Who Knew?! Coral Pink Sand Dunes!

Another Family Vacation but not quit the same we were missing most of the Gang. This time it included my younger bro, parents and of course I came. First of all I just want to mention how much I enjoy spending time with my family!!! Anywhere! Anytime! I always feel at peace with them and love to be wined and dined. I can thank my parents for that :) I think no matter how old we are and how much we have grown apart when we come together we bring out the best in each other!
With that said I hope to one day be able to take pleasure in taking my future family to many adventurous places.

I know this is random but part of the trip..My mom mentioned her back hurt from pulling dead tomato plants from underneath. Then my dad packed up our 4 wheelers and my mom goodies for us to eat then we all jumped in ready for the heat!
We listened to music and talked a bit then before you know Aftan was out for the rest of the trip! :) jk. No, but I am known to sleep in the car as soon as it starts. I also worked a night shift that day so I was pretty tired! I did wake up for our first pit stop which is never too far from home! You see us Godfreys like to eat! Moms Cafe in Salina Utah I’ve heard its good people but we were not impressed at all! Ashley Judd did stop by there once and left a signed picture...that was pretty cool.

With hours of driving and my dad never excelling past 50 ( thats my dad! He reminds me of one of my friends) we FINALLY made it to our hotel it was close to Zion’s National Park that’s all I could tell. While my dad and bro checked in I did a little dance for my mom and then we laughed and giggled until we all settled in.
MORNING! I LOVE THE MORNINGS!! Were always up and ready before the sun rises....Why??? My dad always believes when you’re on vacation you wake up early to start your day! He always says 'come On Time is wasten', you can always sleep in when you’re at home he will say! But just a little secret between you and me my dad is always like this! Up at 5am, to bed at 8pm!!! and remember # 1 rule don't wake him:) Yeah imagine that rule while growing up :) So it’s about 6:00 in the morning and were eating breakfast at the hotel lodge when my bro finds a wrapper in his orange juice! Yuck. Our first conversation that day that put a smile on my face. My brother Mitch doesn’t finish his breakfast cuz he says “I hate a full stomach." My mom says " You'll get used to it." Aftan says " I always feel that way" My dad says " I have never felt that." All in a sec. It was funny! To me ha! Ok, another reason I love going on V-K with my dad because he always shares with us random info and asks us questions and turns it into some game. For instance at breakfast he asked us' How many people turn 100 each day in the US'? Mitch won! It was 210 people!

On the way to the sand dunes my dad shared with us this... "you know my father once had a hitch that we all helped create this earth and depending on what part we helped with we get a special feeling when standing in that place, mine is the desert!" He loves the desert:) (He used to ride horseback with my grandpa to a lot of places for miles. Can't do that much now.)If that was true than I must of been a big helper because I love and have a good feeling while at sea or in the mountains and the... YEAH not so much the desert but a lot of places:) But interesting thought!

My dad is so funny when he doesn’t even know it. We pull up to the entrance f the Coral Pink Sand Dunes and the guy comes out of the booth and before he can say anything my dad just says this is our first time here...Ok the guy says it will be six dollars...my dad thinking well, if I tell him that were here for only the day maybe he will let us in for free...so he did " Yep, were only here for the day." and there was a long awkward silence until my dad turned around to us and said anyone have six dollars in a almost panic way :) Then we couldn’t stop laughing you had to be there. My mom makes fun of him and says he always tries to start conversation with people but is so awkward at doing so. :) I love him and a lot of other people do to:)

Anway, my mom kept making fun of us and sayin we were the klampets but I never saw the show so I wasn’t laughing. But apparently it’s a show about an awkward family that just never fits in at places....well, we weren’t professionals and our 4 wheelers are more for mountain climbing but we still looked funny getting ready!! We are always laughing but my dad is a little more serious and gets stressed out and cranky.
So my mom and I are the first one to ride on the sand we dont get 25 yards before we sink in the sand!! We just started laughing like what are we going to do...we can't ride in the sand with these 4-wheelers?! My came and got us out he threw it in to 4wheel drive and we were able to go! :) Anyway, theres the klampets for ya again :)

To make long story short my family shows up. Uncles, aunts and cousins with tons of their toys and we rode all day. And it turns out that the three 4-wheelers that did the best in the sand were ours :) so we felt pretty good.

Little side note my mom had a hard time walking because of her back but she kept on riding!
Mitch got pulled over for being on a small motorcycle and not wearing a helmet! hahaha the cop thought he was under 16! Apparently, my bro always gets pulled over for his age. The cop says some of these young folks under estimate the power of these things and get hurt! It only goes 10mph if that. My bro was so mad. When the cop asked how old are you son? He said enough to die for this country!! He is 19 :) This is the size My Bro got busted on! Let's be honest we could all underestimate the power of this thing? Right??

My bro and his manly muscle!

Aftan got stuck twice! Mitch too! A nice man helped me out both times! It was really pretty! I felt like I was in Egypt sometimes when all the land I could see was nothing but sand! My dad’s nephew bought all of us lunch. Thanks Richard. He too also brought all the toys to ride:) He owns BAJA motor sports....so it was fun to ride all the different things.

Back at the hotel My dad quizzed us again " When did Zion become a national park?" 1963 I believe.. My mom and I jumped in the hot top without swimsuits we got creative though ;) Her back was hurting and I felt sore of course too. This is the part where my mom told me to tell you guys that her back was hurting her because of this huge jump she went off and hurt herself. Of course we know otherwise but she honestly hurt herself really bad she couldn’t get out of bed!!! So, Aftan came to the rescue while my dad packed up and Mitch watched. There is men for ya! Us women are just more caring;) I grabbed a towel and wrapped in tightly across her waist to take the pressure off. With that I was able to lift her up by the towel and she felt good enough to use her legs :( took her to the truck where she suffered her way in. Got her comfortable and she slept on my legs the rest of the way home!!
It's funny how the trip home is always faster than leaving home! We missed our dogs and they missed us!!! All 6 of them:) Yep, but thats another blog :)I’m happy to say that my mom’s back got a lot better within a few days! I’m sorry mom I know how it feels! Aftan got some sun my mom was worried about how white I was.
For all those who have never gone to the sand dunes I would recommend it.. 23,000 acres of incredibly soft sand is a lot of exploring and fun!! Thanks Dad and Mom it was a blast!!! Can't say it is something I would get into though :) too expensive. I had some pretty cool videos but I showed them to a friend and all they did was laugh at me...So to safe the embarrassment I didn’t add them and I just dont think the pic or the video did those huge hills justice :)

My feet instantly sank in the sand!

WARNING: Pulling dead Tomato Plants is hazardous for ones health!

DANGER! DANGER!.....really those Tomato plants are vicious!!! They fight back!

A Day With Jay....Fishing

I'm here at a waterfall to write this story. I hope I don't bore you its a little Corny. Wow! Its beautiful wish you were to witness * Ok, here goes pay attention.



Whats that you say Jay You've never been fishing?! Ha, follow me i'll show you the way! Saturday night after our fight we head to Basin Drive-In. An hour away listening to music I put Jay through so much pain. But its ok I let him listen to Alice n Chains.

Nine comes so quick with a switch a vehicles we pull up to the movies HellBoy 2. Park the jeep of course Jay got to pick.



With our blankets held tight hamburgers, drinks and peanut M&Ms theres nothin to complain except for a small breeze. Not my favorite movie but better than SemiPro which we watched after when we got home from the show.



In the middle of the night Sparky my dog had us in a fright he jaws would not stop shaking we think it was a toothache but he was alright!



Morning comes and to our suprise we need licenses to catch our big prize! So we head to walmart with my mom and Mitch and goodies to eat and the coolest sun-glasses for a price you couldnt beat.

On the way out Jay was shocked to his surprise he saw a car that looked just like his ride! Same dent on the left side and a sticker on the back right window.



Did I mention through our glasses how clear the clouds looked so clear up high. Arrived home to see rainfall from the sky! So amazing once in a lifetime! The drops were falling so slowly, far up you can see it and follow one till it hit your eye!



Were on this new kick of taking pictures of insects. Like this bumblebee on this yellow sunflower. And this grasshopper on his green tower.

After my dad gets home we load up in the jeep. Stop at the gas station to grab some treats. I have to say Coke is better than Pepsi Jay!

20 min. ride to get to our mountain site. Jay asked questions of hunting my dad told stories about canning. How it was used for survival back then and now its just for food storage in the den.



My dad asked "Jay How much does it cost to keep this great land?" Jay answered " 5 or 8 grand." Ha! I had to laugh its only 50 dollars for a year! Maybe Jay had one or too many beers ;)

My dad introduced us to this great new product! You push a button and soon enough you have yummy hot chocholate!



On our bikes we head down to the lake. Stopped at a pond and took pictures of these neat little frogs. Jay was amazed when he found a black & white bee. Aftan ran to the porty-potty to take a quick pee!

My parents drove down with the fishingpoles and chairs all ready to go. On the mountain at the lake we casted out with worms for bate. Waited and waited but they wouldnt take! Jay's first cast was really far, I was impressed, beat all my casts yet! We moved to a new spot hoping we would hit the jack pot. Threw a peanut M&M in for good luck. We were having fun took a few pic of the sun! Saw a deer pass us by. Wait! Aftan caught a fish with a wink of an eye! It was big! Caught it with yellow cheese. Im sad Jay didnt get one but i was pleased.

I told him where I saw the fish but he didn't move! There were people in the boat that kept catching fish over and over again. Jay's favorite part was casting out which he did very well with his run and throw shout!



We couldn't decide to unhook the fish or put it in ice or let it go & be nice. We let back in the water to see if it would swim but it looked dead with a broke limb! So we kept it!



I had a lot of false alarms because i would should as if i was in harm. So Jay didn't take me serious but when he saw my fish he acted delirious.



Hamburgers & hotdgos came later that night! Yum my mom is so nice packed everything so tight & they cooked the food just right! Cleaned up and headed home. Told some jokes and laughed down the canyon till we hit the bottom road. Saw some more deer and some elk Jay was scared cuz we didnt wear our seat belts:0



The sunset was so beautiful & red Jay took some pics and then joined me on the trampoline! I hurt his toes but hes lucky it wasn't his spleen!



My dad showed us how you prepare your fish to cook! I couldn't do it! I could barely see it on the hook. Lemon pepper and tinfoil, Very nutritious! The next morning came and Jay and I ate my fish it was so delicious!



Thanks to my Mom & Dad who love to accommodate & plan we had a great day at the Lake! YEAH!!! SHIGGYdiggyDAN!!!