Forcing myself to recall details for our trip to Utah that started over a month ago is tricky, especially with a bouncy baby on my lap. I will try and hopefully what is lacking in words will make up in pictures. Seeing as how we planned on driving to Utah this time, Nate and I thought we would hit national parks and other sites along the way and make a mini vacation out of it. We are genius' for thinking of this. Our first stop along the way good ole' Clovis, NM where we got to partake of the most delicious Thai food (Saeng's Orient) we have ever had in our entire lives. To say I was excited about this part is a major understatement.
Of course this is also where Charly was born and where we spend the first couple years of her life. A lot of great and wonderful friends were made there. It was delightful to take a tour of Cannon AFB, to see what has changed and what looked exactly the same. Our old house, the hospital where Charly was born and Nate's old weather shop were all on the list of attractions.
To save money we skipped the hotels and stayed in KOA cabins instead. The first night was in a cozy little cabin with only one bed. It was a sleepless night for Nate and I but a funny story to tell after the fact. Fitting a family of five on a full sized bed is really not as easy as it may sound. Wait, that doesn't sound easy at all does it?
Somehow we made it work.
Day two of the three day journey to Utah was spent driving to Durango, CO. This KOA cabin had a better sleeping arrangement and the girls were totally stoked about getting to sleep on bunk beds! Before settling down after a long day's drive we played a game of mini golf and played in the KOA playground where of course I got some major squeezing in after having Winnie in the car all day.
Day three was my favorite! Not only did we get to go to Arches National Park, Hole in the Rock, and Moab, it was also the day we would finally be in Utah!! As we drove and made rest stops the girls explored the different nature backdrops, it was quite the treat. I know this trip brought back memories for Nate growing up and traveling these same roads as a child with his grandparents. I love standing back and watching Nate share his love of nature with the girls, something I know he is passing on from his grandpa.
Because we were traveling with Shelby (our dog) we couldn't really take the trails to the arches. We saw them from afar and stopped along the park to climb and explore.
These sweet looking binoculars may look cool but unfortunately they didn't split into two separate pairs.
Sharing after being in the car for three days is not so easy. You can actually see Charly pouting in the picture where Piper has them. Poor girls, they really did do great for having no form of electronic entertainment during the whole trip. Nate and I figured we would go old school this time, after all that is what, we agreed, made our childhood vacations so memorable.
Charly and Piper both really loved this particular stop( below) we made in Arches where the could climb to their heart's delight. Luckily Piper was being super careful this day. They also forgot that just thirty minutes prior they were arguing. It's really hard to stay mad at your sister with all the beauty of nature surrounding you.
This certainly was a great rest stop, even Winnie seemed to enjoy the joys of being a baby, nursing high atop a rock. There is something about nursing my children in the wide open spaces of nature that makes this gal think.
It certainly is one of my life's joys. I love it!
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