Miner Time & Moab Days

 Oh those weeks with the whole family together. There's just nothing better.

Pool time, hot shot tournament, games and games and more games, easy food plus all the Oreos, Blink tournament, Tater hole tournament, date night with the adults, Swig runs, temple drive bys, late night chats, best nieces and nephews, hiking, pickle ball, more pickle ball, grandpa's birthday, grandpa's slideshow and birthday video, sleeping in one room with our cute boys, s'mores night on the balcony, Sunday walks, fresh peaches and watermelon, baby Annie fix, whiny but cute toddlers, cute little preschoolers, sweetest teenagers, and more games. 

I love my family! I loved this week. I was so sad to say goodbye because the only thing that gets me through goodbye is knowing when my next Utah trip or my next visitors or our next reunion is, and for the first time in a while we just don't have any of those things planned. But we will! We will soon enough. 

I love these Miners so much and I am proud to be one.

We had planned on going to Moab a few days after the reunion to hike in Arches and Canyonlands. During the reunion my dad talked to Michael about how pretty the longer drive is through Capitol Reef. We left our airbnb together in St. George and went to lunch at Brody's in Cedar City, then all went our separate ways from there. So we headed off on that longer route (after another Texas Tab at Swig of course...) and it was such a gorgeous drive. Sweet Asher had a fever though and also got a little car sick, so I felt so bad for him and we ended up shuffling kids and carseats around during the drive. But it worked out, and we landed at our Moab airbnb late but excited for some hiking days.

We did Arches on Friday (Delicate Arch and Double Arch) and Canyonlands Saturday (Needles District) with a sunset picnic at Dead Horse Point State Park between. I love being outside with my boys! We swam one night there and Asher was a fearless jumping baby. He was so much to manage even with both of us there to help him. Definitely feeling better at that point :)

On our way home we stopped in Glenwood Springs for lunch, then made it back before getting right back into the swing of things. Such a good week and felt like making summer last just a little bit longer.

Hot Shot tournament!
Westin took home the title, championship game between him and Michael. ;)

So much cousin-pool time. Best hours.

Family bingo, super hero themed for Grandpa!

Asher can't quite figure out flip-flops.

Sunset watching with Grandpa

S'mores night on the balcony

This little cutie. Just loving his stage lately.
Except for the screaming. No one loves the screaming.

Camden slept between our two beds each night,
and Bennett fell off the bed most nights. So this was the result and I love it haha.

Grandpa's birthday hike in Red Cliffs

Grandkid snack break -- Grandpa passing out the birthday pretzels. Well, they were just pretzels.

When Wal-Mart substitutes your 7 but not your 5 so they don't match anymore...
Grandpa did not notice :)

Texas Tab on repeat when in Utah.

Loves pizza. Hated the curvy road.
Poor little cutie, but he did get a forward-facing ride after his sickness incident since we had to shuffle everyone around with a car seat out of commission. 

Sweet baby.

Driving the long way was really beautiful.

Arches Day -- Delicate Arch

We went early enough that there were some shady spots for some breaks.
These boys did a great job.

I've somehow never done this hike?
The license plate hike! How have I never done it.

Must touch wall for mom's anxiety.

These petroglyphs were awesome!

Double Arch

Our littlest hiker

This canyon was incredible. Dead Horse Point State Park.
Such a beautiful view and sunset.

This sunset! Core memory.

This was a hot hike. Just crawling all over rocks and following cairns (rock stacks) to stay on the "trail" haha. The boys loved it. Until they didn't. :)

Gotta get those Junior Ranger books done.
Please note Asher's involvement in the process.

Pledging to stay on trails.
Amen.

Post Hike Ice Cream