18 Year Anniversary in Bryce Canyon

Originally, we had planned to hang close to home over Memorial Day Weekend, thinking we would be packing up our home that had sold and moving. However, the home is proving a little more difficult to sell with increasing interest rates so we last minute snagged a campsite at the Ruby’s Inn Campground and planned a little trip with our little family down there for Memorial Day Weekend and D and I’s 18th year anniversary. When we first arrived I grilled hot dogs inside the trailer because everyone was starving. We bought a disc with all 3 Sandlot movies for the trip since we had hook ups and had a Sandlot marathon watching one movie each night. 

 The first day we all rode bikes from our campground all the way to Red Canyon Visitor’s Center. 

 We assured the kids the 12 mile ride would be all down hill and super easy. It was not at all that way, it was mostly uphill with only the last 3-4 miles down hill and had a super strong headwind we were riding into the whole way. Every kid wanted to quit at two different times Camden flung himself on the ground and refused to go no further. 

 Derek ended up riding back to the car and said he would come pick us up. Liv asked Siri how far the visitor’s center was and when we found out it was only 18 minutes further all the kids pushed through, finally made it to the downhill beautiful fun part of the ride and hopefully ended on a high point. I was so proud of how well they all were able to do that really hard thing.

 We decided that meant eating out for lunch. We hit the pool at our campsite, then Derek made Smash Burgers for dinner. Then, we took the kids to their first rodeo. Derek and the kids thoroughly enjoyed it and I cried every time someone got hurt. (I hate rodeos for the record). 

 The next day, per request I made biscuits and gravy. We had to get creative with how to cook this biscuits since we forgot the dutch oven. We drove down to Red Canyon and did a short but beautiful Arches Trail hike. Since it was our anniversary the kids made us take a kissy picture. 

 Then, we came back, ate lunch at the trailer, and rode the bus into Bryce Canyon and walked along the Rim. When we got back to camp we grabbed our bikes and hiked on the bus again. The boys and I rode bikes from inspiration point down to our campsite that ride really was mostly downhill and totally fun, D and Liv did another walk along the rim, but poor Liv got a bloody nose that lasted forever. Then, the boys and I hit the pool/hot tub again. That night we all ate at the buffet at the Ruby’s Inn and then each kid got to pick a souvenir at the gift shop. We made s’mores over the gas fire of our trailer stove because it was too windy to do outside. The next morning we headed back home. It was a great way to kick off the summer, and spend time with and celebrate the incredible family Derek and I have created in our 18 years of marriage.