The kids had 2 days off from school and got early out on the Wednesday so I decided that I should take the three kids camping to Arches national Park. There were no camping spots available at the National park, but I talk to the BLM office and they said I should be able to find a campsite close to Arches. So I loaded the kids, drove the 3 hours down there, and we left late, and by time we got there it was dark. We drove around for 2 hours in the dark looking for a campsite, never found one so finally went and "camped" at the Motel 6 and ate hot dogs from the microwave at 10:30pm.
The next morning we found a campsite, I set up our tent and we headed to Arches. We had a great day and did a 3 mile hike round trip to delicate Arch, and I LOVED it. Zephyr was a trooper and didn't want me to carry him, but we didn't plan well for his nap, so 1.5 miles back to our van he rode in the
Ergo carrier and fell asleep. We had plenty of water, but it was a really hot hike. There was hardly any shade and we were going in the middle of the day. When we finished we went and picked up some firewood and went back to our campsite.
I worked on the dinner and the kids played by the river and in the tent. I was having a hard time with the fire because I didn't have any kindling, so the kids gathered some. I FINALLY got a good fire going, and dinner cooking on the campstove. Right about when dinner was done I puked in the bushes by our van. It was dark now, and so I served up dinner, but could hardly eat anything. I had had a headache for a couple of hours. All 4 of us sat by the fire and ate our dinner, (I could hardly eat any) but the kids LOVED what I cooked, and said I should make it all the time. Thankfully the time I can't possibly get them anything else to eat they actually like what I made. So they finish eating and I feel soooo miserable. So I tell them I just really want to talk to Ben, but we are about 3 miles away from cell phone service. So we all load in the van in our pj's and drive so I can talk to Ben.
When we get to cell phone service I call him and just start bawling. Telling him how sick I feel. He immediately says he will come, but I say no it will be okay, but then I proceed to puke while I am on the phone with them. Then he was adamant that I tell him what campground and what number we are at. Now keep in mind we have one vehicle and I am 190 miles away from home. Anyway Ben borrows a car from our neighbors and drives to Moab to be with me and help out, though ironically by time he got there at 2am, I had slept for a few hours and felt much much better. So much better we spent the next day at Arches.
Anyway overall we had a great time. I was really glad I took the kids camping. I learned that I will probably just go within an hour of our house if I am going to go without Ben, and I love camping with my husband. I was really glad that he came when I was so sick.
Zephyr trying to figure out what pull-ups are for
The kids at delicate arch. They were pretty tired. I kept promising them a fruit leather when we got to the arch.
That is Autumn and Prairie on the left base of the arch, and on the right-hand side of the that base. Autumn is wearing a white t-shirt. It is pretty large. I was impressed.
Close-up of Autumn and Prairie
I got someone to take a picture of me with my kids at the arch (I need to crop the man in the yllow shirt out but I was too lazy today)
Prairie sitting in her "seat" that she found, and then Zephyr had to try it too.
Our campsite by the colorado river
Autumn (on the left) and Prairie (on the right) climbing up a rock
Ben and the kids sitting on a ledge on one of the fins (large rock formation).
close up of Ben and the kids on the ledge
Autumn, Zephyr and Prairie at landscape arch (Landscape arch is around 290 ft long)
Kiddos
Emily and Ben at the landscape arch
