Arches

In the middle of April, we joined some friends for a campout at Arches National Park.  Except we didn't camp.  I couldn't rationalize packing all that stuff in order to drive for two days and camp for one night.  Still, I really wanted my kids to see the place where I spent so much time when I was younger.  We left after co-op on Friday, stayed in St. George, and made it to Moab by late afternoon on Saturday.  When we found our friends at the campground, we were glad we'd decided to motel it - it was windy and unbelievably cold.  One of the tents had collapsed during the night, so we convinced that friend and her kids to join us in our coddled indoor lifestyle for the second night.  Before we left the campground, the kids climbed on rocks until their lips turned blue, and we hurried to roast marshmallows before the majority of families broke camp. (The dads had to do the roasting, because the wind kept blowing the flames directly at people.)
   

  

The next morning was a little warmer.  We started with the visitors' center, then went on a couple of short test hikes to various arches.  Corinne refused to ride in the backpack, claiming she wanted to walk, but then was much more interested in playing with the sand, so she and I fell farther and farther behind.
  

Corinne and I, stuck down on the trail.

Landscape Arch

Since the weather was holding, we got ambitious and decided to hike Delicate Arch with all the kids.  Connor had a hard time at first, and we had to require Corinne to stay in the backpack, but we all made it!  I was really proud of the kids.  While we rested and admired the view, I overheard some strangers talking about how "that kid over there is really freaking me out."  I looked across the way and saw Connor rolling around on his side, as if he was going to tumble down the slickrock grassy-hill style.  It wasn't really dangerous, but I still went over and asked him to please stop terrifying the other hikers.
   

  

  

Everyone ate well that night.

 
Monday morning, Ryan went on his own to bike part of the Slickrock Trail.  We waited for him at a nearby campground, where the kids climbed on yet more rocks.
  

On the way home, we stopped at Dead Horse Point.  I can remember this being one of my favorite views in the world, but it just wasn't the same with kids.  I couldn't settle down enough to enjoy it much, it was too nerve-wracking.
   

Later that day, as we got nearer to I-15, we surprised the kids by stopping and having dinner with Grandma and Grandpa!  I didn't manage to get a picture, but we had a great visit before continuing on our drive home.  So many hours in the car made the kids even crazier than usual...
  

Remodel Part 1

On March 29, we finally pulled the trigger on our kitchen/bath remodel.  The demolition was really fun to watch, although we had to keep out of the way, obviously.  The first set of pictures is just before they started.
    

By the end of the day, it looked like this:
  

Kitchen

Bathroom

And all this was dumped out front on our driveway!
  

    
The day after the start of the demo, Connor attended his last Pack Meeting, and officially bridged to Boy Scouts.  Our pack has an "Arrow of Light" ceremony that involves a story with coordinating symbols drawn on the scout's face.  Then, the add-on tradition is that the boy gets 30 seconds to scribble on his dad (or mom.)  The leader doing the counting gave Connor waaaaaay more than 30 seconds to decorate his cubmaster/father, it was hilarious.
   

 

 
We have a great wooden bridge to use for the official "bridging" part of the meeting.  It's a little hard to put away, though.
  

Shaking hands with the Scoutmaster

  
On the next day of demolition they pulled even more stuff out, including the wall between our bedroom and bathroom.  Ryan thought it was too creepy to sleep in our room after that.
     

Bathroom

Bedroom Closet

Bedroom Closet (From Inside the Bathroom)

Kitchen (With the Wall Gone!)

We then started the long process of deciding on and buying the million and one things that make up a kitchen and bathroom!
    

  
Elise made a whole family of huge, creepy monsters, and taped them on our family room window.  She also got her first pedicure at her friend Sarah's birthday party.
  

  
Corinne built herself a nest of toys and blankets one evening, and just put herself to sleep there.
  

  
We finally used our snake stick and snake bucket for some Do-It-Yourself Rattlesnake Removal.  We took the snake to a canyon near the golf course and dumped it.
    

  

Ryan let the kids experience our crawlspace via the new hole in our kitchen floor.
  

  
In mid-April, I finally got out the growth chart and did our "first of the year" measuring and picture.  Also, I decided I needed at least one picture of the kids doing P.E. at Co-op.  The coaches come up with so many creative games that the kids don't mind they're getting tired and sweaty.
    

They're usually getting more exercise than this...