Friday, May 26, 2017

Adventuring {May's Monday Night Hikes}

Our Monday Night hikes picked up in full force in May, though, to be honest, the majority of them were on Tuesdays and one wasn't even an evening hike (details, details).  More useless stats: three hikes were new to us, two were on the Ogden side of the mountains, only one we took the pack on (since Sam prefers to walk under his own power most of the time).  But one thing is consistent, we love this tradition and we love that the kids seem to enjoy the hiking, too.


Cal asked to bring a garbage bag along to
pick up trash as we hiked.



Highlight: wildflowers were starting to bloom!
These cute vetch (?) and arrowleaf balsamroot
and I even saw one paintbrush plant!







As you can see, I get a lot of this view when we
hike - and I couldn't love it more.




Our turnaround spot had a nice bench rock to
test out.  We got to the point the trail was starting
to head up into North Ogden Canyon.

We made it above "the pattern" ie those balls
on the power lines that go across the canyon.

9 May 2017: Quail Trail Loop (Ogden)


We LOVED this shady, easy loop trail with lots
of bridges and rocks to climb over.






Dirty kids are happy kids.


An oldie but a goodie - we like this one because
it's nice and close and there's a stream at
"the end" for rock splashing.






Milestone: Cal mastered the log bridge all
by herself!




Milestone: Sam discovered the extreme usefulness
of pockets for rock storage.



23 May 2017: "Old Highway Trailhead: Pineview North Trail" (Eden) (I just made up those names - I can't seem to find anything official)

One morning when Gregg was out of town at a work
conference, we went for our morning walk and ended
up at the lake, where we started out skipping rocks at
our favorite little "beach".

Rock splashing turned into full-on log (driftwood)
 launches.

"Setting sail!"


We ended up trying out a little trail that goes up
the hill right by the parking lot and then sort of
parallels the shoreline from above.

It was easy and beautiful and scenic and sunny
and we only went a short way, but it satisfied
my need for a "hike" since we missed our MNH
the night before.

Who doesn't love the spot where the sagebrush
grows?

It was glorious - and gnatty, at least right
when I snapped this pic.

Thankful for these hikers.


Saturday, May 20, 2017

A Saturday Down South

Soccer + Pizza + Basketball = just another Mother's Day party with the Blanch Herd.  We met up on Saturday, May 13th at Dray's soccer game in the morning, ate a yummy pizza party with delicious salady sides (and hot fudge brownie sundaes to top everything off), and finished the day watching Kage play basketball.  Fun (and delicious, of course) time with the family

Don't know if you can tell, but it was brrrrr chilly cold at Dray's
soccer game.




Talking with my hands, as per usual.

Callie loves to get together with her cousin Melia.

The moms.

The mom and her (local) kiddos.



Saying' goodbye in the parking lot.