The Grand Vacation

My cousin got engaged on St. Patrick's day 2012.  She announced that they would get married in April 2013 in Arizona and I new right away I wanted the whole family to make the trip. I have been to Arizona a few times and I lived in Utah for a semester in college, but I never made it to the Grand Canyon.

The Grand Canyon was beautiful. And you know what, there's water down there.

Dave and I saw the most beautiful sunset.

And a wonderful sunrise with my mom, brother and sister in-law. Shar and I were in big time camera mode. Dave made a rule, no moving our feet while we were in the lens.

It was a good rule.

We went on a bus ride to get the boys close to the rim without having to hold them tightly. And some points it was a struggle to convince Eli he HAD to hold our hand. I wouldn't really recommend the Grand Canyon for anyone with small children, but if you're going during the off season with three grandparents it can be done.

One of my favorite memories from Hermit's Cove were we got off the bus for lunch. Adam and Eli walked up to the huge fire place and started asking where Santa Claus was.

The day wore the boys out and on the bus ride back to our car we had two sleeping boys in our arms.

Here's an awesome family shot my mother in-law captured. Adam and Eli were not interested in pictures. Notice the substantial fence besides them. This fence was only in a very small section by the main visitor center. Everywhere else the fence was either three horizontal bars that the boys could sneak under or a few weak large rocks. But I promise both boys survived and made it back to Phoenix with us.

I wish we had got out for a hike, but we couldn't do it with the boys and had very little opportunity. We did a the tiniest section of the Bright Angel trail after the sunrise our last morning in the Grand Canyon.  The views from below the rim were even more beautiful.