For our Bradshaw Family Reunion this year, we made a trip to Capitol Reef down in Southern Utah. So much fun.
Saturday morning we took off around 10 to head to Orem and then to Springville and then to Capitol Reef. We picked up Emily and then headed to Cracker Barrell in Springville. It was especially great to see our out-of-state Bradshaws: Charles, Mac, Sally (Martin, Tennessee); and Emily, Colin, Sam, and Charlie (Laie, Hawaii). We stopped in Scipio for lunch at Dairy Queen. They had this great petting zoo set up right by the gas station/restaurant. They had emus, llamas, a zebra, peacocks, ostrich, lambs, goats, donkeys, and a bunch of other animals. The zoo is run entirely off of donations.
The ostrich was super mean--if you didn't watch him carefully, he'd bite you. I may or may not have learn this from trial and error.
The goat liked my dad so much that he tried to steal his wedding band.
Anyway, we got to Capitol Reef around 4, I believe. Gorgeous. Our campground was perfect--away from all the other campers with a gorgeous view. You could see the mountains in the distance, an orchard on one hand, a hill on the other, and a field on the other. Red, green, blue--so beautiful.
We set up our tents--mom and dad in one with their new, big cots; Anna, Em, and I in the 4-man tent. Em, Anna, and I went walking in the orchard. There were marmots scampering around the area. It was really just a gorgeous place.
Everyone got set up and then we ate dinner--taco salad made by Keith. Super yummy--homemade chili with jalapeño bits. He let me take some home which I'm having at least once a day lol. After dinner, I noticed Sally (about 10 years old) writing something with charcoal.
That's right...the Preamble to the Constitution. She's such a smarty pants.
After that, we headed to do two really short hikes to Goosenecks Point and Sunset Point. Dad is so afraid of heights that he wouldn't even go to the fenced-off area. The views there were beautiful as well. You couldn't really find a NON-beautiful view in the area. 
After that, we made a fire and sang some songs before heading to bed. They made smores after that, but Emily, Anna, and I were ready for bed by the time it was dark. I finished my book Edenbrooke (all in one day!) and then slept. Or attempted to. It was super super super windy--wind gusts about 50 mph so it was tough to sleep. Grandma Janet tried to sleep outside. She stayed all night like a soldier (but she didn't sleep much lol).
In the morning, (Sunday) Keith made open-faced McMuffins--egg and cheese with sausage, bacon, or ham. They were really yummy and creative. After that, we had a little church meeting where the focus was God's creations. After the meeting, we drove to hike the Grand Wash. That was a very mellow hike. No climbing, just walking through a canyon. It was beautiful, though, with the canyon walls full of holes.
We ate our lunches at the end of the hike and waited for Dad and Reed to come with the cars. Back at the campground, we took a much-needed nap, since everyone was drowsy from less-than-ideal sleeping the night before. Then I took Jace to look for lizards--his obsession. He wanted to catch one for his little sister Lexi. So we went searching (I video'd it), and he decided the lizard we found was named "Liz." Liz is a boy. Naturally. We went and got Emily to come with us, crossed the field and searched around the riverwalk area. It was pretty much hilarious. The kid has nonstop energy, and his voice is so animated. We had to stop in the field for some butterfly catching, of course.
You can see Jace's concerned face because "Liz" went into these "pokey vines." He was worried she was going to get hurt. Next picture is Em and Jace fishing for Liz lol.
Dinner was pulled pork sandwiches with sauer kraut. Yum--Keith did great on the food. Here's the chef of the trip on the left, with his brother Charles on the right lol. My uncles are too funny.
Here's little miss Eliza, happy after eating her dinner.
After dinner, we got lucky enough to actually catch a lizard. Jace named this one "Lizzie"--also a boy. You can see the look of pure joy on his face as his grandma holds Lizzie in her hand.
I think we had a fireside of sorts. We had some people tell camping stories from past years. After that, the kids played lots of games. Anna and I headed to bed when it got dark. Party poopers, right? lol
Monday morning we had pancakes for breakfast and then made lunches before heading out to Goblin Valley. The drive was an hour and a bit, and the valley was so cool! I hadn't been for years, and the last time we went, it was incredibly windy. But Monday it was hot hot hot and not a trace of wind. Anna and I did some exploring. Seriously that place is incredible. Utah has such amazing and unique sites.
We went up to the pavilion to eat lunch and get hydrated. Here's Lexi attempting to hide her baby doll from her parents, since they didn't want her to take it down to the valley lol.
I ended up taking her down and hanging with her, Trevor, and Jace for awhile. Jace was jumping off the hoodoos, saying, "To infinity and beyond!" Then he'd smack his chest like he was Buzz Lightyear, pressing the button to activate his wings--and then he'd jump to Trevor lol. So funny.
Anyway, we headed back to camp where mom, Anna, and I went to see the horses.
After that, Mom, Anna, Charles, Ben, Mac, and I went to hike the Pioneer Tanks. I was tired, but I wanted to do as much hiking as possible. The drive alone was incredible. Windy road through beautiful red rock country. The hike was nice--only two miles round trip.
We made it to the tanks, which were pretty cool.
There was also a pioneer register--pioneers had written their names on the canyon walls back a hundred some-odd years ago.
We got back around 8 and ate dinner (chicken and potatoes.) 
Then some of us practiced our skits for FHE. I did "Twas a dark and stormy night" with Keith, Lydia, and Emily Bradshaw. I was the "constabule." It was pretty funny! After that, we went to sleep. In the morning, we had cereal/bagels and then packed up everything! I ended up riding with Emily and her three boys because she had barely slept the whole trip since little Charlie was sick. We listened to Harry Potter 6 on CD and stopped in Scipio at Subway.
It was such a great time to be with the Bradshaw clan. They're always so much fun to be with. It had been so long since we had all camped together, and I loved having that experience again!
Here's to wonderful family and amazing places!
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