The Grotto

The last weekend of the summer we finally decided to hike the Grotto.  We had wanted to before but we never thought of it until it was too late or just not a good time.  So Saturday morning we woke up and I told the kids if they did their chores, with out complaint, then we would go on the Grotto.  The kids woke up and did their chores quickly and efficiently and soon everyone was ready to go.

When we got up to the opening of the trail there were so many cars there.  We weren't the only ones that had decided to hike the Grotto that morning.  But we got all our stuff and started the hike.

Oakley had fallen asleep on the ride up the canyon so he was not in the picture taking mood...

 The 'middle kids' liked going up all the side trails and running back down to where we were.  Bailey didn't want to take a chance on popping back open her scars so she stayed down with me and Bruce.

 It was such a beautiful hike, everything was so green and lush

 We finally made it to the top!  There were so many people there but a lot were leaving and there was still plenty of room for us.  The kids had so much fun playing in the freezing cold water!

 Morgan was pretty hard core and was the only kid who would stand under the waterfall and let me take pictures.

 Oakley loved playing in the shallow water.

Morgan welcomed the warm sun!

 Owen wouldn't go under the waterfall and it really bugged Bruce so he went out there with the older kids and forced him in!  Owen was pretty mad but then later was happy that Bruce had made him go in the waterfall.

 On the way down the kids found more photo opportunities.

Owen and Reagan pretended that they were falling down the mountainside.

 They also found more trails that we didn't notice before and being wet, they got very muddy!

It was such a great hike, I think that we will have to do it more often.