Manti LaSal National Forest, UT

We spent a fabulous weekend with Jamaica, Brian, and Bodhi at The Farmhouse in Fairview, UT. We used the cute, little AirBnB as home base to explore the Manti LaSal National Forest.

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The Farmhouse was a perfect two bedroom, two bath house set on a farm along the picturesque 89 Hwy in Utah. After an evening of getting settled and catching up, we spent the morning riding bikes along the remote highway to see horses and even some deer crossing the road. Post morning naps, we set out to see what the Manti LaSal National Forest was all about by driving along Hwy 31. As we expected, the reservoirs were busy with campers, fishers, and paddle boarders. We struggled to find a good place to hike and ended up eating lunch at Cleveland Reservoir. We also did a little “recon” in hopes to camp in the area next year.

Day two took us along the Skyline Drive between Fairview and Hwy 6. The area was also busy, but the views were much more spectacular. The wildflowers were blooming and the small amount of remaining snow added the perfect touch. We hiked along Johnson Ridge, and although it was a beautiful hike through lush aspen trees, we realized later that if we had hiked a little farther, we would have had a great view. Next time! Brian, Jamaica and Bodhi headed home to Salt Lake and we stayed at the Farmhouse one more night before heading back to Las Vegas heat. The hope is that the Ekbergs will acquire a camper in the next year and we can spend a weekend together in the same area next summer!

Kaibab National Forest, AZ

We were finally able to see family amid the 2020 Coronavirus quarantine! The Lautzenheiser family hailing from Nevada, Utah, and Arizona met in the Kaibab National Forest just North of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for a Memorial Day weekend adventure!

The Lautzenheisers! With Miles and me taking the picture!

The Lautzenheisers! With Miles and me taking the picture!

Day One: We arrived a day later than everyone else as Scott was working and we needed a day to pack up everything but the kitchen sink to bring it to the forest. We arrived at the campsite scouted out by Duane and set up our popup (unlike last time) without any issues…hooray! Evan and Tyler were able to meet Miles for the first time and we had hoped Ella would begin the process of warming up to everyone.

Although the North Rim was still closed, there were plenty of forest service roads that allowed us to access views of the canyon. The first day, we set out to drive to Fire Point, a beautiful spot outside of the park. We were not too far from the lookout when we saw the road was closed with a sign that told us the area was closed for regrowth from a recent fire. As you can imagine, after driving almost an hour, we were bummed. With fantastically marked roads, we decided to backtrack a bit and find a road that cut north to another lookout. This is where we came across, not one, not two, but three trees blocking the road. My thought, was, “Bummer, we’ll have to turn around and try another way,” but that is not how the Lautzeheiser boys think. With a winch on Evan’s jeep and a snatch block, the guys decided to move the trees for everyone. After about 30 minutes, we were on the road again and eventually made it to Timp Point! Yay! Success. Unfortunately, the lookout was too far for Marcia to walk and we had an overtired toddler on our hands. Needless to say, we didn’t get to see much of the grandness of the canyon.

The next day, instead of driving West, we chose to head East to an East Rim View and Saddleback Mtn. Both were perfect locations with only small amount of necessary walking to see the lookouts. The Grand Canyon is just as impressive every time!

After the kids would go to bed, which was never an easy task, we would spend the cold evenings chatting around a campfire (a propane one, as wood burning firearms were off limits). Unfortunately, the last evening in the trailer was a wee bit cold as the battery had died on the trailer so the furnace ran out of power. Fortunately, Scott is always prepared and we (I mean, he) hooked up a separate propane heater to keep everyone warm. While we learned three days is the limit for the trailer batter without being recharged, we also learned three days is about the limit for our water tank too. With multiple baths and showers, this isn’t that surprising; although I was confused when mid shampoo the nozzle started sputtering. Even though it’s sometimes frustrating, we wouldn’t be able to learn the trailer’s limits without a little trial and error.

Caliente, NV

With many places still closed and our desire to take the pop-up out again for Ella’s birthday weekend, Scott sought out a cool (in both senses of the word) place to go. We settled on Caliente, NV and it did not disappoint.

In order to break up the three hour drive, we stopped in Ash Springs to see some petroglyphs and let the kids out. Our final destination was the forest at Oak Springs Summit, just West of Caliente. We camped in solitude at 6,200ft. The days were warm enough and the nights were cold enough to turn on the heater. It was perfect!

As we’ve used the new pop-up three times now, we are learning that although it was sold to us nearly brand new, it has some design flaws. For example, in our recent Gold Butte trip we learned that the bathtub leaks, after we bathed Miles and was mid Ella bath, of course. Thankfully, Scott is extremely handy and this has since been fixed. Little did we know, Scott’s handyman skills would be needed yet again.

Upon arrival, we found a great spot, the kids were entertained, and Scott starts to put up the top using the electric motor (something we never had with the 1989, hand crank, Skamper we were used to). Mid rise, it stops rising. Fortunately, after many minutes, Scott was able to disconnect the battery from the trailer and using alligator clips from our solar panel, he connected the motor directly to the battery and…the top started moving! But it wasn’t moving up as we had hoped; it was lowering. Again, Scott thought about what the ‘switch’ would be and decided to switch the black and the red cables, thinking this would be the only way for the motor to reverse directions. And guess what? He didn’t get electrocuted, nor did he blow anything up. In fact, the top of the trailer starting moving up! He’s so smart!

After setting up camp, we drove into Caliente so Scott could get some thicker electrical cables for when he had to lower the trailer, as the ones he was using were starting to melt. (I’m not an electrician but melting electrical cables doesn’t sound encouraging). To round out the day, we did a short hike at Kershaw-Ryan State Park.

The next morning we drove through the beautiful Rainbow Canyon to Elgin and beyond. We had no idea that this area was so lush with greenery and the canyon so colorful! We stopped for lunch near the river and watched a train go by!

Basin and Range National Monument was our next stop. The area we wanted to see, called White River Narrows, is known for his vast number of petroglyphs. Oh my goodness, some areas had petroglyphs on top of petroglyphs! It was quite amazing to think about what the Indians were sharing with their rock art.

The next day, April 26th, was Ella’s 2nd birthday! And a birthday is not a birthday unless you spend it on top of your own mountain. (We had randomly found Ella Mtn. on a map before we left and thought this would be the perfect way to celebrate her awesomeness).

Although we always have a great time camping in our new trailer, I’m always happy to come home to our house, where we all have our own rooms and Miles crying doesn’t wake Ella in the middle of the night.

Gold Butte National Monument, NV

We had made reservations for camping in Death Valley and Santa Barbara, CA for Spring Break that had to be cancelled amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Although we were bummed, a weekend trip to Gold Butte did not disappoint.

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On the far East side of Lake Mead, past the more well known Valley of Fire State Park, lies Gold Butte National Monument. What was once a little known area became a National Monument in 2016 and the number of visitors to the area has increased immensely. Although the traffic to the area has increased, the 300,000 acre landscape leaves plenty of room to explore without seeing another human….this was perfect for maintaining our social distance.

We knew lots of people would be heading out to the area as it was pretty much the only nearby location available to camp, it was Easter weekend, and the weather was perfect for this time of year. Fortunately, Ella and Miles made it easy to get up by 6am and leave the house before 9am. Their early rising got us a perfect camping spot; one of the best camping spots that I think we’ve ever had. After we set up camp, we heading South on the dirt roads towards the old town of Gold Butte. What was once a mining tent camp of 2,000 men left behind cement slabs and a cemetery.

Ella and Miles did great in their respective carriers, Ella on Dad’s back and Miles on Mom’s front. Topo was happy to run along the granite rocks and sniff new plants. The wildflowers were at their peak and just gorgeous to look at the entire weekend.

On Saturday morning, after a relatively uneventful night of two pack n plays within five feet of each other, we set out to explore Little Finland, an area of uniquely carved sandstone rock formations. Before getting to Little Finland, we stopped at a giant sinkhole called Devil’s Throat. For safety, the area has been fenced off so we couldn’t even see to the bottom of the sink hole. Little Finland, however, was most impressive! Just like clouds in the sky form pictures in our brains, you could find imagines in the red rock everywhere you looked. Miles and Ella enjoyed some time out of the carriers playing the in weathered rock turned sand.

Amazingly, even though the driving distance between areas we wanted to see were long, the kids either slept or entertained themselves. I didn’t have to jump into the backseat a single time! From Little Finland, we headed back north to find some of the well documented petroglyphs in the area.

We headed back to camp for Ella to do a little Easter egg hunting. She loved it! She also discovered she is really good at scooping sand into a bowl and pouring it in different locations. Miles was a little more difficult to entertain…he pretty much just wanted to be held.

Sunday morning, we packed up camp (well Scott packed up camp while I tended to children) and sought out two arches near our campsite, Whitney Pocket Arch and Neopolitan Arch. We soaked in the last bit of wildflowers and beautiful limestone and sandstone rocks before heading back into isolation.

Christmas in East Zion

Okay…so we all imagine Christmas morning in a winter wonderland. Well, Dec. 27th, 2019 in East Zion was THE perfect Christmas morning….snow falling gently outside, light shining from a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, heat emanating from a stone fireplace, and family gathered inside. Oh my gosh, it’s what my mind could only imagine!

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We gathered from four different states to be together in this beautiful place. With Christmas usually spent at our house and now that this inn is pretty full, we decided that it was best to celebrate in a larger home. Although not all the family could be there, we still enjoyed the time we had with each other. Ella and Miles even got bundled up to experience the rare feeling of snow; although Ella wasn’t too thrilled to be trudging around in her snowpants. We ate delicious food and thoroughly enjoyed catching up and laughing with each other.

We thought that for sure we’d be able to to drive up the canyon in our own cars, but that was not the case. There were so many visitors that the park kept the shuttles up the canyon running. The lines to get on the shuttle were close to an hour wait; it looked like Zion in summer! Although we didn’t get to see all of Zion that we wanted to, we were able to hike to Observation Point on the East side of the park. Miles slept the entire time and Ella did great until the wind kick up. Seeing the park in the winter with snowfall on the peaks is very different than the summer months. Until next Christmas?

Thanksgiving in Escalante, UT

Thanksgiving is my Mom’s favorite holiday. Ever since I moved to Las Vegas, I have spent Thanksgiving with my parents. They would either come to Las Vegas or I would travel to Las Cruces. This year, however, with two little kids, we hadn’t planned on traveling. After learning that my parent’s were going to be on a cruise (which they ended up having to cancel) and feeling pretty confident after we drove to Fresno, CA and back in two days to buy our new (to us) pop-up trailer, we decided that we ought to spend part of our week off from work breaking in the new trailer somewhere beautiful! With Duane, we decided on Escalante National Monument, one of the lesser traveled areas in Southern Utah.

Watchman Campground in Zion National Park

Watchman Campground in Zion National Park

In order to break up the five hour drive to Escalante, we left one day early and stopped in Zion. We were able to get the last campsite at Watchman campground and set out to spend our first night in the new pop-up. Although it wasn’t the smoothest night I would have imagined (Miles waking up Ella, leading to Ella standing up in her pack n’ play ready to hang out at 2am), it could’ve been much worse. We were looking forward to driving ourselves up the canyon, as we assumed this time of year the shuttles would be down, but to our disappoint, that was not the case. Because there were so many visitors, the park was still running the shuttles, so we weren’t able to take ourselves up the canyon. I guess we’ll have to wait til Christmas break.

We spent the next two nights with Duane in Escalante (at a campground we had all to ourselves), where we had one day to explore the area before the rain came through. The landscape is so beautiful and I would love to go back in the Fall sometime. Despite the rain, Duane and Scott deep fried the turkey and we had a somewhat traditional Thanksgiving dinner with Costco pre-made mashed potatoes and stuffing as sides.

Even though the outside temperatures were below freezing, with three heaters running, we were able to keep the trailer quite warm. So warm in fact, that I slept outside of my sleeping back most of the night. We woke Friday morning to a winter wonderland. Because we weren’t going to be able see the beautiful scenery, we decided to leave a day early. While packing up the trailer, we turned the truck on and put Topo and the kids in the truck to keep warm. I put a sleeping Miles in his carseat in the back and I put a happy Ella in the front seat with a game to play. I went back to help Scott close up the trailer. After a few minutes of productivity, I went to check on the kids. I didn’t see Ella in the front seat anymore, so I grabbed the door handle to open the door. This is when I realized that the door is not opening. It’s not opening because it’s locked. I check all the doors. They’re all locked. My two kids are locked in a truck, the day after Thanksgiving, in a town of 700 people. Damn!

After Scott and Duane tried to opening the door with bailing wire, after trying to get Ella to push the ‘unlock’ button, after watching Ella’s tiny body climb from the back, where she was sitting with her brother, to the driver seat, to the passenger, we had to do something else. Google told us there were no locksmiths in Escalante, so we called 911. They were going to send a local to help. Scott told a ‘starting to get worried’ Ella to just lie down in the passenger seat. Thank God she is a really good listener. She did just that. After about 30 minutes, two local, very, very kind locksmiths came and saved this Mom from further anxiety. I have never hugged Ella so hard. Miles was still sleeping in the backseat. Topo jumped out to run happily through the snow. Lesson learned: Always bring the second set of truck keys, always. (By the way, Topo most likely hit the lock button as she looked excitedly out the windows).

With that adrenaline rush over, we hung out in Duane’s motorhome waiting for the falling snow to subside. After a couple hours, we decided we should get going. Although we drove through some pretty intense snowfall and encountered plenty of car tracks going off the road, we saw some beautiful scenery; the stuff we don’t ever see in Las Vegas. After a much less eventful afternoon, we made it home safely! ‘Til net time Escalante! We will be back!

Silverton, CO with the Family

The San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado are absolutely stunning! If you can get up close to them, via old mining trails, they are even more impressive. After a year hiatus, the Lautzenheisers were back to visit this picturesque area. For Scott and Duane, this was their fifth year jeeping along the mountainous trails. For Marcia, it was her fourth. For me, my third. And for Evan, Tyler and Ella…it was their first time!

The family on Corkscrew Gulch Trail

The family on Corkscrew Gulch Trail

The plan for us was to drive to Moab, UT and meet Duane for a night before driving the rest of the way. With two vehicles (one towing the other) packed full of fun, we made a rather uneventful seven hour drive with a one year old and a dog! I’d call that a success!

Our first day on the trails was spent on Corkscrew Gulch, were we got up close to the Red Mountains and a very frozen Como Lake. The high amount of snow that remained resulted in some impressive sights.

Because of the heavy snowfall (600% more than average) many of the trails had not yet opened for the season, including the well known Black Bear Pass. Although disappointed that we couldn’t do this iconic trail again, it gave us the opportunity to explore new areas on our second day: Ophir Pass and Alta Lakes.

Our third and final day on the trails was with a quick ride up to Arrastra Creek Trail to an old mine and then over Stony Pass up to the Pole River, which crossing was not advised. The greenery was so green and although there weren’t many wildflowers this year, with the late snow melt, it was still gorgeous.

For all the riding in the jeep, Ella and Topo were amazing! Ella was entertained by her cousin Tyler and Topo was entertained by the new smells.

After four days of no jeep breakdowns or children breakdowns, we began what we thought would be a two-day, eleven hour drive home. Again, with a truck full of stuff towing a jeep full of stuff, we headed north on the Million Dollar Highway, taking in the last views of the San Juans. As soon as we reached an area on the highway where we could get up to highway speed, Scott noticed that the jeep was wavering back and forth, pulling on the truck. Unable to go over 60 mph without this happening, we knew we had to figure out what the cause was: we weren’t going to travel the 550 miles home like this.

Scott checked everything he could think of on the tow bar, the hitch, the jeep, and he noticed the tow bar was crooked. We stopped at a Home Depot in Montrose, CO. Scott bought the necessary tools (sockets and wrenches) and we realigned the tow bar. I thought, “Yay! We’re going to get back up to speed, literally!” Back on the road, back at 60 mph, and back to the jeep pulling the truck! Ugh! Okay, so what else could it be? We end up stopping in Grand Junction, CO for a quick lunch and buy a new hitch. This has got to be it, right? Nope! After that failed attempt, we unhitched the jeep from the truck and decided to drive them separately. Although it wasn’t ideal, at least we’d be able to drive fast enough to get to our destination for the night (Junction, UT), right? Wrong! The jeep wasn’t able to go over 60mph without pulling from side to side at all!

In the end, a drive that should have taken seven hours, took 11 hours. Not a huge deal, right? Oh wait, remember, after a long day, I’m driving by myself with a 1 year old in the back who I can’t tend to. I should have taken a picture of the backseat before we got to Junction, UT. Every toy, every object, every food item was tossed back to entertain Ella. Around sunset, we ended up pulling up to our AirBnB, which was absolutely perfect! A single story house with a fenced in yard for Ella and Topo to run around in.

The next morning the thought crossed my mind that I could pack up Ella and Topo and take the truck (going the standard 10mph over the speed limit) the four hours home, while leaving Scott with the dysfunctional jeep and a note that said, “We’ll see you when you get home. Love, Sweetie.” But of course, I would never really do such a thing. And yes, although we had to let semi-truck after semi-truck pass us with our flashers on, we had a wonderful drive back. We took a small detour through Zion National Park with a happy baby, a happy dog, a happy husband, and a very happy wife.

Fletcher Canyon at Kyle Canyon

Temperatures over 100F in the Valley. An upcoming jeep trip to Colorado. Topo needed to get in some running time. We hadn’t done a hike in a while. All the reasons we decided to drive up Kyle Canyon for the afternoon.

Fletcher Canyon hike. 6.1 miles round trip.

Fletcher Canyon hike. 6.1 miles round trip.

Not knowing which hike we were going to do, we decided on Fletcher Canyon as it wasn’t too strenuous (although anything for this seven month pregnant lady is strenuous), was a bit shaded, and the trailhead wasn’t packed with cars. What ended up being about 6 miles roundtrip, with a small waterfall at the end of the out and back trail, was a perfect way to spend the afternoon.


Grand Haven, MI

We had not been to Michigan in two years and the last two times that we did go, we went to the East side of the state to stay with Scott, Gloria, Zaina, and Vivi. Even though Scott was born in Apple Valley, CA, his Mom was born in Zeeland, MI. Her family is of Dutch heritage, so we had been wanting to go back to the West side to see the old ‘homeland’ and visit the beaches.

It wasn’t likely that we’d travel to MI next summer, with TWO (agh!) little ones, so we decided to take Ella on her first plane trip! She was great on the flight out and a little less great on the flight home, but overall we were super grateful for her behavior…and all without having to drug her!

We planned the trip so that it slightly overlapped with Scott, Glo and the girls’ trip to my parents’. We were able to explore downtown Grand Haven and get some family time in before they headed home.

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The next day was spent scoping out the house where Scott’s Mom grew up and walking around the downtown where she spent most of her childhood. Of course, we stopped at Zeeland’s only brewery.

The following day, we spent the morning at the beach, where after some time, Ella loved running into and out of the water. The water was cold, but I couldn’t travel all that way without getting in. Fortunately, my Dad was willing to go in too! In the afternoon, Jim and Diane Madsen were kind enough to take us out on their pontoon boat. It was a great way to view the channel and shoreline.

A visit to Michigan wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the house where I spent 17 years and with a few familiar faces. We saw Mrs. Gillis and had dinner with my best friend growing up, Sarah Yost. I was able to meet her little one, Leela, who is 2.5 years old! We spent a morning with Dave and Jane Diesing, enjoying the lake view at their cottage, where I have so many memories growing up! Before our flight, we were able to catch breakfast with my Aunt Lily and cousins, Nick and Rebecca!

Our last two days were spent at Silver Lake; an inland lake with a picturesque view of the sand dunes, and a visit to Dutch Village in Holland, where Scott remembers going to on a trip from California with his family when he was five. We were able to get Ella her first pair of wooden shoes.

We’re super grateful for my parents, who bought or borrowed all our Ella necessities for the week. They spent the week preparing food for all of us and chauffeuring us around the lakeshore. For me, I hadn’t been to West Michigan in four years; it was fun to show Scott where I grew up. Summers in Michigan are beautiful! I realized that I do miss beach sunsets at 9:30pm and the familiarity of being with family and friends, but I don’t miss the bugs or the humidity.

Long Beach and San Diego, CA

It’s become tradition now that Scott goes fishing on Captain George’s Victory out of Long Beach once a year. With a couple weeks of summer break under our belts, we were ready to take the Skamper out of hibernation to venture off camping along the California coast.

After a lengthy detour just to get out of Las Vegas and an unfortunate fatal accident on I-15 South, we finally made it to ‘Off the Grid’ Brewing Company in Apple Valley to meet Don for a beer. The plan after the brewery was to head to our campsite reserved at Mojave Forks. When we arrived at 6:30pm, however, the entrance gate was closed. We had a crying kid, no place to stay, and a setting sun. Fortunately, Scott knew the area well enough and we were able to get a spot at Silverwood Lake Campground. Ella, who normally sleeps flawlessly throughout the night, woke up around 3am crying. After 45 minutes of playing with her stacking cups on Mom and Dad’s bed, she finally fell back to sleep. Needless to say, the first day of our trip was not off to a great start.

We spent some time at Silverwood Lake and then headed West to Long Beach. Bud, Rob Teasdale and his friend Scott, and Scott all went fishing on the Victory the next day. Although it wasn’t the best day out on the ocean, they all caught enough fish to support a couple of dinners. While the men were out catching dinner, Mom and Ella spent the morning at The Aquarium of the Pacific and the afternoon playing in the pool at the campground. After a long day of fishing for Scott and solo parenting for Sara, a trip to Long Beach would not be complete without a stop at Joe Josts.

After two nights in Long Beach we headed south to San Diego, but made a stop in Mission Viejo to visit Shirley and Mary. Our reservations in San Diego were at Campland on the Bay. It was a huge campground with all sorts of activities for kids…and a bar for parents. With endless water toys to rent and Sea World and the SD Zoo close by, we decided that when the kids get older this would a great spot to spend a week. Although the weather was cool and cloudy, we rented a paddle boat, explored the beach and fried up the fish the guys caught at Rob’s house.

As we headed back the next day to Las Vegas, we made another stop in Apple Valley at Silverado Silversmith Shop to meet Scott’s Uncles (Dave and Dan) and Aunts (Jeanette and Lori). We spent a couple hours catching up before getting back on the road.

The Skamper may have had its last haul as a Lautzenheiser but it was a great one!

Mary Jane Falls at Kyle Canyon

With the temperature in the Valley starting to rise, we spent a Monday (trying to miss the crowds), at Mount Charleston.

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With abundant snowfall in the mountains this winter, Mary Jane Falls was sure to be full of water. The 3.1 mile round trip hike, with over 1,000ft of elevation gain was a good workout for a five month pregnant lady carrying a 16 pound baby up. (Scott carried Ella down). Topo loved rolling around in the snow!

Spring Break in Williams, AZ with the Family

With both Scott’s Mom and my Mom turning 70 in the next two months, we thought a perfect way to spend our Spring Break would be celebrating them! Gary, Sheila, Marcia, and Duane joined in the festivities.

For three days, we rented a beautiful ‘cabin’ just South of Williams, AZ. (This ‘cabin’ was 3,000 square feet of all the upgrades).

Picture taken off the VRBO site.

Picture taken off the VRBO site.

The first day was spent taking a just over two hour train ride to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We spent the afternoon enjoying the vastness of the Canyon, the beautiful weather and some delicious ice cream. Ella had mint chocolate chip and cookies ‘n cream ice cream for the first time! Needless to say, she was a fan!

We spent the second day exploring one of Gary’s bucket list items: Sycamore Canyon. Oh my goodness, it did not disappoint. About 15 miles Southeast of Williams, lies this giant, colorful, hidden canyon. The best part: we were nearly the only people there! Unfortunately, while gathering firewood on the return trip, Duane sliced his thumb open pretty badly. He and Gary spent the evening getting Duane six stitches in Flagstaff. I always say, it would not be a Lautzenheiser trip unless something unexpected happened.

The weekend would not be complete without celebrating the Grandmas! Each enjoyed their favorite cakes: Marcia’s was mint chocolate chip ice cream cake and Sheila’s was a flourless chocolate cake. With Ella turning one in just a week, she got a little celebrating too!

It’s not often that I want to go back to the same place, but we look forward to renting this cabin again when the kids are older to enjoy the Polar Express train around Christmastime!

Thanksgiving in Show Low, AZ and Las Cruces, NM

With a week of work for Thanksgiving, we set out to see both families. Fortunately, Show Low, AZ is about half way to Las Cruces, NM.

Ella did a fantastic job riding lots of hours in the truck. Without her cooperation, this trip could’ve been a disaster!

We stopped in Williams, AZ both leaving Las Vegas and on our way back home. The historic Route 66 town with a decent brewery was a good ‘get out and walk around’ spot.

While in Show Low, we were able to see Evan and Harmony’s much anticipated home! And what a beautiful home it is! Scott, Duane, Tyler, Ella and I were able to spend an afternoon walking along a nearby creek. Tyler was happily pointing out various animal tracks and animal poops along the way!

On Thanksgiving Eve, off to Las Cruces we went: Duane, Scott, Grandma L, Ella and me packed into Duane’s truck. Thanksgiving not only brought the expected amazing food, but lots of laughter and rather deep discussions of Russians, Android flashlight apps, and entropy.

We spent the day after Thanksgiving at the picturesque White Sands National Monument. Ella was able to roll around a little in the cool selenite sand, while Mom had to roll down a hill.

The time with our family, especially our parents, was particularly special this year. We are extremely grateful for their health and happiness.

Salt Lake City, UT

A three day weekend in November was the perfect excuse to go visit Jamaica and Brian in their new city, Salt Lake City! Ella was, for the most part of a six hour drive, a fantastic travel companion!

Bison on Antelope Island (in the Great Salt Lake) with downtown Salt Lake City in the background.

Bison on Antelope Island (in the Great Salt Lake) with downtown Salt Lake City in the background.

We spend Friday evening catching up over some delicious Thai food and getting a tour of their beautiful new home. Saturday was spent exploring Antelope Island on the South end of the Great Salt Lake. The island offers a unique habit full of water birds, bison, and of course, antelope. The cold winds kept us from exploring too much, but it was still a beautiful place. We were impressed with the landscape and all the city has to offer. Until next time, SLC!

Fall Colors at Kolob Reservoir, UT

Living in Las Vegas, I always miss the Fall colors. The surrounding area definitely has some nice trees that change in November and the higher elevation areas in Mount Charleston produce golden Aspen leaves in early October, but I wanted to see more this year. Southern Utah gave me exactly what I had hoped for!

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We took a day trip to visit Duane and the Kolob Reservoir area. Not only were the Aspens gorgeous, but as we headed down a road towards Lava Point, the Oak trees were magnificent reds, oranges, and purples!

At a midpoint in our day, we took a five mile hike down the West Rim Trail from outside Zion National Park into the park. The cool air and yellow trees were Fall at its best!

To top off the day, we took a road above 9,000 feet where the temperature dipped below freezing. The Aspens, even without their leaves at this elevation, looked just as picturesque.





Southern CA with Grandparents!

It had been over a year since Scott was able to go fishing on the Victory with Captain George, so a visit to Long Beach was a must before the summer ended. 

Grandma and Grandpa K flew to Las Vegas and with a truck full, we set out to show Ella the Pacific Ocean. It wouldn't be a trip to Southern California without a stop in Victorville at Los Robertos Taco Shop to gorge ourselves on their Tecate Quesadillas. 

Once we arrived in Long Beach and Scott navigated the oh so horrible lack of parking, we discovered that our AirBnB that slept four turned out to be a studio apartment...oops! Good thing everyone is easy going! Nothing says, "Family Vacation" like your Mother-in-law walking around in her nightgown! Even Ella kept quiet during the night to ensure a good night's sleep for everyone.

We started out the trip with a visit to Newport Beach (which was packed because of the Championship World Cup Game; congratulations France!) and then off to El Moro Beach State Park. What a beautiful beach that Scott and I fully intend to return to with our camper! The surrounding cliffs were impressive, the water was crystal blue and the waves were forceful! Breastfeeding Ella with sand all around, however, was much less enjoyable. 

One of the reasons we chose our AirBnB was because of the location; right on the beach. We had a community patio that was a perfect spot to eat evening dinner and watch the sun set.

The next day Scott and Dad set out early to board the Victory with Captain George. While the fishing wasn't spectacular, the gorgeous day and the friendly company were. They both came back with catches: whitefish, sand bass, and sculpin, which Scott fried up for fish tacos when we returned to Las Vegas! While the boys were catching dinner, Mom, Sara, and Ella walked the area all around Long Beach and gave Ella a day off to do her normal baby things. 

Of all the places in the world that Mom and Dad have been, Catalina Island is not one of them! The following day, we took the ferry from Long Beach to Avalon and enjoyed a wonderful day swimming, walking, and golf-carting around the island. 

We headed back to Las Vegas the next day to enjoy a couple more days relaxing in the pool before Mom and Dad returned to Michigan. The drive home was uneventful (Ella was fantastic and had slept nearly the entire drive) until we reached downtown construction and traffic in Las Vegas on I-15. . Once the car stopped moving, Ella was up and HUNGRY! Without an easy exit, no bottles and only my breast available, I unbuckled and hovered over Ella so she could eat. 

Lessons learned: With lots of sunscreen, a hat, and long sleeves, babies don't burn :) Finding parking in Long Beach is miserable, Ella loves being on the move (whether in the car or stroller), Dad doesn't snore nearly as bad as I thought he did, my family is pretty darn open, flexible, and understanding, I'm one very blessed daughter, wife, and mom. 

 

 

North Rim Grand Canyon, AZ

With the temperatures in Las Vegas consistently over 100, we decided that the crazy idea of camping with a two month old might not be that crazy. Only four and a half hours away, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon was the perfect escape: free camping in the national forest, camping in isolation so Ella's cries won't disturb anyone, and of course, the incredible views of the the second largest canyon on Earth! 

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We arrived Friday afternoon, set up camp, and decided to give our new bike trailer a try. An 'Offer Up' purchase made the day before we left, the bike trailer worked out perfectly. With Ella unable to hold her head up just yet, we strapped her carseat into the trailer and road down some trails near our campsite. Ella just looked around as Scott rode through the aspen trees. As sunset was approaching, we headed to the lodge to grab some food and watch the sun set over the canyon. 

I was a little nervous (or rather, a lot nervous) about Ella being too cold in the trailer at night. With lows in the 50s, I wasn't about to let Ella lose any fingers just yet ;) Scott is always prepared, and with a propane heater, she was just perfect! She slept as she would have at home. 

Saturday morning was beautiful! We headed up Cape Royal Road, where we took a four mile hike through the forest to Cape Final; a point overlooking the vast canyon. With some diapers, wipes, PB&J for us, and my boobs for Ella, we headed off on the forested plateau. Despite our best efforts, however, Ella came back with sunburnt cheeks. :( They are healing well, but it was so hard to see her in pain when she touched them. 

We were pleasantly surprised with how well the weekend went (despite burnt cheeks and a flat tire on the trailer on the way home). With a few of the right supplies, we can camp with Baby Ella! 

Cape Final hike. Round trip 4.2 miles. 

Cape Final hike. Round trip 4.2 miles. 

Kolob Canyon, UT

We hadn't taken a trip since the New Year so we were itching to go somewhere for Ella's first adventure. With a truck filled with a baby, dog, stroller, play mat, Rock 'n Play, and sixty (yes, 6-0) diapers, we decided to visit Duane in Leeds, UT and do some local exploring. 

Ella's onesie says it all, "The Adventure Begins!" 

Ella's onesie says it all, "The Adventure Begins!" 

Our visit included a ride in the truck up to Kolob Reservoir at 8,000 feet, where we saw a bald eagle! The views of the backside of Zion National Park were spectacular and the Reservoir was a great spot for lunch and for Topo to run around. 

The next day we took a quick hike up to an old Aviation Navigation Arrow on the top of a ridge near Quail Creek Reservoir. The arrows were used in the 1920s for nighttime airmail routes between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. Ella also saw a little of her first National Park, Zion, but with the high temperatures, a baby and a dog, we decided to keep our explorations to a minimum. 

On our way home, we stumbled upon a dirt road from Grafton to Apple Valley, UT, where we discovered future 'away from the masses' campsites and the views of Zion from the south side were impressive! Ella also acquired her first school desk we found at an antique store! Despite a poop explosion (from Ella, just for clarification) and an evening with a very fussy baby (again for clarification, Ella) we had a great time!

Happy 2018 from Yosemite National Park!

It had been a loooong time (since summer) that we had gone camping so we were itching to go somewhere. With nearly a week off after New Years, we decided to start 2018 at Yosemite, a National Park that Sara had yet to see. It seemed perfect as not only was the weather going to unseasonably warm (highs in the 50s), but the crowds were going to be minimal this time of year. 

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We spent our first full day hiking to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls. The 7.5 mile, 2,600ft. elevation gain hike took us about six hours. The views of the lower falls and the valley were stunning. 

With our legs more than a tad sore, we spent the next day riding around the valley on our bikes, stopping at various small walks and museums. We learned that biking is a great way to get around to all the areas in Yosemite Valley. 

During winter the famous Half Dome hike is closed. We decided that not only do we have to return to summit Half Dome, but we'd also like to do a little more back country backpacking, away from all the people :). Until then...

Thanksgiving in AZ & NM, 2017

We spent the week of Thanksgiving traveling to visit family. First stop: Show Low, AZ. We had lots of laughs while enjoying the gorgeous weather at 6,500 ft. The highlight was shooting produce (oranges and potatoes) with AR-15s and 9mm handguns. Tyler even took part in the action!

Stop number two: Las Cruces, NM. Duane and Mom Lautzenheiser accompanied us to my parents. While traveling between states we stopped at "The Catwalk" in Glenwood, NM. The modern engineering path down the old mining canyon was quite impressive. While in NM, we explored Dripping Springs National Monument with a hike up Filmore Canyon. The weather was fabulous and the company was even better!