We were scheduled to go to Sedona for the end of our trip to Antelope Canyon.
Early Sunday morning, we got up, stretched at the gym, ate the breakfast at the hotel, and ….uh oh….the Daddy did not feel well. Actually none of us felt stellar! But, Doug NEVER gets sick.
We stopped at Circle K for some coffee on our way out and headed to the hike at the Village at Oak Creek. SNOW! HOORAY! So, we sauntered along until we got to the creek. Oops..no bueno. We couldn’t cross due to the rapidity of the water and the lack of rocks to step on. SOOOOOO, we just enjoyed the snow and walked back and forth.
We finally got our snow fix!
And, we remembered…oh yes, the last time we came in 2017…this pic!
And now!
Little Tot. LOVE YOU SO.
After the hike, we decided to head to the hotel and ask if we could delay our trip. Daddy did not feel well AT ALL, and we really wanted to get back. Sedona was PACKED anyway! The hotel was so gracious and gave us a refund (it was nonrefundable!) Thank you, Jesus!
Oh, to come home and rest! We needed it so badly.
The next day, Daddy was feeling a bit better, so we biked to Lucy’s and enjoyed each other. (Snoops joined us)
Tatum did some gardening also. Perfect. Sedona, we’ll be back in April.
It was not in the forecast that it would rain all day. It was only to rain from 9-10, and our reservation for the shuttle was for 10:28am. They always cancel when there is rain since you cannot tour the Lower Canyon of AC with puddles because it floods so easily.
After brekkie at the hotel (gym and yoga too), we headed to the shuttle; I wanted to have this completely work-free, so we paid a bit extra for the luxury of the shuttle and VIP tour.
We also picked the LOWER canyon vs. the UPPER. Here is some Antelope Canyon info:
Let’s learn some interesting facts about Antelope Canyon from:
Antelope Canyon is one of the most beautiful landmarks on our planet. It attracts geologists, tourists, and photographers from all over the world.
Antelope Canyon is also one of the most photographed canyons in the world. Its unique wavy carvings, eye-catching colors, and magnificent light beams make it attractive to everyone
Local Navajos named the canyon Antelope because according to their story, herds of antelopes once grazed in the area during the wintertime.
Antelope canyon consists of two separate canyons: Upper and Lower Antelope canyon. Upper Antelope Canyon is known as “The Crack” and Lower Antelope Canyon is “The Corkscrew”.
Upper Antelope Canyon attracts more visitors than the other as its entrance and most of its length locates at the ground level and do not require climbing.
Upper Antelope Canyon also displays glorious radiating beams during summertime.
Lower Antelope Canyon, as locals call it Hazdistazi (spiral rock arches), locates several miles away from Upper Antelope Canyon. However, its geological structure makes it harder to see its overall beauty. Tourists need to climb in pre-installed staircases and require abundant hiking on uneven grounds.
Not everyone is allowed to visit Antelope Canyon since it locates in the Navajo Land. Tourists can gain access to the site through authorized guides only.
Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon that runs in northern Arizona. Slot canyons are narrow and deep drainage channels that are formed as a result of water gushing through rocks. Simply speaking, slot canyons begins with a tiny crack and rain flooding carves its way through those cracks and makes it deeper and wider over time.
Page, Arizona is the closest city to Antelope Canyon. Hotels, motels, lodging, and RV parks are available there. RV parking is not allowed within the perimeters of Antelope Canyon.
The Canyon specifically attracts photographers and geologists. Photographers capture its supernatural appearance, while geologists study its formation. In fact, according to Forbes listing, Antelope Canyon is one of the top geological wonders of the natural world.
The walls of the canyon got their beautiful wavy carvings thanks to the rainwater. Of course, rainwater could not have carved this beautiful structure, eroding sandstone in a short period. Live Science article states that it might have taken thousands of years for rainwater and intermittent creek to form this canyon.
Rainwater carved the canyon, and the wind polished its walls. You may wonder how come the canyon got such beautifully smooth walls. The mystery lies with the properties of wind. During extended drought, strong winds make their way on the Canyon’s drywalls and polishing its surface removing the loose sands.
The formation of Antelope Canyon began during the Jurassic period. More specifically, the formation took place 191 million to 174 million years ago. This means the canyon was present during the times of dinosaurs.
The canyon displays various shades of red and orange as a result of a mixture of iron oxide deposits and windblown sand.
Lower Antelope Canyon is bigger than Upper Antelope Canyon in terms of length. The Upper Canyon is only 100 yards (91 meters) in length. Lower Antelope Canyon, which locates about 4.5 miles (7 km) away from the Upper Antelope Canyon, has 1.1 miles (2km) in length.
The walls of Antelope Canyon rise about 120 feet (37 m) above the stream bed.
No one knows exactly who discovered the site first. However, there are some speculations. One claim suggests that a group of Native Indians escaped from the “Long Walk” of 1864 and took refuge in Antelope Canyon. The second claim suggests that a young Navajo girl named Sue Tsosie discovered the site while herding her sheep in 1931.
Antelope Canyon tourists can also visit the place called the Horseshoe Bend as it locates only 10 minutes away from the canyon. Horseshoe Bend is also a popular destination for tourists and photographers. Because the bend is a good spot to observe the magnificent view of the Colorado River.
Shuttle Drive: NITA (a local Navajo lady)
On our shuttle! Yes, Pikachu is joining us
When we arrived to the canyon, we went inside a building to assemble our VIP group. It was sprinkling a little bit, so prayed we’d get to go on the tour since they usually cancel for rain.
Robert James (RJ) would be our VIP tour guide.
We headed down to the land where the Lower Canyon exists. It looked just plain and flat…UNTIL… (stay tuned!)
RJ got us all ready by giving us some history. I’ve included much of that above.
We are about now to head down INTO the canyon.
We are so excited and have no idea what to expect.
Oh, and it started to rain. RJ warned us they might close it down (and he didn’t want this), so we just prayed for the best.
And….oh wow. If you are claustrophobic, this would be no bueno.
Oh, my goodness, we are going down about 5 flights of stairs to see….
RJ would point out all of the shapes. Here is the LION head
Chili Pepper
EAGLE
Here is the lady with the windswept hair
It’s really starting to rain!
UHOH puddles!
And more rain!
We are in awe this whole time
My honey. Love you. Looking to heaven with you my love.
Tatum looking to heaven!
Iron is present in the rocks (red), and the white is CA deposits. Rock from the rain.
We are starting to come out now. We were shown the bear (SSH in Navajo!), troll, fish, lion, eagle, and chili pepper.
Thank you RJ!
This is the miracle. THE REST OF THE DAY was CANCELLED! We made it by the skin of our teeth. That was SOOOO God because we had planned this for so long. I cannot imagine how terrible it would have been had it been cancelled. WOW< thank you, God!
From here, we figured we’d drive to Horseshoe Bend. We had no idea what to expect! Here is the pic of what we would see.
Walking down to it… It was cold and rainy, but we were determined!
The Tot was determined, and the lovely HHH lent me his jacket. Sacrifice was so appreciated.
And….oh..wait for it!
Kayakers down below! They look fake.
The colors were vibrant and alive! “Ok, we’re good!” Tatum exclaims. Let’s go get warm! Hiking back up was a bit more difficult, but again…DETERMINED! Lunch, here we come.
The rest of the day was lunch and then back to the room to swim and relax. The indoor pool was semi-warm, so Tot enjoyed while Daddy and I watched. She made a friend to play with. (She always does!)
The next day, we’d head to Sedona for the last half of our trip!
We had wanted to visit Antelope Canyon for a while now, and with Tatum having to do a report on an Arizona landmark, this would be a perfect time to visit. Plus, Mrs. Denmark allowed Tatum do do AC for her report.
SOOOOOOO, I found a good deal with a VIP shuttle experience and hotel in Page too. Plus we could add on Sedona on the back end since it was on the way home. (It broke up the 4 1/2 hour drive too)
Friday am (Tatum’s Spring Break will be the following week so we are getting a headstart!), we packed up the car, Woody and all (he’s going to Mom’s), and boom! We are off!
Oh, the joy of a packed car with food, books, more food, and more books. Seriously! We know what we need, right!?
After dropping off the little birdy (Coopy is already at Applewood), we headed down the road. It was to be a bit rainy this day, so we didn’t have much planned; our tour is tomorrow.
As we drove to Page, look at the beautiful rocks we’d encounter!…all the colors. Magnificent.
We arrived at our hotel after our delicious Flagstaff Wendy’s lunch. (HA!), and don’t forget…our McD’s ice cream. It is a must on vacation.
Walmart is across the street, so this would probably be our dinner option. Oh, and toy option, shoe (if needed) option, toiletries (hint hint)? yes, option too! smile.
Dinner is served! Our room is our usual restaurant. I microwaved my dinner and they got Subway. (our Subway lady was having an off night, but we didn’t let that ruin our night.
She made sure her stuffies were all ready for bed.
Beddy bye. Reading, praying, and figuring out the sofabed.
It rolled down the hill and POOF the bobcat ate it! More on that in a moment.
This morning, Tatum sang at church in the Grace Chapel.
She was filled with smiles, joy, and wisdom.
First, we arrived early so they could practice. They were to sing five songs.
The handbells were such a beautiful addition! The older crowd love having the kids present as they began with a classic: (For a Thousands Tongues to Sing by Charles Wesley)
Then SHINE JESUS SHINE!
Then a mighty strong verse about HIS grace!
AMAZING LOVE!
It was so fun to see her sing!
Then, it was a Communion morning. She leaned over and whispered to me: MOMMY, Visualize your SIBO (tummy issues) as a BIG BALL. It’s rolling down the hill. Do you see it? Now, do you see that Bobcat? HE JUST ATE IT! All gone.
Oh, your wisdom, Tatum. You rock my world. Thank you Jesus.
Hay Happens Meetings. We have them every Sunday. Well, during our retreat to Strawberry, we worked on our revised Mission Statement for our family. Stay tuned for our revised version.
This meeting, I had us answer some questions to “prime the pump” in our brains.
Here we go! First, let’s define what it is:
You want to be able to answer these questions:
What will I leave behind?
What difference will I make in the lives of those I touch?
It will support our core values and gifts
It will be clear and concise
Now, the questions! Ready!?
What activities do I find myself drawn to over and over? It could be feeding the poor, teaching, painting, accounting, technology, health, evangelism, counseling, etc.
What am I passionate about as far as what motivates me in life?
What are my governing values that guide my life?
What are my talents?
What are my spiritual gifts that I find myself enjoying the most?
What is my personality hardwiring?
What are my goals in life?
Here are mine:
Still work on mine!
Daddy was next:
And then the TOT! I love her answers.
Side 1:
Jesus. Her passion is Jesus. (these answers came from her heart…not from me..) On number 3 she said kindness and then made a fun joke about God looking down talking in an accent…She is so fun with her writing!
side 2:
I agree; she has the gift of discernment. We’ll see how her mission statement turns out.
Stay tuned for more later!
This inspired her to make a goal for her A/R tests. She stayed up late and made these goals on the white board:
I like that she rewards herself AFTER she accomplishes her goal. YES!
Part of the GRIT (6 G’s of our Mission Statement) of the Hays. Smile.
This is a typical scenario. Tatum will be struck with some type of guilt and she’ll reveal something to me which she was holding in.
One particular evening, she whispered to me something she had done and that it was haunting her (from that day). I said, “Not now, honey; we’ll discuss later.” She then wrote it on a post it and I knew we had to deal with it immediately.
She shared the story of the scenario and what she was guilty of. It was a pivotal moment in her life. I knew we needed to talk to Mrs. Denmark also; she needed to reveal it to her next.
Tatum was frightened; almost paralyzed, but I remarked that if she didn’t get it off her chest, it would haunt her forever. She kept saying, “It wasn’t worth it! I can’t live with myself!!” Thank goodness. Thank you, Jesus. I love her heart. I never punished her, but instead told her I was proud of how she handled it and how bold she was to be up front. The consequences were her haunting guilt and the natural consequence from the sin.
Tatum doesn’t do well if she has done something wrong; she beats herself beyond what is healthy sometimes. One thing is that she can’t keep things inside, and I’m the first one she tells…..always. Thank you that she trusts me and that she confides in me. I never want to shame her or make her feel terrible for confiding in me (that has to trump the punishment). The consequence is usually her conscience haunting her and then the natural consequence of what she did. Also, she always must make it right with God first and then if there is another party, them as well. Good lessons all around, and thank goodness for them being made as she is young and in our home.
See this smile? She is full of life! She is full of truth! She is full of HIM. For that, I can only be grateful. Yes, she will sin, fall, falter, and maybe stay there for a bit. BUT, I do see the LIGHT in her. Keep being YOU, my lovebug.
