A Date With a View...Mesa Verde & Arches National Park

On June 14th, Clint and I were able to get away for a few days and drive just a few hours from home to enjoy some time together while visiting some beautiful places. It's really amazing to me that we live in such an amazing area because we literally can drive just a few hours in any direction and be on vacation in what seems like a whole new world. This place was definitely no exception! While we had visited Mesa Verde before, this was the first time we were able to go and enjoy the breathtaking views without the worry of a little one falling down or even OFF of some dangerous edge! It was fun, relaxing, and enjoyable! ...And while I love taking my children fun places, Clint is really my favorite one to go with :) and it's nice to take it all in with my all of my senses instead of reserving a few of the most important ones for worrying about the safety of the little ones. Needless to say we had a wonderful time together and can't wait for our next trip together:)

Mesa Verde is a place where the Anasazi Indians used to live in cliff dwellings. And although they have been gone for a long time, when you are there you really get a feel of what their everyday life used to be like...This place that Clint is standing is called The Long House.

Here we are standing together in what was called The Balcony House...

Climbing up the ladder to the "balcony" at Balcony House...

Not too shabby for a girl who is terribly afraid of heights!

Nearing the top of the tour... This was the most secure of all of the places that the Indians lived... being up on that cliff with only a small crack to squeeze through made it very difficult for enemies to attack!!!

This was one of the only entrances into the living space...the park ranger made us all laugh as she explained that most everyone can fit through because all of the squishy parts seem to squish right where they need to!! (I told Clint to crawl in and look out for a picture and this was what I got!!! Silly boy;)

As you can see, not a whole lot of room to squeeze through!!!

This little "throne" was on our way out of Cliff Palace...fit for a King!;)

We also took a day and went into Arches National Park and saw some awesome views...

Here we are at Balanced Rock...but I really wonder just how much longer that rock will really stay balanced?

More inspiring views...

Here is Clint in front of Landscape Arch...You wouldn't know it from the picture but the actual width of the arch is as much as 3 football fields!!!

...And here I stand in a little crevace that gradually closed in on itself...

And the Pinnacle of the hike... Delicate Arch!

I figured it was about time we made it to see one of Utah's greatest sights! This Arch is on some of Utah's lisence plates AND we only live about 3 hours away from it!!! Isn't it about time?!

Isn't it beautiful? It was a breathtaking view! ~And so happy to have made it with my Sweetie Pie!!!

Thanks so much for all of the fun memories Clint!

I will go anywhere in this world as long as I can go with you...

I love you so much!!!

A Family trip to Yellowstone

For Memorial Day weekend we had a fun opportunity to take the family to Yellowstone National Park. What started out as a business trip turned out to be a blessing for our whole family! Our one work "requirement" was to deliver a completed Parks and Recreation Vehicle back to Yellowstone... in exchange we had one fun weekend,  put up in a cabin with 3 days to take it all in!

 I was VERY glad that I had spoken to a good friend who informed me that it was suppose to snow everyday that weekend... and sure enough that was what we arrived to find! But at least we were prepared for the weather as well as prepared to have some fun! ~And though it snowed everyday, we had patches of warmth and sun that seemed to come along always at the right moment! It was an unforgettable family weekend...

The Falls at Yellowstone were some of the most beautiful sights to see, and though plenty of the views were overwhelming and a rush to overlook, they were both breathtaking and amazing!

Dallin, Clint, Kambriella, Kierra, Carew, and Gavin ~ Keeping warm and loving the view!The Group Warmth Cuddle Huddle! :)

~More beautiful Falls!~

As we moved around the park we had many opportunities to see the buffalo claiming their territory... through the fields, walking down the middle of the roads, taking a nap by some of the rest rooms...

But THIS moment was a rare one indeed! We were walking down the board walk when a family of buffalo decided to walk UP and OVER the board walk!!! They didn't seem to mind the fact that there were herds of HUMANS right in front of them!!! By the time we got over there to take a picture, this was the LAST one to cross the board walk.. RIGHT in front of Dallin!!! (See that little person in the blue jacket with the red hood? YEP! That's Dallin!)

Kambriella decided that this little stump looked like a great little resting spot!;) So while we sat I marveled at the peace and the beauty of being in the great outdoors... enjoying all the beauties that have been created for us...

 and although I didn't get a picture of it, one of the days we were there was a Sunday and we had the opportunity to attend a Sacrament meeting at the Old Faithful Lodge. For one Sunday we were just a few members of about 40 in a little branch, meeting with other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The meeting was simple, inspiring, and made me realize that I am so thankful for the gospel no matter where I am in the world, and that Heavenly Father loves us all and has given us everything that we have to enjoy and hold dear...

~And here I am with my sweet little hiking buddy :) Kambriella has a "Love~Hate" relationship with the hikes! She loves to run down the paths but hates to hike back up! Thank goodness Mama doesn't mind the company! ;)

I love this picture! Whenever we say "cheese," Kambriella immediately becomes the life of the party! She is always making everyone smile...I think she gets it from her Dad...;)

 ~And although I would LOVE to claim this little snowman family as "our" creative work of art, we did not build them... someone before us found joy in the creating and boy did it bring a huge smile to Kambriella's little face!!! (Even the Japanese tourists were taking pictures of her with her big smile and the snowman family!!!)

 Along with all of the wild life that there was to see in the Park, we always seemed to have a few animals of our own always with us... Here Dallin and Kambriella are being Owls like the ones they saw behind them :)

(And by the way, on this trip, we saw every kind of wildlife possible I think...Buffalo, birds, wolves, moose, elk, and even a bear!) It was awesome!)

The family with "Old Faithful" geyser in the background...and at the Old Faithful Lodge...(Kambriella started crying because she thought this was the only time the geyser would blow! She literally thought she was missing it! ;)

Here we are carefully walking Uncle Tom's Stairs...I can't remember just how many stairs there were to get to the view point...originally it was 500 something, but now it's only 300 something... Quite a feat to watch your children accomplish...

While Yellowstone was many things to me, one of the greatest things that it was for me, was yet another opportunity to build lasting memories with the people that I love the Most!!! I love you all!! Thanks for all of the memories!!! :)

 

Wrapping up another school year... So Much FUN!!!

Another fun and CRAZY school year has already come to an end and it's time to jump into summer fun!!! But not without a quick picture re~cap of some of the "end of the year" partying that went on!!! What a great year we had!!! Here we go...

Gavin and Chase celebrating the last few days of Kindergarten by trying out the 1st grade lunch room!

Chase and Gavin being "Big and Bad Wolves" in their End of the Year performance of The 3 Little Pigs...

This is the Big Bad Wolf's softer side... Loving his big brother Dallin! (Right before we are off again to the baseball field...)

Dallin and Gavin both played baseball this year and Clint got to Coach  and I got to be Team Mom for both their teams!!! Carew and Kambriella were our biggest fans! Go Yankees and Twins!!

Dallin THE Entrepreneur made his very own Duck Tape Wallets that he sold at the 3rd grade "Mini~Mall"...
which he sold completely out of in about the first 20 minutes! Way to go Dallin!

~And Little Miss Kambriella shared in the fun at the 3rd grade "Mini Mall" by spending some of her play money in one of the booths getting her finger nails painted HOT pink! Oh Ya! ;)

Carew was one happy camper when he got to see his favorite animal at the Hogle Zoo!! (This tiger looks rather calm right now, but we actually got to witness the biggest CAT Fight we had ever seen or heard! It was Crazy!!)

Sweet Kierra getting ready for her band concert to begin...Front and center!
Say Cheese!

A beautiful arabesque from Kierra in "Dante's Inferno" Masterpiece

Kierra's French class was able to invite 2 guests each to attend The LaCaille Restaurant dinner where we were able to enjoy some of Salt Lake's finest French dining...

Kierra enjoying the dessert...Crepe wrapped vanilla ice~cream drizzled with chocolate sauce and powdered sugar...Yum!!!

Escargot anyone? (We all tried it...Clint just made it seem so effortless;)

So many festivities!!! Sooo much fun!!!Time to sit back and unwind and let the summer fun begin!!!