Breaking Spring

For da Boo's Spring Break, we headed down south to see the incredible Goblin Valley. Since all of the camping areas there were booked, we got a site in Capitol Reef National Park. Keep in mind this place was Plan B...not our first choice.

We haven't been camping since I was pregnant with the Boy. Well, at least not as a family. The Man and the Boy have gone on a couple Father/Son trips (while da Boo and I did fun girly stuff). But I'd consider myself a fairly experienced camper. I went all the time as a kid. Some of my favorite memories are of setting up tents and pop-up campers in the dark, nearly freezing the time we forgot sleeping bags (I used a beach towel as a blanket), and scaring ourselves witless by imagining there was a bear in the woods (actually, that wasn't our imagination...there were tracks around our campsite the next morning). So I am big fan of the whole camping thing.

And I thought I knew what to bring. But the first day, when we nearly lost all feeling in our extremities because of the cold winds in Goblin Valley, I began to doubt. I hadn't packed for this. That night, while chilly, wasn't terrible, since the trailer we borrow from our awesome friends came equipped with a heater. Still...this was the scene outside the next morning:


Icicles! Now, that's cold! But the second day was better. No biting wind to contend with. We got to see more of this rather amazing national park. We had such a good time that we decided to stay another night.


This homestead was left behind by one earlier settlers of the area. That tiny little house - that isn't even the size of my living room - housed a family of TEN. And sometimes our big ol' house is too cramped when the kids insist on following me every where...goes to show just what I take for granted.

Can't go camping without hiking! We took a pretty easy hike up to a natural bridge, called Hickman Bridge.

The kids had a good time (well, Boo did when she forgot to whine about how she wasn't having any fun) and Baby slept the whole time in the backpack carrier. Periodically, the Man would hear growling and grunting coming from just behind him. Just before he freaked out, he would remember that those noises were produced by his snoring infant daughter. So Day #2, very enjoyable. We chatted a little with our neighbors and found out that they live not too far from us! Small world. My favorite memory of the trip was teaching the kids how to make s'mores that night. (And I tossed a marshmallow into the fire for old time's sake...but don't tell the Man!)

The next morning, it was time to head home. I had a birthday party to prepare for and the kids were in need of baths. But the weather had more surprises for us...


Awesome. Nothing like packing up in near-blizzard conditions...