The Name 'Grand Canyon' is Well-Earned

After the craziness of our last trip, moving back to the U.S. and getting married (all in the span of 3 months), we tried to slow down. However, a new job and another move didn't really allow our life to take on a semblance of normalcy until the start of the new year.  And normalcy is nice, until it gets boring.

And just about the time boredom might have set in, we headed for Arizona to visit Luke's grandparents and see the Grand Canyon!

The drive up from Phoenix offered some interesting sights: some hot air balloons on the side of the highway, and a quick stop at the family's old vacation cabin! It's too bad that I never got a chance to visit when the grandparents still owned it; I've heard stories of fun memories from that place.

When we arrived at the Grand Canyon, the weather didn't afford us the best views. But it was still incredible to see in person! I was surprised that you can walk right up to the edge in most places instead of being blocked by a safety rail. As long as you're careful and have a bit of common sense when taking pictures, you'll be fine.

It soon became too overcast to see much of anything, so we ducked into a little museum to learn about how the canyon was formed.

  

That night, we slept in a lodge on the edge of the canyon. The blue sky that greeted us in the morning looked promising for better views!

There ended up being low clouds and some haze, but the sunlight broke through and made the canyon look beautiful anyway. The colors and shadows of the canyon constantly changed as the light shifted, which was amazing to watch.

On our way out, we stopped by Desert View to see the watchtower and lookout point.

There were a few more things to see on the drive back, too.

Once we got back to Phoenix, we got to hang out with our grandparents for a few days! They've now moved out of their big house, but it was a cozy and welcoming place for everyone to relax. We can't wait to visit them at their new home soon!

Caught a bird on the feeder!

View from the front door: Colorful desert paradise. :)