Moab

Mark just had Fall Break.

I forgot how awesome school breaks are.
He had the whole week off and it was wonderful.
We decided to pack up our things and head down to Moad for a few days.
It was such a great trip, I'm so sad it's over.
I had never been to Moab but Mark had been a few times before, but he has never been to the National Parks.
I have recently become obsessed with our National Parks after watching a long documentary on their history.
It was amazing to see so many of them on the show, it has now become my goal to see all of them in person.
Well Mark really wanted to go to Moab to bike the awesome trails in the perfect weather but I really wanted to go for the TWO National Parks that are right next to Moab.
Here's some pictures. There's a lot, get ready...

Scott being a good boy, sleeping on the way.

My sister, Kate came along with us since she also had fall break. She was there to be my vacation buddy so Mark could go off on his bike rides.
It's nice having a sister that we both love to spend time with.
Mark always refers to Kate as "My Katie".
Scott has already chosen Kate as his favorite person for only she can make him laugh the hardest and the longest and only she can get him to be calm and cuddly.
I always told her when we were younger that she would be my nanny some day.
It sometimes feels that way with how good she is at relieving my stress and pressure whenever she is around.
Thanks for coming Kate, we love you to bits and pieces.

Here's Mark being the hot driver that he is.
It is so close to us that we didn't even have to switch off.
We will be coming back.

Here I am on the drive.
I was so happy and excited to be vacationing.

Here's Mark and the trail head.
My parents were so kind as to drop him off for me in the morning.
They came along to also help me have fun while he biked.
I don't know if you can tell in this photo but this is one very happy Mark.

My dad, Scott and I hiking up to Delicate Arch.
I love spending time with my dad. He's so fun to talk to.
I've always been a bit of a daddy's girl, but it's just cause my dad is awesome.

We had to get a carrier for Scott.
This was the cheapest one we could find ringing in at $15.
The others we looked at were over $200.
This one wasn't the most comfortable but it got the job done.
My family said they would help me get Scott up the hike but I am very proud of myself for carrying him the whole way up myself (it was 1.5 miles up with a good incline).

This is the amazing Delicate Arch at Arches National Park.
It truly is incredible.
It's on the license plates here in Utah and I never really cared for it because it's everywhere.
Now I understand why.
It's one of natures greatest wonders.

On the way down I let Kate once again relieve some pressure from me and carry Scott down. And once again she got him completely relaxed and he fell asleep.
She is just that good.
I didn't get any pictures but my sister, Anne, and her daughter, Natalie Anne, hiked up to Delicate Arch also.
They did awesome and were so much fun to have down there.
I love you guys.

My mom started to get sick so she didn't join us on the hike up so we walked with her to the view point so she could still see it.
My parents are so cute together.

There was no reception in the Park and I started to get worried the we would miss Mark's call to pick him up.
It was perfect timing though because right when we got out of the park and got reception, he called to let us know he was done and was only about a mile or two away from where we were.
Here's my tired boy coming over to us.
He road 26 miles in some beautiful mountains.
I love how active my husband is, there are a lot worse a hobbies a guy could take on, but he loves to move and work hard.

I talked Mark into hiking with us on our last day instead of another bike ride
So we went to the Delicate Arch view point for him.
Here he is, putting a plug in for Shasta.
It's just that good.

Here's one of the Arches we saw from the car.
Pretty sweet eh!

Here we are in front of Landscape Arch.
I just can't believe these aren't man made.
How does this happen so perfectly.
You might notice the big boulders on the right hand side.
In 1991 part of the arch broke off making it so that people could no longer walk under it.
There's a picture that someone got of part of the rock falling in mid air.
These things have been forming for centuries, it's cool to see something so dramatic happen in our life time.
Along the way we saw more boulders and stopped to read the sign in front of them.
The rocks used to form Wall Arch but in 2008 it fell.
I just think it's fascinating.
Click HERE for the link to learn about it.

Here we are on this ledge.
I never had a problem when I was holding Scott going on ledges and things but when Mark had him I started to get scared.
It wasn't Mark having him, it was that I was no longer in control.
I didn't feel Mark steady leg making the steps, all I could see was my whole life plummeting to the ground.
My sister and I joked around about "Last of the Mohicans" and how I would have just thrown myself off the cliff after them.
We are really good at over exaggerating the problem.

This kid did awesome just hanging off of Mark and me just like Mini Me.
He would wave at people as we passed them and sing songs, and yell when we bounced (you know, just to hear his voice bounce high and low), and put his arm out like he wanted to touch the rocks or bushes as we passed then pull away when we stopped to let him.
He kept things fun, heavy, but fun.

Seriously, isn't this land beautiful!

Here I'm standing under an Arch, I forgot what it's called, starts with a P if anyone remembers it.
Mark isn't here because he took Scott down. No down the mountain, down the rock I'm standing on.
He is such a little adventurer boy, but does he have to take my little boy with him when he's so young?

Here they are, the dare devils.
I trust Mark which is why I didn't try to make him stay on the bottom of the trail.
I just had to remember that Scott is Mark's son too and he would never do anything stupid with him.
He just teaching Scott to push the limits too, Oh CRAP!

Here we are at Canyonlands.
This is going to be my "Stamp" of going to the National Parks.
I shall take my picture in front of the entrance sign of everyone I go to, to prove that I went.
(We need to go back to the Grand Canyon to get the picture of that entrance but that wont be for a while since there aren't bike trails there.)

This is Canyonlands.
It was beautiful.
Kinda like Utah's version of the Grand Canyon.

This really as amazing to see.
You just couldn't see the bottom, it kept going and going.
Kinda like this blog post I know, but I couldn't help but take tons of pics, it was amazing.

Scott with his Katie Lady.
She just understands everything he does and says.
I love watching him so happy with someone else and have her love him so much that I can just walk away and breath for a little while.
I don't think I can vacation without her now.

The Happy Vacationers.
I can't wait to go back and hike some more, and Mark is already planning the trails he wants to ride.
Check 2 more off the list.