find joy in the journey

neighborhood walk (and a pep talk on self-doubt)

This week I'm soaking up the joys that come from a walk in my neighborhood. The temperature is just about perfect right now.  Everything is green and growing. The air feels wonderful.

But one of my favorite things has to be all the people that I pass along the way. 

You see, in Vegas I feel like people tend to keep to themselves in their homes.  You don't see a lot of people working outside in their yards (everyone has a yard maintenance guy for that) or washing cars in their driveways. We run our errands, drive the carpool route, pull into our garages, close the door, and go inside.

But, I feel fortunate to live in a neighborhood where we have some amazing and very well-kept walking paths and trails.  They get used a lot by walkers, runners, moms pushing strollers, and people out walking their dogs.  I love taking walks on these trails because everyone is so friendly.  I can count on getting a "hello", "good morning", or wave from about 90% of the people that I encounter.  Now, I do initiate most of those greetings . . . but at least everyone makes an effort to make eye contact & respond!

I was walking today and the song "Who are the people in your neighborhood" kept running through my head.  Thank you, Mr. Rogers!

So I started making a mental list of the people I saw and even stopped to interact with today

the mom pushing a stroller with a baby strapped to her back

the bearded guy with a big dog

the man walking with a newspaper in hand

the woman with her push walker just outside the Senior living home and her little dog on a leash (so many friendly people come out of this home)

the elderly gentleman who stopped me to give a warning about water on the path ahead. He wanted to make sure I was careful and didn't slip.

the landscape workers who kindly & respectfully stop their blowers & mowers and step to the side when I walk past

the vibrant older woman wearing a tennis visor and sunglasses, pushing a puppy stroller, with a black & white puppy running circles around her ankles. I stopped to comment on how adorable her puppy was (a Shih Tzu / Poodle mix).  This sweet ball of fur (and energy) gave me loves while she told me how exhausting the puppy stage has been and I could tell the sweet thing was giving her a run for her money!  It was her first puppy -- her previous dogs were rescue dogs that were a bit older.

the man in his early 40's, running and sweating his guts out

and I can't forget to mention the little robin that made an appearance on my walk -- those birds are a much more welcome sight over the pigeons that try to take over the area.

Yes, I am grateful for this green & friendly neighborhood that we discovered in the middle of the desert.  A brisk walk on a beautiful day like this does all kinds of good things for the soul.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

PODCAST:  I listened to a great podcast by The Alison Show: Episode 44: How to overcome crippling self-doubt

Now, crippling self-doubt is not something I personally experience.  And I don't mean for that to sound cocky!  As you listen you'll hear Alison's husband talk about the fact that self-doubt is not an issue for him either.  I feel smidgeons of it at times -- but it doesn't rock me.  I love looking to others who are doing awesome things for inspiration -- that motivates me and I don't get stuck in the comparison trap.  You're doing awesome at your thing, I'm doing awesome at my thing - yay for everyone!

But I know a lot of people struggle with this so I want to understand it.  I loved some of the things she shared (I was taking notes on my phone while I walked!):

If you have made doubting yourself a habit . . . why? how is it serving you?

-It gives you an excuse - makes you feel like you don't have to put yourself in the ring

-When you express self doubt you are soliciting praise, acknowledgement, and support. (So many problems with this! Most of the time people don't say what you want them to - you can't write their script.  AND they aren't physically there all the time to say it. AND eventually that wind in your sails will die down and you'll be lost at sea.)

-We get to be indecisive without calling it fear. 

How to get out of self doubt (I always love an action plan!)

-Try to be excited for other people!  Adopt an abundance mentality.

-Know that you are enough. You hold value outside of your achievements.

-You have a lifetime of experiences that are building up to what you will be & what you want to do.  Don't discount any of them.

-The best way to dissipate self doubt is through action

-Always remember the people that you are serving.  When you do, it makes it less about YOU.

* * * * * * * * * * * * 

This morning I also spent some time in the temple. I love the quiet time I get there to ponder & pray and check in with Heavenly Father about things I need & want direction on.  While I was hoping to get a new idea, a new action plan, or new direction to take  . . . instead, the inspiration I received was, "keep doing what you are doing"

At first I thought, well, that's not helpful -- I need something new!  And then I quickly realized, no, this is incredibly helpful.  

To be told, "I see your efforts, you're on the right track, keep doing what you are doing . . . it will lead to good things with time."

That's really one of the best assurances I could have received.

My thoughtful sister-in-law shared this quote with me on Instagram and think it resonates wonderfully with this topic of self-doubt, seeking inspiration, and putting forth our best efforts.

You can accomplish anything you wish to accomplish. And oh, how very, very great is the need for you in a world of crumbling values where the adversary seems so very much to be in control.

I feel to invite women everywhere to rise to the great potential within you. I do not ask that you reach beyond your capacity. I hope you will not nag yourselves with thoughts of failure. I hope you will not try to set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know. If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass.

-Gordon B. Hinckley

dinner & the mob museum

Scott and I don't usually go out ON Valentine's day.  But this year it fell on a Wednesday night, which meant that all of the kids' usual activities were cancelled, AND there was no school the next day so we decided, why not?  Recently, a lot of our dates have been dinner and done.  Nothing too exciting or creative or adventurous.  Honestly, it's been survival mode for quite a while and any kind of night out, no matter how simple, has felt like a real treat!

I decided it was time to mix things up a little bit.  Make things interesting!  So I came up with a date night plan. A few days before Valentine's I called Scott on the phone and asked him out.  Yep, I asked him out just like we were dating. "Hey, I was wondering if you have any plans Wednesday night?  Would you like to go out with me?"  He was a little confused.  Even more so by the fact that he was sitting in the backyard and I was calling him from inside the house.  Like I said, just keeping things interesting!

Dinner

I looked up Italian restaurants on Yelp and came across this little place.  Trattoria Italia.  I was recently talking to a friend who shared her desire to go to more mom & pop restaurants. But that's really hard to do in Vegas because everything is a chain!  We don't have many of those little, original, homey-type restaurants. 

But this place . . . it fit the bill. By definition, "Trattoria" is a small inexpensive, authentic Italian restaurant that serves simple, yet delicious meals and wine. Upon entering the restaurant the thing that immediately tipped me off that this was going to be a good experience was the staff.  We're talking real-deal, authentic Italian, accents and all. And there was just this overall vibe like everyone is working hard because they care about the place.  It is 100% family run and they opened their first restaurant 40 years ago in Sicily. 

As you can guess, the food was amazing.  The fried mozzarella balls are a MUST for your appetizer!  Caprese salad and garlic knots to dip in olive oil also got us started.  When trying out new Italian places, I typically go for lasagna.  If they can make a good lasagna, I'm sold.  Scott also chose his favorite - fettuccine alfredo.  We were both very, very happy.

I've never been to Italy.  But Scott has and he said that this food reminded him of everything he tasted and experienced in Rome.

And then there is the dessert case! We were much too stuffed - I seriously could not even think about food.  But it all looked so good and I did not want to miss out so we decided to come back later for dessert.

Part 2 - The Mob Museum

The idea for this date was conceived when I saw an event posted on Facebook -- free admission to The Mob Museum on Valentine's Day for all Nevada residents.  I'll take free!  This is a place that has kinda/sorta been on my list of places to see in Vegas, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity.  And nothing goes with the mob quite like Italian food. ;)

Part of my desire to visit the Mob Museum is that it's a pretty cool looking old, historic building.  It has undergone extensive renovation, but places like this just don't exist much in Vegas. I loved these post office boxes that lined the main lobby.  Originally built in 1933, it was the Las Vegas Post Office & Courthouse.

As far as the exhibits . . . meh.  Somewhat interesting, but not super exciting for me.  Let's just say that we're really glad we visited on a free day!  Also, I would be leery of bringing kids because there is language in some of the displays, as well as graphic photos (i.e. photographs of mobsters lying in a puddle of their own blood or tied up and disfigured after being thrown into a lake).

That being said, it was different and unique and we got to take our own mug shots!!!

After visiting the Mob Museum our bellies had settled enough so we returned to Trattoria Italia and chose a few desserts to go.  We plopped into bed with this box, turned on the olympics, and just enjoyed.

A happy Valentine's Day for us!

valley of fire // fire wave & rainbow vista trails

It's February.  And if you live in the desert this means you better get outside and do some hiking! Because the heat will be here before you know it.

Last February we hiked Valley of Fire with friends and so we decided to do a repeat in 2018.  Our first few visits to Valley of Fire we have done the Mouse's Tank hike along with some of the fun stops along the road (the cabins, the Beehives). So on this visit we decided to visit a couple new areas. First off . . . 

Fire Wave

Drive up White Domes Road and stop at Parking Lot #3.  The Trailhead for Fire Wave is just across the street.  You start out walking toward this giant rock, around the right hand side, and then you enter a brand new terrain.  Large expanses of solid rock with ribbons of color.

Just a beautiful wide open area!  This is definitely a hike to do in cooler temperatures as there is no shade whatsoever.

Recently my friend, Jenn, told me about grounding.  When you're out in nature you should take your shoes off and walk barefoot on the dirt, rock, sand in an effort to feel connected, grounded to the earth and it's energy.  So Anna and I did just that and it felt great!  I'm planning to be a little more "grounded" on all of our future hikes. 

On our way back . . . for some reason this One Way sign cracked me up.

Super easy hike.  In fact, when we finished I said, "that wasn't a hike.  We need to find another trail!"  Which led us to . . . . 

Rainbow Vista

We have visited this area before, but never set out on the trail.  I'm glad we did!  Because the reward at the end of the trail was pretty amazing.  Just wait and see!  The trail begins by meandering through a desert meadow - as I like to call it.  It's actually really pretty!  I love the contrast in color between the red rocks and the silvery grey/green plants.  The pictures just don't capture the feeling accurately enough.

Conner also takes every opportunity to climb to the top of every rock he can find.  One reason that I love hiking with my kids -- it brings out an active and adventurous side in them!  My boys are not into sports, which is totally fine - we're rocking the nerd camp and proud of it.  But I love that these hiking trails (especially the ones with lots of large rocks) sparks this energy in them.  

Then the trail takes you into a little canyon so many rock climbing/exploring opportunities on either side and little holes and crevices to explore.  Other than one little bird, we did not see ANY wildlife during this trip.  No lizards, no bugs, nothing. Because the area is so dry and stark, we don't worry about exploring those holes and being surprised by any critters.

A few times the kids wanted to give up and go back but I prodded them farther.  Which was a good thing because at the end you reach a lookout viewpoint of Fire Canyon

This photo does not do it justice in portraying the enormity of those rocks.  Just take my word for it, the view is worth it!  But keep your littles close because there isn't much to block or prevent a fall.

Between these two trails, picnic lunch, and stop at the visitor's center we spent about 3 hours in the park.  Which seems to be just the right amount of time for each of our visits.  I love that this place is just over an hour away, so it feels accessible.  We can do a little hiking, and whatever we miss we know we will catch another time.  

If you want to check out my other Valley of Fire posts you can find them right here

Valley of Fire Part 1 - Beehives, Atlatl Rock, Arch Rock, Balancing Rock, Mouse's Tank

Valley of Fire Part 2 - Rainbow Vista, Fire Canyon, The Cabins, Elephant Rock

Valley of Fire with Friends - Six Sisters, The Cabins, Mouse's Tank

A little photo review of the day's hikes if you want to pin them and save them for later!

Next trail on our list . . . White Domes trail!  That was our plan for this day, but the road to it was closed.

valley of fire with friends

It's February, which means it is pretty much spring in the desert!  The weather has been beautiful the last few days - mid-60's. Yesterday we met our friends at Valley of Fire for a day of hiking, scaling rocks, and exploring and the day was just beautiful!  I love that Jenn & her kids are just 2 hours away and we can plan little adventures like this from time to time. It makes life in the desert all the more sweet. 

Thanks to the kids for coordinating your clothing - it was almost like family pictures!

These views are just simply amazing. 

Inside the Cabins, Payton was cracking me up as he took on the personality of Real Estate Agent . . . pointing out all the wonderful features of this stone dwelling in the desert.

We went on a short hike - Mouse's Tank - but much of the hiking occurred off the trail as the kids explored every rock, hole, and crevice they could fit their bodies into.  I just love this kind of outdoor activity. And my kids love it too.  Conner took it upon himself to climb to the TOP of every rock he could find.  Including the ones with "stay off" signs (i.e. Elephant Rock).  But he enjoyed himself which I love to see!  He even said that he would love to do this kind of activity/exercise every week.  Done!  I've been trying to nurture this exploring/adventurous spirit in my kids ever since they were little so it warms me heart and makes me smile to see it paying off!

I love being outside because life just seems simpler.  And we can create our own entertainment.  For example . . . we made a game of tossing small rocks into the small holes on the side of this big rock.  I told them, it will be just like the water bottle flipping game!

Calvin, Anna, Conner, Josie, Caleb, Payton, and Belle striking a pose in front.  I've known all of these kids since they were babies!

As I watched the kids climb to the top of this rock I was extremely aware of what a blessing it is to have strong, healthy bodies to get out and explore. For that I am so grateful!  And I will never get over the beautiful contrast between the blue skies and red rock.  Love it!

And my beautiful, amazing, powerhouse of a friend who is doing amazing things and thriving in the desert.  She teaches me so much.  She is a great sounding board but most of all I just like to listen. :)

I saw this quote on instagram today and I'm giving it a high-five right now.  

I'm thankful for the happy spirits in my life because they just make life better.

seven magic mountains

Who doesn't love random desert art?

On a recent trip to California we took a pit stop at the Seven Magic Mountains.  It is located to the east of I-15 and you can see it from the freeway.  Basically it is 7 rocks towers painted in neon/sherbert colors.  All kinds of awesome!

To get there from Las Vegas/Henderson:  Take Las Vegas Blvd at St. Rose Pkwy and go south about 12 miles.  It will be on your left.  There is a small gravel parking lot and a short path to walk out to the rocks.

donuts, dinos, and desert trails

President's Day meant no school and no work and the weather was beautiful so it was pretty much our responsibility as good human beings to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, blue skies, and see what adventures we could find.

It started with a trip to our (Scott's) favorite donut shop in Henderson - Friendly's.  Despite the distance (10-15 minutes away) there are many Saturday mornings when Scott will get up and drive past 4-5 grocery stores with bakeries just so he can pick up a dozen donuts for the family's breakfast enjoyment.  We thought this would be a great way to start our morning - pump our bodies full of sugar!!

Then we put in the address for a trailhead we wanted to try and set off on our way.  We drove through some unfamiliar, new to us neighborhood streets when we came across this

As we drove by my head turned "whaaaat is thaaaaat?"  So totally random - shocking and mesmerizing at the same time. Of course we agreed that we must stop the car and get a closer look!

The garage door cracks me up!  "The Dinos wish you a Happy President's Day"

Wow.  So so so random.

If you want to visit, the address is 733 Greenway Road, Henderson.  Here's a little article about the owner.

After a couple minutes we hopped back in the car and drove to our original destination -- The McCullough Hills Trailhead.

I've heard about this trail for sometime and read up a bit on it.  It is 8 miles long and starts on one side of Henderson (at the end of Mission Dr), and goes over/around the hill to Anthem HIlls Park.  We did not have plans to hike the entire 8 miles, but rather just to hike as long as we felt like & then turn around to come back.  

It was your basic desert hike -- gravelly trail, rocks, sagebrush, cactus.  It was nice to enjoy the wide desert views knowing that we were so close to town.  Definitely not a hike you want to do in any kind of heat because there is zero shade at any point on the trail.  But it is good for this time of year.

Be careful around the cholla cactus!

Donuts, dinos, and desert trails . . . a pretty great day in the books!

anniversary narrows hike

Scott and I had our first date at T.G.I. Friday's.  It was a lunch date.  We were just getting to know each other and he asked me what kind of things I liked to do.  I listed a couple things which are now forgotten but I clearly remember saying "I like to play the piano and I like to go hiking."  Which is somewhat funny, because I wasn't a big hiker.  This is not something I did on a regular or semi-regular basis.  But anytime I got a chance to do it I just LOVED being outdoors and stomping up a trail.

We went hiking once together that summer with a group of roommates up the side of Mount Timpanogas.  But then . . . we never went again.  Kids happened.  Hiking with toddlers isn't really awesome.  

But the last couple years, especially since being in Vegas, we have been hiking up a storm!  And I just love it!  And Scott knows that I love it.  So when HE suggests that we go exploring/hiking for the weekend I know that he is doing it to feed my love language. 

This weekend we grabbed some water bottles, a few directions from Yelp, and hopped in Scott's truck in search of Anniversary Narrows.  It is an unmarked, unlisted hike in the Lake Mead area.  I know a family in our ward that has hiked there and I had a very small magazine article about the hike taped to my fridge for the past few months.  It shouldn't be that hard to find, right?

Well . . . . let's just say there was plenty of trial and error as we drove back and forth on gravel roads in the desert, trying to pay attention to landmarks so we didn't get lost.  But we found it and it was well worth it!  At the bottom of this post I will share more accurate and helpful directions than the ones we started out with.  

The hike area begins near some old abandoned mines (you can see one on the left-center of this photo).  They are fenced off and although other people went up close to peer in (and some ridiculous people have gone inside the mines and posted photos online), we were not in that group.  In my opinion, dark abandoned mines are on the bad list.

After a short walk around the mines you get to a wilderness marker (a pole in the ground) that marks the beginning of this amazing hike through a slot canyon.  We were in for a treat!

Beautiful, right?

We hiked as far as the end of the canyon, rested a minute, and then turned around and came back.  Another family kept going on the trail, but I don't know where or how far it continued.  Round trip the hike was roughly 1.5 miles.

Here's a short video that shows what the hiking terrain was like.  (The boys are absent from the video because we let them run ahead to the truck on the return trip.)

Anniversary Narrows from Shannon on Vimeo.

 And here are the GOOD directions that I promised:

*From Henderson take Lake Mead Parkway east all the way out to Lake Mead.  Pay the $10 fee at the entrance.  Soon after you will turn LEFT on Northshore Road.

*Drive to milepost 16 and pull over on the left-hand (north) side of the road.  This is Callville Wash "road".  I use the term "road" very loosely as it is about 3 feet of asphalt followed by desert gravel.  

*When you get to the first Y in the road stay LEFT.  There should be a sign that says "Anniversary Mine Road 94A".  You're on the right track!

*Continue for a while . . . . When you see a big white sign with red lettering that says "WELCOME TO THE ORE CAR MINE" take the road to the LEFT (or rather, straight).  Do not take the nicer looking road to the right. It leads to Anniversary Mine which is gated, private property.  We know this because we went that way first.

*Then, about 3/4 of a mile down the road you will come to a T in the road.  Turn RIGHT.  (Going left will also take you to some gated private property.  We also know this because we went that way first.  Noticing a trend here?)

*About 100 yards down you will see a crumpled up chain link fence.  I thought it looked vandalized and we turned around the first time we came to it.  But no, this is exactly where you want to be. Go through the gate and you have reached the mines!

*You can park right there, or if you have a high-clearance 4x4 vehicle you can continue driving all the way to the wilderness marker (a pole in the ground) that marks the beginning of the Anniversary Narrows trail.

Can you see why we got turned around so many times?  It is not an easy place to find if you're a first timer with sketchy directions from Yelp.  

stratosphere tower insanity

One evening Scott's brother was in town for a convention so Scott and Conner decided to go visit him at his hotel.  The plan was to hang out and maybe get some food.

About an hour later I got a text message with this photo.

And I knew EXACTLY where they were.  The top of the Stratosphere Tower about to go on some of the craziest thrill rides, 900 feet above The Strip!

My response, "Ack!!  Have fun, but please let me know when Conner is back on solid ground!"

Craziness!  

With our Nevada resident discount they paid just $27.99 each for unlimited rides on all 3 attractions.  While they had a great time Conner will admit that he was silently nervous on the drive to the Stratosphere, all the way up the elevator, getting strapped into the first ride, and then teetering over the edge of the Stratosphere tower.

Oh my goodness, I would have had a heart attack!

Which is a good thing this was an experience he shared with his dad and Uncle Randy.  After the stomach-lurching of the first ride Conner was pumped and in the zone.  I believe they went on about 10 rides (with no lines) before calling an end to the abuse.

It makes NO sense to me but if this is somehow "fun" for them then go for it.

singing and drumming in downtown las vegas

For the second year in a row Conner auditioned and make the cut for the school district's middle school honors choir!  For the past 6 weeks they have been practicing weekly and last week was the big performance, along with the high school honors choir.

What made this year's performance ah-mazing was the fact that they got to perform inside The Smith Center.  This building is gorgeous!!  And the acoustics are crazy good.  Just a beautiful performing hall.  I can only imagine the shaky knees and thumping hearts of those 6-8th graders as they stood on this massive stage and looked out at the sweeping audience and 5 balcony tiers.

They did a fantastic job.  The high school choir was amazing (something to aspire to next year).  And the guest director gave the kids an experience they - hopefully - will never forget.  This man, Dr. Rollo Dilworth, has over 150 choral compositions that have been published and he even brought one of his brand new, never before performed compositions for the combined high school and middle school choirs (360ish kids) to present that night as the closing number.  It was an arrangement of Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho and it. was. phenomenal.

We met Conner outside and he was on a high.  It makes me so glad when he gets to have great experiences like this and he appreciates it and soaks it in. 

Earlier that afternoon we dropped off Conner at 3:00 for his dress rehearsal and the rest of us went exploring around downtown.  First we stopped at Fremont Street and took pictures outside the infamous Heart Attack Grill.

Yep, you eat for free if you weigh over 350 lbs.  Payton doesn't make the cut.

But honestly, Freemont Street felt really yucky, dirty, creepy (and naked - "I'm averting my eyes!") to us so we left pretty quickly and walked the 2-3 blocks to the Downtown Container Park.

Ahhh, much better.  I'm telling you, the vibe in this place screams Portland and the Pacific Northwest.  Scott completely agrees.  It is so not Vegas.  And we love this little quiet, clean, hipster block in the middle of downtown.

The kids played, Scott and I sat nearby and chatted, I bought a bag of kettle corn for munching, and we just had a lovely little afternoon/evening.

As we walked out of the park we noticed a semi-circle of drums out in the open with random people beating to their heart's content.  Of course we joined them! 

Soon they began a drum ceremony to awaken the mantis.  Ok, we're down with that.  Whatever "that" is.  The drumming intensified as the countdown began, 3 - 2 - 1 and BAM!!!

Massive, hot flames shot out of the mantis antennae.

Now this is what is what Vegas is all about.  Random, cool stuff, with high entertainment value.  

And it is possible to like both:  the laid-back hipster vibe AND the flashy entertainment vibe.  Just as long as you can steer clear of the naked brand of entertainment.  :)

valley of fire, part 2

There was just too much to squeeze into the last post!  Here are a few more spots that we visited in the Valley of Fire state park.

Rainbow Vista

Beautiful vistas.

And awkward poses.

At this point the kids were starving so we walked across the street and found a picnic table in the shade of this hill to eat our picnic lunch. 

After lunch we checked out the Rainbow Vista trailhead and decided rather than taking the hike we would just wander around and explore the area.  It was a good choice.

 

 

Fire Canyon

 

 

The Cabins

I was really excited to see the cabins.  You see, there is a sweet 97 year old woman I've had the opportunity to visit a couple times.  She told me all about growing up in Overton (which is adjacent to the park) and how she met her husband.  He was part of the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) and was stationed in the area with the assignment to build these stone cabins.  They were made in the 1930s as a shelter for travelers.

How cool to see this piece of history come alive.

The lighting in the doorway was perfect for portraits!

Windows are awesome too.

  

Elephant Rock

And as if the park saved the best for last, Elephant Rock is positioned by the east entrance/exit and we got to enjoy this one last sight before leaving for the day.

That is one impressive rock!

As you can tell we had a great time in the park.  What a wonderful treasure to have just a little over an hour away from our home.  

Visiting tips:  

Entrance fee is $10 ($8 for Nevada residents)

We entered the park around 9:30am - we did a hike, had lunch, and saw everything that we wanted to see - and left at 1:30pm.  4 hours was perfect.

Bring lots of water.  It feels a lot warmer than your thermostat would leave you to believe!

Pack a picnic lunch.  There are several really nice areas with picnic tables & shade for enjoying your lunch.

Here is my first post about our visit - Valley of Fire, part 1

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

After leaving the park we drove to Overton, about 10 miles away.  We stopped at The Inside Scoop for some ice cream -- with a constant stream of locals coming in for burgers & ice cream it was a happening place!  Overton is a small town, but rich with personal history for me.  My grandfather, great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents all lived there. We even drove up to the Pioneer Hill Cemetary and were able to find my great and great-great-grandparents' graves, along with other relatives.  What a cool experience!

valley of fire

Another month, another opportunity for a great hike and exploring outdoors! 

The kids had a 4 day weekend, and now that we are in November and the temperatures have cooled off a little bit, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to go check out Valley of Fire.  This has been on my list for the longest time.  But as the name implies, this is a place you DO NOT want to visit in the summer.  It is hot, hot, hot!  I missed my chance in the winter/spring and I have waited for the summer months to tick by and the temperatures to drop before attempting the day trip.

And let me tell you, Valley of Fire did not disappoint.

And I have over 200 pictures to prove it.  Ha!

Whittling it down for this post was hard, but I'll do my best.  First stop of the day, 

Beehives

As soon as we parked the car the kids bolted out to play.  Running, climbing, scaling, shimmying, proclaiming "I'm the kind of the world!", and having the best time.

This area is called the Beehives because the sandstone formations look like, well, beehives.

 

Atlatl Rock

After walking up a giant metal staircase you are rewarded with some amazing petroglyphs.  What a sight!

So amazing!  And this was just the first of many petroglyphs we would see throughout the park.

 

Arch Rock

 

Soooo, I'm not sure what we were expecting but the Arch Rock was a little underwhelming.  It was pretty tiny.  We probably need to visit Arches National Park to get our fix in the arch category!  But we took a photo with it anyway and laughed on our way back to the car.

I didn't take any photos at the Visitor's Center but it was nice.  There were many displays that were interesting to the kids - they took their time reading the placards and studying the history of the ancient inhabitants, the different types of rocks, etc..  There were also a few live desert animals in display cases - snake, tarantula, scorpion, lizards - and that's always fun.

 

Balancing Rock

As we climbed down the kids begged me to take their picture in this position - as if they are falling down a cliff . . . and their predicament has somehow made it necessary for Conner to eat Payton.  ??

As I read up on the Valley of Fire before our day trip I came across many reviews comparing it to Mars.  Although I have never personally been to Mars, from what I've seen of the Mars rover and sci-fi movies, I would have to agree.  Super fine red sand and red other-worldly rocks spread across the landscape.  A pretty great place for exploring and pretending that you are on another planet.

 

Mouse's Tank

Mouse's Tank was our first "hike" of the day.  A short 3/4 mile round trip trail.  It doesn't sound that long, but walking through sand the entire way makes it feel longer than it actually is.  You can see that Anna is trying to get her footing.  The kids were a little nervous about getting all that sand in their shoes, but it was so fine that it never really bothered anyone.

The trail was also called Petroglyph Canyon.

This canyon also reminded us all of The Three Amigos, when they are traveling through a canyon in search of the singing bush and the invisible swordsman.  And so we decided that that should also be our quest.  Faaaar-ley, farley, farley, farley, far-ley!

And then I saw this rock and I said, "hey guys it's the USS Starship Enterprise!"  To which Scott corrected me by pointing out that it was actually a Romulon vessel, and Payton responded immediately by jumping up on an adjacent rock and acting out a battle sequence as if he was at the helm of the Enterprise.

We are super nerdy / awesome.

Anna was obsessed with all the little caves and niches, declaring each one her "home!"  And then she would go on to point out where she would sleep, where the kitchen was, where she would sit, etc.

Even kissing her "Home" goodbye when it was time to move on.  What a silly girl.

I loved all the lines and textures in the sandstone.  Isn't this beautiful?

We came across another "home" for Anna and after proper inspection she determined that this was her favorite.

I love seeing the kids play together and enjoy being outdoors so much!  Not an electronic device in sight!

Well, I think that is more than enough photos for one post.  I'll share the rest of our day in another post!

Valley of Fire, Part 2

city view hike

This has been a great weekend.  Between a Saturday morning hike, Saturday chores (not necessarily fun but the results make me happy), and a date to a food festival I definitely feel like I got the recharge that I talked about in my last post.  

I had been planning this Saturday morning hike all week and I mentioned it to the kids as an invitation rather than a demand, and they were all on board.  The hike is really close by so I figured that we could just roll out of bed, put on some clothes and shoes, and make a little outing of it and still have the whole morning and day ahead of us.

My alarm went off Saturday morning (because I wanted to do this early) and I hesitated.  I even got up, went to the bathroom, and came back to bed and thought to myself "no one would be disappointed if I just forgot about it."  But then I remembered that this is something on my fill-my-bucket to do list, and yes I would be disappointed if we didn't do it.

So I gathered the kids and we drove off.  Scott opted not to go, which was totally fine with me.

It was a great morning.  Overcast, about 68-70 degrees.  The hike followed a gravelly trail of switchbacks up to the top of a nearby hillside where you get an amazing view of the city.  I'll let the pictures tell the story (all taken with my iphone 4s -- I've had that phone for almost 3 years, feeling like it's almost time for an upgrade!).

*Be sure to watch the video later in the post.

WATCH THIS VIDEO:

What a surprise!!

I posted a picture of our hike on instagram and commented that I love these family hikes because they always bring out the most fun (and random) conversations.

VIDEO:

 Did you hear the stray Romeo and Juliet comment at the end?  And something about nacho cheese?

 

If you want to go:  The City View Trail can be found in Sun City MacDonald Ranch.  Take High Mesa Road all the way to the end and you'll find a tiny park on the left with parking, bathrooms, and picnic tables.  You can't miss the trailhead.

polaroid museum and sprinkles

This week I had the chance to go to the Polaroid Museum at the Linq.  A while back ago  I had mentioned to Scott that this would make a great date.  His enthusiasm didn't really match mine so I was excited when I learned that this would be the spot for our second Art Group outing.  While I don't always "get" the who/what/why behind art, photography is right up my alley!

We showed up and had a docent take us down a Polaroid memory lane. 

I loved this instagram color collage.  I guess you could call instagram the new era of instant photography.  And did you know that the instagram logo is patterned after the 1977 Polaroid camera?

 After the tour we went downstairs to the store and took a seat at the Fotobar to print our own instagram images.  It was really easy to get connected with your instagram account.  The hard part was scrolling through all my images and trying to pick just a few!

They print your photos right there in the store with a Polaroid style frame and I love the material - it is a super thick chipboard/cardstock.  What I also loved was this shadowbox below.  I can totally see this in my home -- an ever rotating display of favorite seasonal instagram pictures.  (The photos attach to the shadowbox with magnets.)

These art outings have been a great opportunity to see some new & different & interesting parts of town.  And in addition to that I've been able to meet some new & interesting people.  The organizer of the group has a wide net of friends and connections that she invites each month.  And even though I show up only knowing 2 people, it has always been so nice to chat with people about their lives, what they do, their interests, etc.  A budding photographer, a pro graphic designer, a high school English teacher, and so many moms with littles at home including the mom with a 10 week old baby who decided she needed to pump and get out for a couple hours!

I'm grateful for things like this -- a chance to get out, experience new things, break out of a comfort zone, feel enriched, and of course, end with a cupcake.

Win.

family home evening // our town is awesome

As I scrolled through my instagram feed yesterday I came across Becky Higgins' latest Cultivate a Good Life message.  I love love these short thoughts.  So often they re-remind of things that are essential for good/happy/healthy living that either get forgotten or lost in my busy brain.

The message (found HERE) reads:  Part of cultivating a good life is appreciating where you live.  Sure, there are other places you could be happy, but be happy where you are.

If you followed my blog in 2012 you'll know that Vegas was hard for me.  I struggled for a while, but I feel like I am moving closer to loving the place I live.  For the most part I have kept frustrations & annoyances out of earshot of the kids.  Lately, though, I began to notice that they have been missing Oregon a little more frequently, and vocally.  Which is okay - to an extent.  They can keep and cherish all the fond memories we have of that place - it was great!  I just don't want it to get in the way of appreciating where we live now.

So, I thought this message would be great as part of a Family Home Evening lesson.

First we talked about gratitude.  I was reminded of Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk, Grateful in Any Circumstances.

BEING GRATEFUL FOR THINGS

"It is easy to be grateful for things when life seems to be going our way.  But what then of those times when what we wish for seems to be far out of reach?

Could I suggest that we see gratitude as a disposition, a way of life that stands independent of our current situation?  In other words, I'm suggesting that instead of being thankful for things, we focus on being thankful in our circumstances -- whatever they may be."

We talked a little about being grateful for the things and blessings we have.  Actually, last week's FHE lesson was all about prayer and getting better at expressing the things we are thankful for, so this built upon that.

The next step is to be grateful even when life isn't going perfectly.  Have a bad day at school, tough assignments, and teachers you don't get along with?  -- you can still be grateful that you have the opportunity to go to school and learn, that you have friends there, that we only have to drive or walk a few minutes to get to school, etc. the list goes on.

BEING GRATEFUL IN OUR CIRCUMSTANCES

"We can choose to be grateful, no matter what.

We sometimes think that being grateful is what we do after our problems are solved, but how terribly shortsighted that is.  How much of life do we miss by waiting to see the rainbow before thanking God that there is rain?"

We listed examples from the scriptures and church history - Job, Nephi, the Pioneers, Joseph Smith - all people who showed gratitude in the middle of incredibly hard conditions.

And we pointed out examples from our own life -- right now -- where we are working through some hard things but we have chosen to be grateful for the opportunities it has given us.

GRATITUDE AS AN ACT OF FAITH

"Being grateful in our circumstances is an act of faith in God.  It requires that we trust God and hope for things we may not see but which are true.

True gratitude is an expression of hope and testimony.  It comes from acknowledging that we do not always understand the trials of life but trusting that one day we will."

Finally, I stressed the importance of developing gratitude because it is the foundation that leads to all other Christlike attributes.  

Then I transitioned to the Cultivate a Good Life message I found above.  I told them that we were going to sit down and write a list of things that makes our town awesome.

 Download OurTownIsAwesome -- add a little washi tape and make your own list

We worked on the list last night, and I left it on the kitchen table to add to when things pop into our minds.  The kids had a little bit of a hard time coming up with things on the spot.  But I hope that it gets them thinking about and noticing the really great parts of what we get to experience here.

FHE success ::  A little lesson in gratitude and finding the awesome in where we live right now.

super summer theatre & a picnic

Red Rock Canyon.  Outdoor theater.  Monty Python jokes.  Picnic.  And a cool summer night (thanks to being in the canyon).

This was the recipe for one perfect date!

I've known about the Super Summer Theatre for quite sometime and always thought it would be fun to go.  When I saw that they were showing Spamalot, and knowing my husband's appreciation of all things Monty Python (he does own a set of coconut shells), I thought this was the perfect opportunity to give it a shot.

So we packed up a picnic and headed into the desert

No, this is not where we picnicked - a little too dangerous if you ask me.  I just thought that it was beautiful so I had to take a picture.  

The theatre is in the Spring Mountain Ranch State Park which is shockingly green and cool compared to the city.  We have the nearby spring to thank for that.  Yay for water!

The stage is perfectly positioned on the east side of the lawn so the sun sets behind you.  With this huge grassy lawn, and the mountains right behind us, I thought it was a great venue.

I love that they divide the lawn right down the middle -- chair seating on the right, and blanket seating on the left.  First come, first serve.  We chose blanket seating and definitely feel that is the way to go.  Always.

I spy Scott . . . 

There's that handsome guy munching on some cheese and crackers.

Speaking of our picnic . . . isn't this spread just beautiful?  

No PB&J, potato chips, or Oreos here.  We seriously felt so grown-up munching on our selection of fancy meats and cheeses.

Our dinner included wafer crackers and sliced baguette, genoa salami and prosciutto, smoked gouda and colby jack cheese, dried pears, fruit salad, and some toffee peanuts & chocolate coconut almonds for snacking.  (Earlier in the day we took a little trip to Sprouts - love their bulk bins!)

And we were stuffed!  

We also used the blanket, bag, and picnic dishes that my mom & dad gave us for the homemade Christmas this past year.  Aren't these glass containers so pretty?  I believe they are from Cost Plus.

As for the show . . . it was great!  We were both very impressed with the quality of the actors, music, sets, costume, lighting, really everything.  Not to mention the venue and the view.  With tickets at just $13 each it was a total win.  Shrek is playing next month and I think it would be really fun to bring the whole family.  But with a slightly less fancy picnic.  How about a couple of pizzas?

Like I said, what a great date!  I loved that we could arrive early and casually lounge and eat and visit for an hour or two before the show began.  I'm so happy we did this.

Note to self:  Next time bring a bigger cooler for more drinks.  And pick up two cushioned stadium seats with backs.