Hikes With Dexter
January has been so beautiful in New Mexico.
And I've found some places to hike where it's just me and the dogs, or me and my Dad, who's been visiting, and the dogs.
Sunsets at five have been lovely, although the days are already extending.
There's a duck pond on one of the trails, just up from this picture. Cottonwoods, their leaves brown and dead right now, flank it. It's frozen now, the ice with cracks that look like tree branches. Look forward to the thaw, and to seeing ducks arrive, and then maybe ducklings? It's not too far, so maybe one of these days when it's warmer and there are actual ducks I'll bring the twins with me.
These hikes right now, primarily, are my time with Dexter, and my way to bring joy to his days. Even though he's doing well every hike I think, "Is this the last?" It could be the last for any of us, at any time, I know, but him dying of cancer makes that thought and my appreciation of the time I have with him ever-present. Which is a good thing.
Hope you all have a lovely weekend. Thanks for spending some time here this week.
XOXO
Dexter Pulls Through
Lovely winter-like hike with Dexter and my other dog, Newton, this morning.
Dexter has a really aggressive form of cancer. We're treating it, but we're only talking months in terms of the time he has left. Had a crisis with him earlier in the week...thought I was going to lose him but he pulled through. There was even some frolicking on the (short) hike we took this morning...not his usual amount, but some. Dexter loves to hike, and I'm using him being able to get out and enjoy himself as his main quality-of-life measure...so I know when it's time to let him go.
Grateful for each day we get together.
Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. Thanks for spending soem time here this week.
XOXO
"All the pleasures of Autumn..."
"...all the pleasures of autumn--hiking under deep blue skies...and the chance for a few last dips in the pool..."
--Vogue, September 2013
Fall is my favorite time of year in the West. Things are going OK around here...trying to focus on the good, as always.
XOXO
A Winter's Day in Moab
Hi Everyone!
Both grandmas offered to babysit today, and we took advantage of it with a quick trip to Moab (Arches National Park, stopping by Seco Canyon on the way for the petroglyphs). So beautiful in the snow. Missed the babies terribly, but I'll spend all weekend with them, and great to get out and be my old self for a day, you know?
Happy Weekend! Thanks for spending some time here this week. :)
XOXO
Luke's Diary: Our First Camping Trip!
Hi Mommy's Blog Readers!
Today Mommy said I could tell you about the camping trip we took for our first Labor Day weekend! I don't know what Labor Day is about; all I know is Mommy got an extra day off so we got to spend LOTS of time with her.
We got hungry on the ride over, but Mommy fed me as soon as we arrived. That's Uncle Ben's motorcycle in the background...Mommy didn't get any pictures of him this trip, but he was there and it was so fun to see him!
Grammy and Grandpa were there, too. They helped hold us, so we didn't have to sit in the dirt:
The grown-ups made a fire pit for campfires. I've seen fire before at Uncle Ben's...I love watching it...just stare at it, totally mesmerized.
Me and Sissy and Mommy and Daddy had our own tent. Mommy and Daddy bought it used from a friend of Uncle Ben's last weekend. Mommy says she and Daddy went camping in California last summer right before she got pregnant with us, and they camped in her backpacking tent like always, but a friend of Mommy's had a big comfy tent and ever since Daddy saw it he's wanted one. Mommy figured it was a good investment as we'll probably all be car camping--not backpacking--for a few years at least. (Plus, she says, how awesome to get one used and not have to spend the money on a new one.)
And then Uncle Ben and his girlfriend and Grammy and Grandpa stayed in Uncle Ben's camper:
Here's the inside of our tent. We all slept on this air mattress with two sleeping bags zipped together...it was pretty cushy. Mommy says to tell you I'm using the term "sleep" loosely...being in a strange place, we didn't really sleep all that much.
We camped RIGHT next to a pretty little stream...it sounded so nice. Grammy took me and Sissy and put our feet in it. I loved it; Sissy started crying, but I understand...it WAS pretty cold.
Daddy napped me, like he does at home:
There were also these rock cliffs on both sides of our campsite. We saw a marmot on the rocks one morning. And Mommy went out on the ATV with Grandpa that same day and told me they say two big deer--one with fuzzy antlers--and a red fox. She also said the aspen were just starting to turn, with little bits of yellow.
Oh, and Daddy brought our swing. Good call, Daddy!
Our boxers came camping too. Here's Newton keeping the ball away from all the other dogs:
Oh! And Mommy and Grammy took us on our first hike, too! We went on the Colorado Trail, just off of Marshall Pass:
Mommy said that's Mount Ouray, and that maybe we'll all climb it someday:
Sissy got hungry on the trail, but Mommy was prepared, and Grammy fed her a bottle while we walked:
It rained most of the hike...Mommy did her best to keep me dry:
Sissy was in the Baby Bjorn and I was in the Moby Wrap, both of which worked pretty well for hiking. I can't say that we LOVED our first hike, because it was raining and frankly, me and Sissy were both a little bit cranky. But everyone made it back safe and Mommy says we'll try again soon.
Whne we got back to camp, Daddy had made a spit out of willow branches and was roasting sausages. The grown-ups had Smores that night, too. Mommy told me when I'm a little older I can have a Smore too. She said that they are divine.
<<Insert second sleepless night in a row here.>>
And then it was morning and the last day of the trip. Grammy held us and then Mommy held us while Daddy and Grandpa broke camp. (Uncle Ben had to be back so he had left the day before.)
My conclusion of camping (me and Sissy both): We love being outside! Camping was super fun! (Although hiking in the rain is kind of for the birds.)
And Mommy says to tell you her conclusion of camping with two five-month-olds, and I quote: "A lot of work, not much sleep, but sooooooooo fun and worth it!"
Love,
Luke
Zoey's Diary: Fourth of July
Hi! Hi! Hi!
Mommy said I could tell you guys about our first Fourth of July. You guys! It was so fun! Except there weren't any fireworks because of all the fires in Colorado. I don't know what fireworks are, but Mommy said it's not really Fourth of July without them. She says next year we should get to see for ourselves. I hope so!
Fourth of July was a Wednesday, which means we got to go to Grandma and Grandpa's...we always go over there on Wednesdays. They live in this area called the Redlands, and all along the streets up there there were flags:
Mommy and Grandpa went for a hike like they always do, and we stayed and played with Grandma. Here are some pictures Mommy took on her hike:
Mommy said there's been some construction going on to the west of this lake, and she and Grandpa jumped the fence to see what it was all about. (It was Grandpa's idea, she said.) She says she thinks it was fish ponds, lots of square ponds side by side with rubber lining the steep edges. She says Grandpa's dog Jack and our boxer Newton jumped into one of the ponds and couldn't get out, so Mommy had to go into the pond and help. Mommy says going anywhere with Grandpa is always an adventure!
After the hike, Mommy came back and hung out with us and Grandma, and Mommy took a nap in the hammock with us. Grandma made lunch and we sat on laps while they played Upwords, which Mommy says is Like Scrabble but you can stack letters on top of each other. Grandma and Grandpa are already teaching us how to play. I think they are pretty hard to beat, though...Mommy almost never wins.
After that we went home and hung out with Daddy! Mommy and Daddy took us out to the yard and played with us on the grass. Here's my fourth of July outfit...isn't it cute? It's red, white and blue with the red bow in my hair:
And here's Bub'ses outfit...he got stars and stripes:
Grandma and Grandpa went to the parade, but Daddy said it was too hot for us. After, they came over and Daddy made dinner, teriyaki burgers and all the sides, and red, white and blue parfaits for dessert. Daddy said next year we can have some! Yay!
So that was our Fourth of July. I thought it was pretty great, even without the fireworks. :)
Love,
Zoey
Rustler's Loop
Really loving the Wednesday morning hikes I've been doing with my dad.
Two things that are going to be really hard for me to leave when we move--my parents, and all the wide open spaces we've got around here:
XO
"If It's Worth Doing, It's Worth Overdoing"
So I've come to the realization that the last of the baby weight is not going to lose itself, and, thus, austerity measures have been instituted. (eg, no cheese allowed in the house. I miss cheese. No desserts either, but that's not really a big deal for me.)
Also in an effort to lose the weight, and also, to feel more like myself, I've gone back to yoga this week (which has been so great), and have decided that I'm ready for harder hikes.
My dad and I went out Wednesday, six miles, lots of elevation gain, rocky trail, hot. HARD. As my dad always says (and this statement totally shaped my childhood, and who I am today): "If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing." We did the same hike about a year ago, and it wasn't hard. This week has really highlighted how far I have to go to get my pre-baby strength back, but that's OK. I love yoga and hiking. And after months of babies 24/7, it's lovely to be reclaiming little bits of my old self (although I do feel a little guilty. But it's OK to take care of the mama, right?)
Hope everyone has a great weekend! Thanks for spending some time here this week! :)
XOXO
2011: A Look Back
Hi Everyone! Happy Friday!
Hope you all have great New Year's Eve plans! We're laying low, which is fine. Unless we're traveling, I'm not a huge one for New Year's Eve, pregnant or not.
Like most everyone else, the end of the year is always kind of a reflective time for me. Thought I'd share some of what I've been thinking about:
January
We took a belated three-week honeymoon to Europe the end of 2010/beginning of 2011...spent New Year's in Prague (amazing...would do it again in a heartbeat) and the first few days of the year in Venice:
As soon as we got home, we got word that my husband's dad was very sick...we went straight to Las Vegas to be with him, and he died a week later. So hard, but I'm so glad we got that time together.
And then, straight to Denver for IVF #4.
February
The transfer for IVF #4 happened in February...AND we got a BPF! A good solid one, too...all my previous ones had been iffy and ended up being chemical pregnancies. We were so excited!
Didn't feel too bad for the first few weeks, and did some nice easy walks in the Colorado National Monument, which is super close to our house:
March
I was sick, sick, sick with the pregnancy.
We went to Vegas again to see and help my husband's mom.
Spring started to arrive:
April
We lost our baby, a girl, at 11 weeks 5 days...so close to being out of the first trimester and "safe." It was devastating, but my husband and I were so sweet and loving and supportive of each other. We lay on the couch in the evenings and drank wine and talked and cried. And then when we couldn't cry anymore we watched episodes of "Wipeout" which is the most ridiculous TV show ever...have never watched before or since but somehow the stupidness and silliness was what we needed.
Family and friends were wonderful, too.
And got back to being active, with one quick weekend snowboarding trip with my brother (we took his snowmobiles out into the backcountry...he'd run me up a hill and I'd snowboard down). So fun even though the snow sucked as it was so late in the season.
I also started hiking, including an incredible day trip to Moab with my mom and dad.
One of the places I went a lot in those first few weeks after the miscarriage was Holy Cross trail. When I first moved to the area, I'd stumbled on this cross. Didn't learn until years later that I knew the woman who'd brought it into being, and it was for her lost child:
May
Tried to get my body ready for an FET...the D&C wasn't complete...another trip to Denver and our clinic was needed.
Worked hard to recover physically and emotionally from the miscarriage.
Life went on as normal for the cows across the street from my parents:
June
An absolutely lovely hiking trip with my Dad in Utah. We take a trip together every year...it is just the best:
And more "finishing the miscarriage" shenanigans and another trip to our Denver clinic.
And the start of our summer vacation, driving to the West coast to camp and hang out with tons of friends...so fun and exactly what we needed.
July
Summer vacation continued...from the start: Highway 50 through Nevada on the way out, California, Oregon, Washington, Vancouver, Salt Lake City on the way home. It was lovely. Here's my husband and I at a BBQ with my BFF, Lake Washington, Seattle:
We also went to Santa Barbara for a long weekend to attend a gorgeous wedding, and again got to spend time with lots of freinds...so wonderful.
And...back to Denver for the FET...stayed with my brother which is always great...had my birthday 2 days before the transfer, and on the last day of the month...another BFP! Yay!
August
Did a short camping trip with my brother, but for the most part sick, sick, sick.
Learned we had twins!
My mother's organic garden was going crazy...
September
Camped again, this time with my whole family:
Still sick, but all was going well.
October
A fun trip to Denver to celebrate our anniversary.
Other than that, laying low with the pregnancy.
The first snow up in the mountains was so pretty (this is at my brother's house, where he and I and my brother who died grew up):
November
Went with my husband to Mobile, AL and gulf coast Mississippi to check out a potential job. We celebrated his birthday while we were there...so fun, although traveling wasn't all that easy...
And later in the month, Thanksgiving at our house with lots of people. My husband and his mom did all the cooking! :)
December
Holidays at my brother's up in the Colorado mountains. Here's our boxer Newton playing in the snow:
My pregnancy at 25 weeks is still going strong! :)
So, all in all, a heartbreaking year with the loss of my father-in-law and our unborn baby. A year consumed with doctor visits. Lots and lots of travel (which probably won't happen again for some time). Lots of time with freinds and family. And the most joyous year ever, in that we are so close to bringing home two real, live babies--something I wasn't sure would ever happen for me.
A roller coaster year.
Praying that everything--two healthy babies, graduation for my husband and hopefully a good job offer, a possible move to we're not sure where--will go our way in 2012, which should be a year filled with happiness, but will also probably contain a number of huge transitions.
Happy New Year to you all! Blogging has brought me such joy this year--and your presence has been central to that. Thank you for being here, and looking forward to sharing all that will be 2012.
XOXO
Kristen
The Annual Father/Daughter Trip: A History
Here's my dad and I on the top of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. A couple years ago we hiked from the South Rim to the canyon floor up the other side and then back. About 50 miles round trip. Absolutely incredible...this is something I'll definitely be doing again.So since 2001 my dad and I have done a trip together almost every year...just the two of us. It's always one of the highlights of my year.
Where we've been:
- 2001: Reno, NV
- 2003: Utah and Arizona and Las Vegas
- 2004: Jeeping in the Colorado mountains (this is the trip where I learned how to take my Wrangler off-road. We did some incredibly hard stuff, and my dad made me drive the whole way. Even though I was scared. Even though HE was scared (there was one portion of the trail with a huge drop-off on his side where he got out and walked)
- 2005: We were supposed to go to Seattle together, but my brother/his son had just died, and I couldn't fathom traveling
- 2006: North Carolina Outer Banks
- 2007: Washington's Olympic National Park, Victoria, BC, San Juan Islands
- 2008: Jackson Hole and Yosemite (it snowed like crazy this trip, even though it was early June)
- 2009: Backpacking in the Grand Canyon
- 2010: Memphis and Mississippi (I was initially sceptical of how much fun we could have there, but this ended up being one of my favorite trips)
And this year, it's four glorious days hiking in Utah, starting tomorrow. I've just had a couple brutal work weeks and I cannot tell you how excited I am to be getting out into the desert with no phone, no computer, no obligations...just a girl and her dad hanging out and having a good time.
Back Tuesday. Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! :)
XO
Hiking in Moab, UT
Happy Monday, Everyone!
Today I wanted to share a few pictures from Moab, UT, where my parents and I went hiking on Friday. Friday was the anniversary of my brother's death, and has traditionally been a really tough day for me (although this year it wasn't too bad...a few days before was much worse.)
Anyway, I don't know what to do with painful days except to try to go and make some good memories with the people you love who are still alive, so off to Moab we went.
First was Arches National Park, which I've been to a number of time. I think Delicate Arch is one of the most beautiful things on the planet, so we went there.
Photos, clockwise from left: My parents on the trail up to Delicate Arch; a cool old, old, old tree on the side of the trail, Delicate Arch with me (tiny, tiny) at the base.
After Delicate Arch, we got lunch in Moab at the Moab Diner. There was a car show in town (actually starting Saturday), but I got a few pictures of cars on the street. Love the colors on old cars, and their logos...kind of along the same lines as my obsession with old hotel signs.
And then in the afternoon, we went hiking again just outside of Moab in Negro Bill's Canyon, where I'd never been. There's a beautiful stream that runs through, which is unusual in this part of the world. And at the end of the trail is this unbelievable arch...it's hard to show in pictures...imagine a huge arching rainbow overhead.
Photos, clockwise from left: Me at the base of the arch (and source of the stream); the stream meandering through the canyon; the arch from below.
All in all a lovely day.
Hope everyone's week is fabulous!
XO
Missing Seattle: The Arboretum
Seattle's arboretum is so beautiful in every season, and big enough to get a decent workout in if you loop trails together. It's like leaving the city entirely it's so thick and lush, and it smells so good.
I came here all the time with my first dog, Shaye, a great Dane/greyhound mix. And then with Dexter, my brother's boxer, when I lived here a few years ago. Sometimes I'd be babysitting my BFFs miniature schnauzer--the fabulous Miss Lucy--and she'd come along. She'd always get muddy and I'd have to give her a bath in the sink.
Mid-day mid-week the arboretum is all but deserted. Absolutely love it here.
Image Credit: Wade Rockett.
A Sign of Spring
The water's falling freely behind this sheet of ice today...love that sound...
So I've been feeling a little cooped up and bored...so much of my time in the winter is normally spent on the mountain snowboarding...not complaining, but it takes some getting used to, the restrictions I'm on because I'm pregnant. One thing I can do, however, is hike (as long as it's not too strenuous), and so this morning I went out to the Colorado National Monument, which is not far from where I live.
I went up No Thoroughfare Canyon, which I guess I've never been to in the winter, because I was so surprised to see this waterfall. Love how it's just this solid sheet of ice, and then behind the water's flowing freely...it sounds so cool...a small aural sign of spring on this drab winter day...
A Lovely Hike Last Night
Newton at full run up on the Mesa last summer.
I used to surf pretty much every day, and one of the things I miss now that I don't do that anymore is being outside and leisurely watching the sunrises and sunsets. I love the light that time of day, the colors in the clouds, how peaceful it is to be out in it.
I went hiking at dusk last night, and although it of course wasn't the same as being in the surf, there was so much loveliness about the evening.
It was cold but not too cold.
My two boxers were with me, and chased each other the whole time, the older one, Dexter, getting down into a crouch and stalking the little one, Newton. Around trees and bushes, over rocks they didn't stop the whole time. It was good to see their unbridled joy.
And then going up, there were three young guys mountain biking, college students, perhaps. There's a place where the trail veers off and one part is hiking and the other is mountain bike only one way pretty gnarly from what I hear. It's called "Free Lunch." We were where the trail veered at the same time, and I could hear but couldn't see them make it to the bottom, hooting and hollering the whole time, no question the fun they were having.
And then watching the sun leave the valley, and the Book Cliffs and the Mesa turn the purple they turn sometimes, pink clouds in the sky. Lovely. A great end to an insanely busy day. Happy.
Mt. Garfield, Grand Junction, Colorado
Climbed Mt. Garfield this week. A really good day, complete with my first wild horse sighting ever (white and brown pinto, possibly my favorite kind of horse) and a hawk at the summit that lingered at eye level. Happy.
My parents on the summit.
Hawk.
Newton with his pack.