Welcome to Tour de Utah part deux! It had only been 6 days since our last road trip, and as much fun as it is to spend 10 hours in the car, we decided that it might be fun for the kids to make an overnight stop in Grand Junction on our way down to St. Geezy. Y’know, break up the monotony and keep whining to a minimum? Riiiiiight.

Ryan isn’t much of a fitness instructor, but it was still 2 hours to Junktown when we made this potty break and we really didn’t want to stop again. So, he bravely accepted the duty of naptime inducer and hustled the monkeys through the paces…Hup two tree fowar!

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Step 2: After knocking out the calorie burn it was time to load their stomachs. Rowan’s still floating! Giv’er more chow!

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Keep chomping away at that string cheese Ellie! We need all your blood around your tummy!

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Even Ryan was feeling the burn from all those jumping jacks. Whew! Good thing you brought your wake-up juice…Nice lower lip there, weirdo!

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The combination couldn’t be more perfect! Physically fatigued, stomach full, and all the comforts of home within arms’ reach…

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Kerrrrrrrrrrrrsplat. That was the sound of our plan failing miserably…

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1½ hours later, Ellie was starting to look a little droopy. But it was too late to start a nap now, so we gave her the whole bottle of sugar pills. Zing!

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Ok, well let’s go do stuff…The name of the letterbox near where this pic was taken is called “No Use”. It seems to me that the rock is useful in making kids smile! Score!

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At long last, the pool of liquid happiness!

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Hey Rowan, whatcha doin’? Ah, working on your cannonball technique. Lookin’ good!

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Hey, what’s with the bubbles?!

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Oh I see, you guys are in the hot tub. Well if food & exercise don’t get them to sleep, boiling them is the next logical step.

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Olympic diver Ro-Taite contemplates the difficulty and technique of her next leap…into Daddy’s arms.

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Are you guys waterlogged? The best part of staying at this hotel was watching Eleanor freak out every time the elevator gave her a fuzzy feeling inside…

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Suppertime! What’s for dinner? High speed aluminum tubing…on a stick.

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Why is it cool to put a perfectly good airplane up on a skewer? Eleanor can’t figure it out either.

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Rowan was convinced the airplane was about to go potty on her. You might want to close your mouth!

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Daddy explained that airplanes are put on sticks to provide very decorative shade. And airplanes always look cooler when they at least appear to be flying…

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I don’t think Ellie is buying that explanation. But how would she know? She’s the daughter of a pilot but has never set foot on a plane!

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After another short dip in the pool, there’s no better way to end the day than shoveling down a cup of yogurt in the nude…

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Thanks to Drew for filling that pie hole. It was July 4th, and we were so proud of ourselves when the kids passed out long before the fireworks! Our plan finally worked…kinda…

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