An Afternoon at Silver Lake

A few weeks ago, while scrolling instagram, I saw some posts from Silver Lake, a beautiful spot up in the mountains that was putting on quite the autumnal show. Mr. Boss and I had been up the month before, on an anniversary date, and there were a few signs that fall was coming then, but the pictures I was seeing on ig showed that it had changed a lot. I wanted to see it for myself.

I wasn't sure when I could get up there, but I was feeling desperate. One morning, I shared my feelings with Mr. Boss, and he suggested I go that very day, as soon as the kindergartener was home. So that's what I did! I spent the morning getting myself and the youngest two ready and packing up lunch, so that we could leave as soon as S was off the bus. 

The drive up the canyon was distracting, there was so much color. I wanted to stop so many times, but kept on going until we reached our goal. We had lunch as soon as we arrived, and then started our walk around the lake. I was in heaven, and the kids had a blast, too, climbing on rocks and seeing ducks and fish in the lake. 

We also ended up taking a little detour up one of the more difficult hikes that branches off from the path around the lake. I wanted to show the boys where their dad and I had seen a deer when we were up the month before. We didn't quite make it to where Boss and I had seen the deer, but that was fine because we got to see our own deer! It was pretty awesome. After that, we headed back down to the lakeside path and finished our walk. 

By the end, the kids were done. They had been amazing, walking so much and sitting themselves down from time to time for me to take their picture. Even when their behavior started to deteriorate, I understood and didn't really mind, because of how excellent the general experience had been. 

Now for the pictures:

We got so many comments on her candy corn hat,
which I definitely appreciated!

I shared this one on instagram.
I think it looks like an album cover.
And it's definitely one of my current favorite photos.

The end.

an afternoon at wheeler farm

We were in Utah nearly a month ago, for my 30th birthday. (...Um, wut? How the crap am I 30?) One of the things that I decided I wanted to do while we were there was to visit Wheeler Farm. I love Wheeler Farm. I can remember going there on field trips in elementary. It's one of the places that comes up nearly every time we talk about what we miss about living in Salt Lake.

We met up with Boss's cousin Bellinda and her two boys. I love Bellinda more than I love Wheeler Farm, and it was awesome to get to hang out with one of my favorite people at one of my favorite places.

Now, here's a million pictures (and one gif) from our day at the farm:

a picnic in December

On a Sunday in mid-December, we went on a family drive and discovered an area not far into the mountains that was littered with boulders. As soon as I saw it, I began imagining taking an outing with the children on a warmer day. I could see them excitedly running around, climbing on rocks, exploring and adventuring. It looked like it would be such an incredible place to spend a day, and I felt so let down that we found it so late in the year. What fun we could have had there in the summer!

It just so happened, though, that later that week we were supposed to reach 50 degree temps. Mr. Boss would be at work, and the older children at school, but I figured I could at least take the little ones on an adventure. I mean, December isn't really known for it's warmer days, I couldn't let this opportunity pass by, knew I'd regret if I didn't go.

I've found that the weather has a nasty habit of changing from what was previously forecast, but not this time. That day was sunny and warm, a perfect day for a picnic in the mountains. We got dressed, wore only light jackets (with some warmer things brought along, just in case), and packed up lunch before venturing to the boulder covered forest.

The sun was shining and filtering through the tall pines and a light breeze whistled through the needles, but our jackets did enough to keep us warm. This place was so incredible and magical. I stood in awe for a moment before finding a shady spot between two huge boulders to lay our blanket. We had a bit to eat, and then we explored. The boys were in heaven, scaling these huge rocks and running around the forest.

The whole time I kept thinking how much more fun it would've been if Mr. Boss and the older kids had been there, too. It is definitely a place to revisit when the weather warms up again.

39 & 40 weeks

Another 2-in-1, since I didn't get it done last week. I just want to talk for a moment about where we took these photos. (I mean, look at that beautiful red rock! *scroll down*)

We were on a Sunday drive, on 89-A through Oak Creek Canyon between Flagstaff and Sedona (it's a seriously gorgeous drive). We kept looking for somewhere to pull over, and were getting a lot further than we'd planned, but finally I spotted it. Encinoso Picnic Site. The green, the red rocks, it was so beautiful.

It kind of became a goal as I got into taking these weekly photos to also show some of the natural beauty of where we've been living. Because usually, when people think about Arizona, they think of extreme heat, huge cactus, scorpion-filled desert. But there is so much more to this state. Maybe I haven't done the best job at showing it, but I hope I've shared  bit more of what this state has to offer.

So, the due date has come and gone. S was 4 days early, C was born on his due date, N was born in the early morning of the second day past his date. Z was 10 days late, and E was 16 days past her date. Who knows how long this little lady will wait. My hope was to make it, at the very least, to the official first day of autumn. We're so close!

I'm still feeling pretty good, for the most part. Except, we took the kids to get shoes recently, and I was squatting to feel where their toes were in the shoes they tried. I've been sore ever since. It started out as the upper thigh, then moved to the inner thighs and hips.

I'm still sleeping well, haven't been waking up as early as I had been - which is bitter-sweet. I loved my quiet mornings, but I'm also loving the sleep. It's just rough when is time to get up, because my soreness makes me so stiff first thing in the morning. I zombie-stumble from bed to the bathroom and through the first part of my morning. It's uncomfortable, but also kind of hilarious. I'm sure I look ridiculous. Ha ha.

I finally got around to pulling out and washing some baby laundry, so little lady won't be naked. I just packed my bag to take to the birth center last night. It had been a work in progress for most of the last week, but it wasn't until last night that I managed to finish it. 

I still feel like there's more I need to get done, so I find myself hoping for some last-minute panic/burst of nesting energy to help me get the last little things done. At the same time, I'm feeling like we're as ready as we'll ever be. All the big stuff is done. The house is mostly tidy  (that's a mix of tidy and lived-in), I've installed the car seat, my bag is packed. I think the biggest thing left to do is a shopping trip to fill our fridge and cupboards, and I'm planning to do that today, after my midwife visit. 

It kind of feels surprising, to realize were basically ready for this little lady's arrival. It felt so daunting to prepare, and it always felt so far away. But here we are, at the point where she could come literally any day. It's surreal. And the truth is, despite all my attempts to work through my fears, I'm feeling terrified. I guess I've still got some work to do, after all.