Southern Utah Style | Lake Powell Vacay

Harlem Pants | Tee | Sandals | Necklace | Sunnies

If you follow me on Instagram then you'll know that a couple weekends ago we took a road trip to Southern Utah to visit Lake Powell. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this destination, it should be considered one of the wonders of the world. It's a massive lake that spans parts of Utah and Arizona. The first time I went when I was a kid, I felt like I had landed on another planet--think Mars, with water... and jet skis. Filled with massive red rock cliffs, canyons, arches and beautiful blue-green water perfect for boating, it's one of my favorite places to visit. When our good friend invited us and a small group of friends to stay at his grandparents house/farm near the water, we were ecstatic to accept their hospitality. 

(Lake photo credit here and here.)

It was both Sam and Klair's first time at Powell. We left late Thursday night so that Klair could sleep on the way which worked out well. Once we arrived we immediately felt welcomed by our gracious hosts. Our friend's grandparents were some of the kindest people we've ever met, and they made us feel at home and part of the family. We spent our time hiking, boating, playing basketball, watching movies, roasting marshmallows, and generally relaxing with good company. Additionally, our friend's grandma was an amazing chef. We ate very well on our trip, with most of the food coming straight from their land.

I think the best part of the trip was how much fun Klair had. It's always a little scary bringing a baby/toddler on a road trip, but she did amazingly well. It helped that every one of our friends and the grandparents we stayed with took turns playing with Klair, and helped to make it an amazing getaway experience for us and our little lady. She loved all of the farm animals and we couldn't keep her off of a swing set they had in their front yard. She wasn't particularly fond of the swimming in the cold water at the lake, but she loved her first boat ride. She kept singing "row row row your boat" and was amazed by all of the water. Our fun weekend getaway made us excited for all of the adventures we have ahead of us with our little family. 

San Francisco Weekend Getaway | Part 1: Muir Woods

Jacket (similar) | T-Shirt | Necklace | Jeans | Boots | Watch 

Redwood trees? Check. Consider them crossed off my bucket list. This past weekend I flew out to meet Sam in San Francisco. He had gone out there a few days before for a work trip, and I met him at the tail end just in time for an awesome party and a few days enjoying Northern Cali. I loved spending time in the city, but what I enjoyed even more was just north of the sprawling metropolis. Once you cross the Golden Gate bridge, it's like entering a whole new world. The forests are so green and lush, the ocean breathtaking, and the towns perfectly quaint. It was nothing short of magical.

One place I have always wanted to visit is the Redwood Forest in Yosemite. Humongous trees that are hundreds--in some cases thousands of years old...some dating back as far as the time of Christ? Yes, please. Sadly, I've never found myself in that part of California. Fortunately for me, however, there is a smaller version just outside of San Fran. The Muir Woods boast the same gigantic trees. When I found this out I didn't give Sam a choice. We were going.

It ended up being one of the prettiest, most awe-inspiring places we've ever been to. The amount of greenery was so impressive, in fact, I almost felt like I was in Hawaii again... only with more pine trees. If only those trees could talk, I wonder the stories they could tell... ?

Perhaps Sam and I will remain in their memories as that one tourist couple who took 8,000 photos. Oh wait, everyone was doing that...