We spent the day in the great outdoors, soaking up the clean air, climbing on rocks, playing catch, walking Jack, having a picnic lunch, catching bugs and eating ice cream.
It was such a lovely day and I think we all desperately wanted/needed it more than we realized. When we got there, Gabriel was grumpy and acting like a teenager. Isabelle begged to go home the minute we got there and Madelyn wanted to sit in the car and watch the movie. While we didn't have the greatest start, it was only a matter of minutes and everyone was having a lot of fun. So much so that by the end the kids were begging not to go home.
And each of them mentioned it several times to us how much fun they had and thanked us several times for taking them. It was a good day. A really nice day.
Here are some pictures I took to capture the day...
Trying to get the four of them together to take a picture
Looking down in the hole to the waterfall below.
Looking for bugs.
Catching a dragonfly.
The waterfall that opens up to the natural bridge
Isn't it pretty?
This is a classic family picture for us! I feel like this is the one I should be sending out in our Christmas cards.
The boys and I hiked down to the bottom and went in the trail under the bridge. It was not easy, super slippery and darn right dangerous. I thought people who had their babies down there were crazy!
The boys were determined to catch something.
By this point Gabriel had warmed up to the idea and was having fun.
What is also crazy to me is that he has to take our selfies now because his arm is longer than mine and can get us all in the picture.
Seriously I don't know why he was wearing a sweatshirt... it was warm!
They found crawdads and wanted to catch them. Michael was able to and almost everyone down at the bottom was looking over his shoulder talking to him. He loved the attention and said, "Mom at first I thought people would think I'm strange for bringing a net, but turns out I was cool because I was the only one to catch something."
The views are spectacular
And the water filtered a beautiful blue.
The boys asking the ranger about what sorts of living animals they could find at the bottom
Back up at the top, Madelyn found a rock to give me
And Isabelle, this beautiful flower growing amidst all the dead grass - everything is so dangerously dry. A tinder box, scary to think about the risk of fires.
I had to take a picture of this flower. It struck me as so meaningful. I asked Jarrett what he thought about it and he said, "Nature finds a way."
After our hike, we sat down for a picnic lunch. I love these genuine happy smiles on the kid's face.
He's smiling behind that Sprite I promise!
Even we tried to get in there... I think we've perfected the "tired parent look" Don't you think?
Isabelle decided it was a perfect place to meditate.
I think she'd got it down!
On the way home Clark W. Griswald, I mean my husband Jarrett, pasted the ticket to his head and decided to see how far he would drive before the kids noticed. I can't give you the exact mileage but it would be truth to say... it was a long while!
The kids wanted to stop along the way and play at a river. Too bad the entire park lands are closed... to risky for fire.
So instead we decided to stop for ice cream...
Madelyn had fallen asleep by this time but the big kids scored!
Coming back into the valley we passed by Fountain Hills just as the fountain was going off in the background. We thought of my Grandpa Ray's sister who lived there and just recently passed away. She was such a nice woman. Memories of our time there with her were really nice.
It was such a lovely day. I think we'll all sleep well tonight. We need to do days like today more often.
Until next time,
Angie
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