The Grand Canyon (most pics ever)

So I can't choose what pictures to post, so I just posted a bunch. (A bunch = 69) I loved this trip. Magnificent nature+fun family+good food=wonderful time.

We did a hike that went down into the canyon. At the end of the hike there was a great viewpoint and photo op. The trick is to get the kids to look and smile. :)

The problem when starting at the rim of the canyon and hiking down is that at the end of the hike, when everyone is tuckered out, you have to hike back up. Especially this hike was the steepest at the very end heading up the cliff with these switchbacks.

Actually the four little girls booked it up the cliff with the help of their older cousin, Luke. The adults could hardly keep up. Eliza still brags to me about this sometimes. 

Miriam and little Zuzu!

See Eliza's pinned pants? Yeah, I really should have sewed them or something. Poor kid was losing them despite the pin.

Movie stars on the bus!

One of my favorite parts was riding the shuttles around. Is that weird? I guess there is a part of me that is 5 years old and thinks that riding a bus is fun. Plus, it was a great time to catch up and play with my cute family. Like these four girls. One girl from every one of the siblings in about a year and a half. It has been so fun to see them grow up together and their little personalities form.

Silly face

Sweet face

I  love these two!!!

Cousins!

I love this picture! What a fun bunch of kids!

Johnny wanted to get in the action too! It was really fun to see Miriam and Johnny become good friends on this trip. 

That laugh! So funny!

We had to take turns for who had the white hat with the flower.

Really need to fix those pants.

Seriously so majestic!

Grandma is the one that paid for this trip as a Christmas present to us last year. What a great gift!

All the girls!

Miriam's smile here makes me laugh every time a see it! She can be such a spaz sometimes.

We hiked down this trail the day after. It seemed so long to do with our kids, but is was nothing compared to actually hiking down to the river.

Me and my sisters!

My sweet grandparents were able to come. Love them!

Going through a walk in the woods. This is not what the area of AZ that we live in looks like.

Ellie's no fool, she knows where to get a good ride. It was actually really sweet. I love how loving she is to my grandpa.

It is so fun being with cousins!

My cute family!

Me and my mini-me. Words cannot describe how much I love this little girl!!!

One of the scariest part of this trip was being almost constantly on the edges of cliffs. Add to that an almost-three year old and a five year old, I was constantly worried that they were going to slip off the cliff. This particular photo op was especially dangerous, with cliffs on three sides and no fences. Hence my vice-like grip on Miriam's hand.

Yet, I still had to do it. And I love it!

You can see my arm straining a little bit by holding her hand so tight. 

Selfie of me and my better half.

The oldest grandchild and the youngest.

This spot was particularly awesome. There was a volunteer there giving away some swag, the views were some of the best, and it wasn't very crowded. Excellent.

Oh man, this little one is so cute!

Seriously!? So beautiful!

John and my grandpa. He is always so nice to talk to my grandpa. My grandpa is a little hard of hearing so John's lower voice is a lot easier for him to hear. I really love that John wants to sit and listen to my grandpa's stories. Best husband ever. Seriously!

These rocks were really fun to climb on, but I think my husband was having a little panic attack at the thought of them falling off the rocks.

Some of the grandkids and grandpa! I love that he was able to come on this trip.

My little sweetheart and grandpa! Grandpa turned 90 a day or two after this picture!

My husband is the best. Sorry everyone else! :) 

These two had a lot of fun playing in the van while dinner was getting made. 

Sunset!

Sunset!

Happy birthday Grandpa! We had ice cream that night to celebrate it!

Sleepy mommy and Miriam. Eliza just likes to read!

The tunnels in our hike that day!

Stopping for drinks along the trail. Once again kind of scary they are going to slip off the trail and die.

Big cliffs and tunnel! This is where we turned around and headed back up.

It got a little crowded because people wanted to stop where there was shade. Apparently it was hot to people. Seriously didn't even occur to me that it was hot being in the mid-80s. At this point I was conditioned that 110 is hot.

Eliza gave everyone on the bus a concert of the Frozen songs. The bus driver even commented on it saying something to encourage her. It was pretty great. Love my little singer!

This was the first time that these three made it to the Grand Canyon. Hopefully not the last!

Love the Grand Canyon!

From my journal: 

We went to Grand Canyon National Park the first week of June. For Christmas last year my parents gave us a weekend to spend together there. It was a great trip. Especially because we didn't have to drive as far as everyone else, for once. :)

We stayed in a quaint place inside the park and really enjoyed going to the different scenic points along the rim. We also hiked down into the canyon two times. It was so majestic. I really enjoyed spending time with our family. I am glad that my grandparents could come too. I have really missed them. I think my favorite moment was just when we were sitting by the side of the rim chatting as a family. The kids were being so cute, playing together and we were having a great time just visiting in a gorgeous place.

I feel like my life this month has really been dominated by swimming lessons. I mean there was also father's day, a RS activity that I was in charge of, but really it has been swimming lessons that has been the focus of the day to day. :)

Eliza has done so well with them. She has progressed pretty quickly and gained a lot of confidence in the water. Miriam has become a lot more comfortable in the water, but I am certainly not expecting her to learn to swim this summer. We have gone swimming a lot in addition to just the lessons. I guess that is what you do in the summer in Phoenix. Play in the water!

John has had this project come up at work where he has to be at work at 3 am once a week. The perk: he gets to come home really early that day.