Cedar Breaks and Bryce Canyon

Shortly after Frank arrived, we decided to take an overnight trip to Cedar Breaks.  We had never been there, because the access road is closed in the winter, and it's out of the way.  It's small, too, like a mini Bryce Canyon, but worth the trip, most definitely.  We also got carried away and hit Bryce on the way home.  The kids had a ball.  We weren't in a hurry, and had lots of time to stop and look at all the rock shops after the kids got tired of all the amazing views.

Bryce

Frank didn't know what he was getting into. :)

I love my National Parks pass.

This was a different hike, in east Layton.  Aren't they cute?

The hotel at Brian Head, where we stayed.  It was luxuris, and not the type of place we typically sneak 8 people into.  We tried to be nice so we didn't get kicked out.

There was an indoor hot tub and and outdoor hot tub, and a pool. 

I loved that we weren't at home, toiling away over Saturday chores.  We did enough of those before we left.  This trip was atypical for us, in that we didn't leave at 4 am.  Since it was spur of the moment, we left in the afternoon.

Cedar Breaks picnic.  Frank's dad texted, when he found out we were on a trip, "I will bear the responsibility for Frank's travel expenses."  We laughed.  It's like, "Ok.  You owe us $1.75 for the cooler sandwiches and one-eighth of the cost of the hotel room where your son is crammed in with 7 cheap, noisy Americans.

The beginning of the end: senior year.

Our original intent was to be at Cedar Breaks for the star gazing party, but it was cloudy, the party was inside, and we were all tired, so we went back to the hotel at dusk.

Nice, big deck at the hotel.  Scott and I always say, "We should come here without the kids and relax."  Ha.  Never going to happen.

Outside Bryce Canyon at the cute little stores.  Bryce is our favorite because of the cuteness of the surrounding area.

We hiked all the way down, but didn't know if the Navajo Loop was really a loop, so we turned back.  Only Frank and Freestone completed the loop.

The many faces of adorable little Xanthe.

Ptolemy's man bun was going strong!