Annual Moab Trip

Carleton said this was the best vacation of his life. He got to be with his best buddy and brother in law, Josh for two full days of mountain biking in one of the most beautiful places on earth. He said he also had the best hamburger of his life (for those of you that really know Carleton know he is a hamburger Connoisseur). So...best mountain biking of his life, best burger of his life, and being with his favorite people made it his best vacation. I got to hang with Heidi and the kids for a couple of days and then joined the boys and the rest of the family in Moab. We missed Justin this year-he always adds humor, fun, and he's so good with the kids.


I asked Apollo what his favorite Moab activity and he said "jeepin'". We went along Porcupine Rim right along a cliff. I have never felt so scared. At one point, I thought for sure it was the end-mom was scared too (because she used a word she usually doesn't use). It was beautiful to look over the whole valley at the end.



We slipped over to Grandpa and Grandma Skenandore's house for a visit. They both are so good with the kids. They have always been a great support to me in my life as a child. During college, I would bring friends over and stay with them and they would visit me too. They wrote me every week of my mission. I love them and wish that we lived closer. Here's Grandma giving the kids a ride on her new wheels.






Here's Miss Ann using a spoon.




One of the highlights of the trip, was going with Heidi to her upholstery class. She's been telling me some great tips she's learned from the class. I'll have to blog about all the cool things she's told me. We grew up with my mom always refinishing antiques. My dad would wonder about some of the things she would do but I think he always liked how they turned out. Now, Heidi and I like to refinish furniture, too. We found (she found-I was just there) a cool chair at the DI last Moab trip that had ugly blue and green fabric. Josh, for Heidi's birthday, signed her up for a re-upholstery class. She's doing a beautiful black material and painting the chair white for Maddy's pink and black room.


A lot of fun rock climbing. Apollo looks like a little stud here. Heidi is super good.



Cool hike. The kids had fun playing in the water on the rocks. Annie kept trying to wriggle out of my mom's hands so she could scoot all the way into the water. Annie comes alive in water splashing and smiling. Here's Jordan a.k.a. "The Baby Whisperer".



I snapped some pics of Heidi doing some workouts with the kids for my other blog. She was a good sport.





We had fun around the campground listening to guitar playing and roasting s'mores, but this year we went back to a hotel every night so Annie could continue to get better. Thank you for all your prayers and notes of concern. Annie felt better before we left and feels great now. This is the first time since December she hasn't been sick. I think the breathing treatments really helped.






These guys formed their own little "kid group" away from the adults around the fire. They had fun telling each other stories. Maddy's like their teacher. I would love her around to entertain Apollo and Annie. She was so darling with Annie. She sang her to sleep in the car one day.




Final goodbyes. Apollo has a blast with his cousins. Gracers and Apollo adore each other.