Easter weekend 2016

Wendy's and Stacy's families came home for Easter. So Mom planned for us all to spend that Saturday together and also Hugh's son, Greg, was there with his family. We all gathered in Bluff for lunch, which was just a quick sandwich and chips, veggies, etc. Then we loaded up our cars and headed to Hovenweep.

the buffet line in Grandma's kitchen

I have not been to Hovenweep since I was in the 4th grade and went on a field trip there. I have almost 0 memories of the place. I was happy to take my kids to another cool place in San Juan Co. There really is so much to see and do here, if you're willing to drive.

What a crew!
Olivia, Tilly, Hannah, Cambria, Sadie, Laila, Zoe and Ane
All the Barton Grand-girls (except Aysha)

We stopped at the visitor center for a bit until we were all together, then we started down the trail. The trail was concrete and I wondered if the whole thing was going to be so 'citified' but the pavement ended at the first overlook. Then it was just a faint path, outlined with rocks over the sand and sandstone. We did not hike the entire loop, but went about a mile and a half. Some of the kids went a bit further. The trail just loops around the small canyon where all the towers are located.

My crew
top:Hannah, Cambria, Sadie
bottom: Me holding  James, Soren, Charlie

Poor Laila!
Laila, Olivia, Hannah, Tilly, Zoe, Sadie, Cambria, Ane

Charge!
Charlie, Soren, Ethan

The trial marked with rocks

It was a bit chilly still that day. There had been rain/snow earlier

The towers at Hovenweep are all in pretty close proximity and you can see almost all of them at once. They are built around the sides and in the bottom of a small canyon. No one really knows why they are there or what their purposes were, but they look to me like defensive structures. There are small openings in them. Are they for shooting arrows out of?

Square tower in canyon

Some are square, such as this one in the bottom of the canyon...

Defending their stronghold
Charlie, Ethan, Soren

Some are more rounded such as this one on the edge of the canyon...some are actually built into the cavity of the rocks. The foundations of the towers fit so closely to the rock they're built on you have to look closely to see where the rock ends and the foundation begins. Amazing!

Think I'll back off before they let me have it

James finally went on his own. He refuses to wear his coat and froze and whined. OY!

After we left Hovenweep, we came back to Bluff by way of Aneth and Montezuma Creek. Since we were on that road, we stopped and hiked into the cove to see the cliff flowers. They were in full bloom.

hiking into the Cove

Cliff flowers grow where the water seeps out of the layers of sandstone

So beautiful and delicate and they smell so good.

dainty little flowers. I imagine they're probably quite hardy.

Hannah, Cambria and Tilly

It was so much fun to have almost all of us together. (Karla wasn't feeling well, so didn't come) Curtis, Ford, Shiala and Kami came to Bluff later and we all had dinner together. It was nice to spend more time with Hugh's son and family and get to know them better. It was a bit strange to hear his kids call my mom 'Grandma' but some of those little girls have no memory of Hugh's first wife so Mom is the only Grandma they know. I'm happy she has been so welcoming to them. I love watching my kids enjoy being with their cousins and I love being with my sisters. Family is truly the best thing in the world!

Let's head home
Watch out for the prickly pear cactus

Sisters!

bumper sticker we saw on the way to Hovenweep. We all thought it was funny.

On Sunday, we had Ford and Shiala come over to do our traditional Easter Seder. This was their first time to do Easter with us, so it was a new thing for them. Kami had fun just walking around and eating everyone's food. We love this tradition. We still did baskets as well, but this is the highlight!

 Easter is the ultimate holiday. Without the reason for the celebration of Easter, there would be no need to celebrate Christmas. If Jesus had not done what he did, he would just be an obscure carpenter from Galilee who faded into history and no one would even know who he was. But because He did do what He did, He was who He said He was, we know of Him and celebrate His birth, life and Atonement. Because He died for us, was resurrected and LIVES, we have HOPE. We can expect him to fulfill all his words and we also will LIVE forever. What a blessing that knowledge is.