ZIONS!!!

This last week was absolutely wonderful.  I made it through March and April could not have started out better. Wednesday morning Mike, my parents, our friends Febrecia and Eliane from Brazil, and I left to go down to St. George. We left Salt Lake after picking up the girls in a blizzard (very unwelcoming for the first day of April). It took us a long time to get down  to St. George because we made quite a few stops.

Our first stop was in Holden, Utah. I had never known this before but Holden was founded by some great- grandpa of mine. My dad had a family history book and out goal was to find a house he had a picture of where his dad had spent time in the summer. 

Well because there is not much to Holden it really wasn't very hard to find this house. Well it ended up taking so long because after we had found the house my dad knocked on the door and it turns out that the man who owned it is also a Stevens related to Williams Stevens the founder. So he showed us what he had done to the house, and pictures of ancestors. Really quite random! 

Our next stop was to some hot pots in Meadow, which is just past Fillmore. I went to them last year on my way down to St. George. They are really warm and really clear. They are in the middle of this field in the middle 

of nowhere.  The larger one is 45 feet deep! I am determined to bring my swimsuit next time so that I can do more than just stick my feet in. 

 Our last stop was at Cove Fort.  I had been there before but it has been a long time. Since the girls don't get to see church history sites in Brazil I think they really enjoy having the chance here. Febrecia just got baptized two weeks ago, so a lot of the Church's background is still new to her.  I think Cove Fort is worth the stop sometime in your life. 

Once we arrived in beautiful SUNNY St. George we were able to go to the temple and walk around the visitors center.  There was a sister missionary from Brazil that

 Febrecia and Eliane could talk to.  Mike was more interested in the big trees on the temple lot. he loves trees.  I love the stark contrast of the white temple against the red rocks of St. George. We then continued to the "Dixie Rocks." I love rocks. Not quite like the way Sarah, the geology major, loves rocks.  I love being able to climb on them.  There is a tiny short slot canyon that is always fun to try and squeeze through. The park has a great view over St. George.   

Thursday morning after a great breakfast we headed to Zions National Park.  I love that place.  Our plan was to first go to Angel's Landing.  The girls didn't even know what hiking was, so I think it was baptism by fire.  It is a great hike. The last half a mile can be pretty scary for anyone that might be afraid of heights.  Mike and Febrecia fall into that category, but they made it to the top.  There are parts of the trail that are only a few feet wide and there are sheer cliffs on both sides. The view on the top is amazing. Worth the entire climb. On the top the chipmunks practically attack you trying to get food. 

Once we made it down we ended going to Weeping Rock before heading back home.  What a great trip, especially for the middle of the week!