catch-up #2: trip to arches.

my favorite arch.

Going to Arches has been on Kevin's bucket list forever and even though I grew up in Utah, I'd never been either.  So, though it made life all the more crazy before the move, we decided we should probably squeeze in a trip down there before we moved so far away. 
We left the Monday after graduation and Lee's birthday and drove the *long* 3 hours to get there from our house. (I can't believe we almost never made the trip.)

bathroom break (and goat ride) at the visitor center when we got to the park.

My mom's family did an Arches trip the beginning of April that we'd really thought about joining them on, but unfortunately it fell right in the few weeks before Kevin was presenting his Thesis and the end of the semester so we opted out.  We decided to go just after graduation since Scott and Jenna (our brother and sister) were going to have some free time then too. 
We decided against camping with four kids under five, two of which were barely one. Oh, and one very pregnant person...
We found a great deal on a big condo just outside of Moab and it turned out to be just the thing for our families; fully furnished with a kitchen and plenty of room and a pool so that we could have some non-hiking time for us and the kids.

The week before we left my doctor put me on "casual bed rest" because for both this and my first pregnancy too much physical activity causes contractions and since I delivered four weeks early with Lee, he told me to "avoid physical activity as much as possible".  Thankfully Arches is full of short and mellow hikes so I was still able to do almost everything. Literally the night before we left my Momma and brother David decided to come with us. (we had an extra bedroom at the condo) It was so fun to have them, we wish our whole family could have been there. 

Me and Jenna at Balanced Rock.

Lee and Dave.

would not stop eating the rocks.

 We had such a great time, it is amazing to me how different parts of the world can look. We couldn't get enough of the views.  Arches really is a great place to take young kids too, since most of the hikes are so manageable and short.  It was pretty hot while we were there but that wasn't as bad as I thought it could be either. 
*side note* Though I'm thrilled that we're having another baby soon, I'm not nearly as thrilled with all the photo documentation of the pregnancy. 

pool time. Lee loved it.

Scott and Jenna family.

our view of delicate arch, the only arch I couldn't hike all the way out to.

my favorite formation. so pretty.

Lee wasn't always chipper...

David (and Lee) slept the entire way home.

Kevin and sleeping Lee at Landscape Arch.

We had such a fun time.  It ended up being such a healthy little break in the midst of madness for us there at the end of our time in Utah.  Woot.

song of a bird.

Living with Lee has made me realize how unaware I've become of certain things in my surroundings. We played outside at my mom's today and I couldn't believe how sensitive all his senses are. Good reminder to stop and pay attention from Lee boy.

catch the sunshine. (while you can.)

Kevin and I decided to make the most of a sunny Saturday a few weeks ago. I have had intense "cabin fever" this winter and I just couldn't stay inside when the sun was actually shining and the inversion was *momentarily* gone. 
We went to a favorite walk spot near our house called Dripping Rock.  It's a little nature walk along a stream  that has a spring flow into it from the east side (down the mountain) thus making the rocks along the east side "drip". 
Our walk was actually completely covered in snow but we decided to do it anyway.  It was great.  It's been so long since Lee has been outside for any substantial amount of time that it tends to kind of daze him.  Ha, poor winter boy.  All the "drips" were frozen into icicles, which looked pretty rad.  Mostly I'm just glad we got out while we could. :) (can't wait for spring)

*the frozen "drips"*

He had basically this same expression the whole time.

I couldn't blame him, it was really bright.