Moab with Friends

We have some pretty awesome friends. Earlier this year, we got to go on a trip to Moab with the McQueens and the Livingstones to meet up with and see the Youngs. It was the first time we had seen Brody since he had been shot and nearly died the previous November while doing a routine car check. It was so fun to be all together. We all worked together as river guides (except for Nancy, but sometimes I almost forget that) so our friendships go way back. The best part is seeing our kids play together.

Of course we had to make a run on the river. The water was cold, but the sandy beach was perfect.



Eleven kids in all that weekend (and one in spirit--we will always miss River). How did that happen so fast?!? I swear we were just barely running the rivers with no one to worry about but ourselves...oh and the passengers. The kids played so well together, but I'm of the opinion that kids always play well when there are no TVs or toys around to fight over. We rented a big house in Moab so we didn't all bombard the Youngs, but next time we'll have to all go on a river trip or camping trip so the kids can play together even into the night.
On our way home, we stopped with the Livingstones at this crazy place outside Green River that Wendy told us about. It's called Crystal Geyser and there are really no signs telling you how to get there so if anyone ever wants to know, give me a call or send me an email and I'll give you the low down. The minerals from the geyser have made this amazing area right next to the Green River. It looks mostly pumpkin orange from afar, but as you get closer there are all kinds of colors--greens, reds, yellows, and even purple. It really was a cool place.

The geyser goes off every once in a while and videos online show it really exploding, but we only saw a low bubble. Guess we'll have to go back.

Moab with the Youngs and Cabin with the McQueens

As soon as we got back to Utah, we made sure to plan weekends with two of our closest friends' families. Max and I worked with both of the Youngs and both of the McQueens on the river. This makes it extra fun to play with them because we're both friends with both of the husbands and both of the wives. None of that awkward, let's go hang out with your friends of my friends kind of thing. I love it and hope we are always very close friends. In fact, I would love it if the Youngs lived on one side of us and the McQueens lived on the other. Maybe we can make that work someday. It is also fun because all of our kids are very close in age.

First we went to Moab with the Youngs. We did a little overnighter on the daily section of the Colorado. Thank goodness the Youngs have a raft. A raft will be our first major splurge as soon as we can afford it.

Compare this photo to photos from our river days and man we've aged. But at least we've done it together. Still wearing the same river shirts though. Max's was a gift from the Youngs and mine was a gift from a passenger. I had told him how much his pearly-snappy was coveted on the river and on the last day, he took it off and handed to me. It smelled pretty bad, but I still use it to this day.

I think here they were digging to China.
And then they decided to meditate.
We also went to this great tunnel, Tusher tunnel, outside of Moab. It was nice and cool inside it and of course the kids loved it.


We also found some real dino tracks.

Then another weekend or so later, we went up Weber Canyon with the McQueens. We came down for some boating.

We did some four-wheeling. I think Wyatt and I look kind of crazy in this photo with our wind-blown hair.

Snakes. While I will not touch them, it is fun to see little boys get so excited by them.
We did some fishing at Smith and Moorhouse and a lot of throwing rocks, chasing the dog, and just plain hanging out.

I love this photo. Fisher loves to cuddle up to Jonah. We miss River, born just a month after Jonah. She would have fun with all these little boys.
Love you Youngs and McQueens!

Canada II (loads of photos)

Since Max's job didn't start for another month and a half after graduation (and because we hadn't sold our home yet so we were sort of just hanging out in Iowa), we decided to make the trek up to Scott and Pat's lodge in Quebec again. I mean, we're twice as far now that we're in Utah. This time we did the driving in one very long day--15 or 16 hours I think. Cheaper and only painful for one day rather than two. However, we'd readily do two 15 hour driving days because of the destination.

We kayaked to rocky points where we picked wild blueberries (our pirate treasure we hid in the hull).
Wyatt did this at least 3000 times during our 5 days there. He was much braver than just a year before when it came to jumping off the dock and swimming around.
Max kayaking the Kipewa with Uncle Scott.

And we all had fun at Grand Chutes--Emmett came with us, just didn't do any of the jumping.




Plenty of ping pong.

More kayaking....

and swimming...and frog catching...

Seriously--wouldn't you drive 15 hours for this?

And this is how every day ended--happily exhausted!

Thanks Scott and Pat for letting us come up on such short notice and for your hospitality while we were there. Our boys say they want to move to Canada...can you blame them when this is what Canada means to them.

Trip to Canada

We just got back from an amazing vacation. We spent 6 days with Max's aunt and uncle at their remote lodge on Lake Timiskaming in Quebec. It was definitely one of the top vacations of my life. Jonah has already asked to go back several times and actually cried when we were leaving, "I just want to enjoy Scott's 'clodge' for a few more minutes." The setting was spectacular, the boys played hard every day, we played games every night with Max's aunt, uncle, and cousins, I got to read 2 books, Max and I went repelling and cliff jumping, Max went kayaking, I went water skiing, Jonah and Wyatt swam through the "tunnel" under the dock, Jonah and Wyatt went for tractor rides behind the riding lawn mower, I took the boys tubing down some little rapids, and oh so much more. Here are a few pictures. 

Me and J tubing

tractor rides

 

can you believe how gorgeous this place is?

can you believe how gorgeous these two are?

"The Lover's Jump" as Scott called it, or "Frog and Praying Mantis" as Max and I call it, only days before our 6th wedding anniversary. Congrats to us! 

Cliff jumping at the Grande Chute

This trip reminded me how much fun I can still have.

Max and Scott kayaking the Kipawa River