Vacation to Cedar City

Here is the back story. Jake has a crazy summer with school and work. I decided to take my already planned vacation (to visit my sister Liz and her husband David in Cedar City) while he was going to Taiwan for a business trip. While we were there we went on a camping trip to see Zion, Bryce Canyon and Cedar Breaks. It was so beautiful and way to much fun. Here are some excerpts from our adventures (from an email I sent to Jake describing the trip):

"Hey you,
I just read your emails to the kids and Andrew said you better give us a kiss, so they are all kissed and a waiting you next email.

Andrew wants to chat with you.... Daddy you are the best Dad out of everybody. I hope you are safe at Taiwan. We went camping and me and David and Gracie had a whole bunch of fun. We sat by the fire. We became a junior park ranger at Cedar Breaks. We got to listen to a ranger and do some stuff on the little book thingie. My favorite was Zion with the hiking when the rocks were crying (I took the kids only on a short hike up to weeping rock, it was our last hike and we had such a blast. We had many stops along the way. We kept it really casual and relax.) I loved to see and collect the fossils. The fossil were like those white things stuck in the rock. The fossils were stars. Daddy we saw lava rocks and I have a surprise for you.
I love you. Andrew

Gracie says: He plays with my toys. When we was going up the mountains and (we saw) the waterfalls. I want to go to Disneyland tomorrow not right now. My favorite part about camping was going for a walk. (I am trying to get specifics, but she is achooing or burping or biting her arm and now she's back to Polly-pockets.) Goodbye Daddy...I love you. Gracie

Daddy,
Well we left you in LA and on your way to Taiwan and we set out on the road. We drove to a lookout of Zion and took pictures. Then we were on to Cedar Breaks where the kids became Junior Ranger by attending and interview a ranger and listening to her discussion about the monument. Then David (my brother-in-law) took the kids on a little hike and taught them about spruces, pines and fir trees. There they bonded with him I think and they really never let him go. David and Andrew went everywhere together and his word or activity was more important than mine. This evolved a very different side of Andrew. He got in trouble for it, but I cracked the whip and he got back in line.
Anyways, I figured out some things with my camera, how to use the macro...focus stuff. That camera is so cool, thank you everyday. We then left and drove toward Bryce and along the way we stopped to check out lava rock and we collected wild flowers for Gracie and a locus shell which we played with for a while and Andrew attached it to his shirt. He is such a boy. Andrew wants me to tell you that David said there were all kinds of snakes, (rattlesnakes) in the lava rocks. Next we had made it to Bryce and set up camp. We left David at the campsite to start a fire, because it was late and we needed to get dinner going for these kids. At Bryce Point Andrew didn't want Liz (my sister) holding his hand and was rushing all over the edge and there were no gates. My heart was racing and honestly I didn't like Bryce because it was not kid friendly and I was afraid of heights only for the kids sake...it was terrifying. I put them to bed and started fresh. It was warm and we slept in our van on top of the sleeping bags which was a first.
The next day was perfect. We went to a small two street town, and collected fossils, they were so amazing. We hiked to the top of this boulder and David told us to rest while he looked for them and we were sitting on them. They were so little. We will show you when we get back. When we arrived at Zion it was at least 101 degrees and stinking hot, Liz almost threw-up in the car (the joys of being pregnant). We stopped at the checkerboard mountain and then straight to the visitors center where we got cool and regrouped. Then we ate lunch got wet bandannas and the kids looked like pirates (or Cinderella or Wendy depending on the moment). We first hiked to the emerald pools. It started out as just the lower but then we went to the middle and the upper and the upper pool was so cool and Andrew and I attempted to go exploring but he slipped and got his shoes wet. That hike was about 2 1/2-3 miles. Aren't you proud of your kids. We ate snacks and bused up to Weeping Rock where we Hirschis went ourselves and last we went to the river-walk hike where we walk to the river and threw rocks in it. I asked Gracie what was her favorite part and she said the rocks in the river. I carried Gracie for most of the pool hike, but she hiked to the lower pool by herself and to weeping rock by herself. Andrew was a great hiker, he did it all and was ready to do more. I wanted to get as much as we could in a 6 hour period, but was willing to throw in the towel the moment it wasn't fun or the kids were too tired. They were troopers and wanted more. It was so gorgeous and I took to many pictures, however I love it.
However I am a proud mama, and also proud of myself for doing this even without you. "


Me and the kids at Bryce Canyon


This picture cracks me up!


The fossils we discovered...can you see the star?


There is no retouching, the kids were really this close to a deer.


The Hirschi hike to Weeping Rock, it is crying behind us.
Gracie sang to it to get it to calm down.