Flashback/Flashforward Friday - Crusader Arch

Flashback: Moab 2006

Zac, Aubrey, Allyson & Emily

Flashforward: Moab 2012

Aubrey, Emily, Addy, Allyson Zac

Flashback: Moab 2006

Emily & Aubrey

Flashforward: Moab 2012

Addy

Dream Beneath a Desert Sky - Moab: Spring Break 2012

Steve brought the ATV's out of winter storage at his shop a few weeks ago and now they are filling up my garage. Ever since he brought them home, our entire family has been itching to go to Moab. We wanted to go for Spring Break which is this week but Steve is just too busy with work to get away. Last Wednesday afternoon we were talking about how much we wanted to go and Steve said he could probably get away for the weekend if we left the next day, which was Thursday. So Wednesday afternoon we decided to go camping. The next day. We had a lot to get done. And that is an understatement. We worked hard to get ready and checked the kids out of school early on Thursday and headed south.

Having lunch at our campsite

I have decided that we can no longer take 2 trucks to Moab when we go (one to pull the trailer with the ATV's and one to pull the pop up trailer) because gas is just way too expensive. Plus I hate driving long distances (and short distances) and pulling a trailer just adds so much to the fun. So no 2 trucks=no pop up trailer to sleep in. Our tent was destroyed several years ago when we were camping in a pretty major wind storm. So Wednesday night Steve and I went out and bought a tent. The kids were excited to do "real camping". We were sad to find out that they closed our normal camping spot off to campers so we had to find a new one. This one was right on the edge of a cliff. Literally. About 1 inch from the rear right corner of the tent is a drop off. But it was nice and we were all alone.

Emily was able to test out her new wheeler her dad bought her for her Birthday.

These sand dunes were just down the road from where we were camped.

We had fun riding around in them.

The kids had more fun playing in the sand than they did riding in it.

They kept running and jumping off the edge of a big steep dune.
They also used it as a slide

We had so much fun here until these teenagers came in their jeeps and started riding around. Two of them were in the little car and they rode their car right up the side of this hill the kids are playing on and right down the other side which was pretty much a vertical wall. Yeah. They lost half of their car in the hill. We watched them hike back up and pull pieces of the car out of the sand. Then we decided it was time to move on.

We rode a trail that went up behind our camp.

At one point Aubrey took her helmet off and had such a great case of helmet hair.

I thought she resembled someone from an 80's hair band.

The next morning Steve and Zac woke up and made breakfast.

Then we set off for Arches National Park for a hike. We went on a hike to some Arches we had never been to before. It was a pretty long hard hike over some rough terrain in spots, but Addy did a great job. She kept up with us and never complained or had to be carried once. We saw Landscape Arch which is the arch in the first picture on this post.

We found this small mini arch along the trail.

I can't remember what this arch is called, but it was quite lovely.

Navajo Arch. I think this might be my favorite arch. It is awesome. It leads into this pretty little cave that is open to the sky on one end. Is so so peaceful and beautiful inside.

After climbing up through the opening in the top of the cave at Navajo Arch,

you end up here where you can see forever:

The kids wouldn't let us leave the park without a stop at Crusade arch. I don't know what it is really called so I suggested calling it "Indiana Arch" since it is in the opening scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. But my family thought "Crusade Arch" was better so that is what we call it now.

Aubrey climbing around Crusade Arch

Addy by Crusade Arch

The next day we loaded up for another long ride.

But first we had to make our usual stop at the Rock Shop.

No trip to Moab would be complete without a stop at the Rock Shop.

We started the ride and about 5 minutes in we encountered our first obstacle. A steep hill with a rock ledge at the top. Steve and Aubrey went up first. I was looking down at my camera to take a picture of them when they were at the top. Then I looked up a few seconds later to see their wheeler sideways. I was a little freaked out. Looks like my camera caught them right as they were about to flip.

This is what Steve doesn't understand (well, really he does, and it is a neat story). They were going up the steep hill and when they got to the rock ledge, his wheeler flipped up and they were sitting straight up balancing on the back end of the wheeler at the base of the ledge. The wheeler should have flipped backwards and they should have gone tumbling head over heels back down the hill. But instead their wheeler somehow landed on its side on top of the ledge without any serious injuries. We are so thankful for the angels that were watching over us.

It was a fun and beautiful ride (aside from the first 5 minutes of it)

and it was a great way to end our trip.

Happy Birthday Princess Emily!

Emily Turned 12 yesterday! Twelve years have gone by since our very first sweet baby girl was born. She was born a week early. The Friday before she was born, I went in for my doctor appointment. My blood pressure was high and I was starting to show signs of preeclampsia. My doctor suggested I go into the hospital on Monday morning to be induced.

My brother and sister just happened to have spring break that week and so my parents and two siblings were about to make their way from Dallas to Utah and were hoping a baby would be born before my dad had to take Sam and Lauren back to Dallas for school (my mom was staying for a few weeks). When I called them to tell them what my doctor suggested, they were so excited that not only would she be born and they would get to see her on their visit here, but that it was happening right at the beginning of their trip.

We woke up early Monday morning and Steve and my mom and I headed out for the hospital. It was snowing that morning. They induced me and several hours later, we were so happy to have our beautiful little baby girl with us! We didn't find out with any of our kids what they were before they were born, but we just knew she was going to be a girl. And she didn't disappoint! It took us a few hours to name her. We decided on Emily Lynne (Lynne after my mom Kay Lynne).

We were holding her and she would make the cutest little sighing sounds while she slept. What we thought was cute alarmed the nurses though. Apparently when babies sigh like that it means they aren't getting enough oxygen. They monitored her oxygen levels for a while and then decided that she needed to be moved to PICU. She spent a few days there before she was finally able to come home with us (I had to rent a room on the floor with terminally ill patients), and life has never been the same since. We love you Emily and are so glad you are a part of our family! Here are a few pictures of our Birthday girl.

Emily's 5th Princess Birthday Party

2005 Mini Drill at the High School where the girls performed at half time at a football game

Emily's 1st day of her 2nd year of Preschool

2005 Slumber party with her BFF'S Rylee and Kylee

(almost seems like we should have named her Emlee)

Emily at Tumbling Tigers 4th of July party. This was about an hour before she almost sliced her finger off and she had to get stitches.

Easter 2002

Emily and Aubrey Easter 2004

Cutie Patootie!

Her sister Addy makes this same exact face now. I knew I had seen it before.

Touchdown! 2006

Moab 2006

The Narrows At Zion's National Park

Easter March 2008

Happy Birthday Em! Her Birthday Week brings fun and exciting things for her. Tonight she goes to Jr. High Registration and tomorrow she goes with the Young Women for Temple Baptisms.