The Trip Out

 Usually, we're of the mind that quicker is better when it comes to road-tripping. But this time, we decided (sort of last minute) to make a few extra stops along the way to Utah. The first day of driving was 12 hours, and it felt like a breeze. The kids largely entertained themselves and watched movies, which left me with Lydia and Paul behind the wheel.

We got to Denver that afternoon and stayed with my Aunt Judy and Uncle Ed. Our kids immediately formed a bond with them, and Peter, pointing to my Aunt Judy, told me rather emphatically "I LIKE HER!" I do have pretty awesome Aunts and Uncles.

We also got to spend a little time with my cousin Meredith and her kids, which was a real treat! They have the sweetest girls, and they had no trouble at all getting along with our little gang.

After church the next morning, we got on the road again, this time for a short 6 hours or so to Moab. There was a special worldwide church broadcast that was being held that evening, and we wanted to be sure at least one of us made it. We met up with Paul's parents at a hotel in Moab, and while the men went to the broadcast, Grandma and I held down the fort. The kids were concerned that going to the hotel pool would be breaking the sabbath, so we thought up water-related scripture stories to talk about during our "reverent swim." :)

The next morning was beautiful, perfect for some short hikes around Arches National Park. We were foolish and didn't bring a baby carrier with us, so we were limited with what we could comfortably do. That girl is getting heavy- about 14.5 lbs!

Peter found "Jabba" in the rocks:

Here's the delicate arch, which we did not hike to this time. This particular hike is one of my few memories as a seven-year-old, and for good reason. It's hot, it's exposed, and it's long for little legs!

 Instead the boys took a shorter hike to get a closer view. They had a great time!

I think next year, we'll be planning for more time in Southern Utah- and maybe even camp. There are some of the coolest parks down there! Goblin Valley, Capital Reef and Zions are at the top of our list.