On a whim!

We have had such a fun summer this year! our kids are both at very fun ages and old enough to take along to most things we like to do. I am sad summer is over. I like the freedom of summer, staying up late, letting the kids stay up late, no school for Mickey, and Jason worked four days a week instead of five so we got three day weekends every weekend!
When the school year drew nearer, Jason and I got antsy to get out of town. The two of us haven't had a real vacation since November 2003 when we went to Disney Land and Sea World.
I have always wanted to visit the national parks in Utah and was looking over an atlas at work, while talking to the guys I work with. Finally one asked when we were going there. I laughed and said, "who knows, I would love to we just need to find time." He suggested we take off that weekend since it was out last three day weekend. He told us to leave the kids with grandparents and take off! At the time it sounded really simple and like a wonderful idea. I went home and told Jason we should do it, not really seriously, I just said it. Jason just kind of laughed and that was the end of it.
Jason gets off work at four pm, at 3:30 on Wednesday ( the next day) Jason called me and told me that he had taken Thursday off so we could leave that night! I started calling the Grandparents and trying to find people to watch the kids. this was not an easy task, both our moms work full time and my sister Kayla had to work Thursday. The weekend wouldn't be a problem it was Thursday that was hard to find someone to watch them. Another obstacle we had was that I had signed up to help with the dinner at the ward party on Friday. to this Jason said, " see that's why you never sign up for anything." I finally found a girl in our ward to do it for me. Next we realized we had left Dahlia pack n' play at Jason's parents house so she would have no where to sleep at my parents house that night and the next night. I began calling everyone in the ward I thought would have one, my mom even called a couple people she thought would have one. no one was answering the phone and it just kept getting later and later. Finally one of my good friends from the primary called me back and she had one we could barrow and she even delivered it to me. My sister Bobi agreed to watch the kids on Thursday, and Jason got work off form his other job.
We left our house that night at nine, got to my moms house in Garland, put the kids to bed and left there at about ten or so. We drove to West Jordan to Jason's patents house and we stayed there that night. Thursday we were on our way.
We went to Bryce canyon national park sat up camp, hiked one beautiful hike that evening. It was so nice with an over cast so it was not hot at all! then we got some dinner and it poured on us and our tent. By the time we got back to camp after we ate the rain had stopped. we started a fire and sat and visited, with no T.V. ,no computer, and NO KIDS to interrupt or distract us from each other. That night was my favorite of the whole trip!
The next day we did another hike, but not near as pretty and it was very LONG. that wore us right out, so after that we just drove to all the look out points and then headed down to I think it was Red Canyon national park? It is on the way out of Bryce canyon. That was pretty and we would have liked to spend our time and energy there instead of on that ugly hike we did earlier that day. we were tired so we didn't spend a whole lot of time there.
After that we drove to St. George, it was a pretty drive through some canyon in the duck creek area. That night we went to dinner and a movie. The plan was to make it to Vegas, but we decided to just stay there. So the next day we went shopping for the kids and me of course and a little for Jason. Then we went to Sand Hollow, it is a reservoir about ten- fifteen minutes outside St. George. It was so pretty and the water was warm with lots of big rocks to play on and jump off of and Jason even did a little cliff jumping! I don't do that, just ask my sister Amy. Then we went to dinner and a movie again that night.
The next day we headed home. but took a detour so we could go through Richfield. Jason has lots of great childhood memories there. His great grandma "Richfield" ( I can't remember her real name, they all call her grandma Richfield) Lived there and they use to go down a lot to visit and stay over long weekends.
We had such a good time, even the long drives were pleasant and enjoyable with out kids to entertain and keep happy. We hope to do this more often! BIG Thanks to EVERYONE who made this possible! Thanks to my wonderful husband and the "good times"!
Check back for a slide show, if I can figure out how to make one.