Bear Lake

Klair's Outfits: 

Swim Suit | Sunnies | Tank | Denim Shorts 

Mine:

Chambray Dress | Swim Suit | Floppy Hat | Sandals | Sunnies 

Utah is a gorgeous place. I'm frequently in awe of the beauty that my home state possesses, and last week was certainly no exception. We ventured up to Bear Lake for a camping and boating trip with my husband's side of the family. Even just the ride up there left us in awe. ...and then we got to the lake. This was only my second time there, and my first time during the summer. It didn't disappoint. We stayed in the quaint little cabin with a porch swing in the photos above, and enjoyed our time at the campgrounds immensely. There was a swimming pool, giant trampoline... thing (not sure what they're technically called) and a playground for Klair. And of course there was the lake itself. We spent lots of time on the water boating, swimming, tubing, and even water skiing. Yes, I tried a form of skiing for the first time ever. I've always been a boarder when it comes to extreme sports--wakeboarding, snowboarding, longboarding. I don't have anything against skiing, it's just the culture I was raised in. I decided to give water skiing a try, and it only took me about eight (hundred) times to get up... but I did it! And I think I stayed up for a whole ten seconds before falling back down. Go me! 

I wasn't the only one to try something new on this trip. Sam went out on the tube, and when asked if she wanted to go with her dad our little Klair said "yes." She bravely hopped on, and let us tow her behind the boat (at a slow speed of course). Although she initially looked terrified, she didn't cry at all and even asked to go again. Talk about a proud moment for this mama. 

Also, speaking of tubing, it was hilarious watching my husband, his siblings, and his dad on that thing. They (of course) took it upon themselves to try and throw each other around with the ultimate goal of making the rider fly off. It was hilarious to watch. Sam's little sister surprised us all and out lasted all of the men in the family with their muscles and determination. She caught more air and managed to stay on longer than anyone... and she kept wanting to go. It was girl power at it's finest. Haha! I'm so glad we were able to have such a fun time with our family! 

Before going camping, I had a bit of a cold. Once we got home, my cold came back with a vengeance. Apparently I over extended myself. I therefore spent the remainder of my weekend in bed. My sweet husband took care of Klair so I could rest and try and sleep this thing off. Despite the (lingering) sickness, as I look back on the past week I can't help but feel blessed. We had such a wonderful time up at Bear Lake! And, even though I would have preferred my weekend to end differently, I have an incredible husband who takes amazing care of me. That is something to be grateful for. 

I love this man. 

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. 

Klair's First Roadtrip: Viva Las Vegas

This past weekend we decided to do something arguably crazy: we took an (almost) 16 month old on a road trip. Our original plan was to have Klair stay with her grandma, but she became ill and on a whim we decided to just take baby girl with us. Our travel companions, Brittney and Jesse, love Klair and when we proposed the idea to them they were fully supportive. 

Thus, we all piled in to our SUV and headed south to Sin City. 

Now I'm sure you're probably wondering why we would take a baby to Las Vegas of all places. Well, first off, we stayed with Brittney's parents who live in a nice neighborhood (so we weren't on the strip the whole time). They were such kind, gracious hosts and made us feel very much at home. Second, we're Mormon... remember? Our trips to the bustling desert metropolis don't look much like the Vegas vacations that most people take. Our stay consisted of good food, shopping, a children's museum, swimming, parks, and generally enjoying the perfect warm weather. Brittney's family has a pool, so we took advantage of it. Klair was a little timid with the water and insisted on clinging to us at first, but eventually she warmed up to it and had a good time. 

I can't wait for the weather to warm up enough in Utah so we can enjoy more days like these. 

We managed to go to church and the temple while we were there, and it was really enjoyable and uplifting. The members in Vegas are so warm and loving. It made me want to be better, kinder, and more outgoing. Also, the temple in Vegas is beautiful--especially the grounds. 

The flowers were so vibrant, I could have stayed there all day. 

 Klair was one happy little baby wandering through the gardens at the temple. 

 The craziest thing we did while we were in Vegas was the roller coasters at the top of the stratosphere. I was convinced they would be really fun--I had no idea just how tall that building is, and how high up those rides really are. When we got to the top, it took all my courage not to get back on the elevator and return to a lower altitude. There were a few moments when I thought my life was over and I literally braced myself for the end. Luckily, I lived to see another day. While we were waiting in line for the ride that dangles you over the edge (the scariest one in my opinion) the song "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger" came on. This became our motto for the adventure. And, although I would never do it again, I'm glad that I can say I conquered my fear. 

Also, since I didn't get killed, apparently I'm stronger for it? I'll take it.

This is a photo Sam took from the top of the Stratosphere... impressive, right? 

Klair came up with us and she kept saying "wow" repeatedly while staring out the windows. It was really neat seeing that view, but it was even more amazing to see it through her eyes. 

Overall, we had such a wonderful time. I cannot emphasize enough how amazing Brittney's family was to take us in, and how much fun we had with the Leavitt's and the Wride's! Even though the car ride was a little rough at times with a baby (we drove at night to minimize the effect on Klair and she slept for most of it), Klair did so well and I think she enjoyed herself almost as much as we enjoyed having her with us.