Friday, July 31, 2015

July 2015

 This July Mark's brother's family came for a visit all the way from Pasadena, CA!  It had been about 18 months since we last saw them so it was a blessing to have this time together.  Those tow very tall young men were our darling little ring bearers in our wedding.  They were 2&4 at the time....that was 10 years ago! 
The brothers with their baby boys.....not such babies anymore. 
Uncle Mike reading to Ila May. 
Cousin time! 
Brother time.....lots of God honoring conversations.  Both Mike and Mark came to know the lord in Jr. High.  
 When we got home from Moab, this is what our house looked like.  The floors were all done and waiting for us to move our things back in. 
 There's a blue spot where some tape is on the floor.  All the wood behind that to the wall is existing hardwoods that had water damage and everything on there other side of the tape is all new hardwoods.  The old wall that needed to come down was about where the tape is.  
 Levi lost his first tooth!!  So exciting, the tooth fairy came that night to give him his quarter with glitter on it.  Levi's a smart one and told me he knew who the tooth fairy is but he would play along.  LOL. 
Levi and cousin Trey.  Mark, my dad and Levi went on a guys weekend road trip to WA.  They towed my parens travel trailer. 
When Papa's in charge anything is allowed for breakfast. 
Papa is co-pilot!

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Moab - July 2015


                                       
Because of our floor and remodel we had to be out of the house for over a week while our floors were being redone.  So we decided to go on Vacation to Moab, UT!  We had driven through and spent one night there two years earlier and loved it and wanted to return.
It's a long drive so we stopped halfway in Salt Lake City for the night.  The hotel had a pool!!
We got to our rental house in Moab! It was a 3 bedroom and the views were amazing.  We were minutes from down town and the view was of Arches National Park.  
Here's the view as we drove up to the rental house.  That's the roof of the house.

The patio and Arches is off to the left, not in the picture. 

The windows on the left look at Arches. 
This house is very "Moab." 
We went into town and did some fossil and rock shopping. 
??????  Us young earth creationists had a good laugh at this. 
Ila May found some treasures!! 
Levi found what he wanted.....I think it was the largest rock on the tables. 
Back home! 
This was the boy's room.....Levi doing some quiet time drawing on his bed. 
The girls room.
There was a loft in the house that was fun to explore.  
We took a day and drove out to Monument Vally.  That's in Utah and Arizona.  While driving around we crossed the border a few times back and forth.  
Goulding's was a fun stop because it's a spot where a few John Wayne movies were filled.  We love John Wayne.  So we had to visit.  
Look....Mr. Wayne is in the background. 
A room filled with all the movies and history of movies filmed in the area.  Not all John Wayne but most are his. 
Here's part of the set from one of our favorite movies....She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. 
 Back at our rental house.....it was so hot.  Moab in July.....not the best time to visit but we really enjoyed it.  We brought our pool since we knew it would be hot and there wasn't a pool.  
 This patio was fun.....lots of lizards to try and catch.  They are fast but we caught 2 while there. 
 Happy 4th of July!!!!  We had amazing views from our patio of the fireworks display the city sets off.  It was truly perfect.  
 We had a great time hiking Arches National Park.  I think this is truly a family favorite.  We would love to go again.  Since it was July we had to hike early mornings or late afternoons into the evening. Between 10am and 5pm they said was a "deadly" time to hike and had warnings all over the place.  We obeyed!  By 9am it was getting too hot.  We had tons of water on us and in the van.  
Morning hike.
 This was an evening hike. 
 This is "The Windows" arch in the evening. 
 The Window Arch
 Sun set!  The Windows Arch behind us.  This is an easy hike for the entire family.  
 Watching the sun set at  The Windows Arch. 
 Morning Hike down "Park Avenue." 
 "Park Avenue" 
 "Park Avenue" 
 "The Windows"
"The Windows"
 A morning hike to "Landscape Arch." 
 You can see "Landscape Arch" in the back.  This was a fun hike but not our favorite arch.  
 On our way back from "Landscape Arch" we found this sand hill in the middle of two rocks.  There was and amazing breeze blowing though it and we played on this hill for a while.  
 The start of our hike to "Landscape Arch." 
 The sand hill we enjoyed. 
 On our way to "Landscape Arch." 
 Water break!!!  Lots of these......they aren't joking about your need for water.....even at 8am.  
Just  a few feet up the trial from here we saw a snake slither across the path.  
 More water for even the non hikers.  It was hot.  I forget the temps but I want to say 80's-90's at 8am. 
 More water and stoping in some shade. 
 At the bottom of the sand hill.  

 The sand hill......so much fun. 
 On our way in to see Sand Dune Arch.  This was a favorite of ours.....it feels like you're in a cave but can look up and see the sky.  You are very close to the parking lot so it's super easy to hike and enjoy. There was a cool breeze blowing through with lots of shade.....perfect place to relax and enjoy.  Lot's of sand to play in too for the kids.  
 In Sanddune Arch. 
 Sanddune Arch.   
 Enjoying the sand....not at the beach though.  
 Leaving "Sand dune Arch." 
 Sand Dune Arch 
 Down town Moab.  
 Mark enjoying our patio and his vacation. 
 Mark's a history buff and we bought him a book on Moab. 
 Down town Moab at one of the ice cream shops.  It was rising that evening.  
We LOVED Moab!!!  It was amazing to see God's creation and get out and hike as a family.  We will be going back!