Overnight on the Colorado River

we had a visitor/ the boat and canyon

As our family grows, rafting has become more and more appealing. Throw all that junk on a boat and let it do the work. You camp on remote beaches with no one around and can still have steak for dinner (although we went with burritos). 

Last weekend our family + the Allred's did an incredible amount of work to get out with our littles overnight. On the river. That's a lot of pfds, gear and people in their boat. But it was just what i needed. May is the busiest month of the year here in Moab. The flowers are blooming the weather great (if you can handle 30mph gusts) and everyone is sick of winter. Brian and I used to get out every weekend, and while we do try, that same lifestyle just isn't possible to maintain with two kids. But, when we do get out it is awesome. And 80% of the time it was totally worth it (notgunnalie, that 20% is not).

our group!

daddy&daughter. I love seeing these two together. And look at the size of Brian's hand! His mama said he was born with paws.

dirty mud splattered on her face already-- 5 mins into the trip.

not as keen on posing with mama. . . 

but this one will! 

The Allred's had scouted out this campsite previously, knowing that the big sandy beach and zero entry would be great for the kids. Little did they know it also came with quicksand (bonus fun for the adults) and mud (bonus fun for Liesel). 

I love. love. love. love her. 

owen and diesel eating their breakfast oatmeal/ family photo!

When we finally got the kids down at night, the adults had an hour or more of actually hearing each other talk and no interruptions. We watched the full moon light up the canyon, ate dark chocolate and talked about who knows what (probably kids). 

7:10am and in the water. 

She knows how to ruin a new suit fast. And WHAT was I thinking buying white???!

The morning was a blast. We took our time getting ready and all of us played on the beach for hours. Dug holes, played in quicksand, jumped in the slippery mud, threw sticks in the water and. . .

broke sheets of clay with our foreheads. 

After we were done playing we packed up and headed out (as the wind was blowing everything down the beach). I've missed water. The Needles feels so dry! 

we're quickly outgrowing the Allred's 14footer-- time for the Hays' to get a boat!!! We're taking donations. 

Thanks. 

jk

sorta. . .

the Dugga Branch.

cottonwoods, cliffs, canyons and water. The desert has really come alive lately which means we're living outside.

yes, I have 1,000 pictures of Hannah's adorable faces. I can't get enough, ok?

in the fort with my gals. If I look tired to you that's because I am. And because hair and makeup didn't show up today.

Thank you Dugout Ranch! What would I do without your swing set, dogs, cat, grass and tall trees? I'd roast and be eaten alive by biting gnats. 

Liesel fixating on Maggie and Sydney-- the ranch dogs.

Chasing the ranch cat and Liesel's bouquet-- I love hearing her say that word! 

rock me baby like a wagon wheel/ Na-Na in the grass

Liesel's pointing finger making sure that defenseless Hannah doesn't cross any lines. Some of that older sister sass, I guess. 

At least twice I week I drive out to the Dugout Ranch (Indian Creek Cattle Company) twenty minutes from home. It is the quintessential western-American ranch: huge cottonwoods, horses and cattle grazing in the canyon, red-rock buttes in all directions and pioneer houses. My favorite view on the drive home from Moab is right about at the Ranch. You have a view of the Bridger Jacks, the North and South six shooters, the Island in the Sky and the green, green valley. One of these days I'll have to stop the car when I'm not worried about waking sleeping children and snap a photo. I know I'll miss it when  I'm not making that 3hr drive 3 times a week. 

Anyway, Heidi has been gracious enough to let me and the kids come by and use the swing set (for her two grandkids) and play on the grass. Liesel loves it and would choose the dugga-branch over the Visitor Center any day (but who wouldn't?). 

So we go. And pet the dogs. And chase the cat. And look at the horses. And watch hannah bounce her hands up and down and moan (?!) when she sees the animals. And swing Liesel in the swings. And climb up the climbing wall and slide down the slide. And pick dandelions and ride in the wagon. 

It is our little oasis in the desert. 

And a tender mercy.

so, thanks

ganks

and 

ba-ba-ba-ba

from the three of us.

seven months

A personality explosion this month! (btw: you can't write a sentence with explosion and not end it in an exclamation point! see?)

hannah is ________.

happy

hilarious

demanding

chill

growing

tough

adorable

chubby

etc

It has been months now and I still can't put her down for a nap without her screaming. There is no such thing as drifting off to sleep with the exception of her last nurse at the end of the day (6:30 or 7pm). She's almost always the first person up in the house. She does NOT like me to put a pacifier in her mouth and with throw her strong arms up and down to get my hand out of her face. She's strong. Her expressions and faces crack me up every day. I think she already thinks she's too cool for me and will sometimes give me these grown up looks like, "mom . . . please." She loves sucking on her bottom lip and pursing her lips while breathing through her nose (my personal favorite). 

She has started to cry when I take something away that she wants. She is constantly bossed around by her older sister. In fact, Liesel will put something that she doesn't want her to play with within her reach just so she can scold her-- like her own hair. I hear, NO Hannah, Noooo! about 1,000x a day. But I also hear, Where's Hannah? What's Hannah doin' and an enthusiastic Hannah's awake! when she wakes up from a nap. L loves to feed hannah her "squished up banana food". Speaking of food-- Hannah knows that when she's in her red chair, she gets food and she goes NUTS! She demands food by squealing, crying or fussing. I dread mealtimes because they are a constant stream of demands and fussing (from both girls).  Her favorite foods so far are: lentil/sweet potato/oliveoil/pea/water puree and an oatmeal/banana/applesauce/water puree. She didn't really like my butternut squash soup or puffs.

She's become much more active these days and I think crawling is on the horizon. 

I love getting to know my little Hannah. It's amazing that this big spirit is in this little body and I get to watch day by day as she shows me more and more of who she is. 

black and whites from this morning

 I could kiss spring.

run, run, run!

hands down the best thing about living in the Needles district of Canyonlands is the trail running. And we are in prime season here. Wildflowers, leafed-out Cottonwoods and perfect temps. My favorite run is Big Spring Canyon to Squaw Canyon; a 7.5m loop. I got up was woken up this morning and was on the trail by 7am . . . 

pounding the dirt

heart pumping

clean air in my lungs

barrel cactus blooms

scurrying up slickrock

leaping over logs

dodging tree branches

and

stopping now and then to take in the views.

Then I came home and Liesel asked to see the sweat in my armpits (she's been really into this since she realized what sweat was after my run last week). Gotta love it.  

ps: huge thanks to Mary for the hydration pack! Now I can bring H2O and my camera!

SLC, the girls and we went on a date.

making cookies when I shouldn't be making cookies/ Liesel and her friends in their fancy dresses jumping on my bed.

Last weekend we had organized for multiple days a furniture acquisition expedition to SLC. I had called over 20 people, had maps ready, phone numbers, Uhaul trailer and organized housing for Brian overnight with my sister Lindsey. In doing this I realized two things:

1) People cannot fathom not having cell phone coverage. Why can't I just text you? I don't have cell phone coverage. How are you calling me? A land line. What? A LAND line. It means I have to answer from my house. 

2) People cannot fathom not having a data phone (and thereby having a GPS). I will text you my address when you get up here. I don't have a data phone, so I'm printing out maps ahead of time. . . Ohhhhhhh. Sorry.  It's okay. I've come to terms with it. (?!)

Brian was in the backcountry. The plan was that he would hike out that afternoon, pack and leave that evening alone to get everything and blitz back the next day. Well, I woke up that morning and starting packing my bag. Liesel's bag. Hannah's bag. Bedding. Pack-n-plays, food, bibs and a potty. There was no way I was staying down here. So we went! And the drive was hilarious. Liesel didn't sleep until 10:30pm. We rolled into Lindsey's house at 11pm. 

we took the kids to Wheeler farm. 

 then the aquarium. 

we took them to the pool at the apartment complex

 and best of all they got to see Aunt Lindsey!! And so did I. Man. That was the best. It was so great having her company for the weekend. 

on the lawn outside the church on Mother's Day

Meanwhile Brian was driving around all of SLC and not buying any of the furniture. So that evening we decided to leave the kids with Lindsey and her new BF while we had a date at Ikea. Did you hear that? I said a date. By ourselves. At 8:20pm we arrived at IKEA and proceeded to have a blast tossing everything we needed into the cart in 40 minutes. Then Target. Then bed. 

 Then the drive back home again the next day.  Into the desert. And into the chaos: