Time With Nathan and Ashlynn

Last week we were in Idaho to spend some time with Clay and his family. We brought two of our grandchildren, Nathan and Ashlynn home with us. We got to have them from Monday to Saturday. Of course Monday and Saturday were travel days so we really didn't have as much time as it sounds like. It went by way too fast, and tomorrow we take them to Lehi to meet their Mom.

We had lots of fun while they were here. Nathan and I worked in the yard quite a bit, mowing the lawn, weeding the orchard, picking up rocks and making an outlet for the pond.

When we weren't working we played a lot. On Wednesday we hiked Kanarra Creek up to the first falls. These next few photos are of that hike.

Hiking the creek
Through the brush

A snack break

Ellie navigating the narrows

The first falls

Ashlynn posing

Nathan contemplating going up?

Alas, grandma Ellie thought this was far enough. Left to us kids we would have probably gone further, and gotten really wet.

We took the kids to "Cats" at Tuacahn after making a stop to see their Great Grandpa Prince on thursday night. I think they liked it a little bit, and so did I, a little bit. I did like the music and dancing, even if the story left a lot to the imagination.

On Friday we took a picnic and went four-wheeling on Harmony Mountain.

At the monument where great-grandpa James Franklin died at 33 years of age, over 100 years ago.

Ashlynn has a great camera smile

A picnic in the quakies

Off riding again

Nathan with the Kolob Canyons in the background

Friday afternoon we made pop bottle water rockets, and the kids enjoyed shooting them off and hunting them down for about two hours. I think they especially enjoyed the occasional wetting down when they rockets fired prematurely. Friday evening we had a hot dog roast at our walnut tree picnic area. In addition to the hod dogs we had root beer floats with berry cheesecake ice cream and we toasted marshmallows and made smores.

Ashlynn among the Goldenpeas in the meadow

Whenever there was a lull in the action Nathan and I were at the pond fishing. By Friday night we were ready for bigger game so we went to a neighbor's pond where the fish are a little bigger.

Grandpa showing how it's done.

We are going to hate to see these kids go back home, and I think they would be happy to stay a little longer, but hopefully they will want to come and stay with us every summer from now on.