Bryce Canyon

Next on our trip across southern Utah was Bryce Canyon.

It was about a two hour drive from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon and it was a pretty drive too.

One thing I was not prepared for was how cold it was.

We looked at the weather there when we would be there but I don't think it was right or if it was it was the temp at the bottom of the canyon.

It was freezing cold when we got there.

I mean we were getting there in shorts from Zions perfect weather and I didn't want to get out of the car.

People were out there in beanies and ski parkas and gloves.

I did not enjoy Bryce Canyon that first day there (Monday).

We didn't come prepared at all for cold.

Mark didn't even have pants; the first time I didn't pack Mark pants is the first time he wanted pants.

Another hard thing about Bryce for me is that I had driven to it once as a kid but had never spent time there.

I didn't realize that you stay at the top of the canyon (where it's the coldest).

Once Tuesday came around and we started hiking down into it I had a lot more fun (the fact that it was like 20 degrees warmer down there may have helped too).

We ended up just doing one hike there but one of the nice things about Bryce is there's a drive that you can take that goes all along the top of the canyon with many view point stops so you can take in the whole of the canyon top while driving and thus being warm along the way :)

 So I had to throw this picture in to show you just how big Scott is next to me.

I know I'm short but seriously this kid is such a big two year old.

Also I like it cause I love to take pics of Mark and Scott walking as shown from Zions, I guess Mark likes to take pics of Scott and I too.

 In case you aren't familiar with Bryce, it is the land of the Hoodoos.

Hoodoos are the tall pillar statue like rocks formed by rain, snow, flooding, and wind.

Pretty cool.

 Scott did great hiking and camping but some of the stop points could use gates along the edge.

Scare parents half to death how close kids want to get.

 Great views.

Weird seeing the dessert red rock right in a forest. 

 Cutest boy EVER!

 As I said before, we stayed in the parks camp sites which don't have showers.

This is usually a deal breaker when it comes to camp sites but it's less expensive this way and we booked a site with a shower in Moab.

So I had to show you all how I coped.

I put a french braid along the top of my head and then put it all back in a pony tail.

We had baby wipe sponge baths every morning and night also and I can honestly tell you that we didn't stink, even with all the hiking and sweating we did everyday.

Kinda weird, I NEED a shower everyday, but I lived.

I was really excited about finally getting a shower in Moab though.

 Mark taking his scenery pictures 

 We had to get one of the Arch.

Scott LOVES arches.

Mark and I went to Arches a year and a half ago and Scott has loved them ever since.

 I think they are pretty cool too.

Crazy how Mother Nature makes the earth beautiful.

 I told Mark how bugged I was getting of him taking so many pictures with no one in them.

So he stuck himself in this one.

Nice hun. 

 My boys about to hike down to the bottom.

 This was one of my favorite Hoodoos, I don't all the others are read and orange, I liked that this one was all white.

I was so pretty.

 So very childish feeling crept inside me while there.

I really wanted to see if I could knock Hoodoos down.

 They just seem so fragile and perfectly balance; I wanted to know just how fragile. :)

I held back on the real once but can I stop myself on tiny little ones made by man?

 I also loved this Hoodoo.

I reminded me of Mother Mary.

And that was the end of Bryce.

Cold at first, but great in the end.