Grand Canyon 2009

Sunrise on our way up to the Grand Canyon. So beautiful!

First Views
The girls were so amazed and it was so clear and beautiful. Had we known that in 3 hours it would be pouring, we would have taken more pictures!

When I saw this picture I freaked out. I couldn't understand how Jake got a picture of me (do you see me and the girls?) when I had the camera...he had to point out to me that I was taking that couple's picture with their camera! So out!

Jake ventured out on a ledge to get these great shots. The girls were freaked out and worried and I was just a little annoyed. I made sure I had the car keys in case he fell; real romantic, huh?

When Jake got back up to the trail, the girls ran to him to make sure he was okay. They were very very nervous for him! It was very sweet and precious.

This is a weird picture; the lady didn't think we would see the canyon in the shot but that is all you can see!

The girls checking out a full aerial model of the Grand Canyon; you'll see them below in a picture at the same model listening to a geology talk right before they got their Jr. Ranger badges.

Here we are out in the rain after our first Ranger talk (a requirement for their Jr. Ranger badges)

Here is a video of the GC and the girls saying what their favorite part was. Keeley had a joke going that lunch was her favorite (we ate in the cafeteria). She was bored waiting for the Ranger talk and then it started raining and she asked me when we were going to start having fun! I told her maybe after lunch so during lunch she had to point out that it was her favorite thing so far!



Jake in the rain taking the pictures below.

Back at one of the lookouts waiting to get the girls' certificates and badges. We kept running back and forth to get the requirements done and we had to complete it all by 5pm. Once it was done we could relax a little and not be held to time constraints!

This was my favorite spot. I saw it when we first got there and Jake was climbing the cliffs...then we went the opposite direction and it started raining. I am glad we got some decent shots!

Brook took this one

Keeley took this one

I saw this sign while we were waiting for the "red" tram to take us to the top where no cars are allowed. I asked Jake to take a picture of the sign and he was gone for 20 minutes! Thankfully we had to wait for the 3rd tram because there were so many people in line, but I was worried! It didn't help that his phone didn't have a signal up there (I keep telling him he should have gotten one like mine! HA!)

A view from the top, or at least as high as we could go on the South side. We had a good view of the Colorado River!

A fun view right before we made it to the park exit.

Sunset; we were already almost to Williams by the time we saw this. Jake wanted to stay in the GC to see sunset but he was scheduled to work at midnight and he didn't want to be late (4+ hour drive home!) and sunset wasn't until 7:30pm

Keeley spotted this rainbow after I captured the shot of sunset. It is out the opposite side of the car and you can see the gray skies are still there! What a fun-filled day!
Oh yeah, and the girls kept saying they weren't tired and weren't going to sleep on the way home. Gotcha!