St George Thanksgiving

I guess anyone who checks in with our facebook pages, has seen these pictures.. But I figured I'd update our blog page too. Our trip to St George was an awesome end to a fun week. Even Cori was blabbering on about all the fun she had... Airplanes, and boats, and the beach, and the car ride, and hiking, and swimming, and grandma and grandpa, and trains... Of course it's much cuter coming from her mouth. It was so nice for Cameron to be able to take the whole week off. That hasn't happened in... I don't know the last time. Too long.
While we were in St George, we were determined to get out and enjoy the amazing scenery, but our first day there the skies opened up, and poured. Did that stop us? Nah. We all put on coats that were at least semi-waterproof, and went on one of our favorite hikes with my Dad. It ends up overlooking Snow Canyon State Park, and is breathtaking. Isaiah and Ali fought most of the way, the stinkers. We found a big tree root that was in the shape of an A, for Ali- and that started a game meant to distract them from fighting. The "find letters made out of nature" game was a hit... but soon caused more fights. "I saw it first!" "No, I did!" "Cheater, you moved that!" And everything else you can imagine. But it WAS fun. It's amazing how many letters, and numbers they found naturally occurring.
Here's the pic of that first "A". About 3/4 of the way there, Isaiah got very pouty. It was kind of cold, but the rain was finally starting to let up. But not his attitude. "-) "I hate hiking." "Why did we even come?" " I wish I would have just stayed home." Wah Wah Wah. Ali was such a good sport. Cori, too- but she was carried most of the way so we didn't have to wait for her. She fell asleep about the time it stopped raining. She was totally out on her Dad's shoulders.This is Cori, Curled up for her nap, as her brother and sister played around.

We got to the top, and enjoyed the view (While I was freaking out about the kids being to close to the ledge.) Grandpa saved the day by bringing snacks, that lifted Isaiah's spirits some. Cameron started a game of hide and seek with Isaiah and Ali. They had a lot of fun.


This was Cameron's favorite hiding place. Isaiah wouldn't leave, so Ali found him pretty easy though.

See the smile on Isaiah's face? That was about the time I heard him say. "This place is so much fun!" Then he looked at me, saw that I was listening, and added to 'himself', "But I still hate it, and I wish I never came on the stupid hike!" He didn't fool us. The walk back down went a lot faster, of course. The sun even shone on us a little. We got back from the hike, and got busy making dinner. Cameron brought our turkey fryer, and we set about preparing a dinner yummier than Thanksgiving day. The turkey was scrumptious!


At night time, after the kids were safely tucked in at Grandpa and Grandma's house... Cameron and I went over to my cousins' home to play cards and visit. We did this a few nights while we were there, and it was a lot of fun seeing my favorite cousins!


Thursday we had our semi-annual Holt reunion. (My Mom's brothers' and sisters' families. ) There was only around 100 people there this year, a low number from years past. I love these reunions, the tradition is older than I am.
Friday, we took part in a newer tradition. For the last 5 years or so, the Holt family makes up the cast the first night of the Live Nativity at the Tuachan. Cameron is not as crazy about this tradition, although he is a marvelous actor. The kids enjoyed it, and loved the hot chocolate and donuts Aunt Jan provided for us after the show.
Ali loved playing an angel with her cousins Shaunelle and Briana.

Can you see the pure joy Cam feels to be there?

Aren't we a precious family?

Saturday, the last day before we went home, Grandpa Esplin took us to Red Cliffs State Park. I have always loved it there, I used to go hiking and swimming there when I went to Dixie. It was a perfect place for the kids to hike. Not to difficult, and lots of places to climb and explore.


Ali would have posed as Pocahontas every picture if I let her, but I am super mean- I made her smile some.Cori had such a fun time climbing up little rocks and sliding down hills.

Isaiah was as brave as his Dad, but gave us a heart attack when he was off on his own. We heard him scream, then start crying. I pictured him at the bottom of a cliff, or at least with a broken leg. But it was minor, he just fell down a bit, and cut his knee on a sharp rock.


Cori was Grandpa's girl for the hike.

Wrapping up the week, on Sunday, I was sick for the first part of the drive home Sunday. Blagghh. I fell asleep, and woke up when Cameron exited to find the hot springs he had been excited to find. It ended up being a really super fun place. The water was perfect, bathwater temperature. And it was so pretty. Absolutely unexpected out in the middle of nowhere.