We Camp in Moab and Hike Delicate Arch

The kids and I, along with Justin and Kara, went camping this last weekend - in my grandparents yard in Moab. Ryan went with Uncle Justin and Aunt Kara every chance he could - here he is in their tent. He actually slept in his own little tent - I was surprised he wanted to and even more surprised he actually slept by himself two nights in a row!
Here are the girls:
Below is the hill in my grandparents backyard - so many fond memories of hiking up this hill and playing with my cousins - Brant, Jason, Hannah, and of course my sisters - remember trying to get that lizard Camie? all we had to do was move one tiny rock...little did we know that one tiny rock was holding half the mountain in place. And Jenae, remember the cactus you fell in? Justin and Ryan went looking for lizards themselves.
My Aunt Julie and Uncle Kelly's place - they live next door to Grandma.
Driving up in Arches National Park: The three gossips are on the left:

Sheep rock, although I always preferred to think of it as a lion instead:
Delicate Arch from the road:

Ryan, happy that he gets to ride with Uncle Justin and Aunt Kara:

Balanced rock:
How Kate prefers to hike:
Blooming cacti were everywhere!
Underneath Delicate Arch:
The hike can be summed up in one word: Windy. What, you want two words? Ok - EXTREMELY WINDY.

I wouldn't have made it without these two - well, maybe I would have, but I bet I would have left a kid behind.
Kate kept telling me, "I'm going to blow away!"

Ryan hiked down to the almost bottom wearing my sunglasses to keep the sand out, Kate rode on Justin's shoulders with her eyes closed ("closing my eyes is the bestest"), and I carried Marin the whole way down with her huddled into my chest. When we went to go see the petroglyphs at the bottom, Ryan told us he needed a break. Kate pipes in, from the top of Justin's shoulders where she has been the entire hike down, "me too." Justin was in stitches over it.
Saturday, after Justin and Kara left, Aunt Marvelee and the kids and I, and my cousin Michael (who is one month older than Ryan) went to some parks to feed the ducks and play. Marin slept peacefully on a sleeping bag on the ground at the park the whole time, Kate often sat with Marvelee and I on the swinging bench, and Ryan and Michael did what boys do at parks with streams - they got their feet wet.

My kids loved the tire swings in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard - and my sweet grandma pushed them often. My grandma is the sweetest little old lady you will ever meet - on Saturday, I walked in their house and she had just gotten off the phone with my mom. She told me, "I just got off the phone with your grandma." Then she looked at me, then looked at Marin, and said, "No, I just got off the phone with your grandma." It was too cute.
On Sunday morning, when we left, Grandma was very lucid. Marin said the prayer over her breakfast, and Grandma said, "that was so beautiful - you are teaching them so well." Then she started crying. I just hugged my grandma for as long as I could - it was so good to see her and grandpa, and it sure boosted my morale as well!