The Greatest Legacy ~ Calf Creek Falls - Bowns Lake Family Reunion 2016

 Calf Creek Hike July 7 2016

Charlile, Arianne, Nathanial, Will and James

Grant, Jesse, Grace, Cori, Eden and Jeffrey Jack

Cory, Brittany, Ashton, Nadia, Hunter MaCaleb

Jacob, Sydni, DAmien, Danielle, Ally, Mason and Kourtni

Megan and Ethan Joshua Anders and Matheson

Tiffany, Brett and Tokyo

Sandy and Ray

Thursday morning, we left early with plans to drive over to the trailhead for Calf Creek Falls and get on the trail before the heat of the day.  We made it after a couple of pit stops . . . but it was already hot when we arrived.  Damien and Danielle treated us to a great breakfast of fruit, and juice and  then we were on our way with water bottles and hiking gear set. 

Charlie, Jacob, Sydni, Ally, Jesse, Ashton, Nadia, Grant, James and Eden

The hike in to Calf Creek Falls is a moderate hike of about three miles each way with a bit of climbing.  It is located in the Grand Staircase Escalante Area between Boulder and Escalante.  The kids were all troopers and Grandma Sandy had snacks in hand for needed rest breaks.  

 The water is icy cold and takes a bit of courage to go plunging in . . . but most everyone did!  Here Damien, Kourtni, Sydni and Jacob climb around to the falls and Damien takes the first plunge.  I think Will was also one of the first ones in.

Nathanial, Nadia, Eden, Charlie, Grant, Mason and MaCaleb

 The little ones loved the sandy beach and started building castles and dams.

Charlie, Allyson, Nadia and Eden

 The water at the edge was refreshing, the sand inviting.

Joshua, Hunter, Grant, Ashton, Charlie and Nadia

Eden, Ally and Mason

Ethan and Matheson

Ethan, Cory and Tiffany

Kourtni, Sydni, Nathanial and Grace

Tiffany, Sydni, Damien, Cory, Kourtni, Will, Grace, James and Cori - contemplating a plunge and swim to the falls

Jesse capturing the swim over to the Polar Plunge

James' look explains it all ~ that water is ICY COLD!

Family Skit night and Devotionals at Bowns Lake

"Laughter is an instant vacation." ~ Milton Berle

Waiting for the fun to begin . . . Jacob, Sydni, Grace, James, Ashton, Nathanial, Kourtni,
Ally, Eden, Grant and Hunter,  

 Grant was passing off some requirements for Scouts, so he and his mother, Jesse took on the responsibility of organizing our Family Devotionals each day and Camp Fire Fun.  It was a special time to watch these young boys and girls get up in front of everyone with so much confidence and lead us.  Each day we had a Spiritual Thought or Scripture, Songs and/ or Family Story along with an activity.  One evening each family prepared a skit to present and each one was delightful!, 

Mason, Brittany, MaCaleb, Cory, Grace, Sydni, James, Ashton, Nathanial, Nadia, Kourtni & Ally

Grant - introducing the program and each skit

 Grant, or Ashton, or whichever grandchild was in charge of the Family Devotional that night would go around camp during the day reminding everyone of what they were scheduled for that night. Everything worked like clockwork!

Eden & Grant

 Throughout the evening, Grant, Eden, Grace and Jeffrey kept us laughing with some pretty funny jokes!

 We had lots of fun around the campfire each night.

Nadia, Cori, Jesse, Grace, Eden and Jeffrey

 Cori  & Jesse"s family - Sitting on "The Invisible Bench"

Cory, Brittany, Nadia, MaCaleb, Hunter and Ashton

Cory & Brittany's family's rendition of "Are We There Yet?"

Nadia, Jacob, Ally, Kourtni, Mason and Sydni

Damien and Danielle's family  - Sydni led us in some fun songs, "Bringing home a baby Bumblee . . . 

Jacob, Mason, Ally, Nadia, Ashton and Kourtni

Then they did the "Sniff Test" skit.

Megan, Anders and Joshua

Ethan and Megan's family - "We have no Bananas today . . ."

Will, James, Nathanial, Charlie and Arianne

Arianne and Will's family - did a great impromptu skit that James made up on the spot about the "New Kid on the Block named Skittles."

Tiffany and Brett

Bowns Lake - Day 2 Enjoying the Sandy Shore

"The best kind of therapy is beach therapy!"

Cory, Ashton and Brittany

On the north side of Bowns Lake is a lovely hill with lots of great sand, a few trees for shade and lots of water to play in.

Eden - enjoying the sand at Bown's Lake

Ally, Nadia, Sydni, Jacob, Hunter, Eden ~ Bowns Lake July 6

Danielle and Mason - getting his Super Suit on!

Kourtni and Grace

Cori - the tree hugger

Damien tossed the weighted rope at least 20 times . . . it swung around that branch just as Cori was climbing the tree - - - perfect timing!

Jeffrey and Nadia, Mason, MaCaleb and Grant

Super Swimmers!

Brittany and a some of the children decided to swim across the lake to the next beach - - - it was quite a ways to swim, but they all made it there . . . and back!

Jesse and Papa Ray - enjoying the chill of the water

Cori - hey this works!

That rope swing really works!

Damien - wahooooooo!

Jesse ~ launching out

Grant - looking good!

Danielle - going out in style!

Jacob, Grant, Hunter - building a great ramp right into the lake!

Sydni - dancing in the air

Kourtni - bravely heads out over the water

Ally - swings right in and makes it look easy!

Grace and away she goes

Brittany - gets lots of air time!

Nadia -having a great sand party!

The guys discovered a snake slithering back to his den

Setting up a trap?

The children enjoyed feeling his cool, smooth skin

Damien - says he really doesn't like snakes much

Cori, Damien and Cory - just a little manly bonding