call from Mr. Idea Room. He was all finished with his meetings. So we met up and headed out to see Bryce Canyon.
On Wednesday, we headed out to hike down through the tall rock structures, called hoodoos. We decided to hike the figure 8 loop called Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden loop which was a 6.5 mile hike.
The kids did so great on the hike and the scenery was AMAZING!! We had to climb up and out of the canyon and back down in about 4 times and it was a fairly tough hike on the ups and downs, but the rest of the hike we walked down in the bottom of the canyons. It was so worth it. And I was really proud of the youngest who walked on her own most of the time. My foot…remember my injury here…held up pretty well and was just a little swollen and sore the next day.
We finished the hike which took about 4 hours and then headed out for some dinner and then drove the four hour drive back home. Then, I had the next two days to unpack, do laundry and REPACK for Muscular Dystrophy Summer Camp which I have shared with you here and here.
I started going to camp in 1992 and have been going ever since. I LOVE it and the kids. I look forward to it every year. Next year my son will be old enough to come with me as a volunteer. I can’t wait. I am a group leader and in charge of a group of volunteers who each have a kid with Muscular Dystrophy to take care of and be their friend.
The kids get to be “regular” kids with others who share the same disabilities. My son will finally be old enough to go and be a volunteer next summer. I can’t wait for him to experience it with me since he is already such a big part of it.
We spent an exhausting but fun filled 5 days together with my group up in the mountains, sleeping in cabins. I loved the new setting this year and had a great group of kids that my co-group leader, Tanner and I were in charge of. The kids with Muscular Dystrophy are so happy and fun-loving despite their physical limitations and the volunteers are so great to selflessly serve the kids and I love watching their friendships develop and deepen. By the end of the week we are all best friends.
Someday I may be too old to do this…but until then, I consider it a privilege to serve them. And now…the kids and I have one week of summer left. Time to gear up for school and squeeze out every bit of summer that we have left.
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Emily says
Woman, you are amazing! And those photos of the canyon are gorgeous!
Amy says
Thanks Emily! The canyon was breathtaking!!
I’m glad you got to go this year. I love having it in the mountains. I wish we would have been there at the same time. I had a blast with Maddi the second week.
So glad to hear that! I loved the new setting too! Glad Maddi went and that you girls ended up having fun. Wish we could have been there together this year! Maybe next!
So glad Maddi decided to go and that you two had a good time. I wish we could have been at the same time. Maybe next year! xo