Negro Bill Canyon

Political incorrect-ness aside, James loved this canyon and its mini stream.  I loved it because it was flat enough for him to hike his 27-pound self on his own two legs. 

THIS IS AWESOME!!!

And then, just like that, nature takes an instant backseat when he discovers I'm holding an electronic device.  The photo shoot ends abruptly.

The Not-for-Tourists Guide to Arches

It's great having a friend who is a ranger in Arches National Park. 

We got to see all the best-kept-secret spots. 

Tunnel Arch.  So cool... and James-sized.

Ranger Karen herself.

 

This is Sandhill Arch.  Aptly named, and undoubtedly James' trip highlight.  Turn up the volume if you don't believe me.

We're still working on keeping the mouth closed while rolling down a sandy hill.

The trip to this arch was not for the faint-hearted or for two-wheel drive, low-clearance vehicles.

I've been mocked by various sources for buying a carseat with baby side airbags, but boy did it come in handy... at last.  James bounced and flip-flopped from one side of his seat to the other and giggled through his entire first off-roading experience.

Inside the eye of the whale.

I think this picture was supposed to be cooler than it turned out. 
Joan's idea.

But the arch looks great...

"Hard-Core" Bachelorette Party

A week before Karen got married, we threw her a camping bachelorette party. We started partying hard with margarita- and daquiri-flavored snow cones. Something about being served our "drinks" by a 16-year-old in a bright blue 9-square-foot wooden shack... well, took the edge off the cool factor.

The next step was swimming in the Provo river.  This resulted in a heated debate over whose upper thighs were whiter, mine or Karen's?  By far the most bachelorette-esque conversation I've ever had with this group of friends.

At last we made it to our campsite. Things were going smoothly, until the youngest bachelorette had a diaper blowout. Thankfully her mother had a headlamp handy to survey the damage.

CONGRATS KAREN AND AMMON!

The Wheels on the Bus

G

Go round and round and James-never-gets-sick-of-this-book and round and round.  He knows the actions for each and every page.  Isn't it great?  My favorite, by far, is "move on back".

Before...

I suited up James and his favorite cousin Owen for a bike ride. 

Pop quiz: Which toddler was excited for the upcoming ride?

And After...

Apparently it is exhausting to watch me ride a bike. 

(Note:  It is no coincidence that the unhappy child in picture A is no longer wearing a helmet in picture B.  A fairly impressive tantrum happened just before nodding off, during which he drove his point home by yanking off his helmet.)

Diaper Dance

James came out of the bath, and I was just about to put him in PJs, when Grandpa Bruce struck up a tune on the piano.  So much for winding down before bed...