Burr Trail and Capital Reef

May green in Utah! I discovered there is a lack of words to describe the newness of green in May. Green just isn't good enough. Green against red rock has never been prettier.

I asked my dad to stop the car so I could get out and take some photos and this was the place!

Turns out there was a stunning slot canyon hiding behind this gorgeous green tree.

Look at this place!! Utah at its finest.

This is my favorite pregnancy photo ever, mostly because the setting is so cool and you can't tell my nose is huge.

Desert wildflowers--they were stunning.

At the top of the switchbacks leading to Capital Reef!

After our morning in Bryce Canyon we stopped in Boulder, UT for lunch at a cafe with shockingly delicious food! We had polenta wedges with goat cheese, caramelized onions and roasted red peppers! I had a black bean and sweet potato burger with cilantro sour cream! It was an unexpected and lovely discovery. We fueled up for the last portion of our road trip, which would take us on the Burr trail through Capital Reef National Park.

The Burr Trail is a must for anyone fond of rugged Utah viewscapes. The paved part of the road took us through the middle of brilliantly red cliffs lined with generously green cottonwoods and for the curious--slot canyons and other treasures waiting to be discovered. This was a highlight for me! Actually, it was all one big highlight because I loved not having to drive. What a luxury. 

Bryce Canyon

After our gorgeous day driving to Zion--we made our way to Cannonville, UT where we stayed at a cute hotel. We woke up to the prettiest rural setting with variegated mountains in the distance. I was in awe of how agricultural it was in those parts--I had completely forgotten how many farms fill in that open space. Those luscious green spaces just confirmed my love for countryside--be it the trim and quite pastures of Virginia or the rugged wildness of farms in southern Utah.

We stopped for breakfast at an historic hotel just outside Bryce Canyon. Again, it was just fun to be with my parents and my sister. The chance to spend that much time with adults I have known EVERY single second of my life was such an important experience. It was wonderful to reconnect and just enjoy the moment. 

I had been to Bryce Canyon before and could recall the signature red hoodoos of its extraordinary landscape but I was not prepared for how stilled I would be by the color and scale and presence of it. I had lived my entire life believing that Zion was the premiere park of Utah and yet--there I was staring at miles of sorbet colored rock sculptures and I knew that this was special and quiet and underappreciated. I don't know why I am locked into the grade school mentality to find favorites in everything--food, music, colors, movies, places, etc. Not everything needs to be stratified and ranked. This trip taught me a lot about just appreciating and recognizing the beauty in the surrounding world--pockets of unexpected green on desert highways, a roadside petting zoo, ice cream coned shaped clouds, red rocks, blonde rocks, empty scenic roads and just about everything in between. It was all glorious and I was humbled to be a witness to it.

If we had been graced with more time I would have insisted that we tackle the bleached blonde trail leading into the heart of the canyon. I imagined the awe of getting that close to those rock formations and seeing how the landscape changed with each step. We didn't have time so we simply breathed it in and took mental photos to remember forever, hopefully.

I cannot wait to return with Jamie and the kids!!!

Leaving Zion

Driving through the rest of Zion on our way to the hotel was just as beautiful and brought back memories of trips when I was younger. The landscape of Zion and really, all of her companion parks and monuments is so remarkable and poignant that one never really forgets. I was grateful to be surrounded by the scenes of my youth in the presence of my parents and sister. 

I was reminded on this quick trip that God had great joy in the creation of Earth and made it so that the plants and animals might be happy and that ultimately we might be happy and have joy here. I was truly filled with happiness and joy as a witness to such an extraordinary world.

An Unforgettable Trip to Southern Utah with My Parents and Sister

The deep green of cottonwoods was one of my favorite colors in all of southern Utah.

Zion was truly the most appropriate name for this park.

I had forgotten that a bit of the Emerald Pool hike goes under a waterfall. It was gloriously refreshing.

My sis and me! So fun to be with her.

The scale of everything in Zion is so massive that one really needs a model for perspective and my sister played that role perfectly.

My mom and the 'brave hiker.' I got countless comments on my bravery to hike in my condition and one woman actually did a double take and asked her companion if I was pregnant. I was 29 weeks pregnant! It was a delightful hike and I felt even more aware of everything perhaps because I was pregnant.

 

Before Jamie even left for Afghanistan back in 2012--I wanted to take a trip to Utah all by myself. It just seemed like a wonderful reward for doing such a hard thing. Well, fast forward a year and a half and I finally got my trip! I couldn't have imagined back then that I would be pregnant or that Utah would be so shockingly beautiful. 

I suggested to my mom that we take a trip to Southern Utah--just my parents and my sister and me. It seemed like such a rare opportunity to do something with just them. My parents loved the idea and my dad quickly planned the route and booked a hotel. I may not have had London to anticipate this year but Zion, Bryce Canyon and Capital Reef were just as exciting.

I left for Utah at 29 weeks pregnant and took off running...literally. I flew in on a Friday and was quickly racing to visit with family and friends. I reveled in the sunshine of warm Utah and sat in my parent's backyard with Amberlyn and Ryan--simply loving that time with them in such a beautiful place. I was surrounded by color--peonies, lilacs and wysteria were at their peak of both color and perfume. The mountains were covered in a virgin green only seen for a few weeks in the springtime. I couldn't believe my luck. I was in absolute awe.

I met my friend Ashely and most of her extended family at the Bombay Hosue for dinner. Sadly, I only had an hour to visit because my mom picked me up for my cousin Stephanie's graduation party. It was one good time after another. At Stephanie's party I saw my cousins Ainsley and Arika, both of whom I rarely see but feel super connected with thanks to social media. I adored visiting with everyone and eating so much great food! My favorite.

The next morning my mom and I got up and ran a 5k that her ward organized. I was a little worried that the altitude would wear me out but I managed just fine. We ran along the newly paved murdock canal and it was my favorite route along the foothills of the G mountain. We passed farmland and foothills and so much color. I was in heave. I even managed to finish the race in 27 minutes, which is pretty great considering I practically walked at the start to avoid tripping over numerous kids and I had to stop to cross the street and make sure a few kids made it across safely. My mom finished in 30 minutes. She was amazing! It was such a huge accomplishment to run a race so well in my third trimester.

After the race we showered and headed south to pick up my sister! The trip was on! Jamie has always argued that the drive south on I-15 is gorgeous and I've always scoffed, arguing that I-81 in Virginia is much more beautiful. I was stunned to see so much beauty in that stretch of interstate! The green of spring and the countless farms made for a spectacular drive. If only Jamie could have seen it!

Going to Zion again after probably two decades, was nothing short of exciting. That unforgettable landscape with its rainbow of colors and textures was just stunning. My mom, sister and I went on the emerald pools hike, which was my favorite Zion hike as a kid. I enjoyed reliving that experience as an adult, even a pregnant adult. What a beautiful, other worldly place.

Talented Soren

Soren read Tin Tin to his siblings and Maeve passed out on his shoulder.

Soren is a wonderfully talented little man. So many things come to him with little effort--he learned how to read at the very beginning of kindergarten and his skill level grows daily. I have him read the scriptures each night and he reads those complicated words better than I did probably in the 3rd grade even! He loves math and is constantly calculating addition and subtraction and asking about sums of large numbers. He gets the concept of time-from the length of an hour (he'll proudly tell you 60 minutes) to the number of days in a season or a few months. He's a good brother and friend. He is always quick to help or do a kind deed or do whatever it takes to calm down his brother or sister. I adore him and wish I were as inherently good as him.

His teacher adores him and tells me that she is so proud of him and the thoughtful answers he gives to questions or the words that he writes. He's super creative too--his drawings are amazing and his sense of color is impressive too. He's just a good kid and I feel so honored to be his mom and to watch as his honorable qualities develop and mature.

Soren used to be really difficult to leave in the mornings--he would cry and protest and throw himself in front of the door so I wouldn't leave. It humbles me to see how much he has grown and accepted that I have to work and leave the house. Somehow, he always wakes up before I leave and even if he is dead tired, he waits patiently on the couch until I leave so he can give me a big hug and kiss and finally, he blows not only kisses but HUGS to me as I depart. He is such a dependable, wonderful part of my life. 

NGA with Maeve, Boden, Streeter and Dayna

The Sacrament of the Last Supper by Dali

Back in mid March, the only sign of spring was found planted indoors.

Back in mid-March Maeve and I went to the NGA with Dayna and her two youngest boys. We spent hours exploring the various exhibits and had a ball. Maeve always has such a great time with Boden, whom she regularly refers to as her 'best friend.'

After hitting the NGA we made a long journey to try the Doissant, DC's version of the Cronut. Well, this tiny, sleepy cafe was all out of doissants so we got a few other treats. It took forever to get our food and by the time it arrived I was in a panic because I was supposed to be reading a book to Asher's class! We hurried to school as quickly as we could but I was still late and horrified. I had made arrangements with Asher's teacher to bring both Maeve and Soren to his class. I quickly grabbed Soren and asked the teacher if Asher could pick out a book since I didn't have time to get one from home. Asher picked a cute book about a sneezy skeleton and Soren insisted on reading it to ASher's class! I couldn't refuse. It was a proud moment--there was Soren reading a book to his brother's class with Asher standing next to him with such joy. What I thought would be a ruined opportunity was an absolute joy!