Happier Still: Zion National Park {Our first proper camping trip!}

Years and years ago when James was tiny we planned a camping trip that was doomed (read more about it here) and ever since then we've been hesitant to try again. Last year we decided to sleep over at the cabin to try to see what camping would be like, and it was doomed too. Ha!

But when my dad called four months ago hoping that we'd join him for camping in Zion National Park over Memorial Day we decided to go for it, not sure what we'd gotten ourselves into.

The drive down was wet. Rained the entire time and the forecast looked dreadful. We set up our tent in the rain and the next three days called for rain, rain and more rain.

But the kids were STOKED! They got sleeping bags for Christmas and have been so excited to test them out and finally sleep in them. My dad has a trailer RV thing with a rain canopy, so we scooted over to his site for dinner and to play in the warm (dry) trailer.

Bedtime rolled around and our tent was dry and cozy. Both kids fell asleep wonderfully and we slept all night without a hitch!

In the morning it was absolutely POURING. E and I questioned our sanity, who wants to try to enjoy our first camping trip with kids when all we could do was run from the tent to the car? We were feeling pretty blue. Instead of being soaked we decided to go to town for breakfast (luckily our favorite breakfast spot is in Springdale) and take a drive through the National Park after breakfast was done.

James and I got out to explore a few times. E was exhausted from his week long trip that he'd only just returned home from and Juliet was NOT having the rain.

All the washes were full of water, waterfalls were spilling off the cliffs and James and I explored and explored. We tried to rally the other two, but they were happy in the warm dry car.

Lots of dark clouds around lunch time, but not raining long enough to stop us from exploring near our campsite.

Juliet only wanted to be inside the tent. She loved it. She didn't want to hike or explore, she wanted to "snuggle in [her] cozy sleeping bag."

We took lots of hikes in the rain. This one E and Juliet missed because after an epic meltdown, Juliet decided to take a two and a half hour nap in the car. E was more than happy to stay with her while I hiked with my Dad and Tracie (his fiancé), her daughter and son-in-law, and their two children that are roughly James's age.

My dad and James were the happiest and fastest explorers of the bunch.

James really really likes these almost-cousins. When my dad marries his fiancé, I'll have two step-sisters and a step-brother (which is super odd for me to say, since I've only met two of them once), but anyhow, these will be our kids' cousins.

These three were as thick as thieves and never ever left each other's side.

Lots of rain meant we ate inside my dad's rain awning. But everyone was happy while the rain continued on.

The next day we woke up early to catch a shuttle into Zion Canyon. The kids were excited to hike Emerald Pools (which James has been on twice and Juliet has been on once!). We hiked both the lower and middle pools and were mostly rain free! Woot! Juliet even surprised us all, and after an early meltdown regarding hiking, she hiked the entire 1.5 mile loop herself.

The trail takes you directly under the falls, and this waterfall loving boy couldn't be happier.

I remembered that James and I took a photo on this rock on this hike two years ago, so I wanted to reproduce it.

Awe. James was Juliet's age on this trip and hiked so well even back then.

After our hike we headed to the Zion Lodge for lunch. Not a bad view to enjoy.

The sky continued to clear. We hopped back on the shuttle and went to the last stop, where The Narrows hike starts. We wanted to just enjoy the scenery and let the kids play near the river.

Having sun was such a nice treat after such a cold trip! Both kids played happily near the river for two hours, James reworking the flow of the river in a spot and Juliet working hard on her "mud cake factory."