Champions!

Okay so after this post I have to post this one. Matthew had his championship Junior Jazz game a couple of weeks ago. Thank heaven it wasn't quite the nail-biter the previous one was and I didn't spend it thinking I was going to have a heart attack. Great boys. Great coach. Great season!

The Final Hikes

One our last day of our Spring Break vacation we headed down to Dead Horse Point. Talk about an amazing view! Again Matthew was not too jazzed about the height but he was getting braver about it by now. Just don't expect him to do any crazy hike out to any ledges here. And honestly I am fine with that.

Hey look! An actual picture with me in it! Again, Josh striking another original pose.

Then we drove to Goblin Valley because William's brother Joseph recommended it. I have to admit after about an hour I was wondering if it would be worth it. It was. The kids loved it. Especially because you start off in the valley and can then climb around. I think the name the guy who first discovered it, Mushroom Valley was more appropriate though.

You have to love any place that gets brothers and sisters climbing together.

Goodbye Goblin Valley. Goodbye Moab trip. Sure was fun!

What Josh Learned During Spring Break

After we came home from Moab Matthew convinced Josh that he should get rid of his beloved training wheels. This is another area I fail to encourage my kids. Brittany was almost eight before she learned. I think Matthew was at least 6-6 1/2. Maybe it is because the moment always seems to come when Dad is at work and I am the one running behind the kid hanging on. Well this time Dad was home and all I had to do was take pictures.

The kid was a natural! This was only after a couple of tries. Look how excited his brother was for him.

Now he can go on bike rides with the boys. My last baby riding a bike without training wheels. Sniff. Sniff.

The Hike Goes On

So after Delicate Arch my kids decided they like hiking. Although Josh was concerned that all the hiking would be as difficult. Luckily I convinced him it wouldn't. We did all the hikes on the f Arches map. I was not as adventurous as the rest of the gang.

I have really bad ankles that turn if you look at them wrong so I took a lot of pictures.

I swear they aren't up as high as it looks!

Matthew and his Dad.

Josh at Double Windows. Josh can pose with style in any setting.

Brittany is quite the daredevil. She would follow her dad just about anywhere he was climbing and some places he didn't. I decided hiking was a good example of the ways William and I differ in our parenting. He didn't coddle or ask if they were okay, keep looking around to make sure they could do it. He just assumed they could and they did. I kept thinking about this while we were hiking and I am going to try and be more like that. I think it probably builds their self-esteem more his way.

Look! Delicate Arch in Matthew's hand!

Spring Break: Delicate Arch

Spring Break. It's over. We are finding our groove again. I love my groove. I love kids in school, dishwasher humming, laundry in the machines and actually accomplishing something. But man did we have a memorable Spring Break. We went down to Moab to hike Arches. I have to admit I wasn't the most enthusiastic about this plan but I figured that William had gone along with plans I have hatched that he was probably not too jazzed about so it was my turn to be a good sport. I have to admit it was fun and a trip I think the kids will remember for a long time. The first day we got there we decided to tackle hiking Delicate Arch. I am still not sure if this was the best idea, I think Josh was nervous all the hikes would be this difficult. It was the most spectacular too, sort of like having the finale first. My lunch friends had warned me that it was not an easy hike, contrary to what William tried to tell me. So I was prepared.

I was really proud of Josh, he kept up with everyone the whole trip. It was cloudy and windy that day so that added to the excitement.

When we finally got to the top it was really windy, can you tell by Joshua's face? We also rediscovered Matthew's dislike of heights. Can you tell by his body language he is really uncomfortable. Brittany, on the other hand found her inner daredevil.

William decided he was going to hike out to where the arch is. No way were the boys and I going over our protected ledge into the wind that felt like it was going to blow you away. William is the dot in the picture with the black jacket. The figure in the levi jacket holding on to the wall? That would be Brittany. This is the point I discovered she was following her dad. I decided there wasn't anything I could do about it so I would take pictures.

William is the black dot leaning on the arch. Brittany is the figure on the left in khaki pants.

There goes William, Brittany following.

This was a little arch on the way down. Crazy father and daughter. Guess this counts as bonding right? It was a great hike to start us off on a fun trip.