First Family Vacation

We went on our first "family of four" vacation this weekend. We spent a weekend away in Moab. Moab is one of our favorite places and we usually make a point to get there a couple times a year. However, we haven't been there since Colin was born. Part of it is because we had him but we also got a new house last year that needed our attention every weekend. We just didn't have the time to go. We kind of spur of the minute decided to go this past weekend. We knew that if we were going to go that we had to do it before it got too warm down there. We called Matt and Jen and asked if they would be able to have us stay at their house. Luckily they said yes because we later found out that there was not an available hotel room in the whole town. We spent all last week packing. I made a bunch of lists hoping to make things go as smoothly as possible. It was a lot of work packing and preparing. We decided that the best plan was to leave as early as we could on Friday. So that's what we did. We got up when the kids woke up and we were pulling out of the driveway by 8:11am. Here is a pic of us before we were leaving.


The carride went pretty smoothly. Colin did okay for the first hr or so and then he got bored and I had to go into the backseat to help keep him busy. With some snacks and toys he did great the rest of the ride. Audrey slept most of the ride. I fed her right before we left hoping that she would make it through the whole trip without needing to eat. We almost made it. It was about 40 minutes before we got there that she decided she needed to eat. So we pulled off a ranch exit and stopped so I could feed her. Paul got Colin out of the car and they played for a little bit.
Here is a pic of Colin


We got into Moab and headed to Matt and Jen's. We put Colin down for his nap and we got unpacked. He took a long nap, 3 hrs. After he got up, we headed over to Arches National Park. We decided to do a couple little hikes. We went to the Windows and to Double Arch. We took the Ergo to carry Audrey and the backpack carrier to carry Colin. Colin was so excited when we got there. He kept saying "big rock". Everywhere he looked it was "big rock". He loved hiking the trails. The trail to the Windows had steps all of the way up it. Colin loved walking up the steps. He did a lot of them on his own and then he had fun holding our hands as we lifted him up each step. He walked a good portion of the trail before Paul put him in the carrier. It was really windy the whole trip. The arches are formed by wind so they were all in especially windy spots. When we got to the windows arch it was so windy we felt like we were going to blow away. We didn't stay at it very long. After this hike we went over to hike to Double Arch. Colin again hiked most of it on his own. He had so much fun. However, he didn't like the sand part. He wouldn't walk through it and made Paul pick him up and carry him over it.
Hiking to the Windows


This was the best video I got of him saying "big rock". It's hard to hear because of the wind but it was so cute how he kept saying it


This is my "pirate picture". I look ridiculous. The wind was blowing my hat away and I look like a pirate, but that's why I had to post it. It makes me laugh.

Paul and Colin and the Windows


Hike to Double Arch


Colin hiking


In Double Arch


Colin learning to drink from camelback





After this hike we went back to Matt's and cooked spaghetti dinner. Audrey ended up having a pretty stuffy nose for the trip. She got Colin's cold from the week before. She wasn't sleeping very well and could not lay flat at all. She ended up spending the weekend sleeping in the swing. I hated doing it but it was the only way she would sleep.

Saturday morning we got up and around and headed to the Slickrock bike trail. Paul and I took turns doing the practice loop while the other one played with the kids. This was only the 2nd bike ride I had done in a long time. I was a little in over my head and probably shouldn't have done it. I had to walk a good portion of it and I took a pretty good fall. Paul also took a bad fall when he did the trail. The kids were good and didn't mind letting us get out for a ride.

We headed back to Matt's for Colin's nap. After he got up we headed to town to walk Main Street and have dinner. We ate at Eddie McStiff's.
Colin and Daddy at dinner

Audrey at dinner


Colin and Mommy at dinner


Walking Main St




After walking around we went back and played. Colin had fun at their house playing with all of Hannah's toys. After the kids went to bed Paul and I sat down and watched Avatar. It was nice to sit and watch a movie. It is hard to do at home because there is always something that needs to be done and it is hard to sit long enough, especially for that movie.

Sunday morning we got up and headed back to Arches to hike Delicate Arch. We weren't sure how tough this would be with the kids. It always seems like such a difficult hike because it is usually 100 degrees when we do it. This time it was mid 70s, somewhat cloudy, and windy. It was perfect, until we got to the top. It was so windy up there. Colin hated it. We took a couple pictures but didn't stay too long.

Hiking to Delicate Arch




Family picture at Delicate Arch


Colin playing with his new truck


Video of him and the truck


We headed back home after this. Audrey was good the whole ride and we didn't have to stop to feed her this time. Colin did well on the ride also. Now that we're home we've been working on the unpacking. That is quite a process itself. It might take me a few days to get everything put away and organized again.

We had a wonderful trip. It was so fun to see how much Colin loved hiking since it is something we enjoy so much. I look forward to future family vacations!