Verde Canyon Railroad

On day three of our Fall Break vacation, we took the boys on the Verde Canyon Railroad.

On the website it said the Verde Canyon is one of the nesting grounds for migratory Bald Eagles and we were excited to see them! Unfortunately it wasn't nesting season and so we just got a picture of one of the nests. Some of the passengers saw an eagle but I was trying to get the camera out and missed it.

The round-trip took four hours so we had lots of time to just relax and enjoy the scenery, the train, and each other.

Jacob tried his hand as photographer and took this great shot!

Jacob also took this picture of the Verde River. It wasn't too verde (green) because of the big rainstorms a week or two earlier but it was still beautiful.

Isaac loved to be outside and watch the world go by.

There was a guide on the viewing deck and we learned some fun and interesting tidbits from him as we went along.

He pointed out the Indian dwellings nestled into the walls of the canyon and told us all about the native plants and animals.

After some cat naps on the return trip, the boys were looking forward to browsing the gift shop (they are so funny; the gift shop of any tourist attraction is the best part of the day for them!).

Isaac and Jeremy doing their best totem-pole impression.

When I saw this, I knew my mom would love it! She is always telling the boys to "Soar High" like an eagle instead of acting like a turkey.

So all the boys wanted to show Granny their wingspans.

Of course, Spencer is the family's first "real" Eagle, having just completed his Eagle Board of Review.

Isaac can soar high, too, with dad's help!

Canyon Motel

After touring Bearizona, we checked into our "room" at the Canyon Motel.

The owners have turned old railcars into motel rooms and we chose the "haunted caboose."

We laughed and laughed at the sign above the queen bed (it is an old railroading term that is explained in detail)!

It was a gorgeous evening in Williams.

The kids played football and then went on the swings while Spencer took a bunch of neat photos.

And I got a cute one of him!

It was fun to cook our own food and not have to eat out too much on this trip (at least for me...notice Jeremy is the one doing the grilling!).

The motel has a giant gas campfire and we had fun making s'mores.

After I took this picture of Spencer by the campfire, I said, "Oh no. There was smoke between us when I took the picture." Spencer said, "That's OK. It will just look like I'm smokin' hot!"

Sweet Jacob. Notice he's not smiling with his teeth lately. He has become self-conscious about his silver teeth. Maybe he'll lay off the candy.

The next morning we ate breakfast out on the deck and were ready for our next adventure!

Bearizona

The second day of our family vacation we went to Bearizona in Williams, AZ.

It felt like a cross between Yellowstone and Jurassic Park.

Imagine driving through the different cages and habitats at Jurassic Park but without deadly dinosaurs chasing you!

It was a tiny bit unnerving to be so close to the white bison...

But they were just so sweet and plodded along the road right beside our car.

After the bighorn sheep enclosure, a park guide met us to be sure we kept our windows rolled up and our doors locked while we drove through the black bear exhibit.

Awww, so deceptively cute! This guy crossed our path several times and we tried to keep our distance.

And this bear isn't nearly as dangerous. Isaac is trying to get him to share his honey.

We saw the most adorable white bobcat twins! They played with each other and then snoozed in the sunlight together.

Bearizona just opened last year and they have big plans for expansion. We loved it here and wouldn't mind coming back when there is even more to see!

Fall Break

It's kind of awesome in Arizona to get both a Spring Break and a Fall Break. It gives us the chance to enjoy the outdoors in ways we can't in the summer.

Jeremy took a few days off work and we planned a fun family vacation in an area of Arizona we hadn't explored yet.

The first night we drove to the Blazin' M cowboy ranch in Cottonwood, AZ.

It was so much fun to realize we needed jackets!

Isaac found a little pony just his size.

One of the cowboys gave us roping lessons...

and Noah caught on pretty quickly!

We took a tour of the ranch on the wagon trail ride. It is much like other touristy cowboy ranches we have visited before but is just gorgeous nestled among the cottonwood trees.

We laughed at the sign that read, "If you are taller than me, you can't come in or I'll have to shoot you." Isaac was the only one who could play in the little kids' play yard.

They have this museum with so many of these hand-carved wooden historical scenes. We were amazed at the details! Some of them were animated, too. Incredible!

And it was finally time for the Chuckwagon dinner to begin! About 2 seconds later, Spencer had inhaled all of his plate and some of Jacob's.

Yummy food! BBQ ribs and chicken, beans, potatoes, corn salad, biscuits, and apple cobbler. We were stuffed!

The entertainment was fun, too. The boys laughed and laughed at a character named Otis who kept throwing a wrench in things.

The cutest little outlaw in the West.

After dinner, Isaac finally mastered the rope. Pretty good form, huh?

And he got his steer!

This was the ghost that rode by during the "Ghost Riders in the Sky" segment of the cowboy show. Pretty scary.

And our last stop of the night: the old-fashioned candy store, complete with saddle stools at the bar. Once everyone got their fill, we piled into the van for the ride to our hotel in Flagstaff.