Labor Day Weekend

A few weeks ago the Fife crew decided to take a trip to visit Blanding’s head librarian and his beautiful wife the social workerThe Head Librarian and Royal *picture courtesy of Zachattack

Jack and I drove down with Morgan and Jennie. Other than Myles’ slight spat of car sickness, the boys were fabulous. Touching on that car sickness though, Myles threw up all over himself. Since the boys were on the backseat of the van and Morgan and Jennie were in the front, we knew it was going to have to be either Jack or me who had the honors of cleaning up the little guy. At first, Jack handed me a wipe and I returned it with a look that said, “You are crazy. You want the pregnant woman to clean up the vomit?” He was a trooper though and managed to clean Myles up while only dry heaving a few times.

We left the next morning from Blanding and headed to Mesa Verde National Park. It was amazing. Jack and I did take a camera but I haven’t downloaded the pictures yet, so these are courtesy of some of my siblings.

We had a good start at Mesa Verde. While looking at some of the recovered artifacts at the Visitors Center Dashiel "junk punched" a complete stranger. Dustin quickly tried to apologize to the man, after witnessing the event. When Dustin told Morgan what had happened he tried to restrain his laughter while sternly telling his 3 year old that he shouldn't "junk punch" strangers.

*picture courtesy of Dusty

We had to climb up some pretty tall ladders in order to get to the cliff dwellings. It is crazy to think that people have been inhabiting the American Southwest as long as they have. If you haven't made it down to this area, I would suggest it.
*picture courtesy of Dustin

Jennie, Baby Chase, Sloane, and Meredith *picture courtesy of Dusty

Jack and me at the Balcony House
*Dustin

Here is one of those lovely ladders. Keep in mind there were 3 little boys who had to be carried up that.
*Dusty

Balcony House
*Dusty

Another view of the Balcony House
*Courtesy of Zach

Here is a great picture by Zach that kind of helps you understand where on these cliff sides these dwellings are.

By the end of the day the little boys were all tuckered out.
*Zach

After church on Sunday (by the way, when the Fife siblings attend church together reverence is sometimes hard to find. Dustin and I played the classic game of switching a letter in the closing hymn another letter. I know that it is probably not the best way to sing a hymn, but, well, it is really funny to hear your 27 year old brother switch every “e” in a song to “o”) the majority of the clan headed to Monument Valley. Dustin, Sloane, Jack and I stayed behind.

Monument Valley. If this looks familiar it is because it appears in practically every Western movie made before 1970.
*Zach

Have I mentioned that Myles has incredible strength? Here he is lifting up a boulder.
*Zach


As a side note:

Although the scenery and company was fabulous, sleeping arangements were not so wonderful. Jack and I shared a hotel room with my Dad and Vicki. That man, Dad that is, has the oddest variety of snores that I have ever heard. There was gurgling, puffing, snorting, and just your classic snoring. Jack commented that one of the nights he woke up and was sure Darth Vader was in the bed next to us. I really should have taken ear plugs…Vicki, I don’t know how you do it.
*Zach