That was Swell

We took a soggy doggy camping trip to the San Rafeal Swell with friends Chris, Erika and Finn, over Memorial Day Weekend. We were no sure we would make it to our camp site, due to the inch of mud icing the road like thick chocolate frosting. But our trusty Snowball (our van) kept her two wheel drive tires on the road until we reached our destination. We were so proud!

It was great to see the kids interact on this trip. The are really becoming friends and learning to play so well together.

They ran together...

They smelled the flowers together...

They chilled-out together...

and they laughed alot!

Despite of all the rain, and wow did it rain, we managed to get in a nice hike...

and the big boys did a little climbing.

It was a great start to our family camping season...

...let the summer begin!

We all had a Swell time!

Nana Time

Time with Nana is priceless. 

Here are a few photos from G and Nana's time together while Mom and Dad were on vacation.

Greta learned a precious family tradition! 

They spent time just strolling around.

She got to ride her first pony!

They played at the park!

And they took time to smell the flowers!

I am so glad they got to spend this time together!

We Found Zion and Each Other

3 wonderful days in Zion! 

Thanks to Mom, who so graciously FORCED Stefan and I to take a weekend away from life in exchange for a weekend for Nana-Greta time. Our 3 day-40 mile through hike of Zion National Park was not exactly the relaxing, "kick your feet up by the pool with a margarita" escape that Mom was envisioning for us, but it was a classic Kirby "before kid", "remind us why we fell in love" kind of hike!

The weather was perfect, the scenery was breathtaking and the company was way overdue. Most of the hike was surprisingly unexpected for us. We started off at Kolob, heading up LaVerkin Creek. At first it was like we imagined it would be; Mammoth red rocks walls and Colorado Plateau vegetation intermingling with traces of Mojave shrub, a real Southern Utah feel. Gradually we gained elevation, temperatures dropped, and then Pines became dominate. Enter Hopp Valley;  a striking box-canyon with the strangely familiar  feel of the Rocky Mountains. Lush, brushy under-story, montane wild flowers and towering yellow pines. 

Stefan swears he found the largest Pondo on the planet, and I concur. It would have easily taken 5 adults to give this big giant a hug. It was the kind of stature a Redwood could be envious of. In-fact, we had to keep smelling it, a vanilla sweet, to convince ourselves that it was not one that was horribly lost.  

The next morning  was spent winding our way up Hopp Valley which eventally lead us up to sage brush flat tops and Pine Valley shade.  The real views of the hike were now just beyond the horizon.   As the day went on,  the miles started taking their toll on us. Skirting around the jagged  piles of black lava, the remains of an ancient volcano, made my now black-and-blue big toe nail ache with every jarring step (the only casualty of the trip, my poor toe). But knowing that just beyond Lava Point was our final resting place of day 2 gave my "out-of-shape mommy legs" the strength go on to camp. We ended the day with a epic game of GIN, both managing to get GIN an unheard of 2 times! 

The final day was long, 13+ miles but all down hill and ALL VIEW. From Lava Point we headed for the West Rim Trail, apply named for its 360 degree views of canyons and neighboring plateaus.  The views on the Rim Trail can be partly blamed on the decades of lightening induced forrest fires that have chard the pines and everything else in its path, making us grateful for the blue skies over head. As we descended into Zion Canyon, the trail became steeper, the vertical magnitude of the canyon walls consumed us an civilization eventually rejoined us. 

Sitting on the shuttle bus that took us to our awaiting van, we held hands. I am not sure that we spoke a word to each other on the short ride to the car, but I know that we were thinking the same thing. Beer, followed by Chips and Salsa! :)

Our weekend concluded with a fancy Springdale hotel to celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary. The Desert Pearl Inn, a cozy Inn right on the Virgin River. Highly recommend it! It's probably the only hotel in Utah with a bidet. 

Thanks again Mom!