Up Greys . . .

Let's be honest. I wasn't totally excited about going camping with Jake's family. Mostly because I haven't been camping in a LONG time and a lot of my family (despite growing up camping!) have decided camping is not for them. But, it was Jake's one ambition this summer to make it "up Grey's" which translates to real camping (no organized campgrounds here, my friend!) up Grey's River wilderness in Wyoming. We're talking no bathrooms and everything (I'll give you a hint, one of the camp tools is a shovel with a roll of toilet paper kept ready on the handle).

But, of our whole trip to Utah, this was definitely one of the highlights. It was truly a great time!

Going running with my sisters-in-law. I'm the dorky one who forgot to bring my real cold-weather running clothes (can't imagine how I forgot what with 3 people to pack for camping, Lake Powell, and miscellaneous other Utah plans including family pictures). We had a great time, though. Running is the greatest way I can imagine to appreciate the beauty around you.
Some of the grandkids, loving the "roughing it". What boy doesn't love having the whole outdoors as his own personal bathroom? And having permission to get absolutely filthy, soaked, and run around anywhere you want?

One of the highlights was "tubing the river". The boys took the first tubing trip. Here they are in all their glory. The Veigel family's finest (with a nod to Trent who may or may not want to admit that he's part of the Veigel family since he only married into it).

Truly a beautiful place. This picture was taken from the top of a hill. Incidentally, it was on this hill (the one from which the picture was taken) that Jake proposed to me. How could I say no?!

Our hike up to Stump Lake was made even more fun by Jake's mom's "backpack icecream". Look for the recipe on my cooking blog. It was amazing.

The girls had their own tubing trip. Very fun but a little freaky given that the tubes are really difficult to steer. I thought I was a pro at paddling after spending a lot of time out in our kayaks, but this is nothing like paddling a kayak. It's more like riding on a merry-go-round, while frantically trying to stop yourself from spinning. And, meanwhile, trying to somehow get yourself away from hazards like broken trees and low-hanging branches. And get you and your tube against the current to the shore where you're supposed to get out. But, fun all the same!