Moab Rocks

So we really had a fabulous time in Moab. Short but sweet. I'll narrate via my photos:

We stopped about 30 minutes outside of Moab - on our trip over. Here were some of the first looks at the neat, red cliffs towering over us.

Cool kid #1.

Cool kid #2.

Then we drove to our "cabin." It was as a hostel and was ummm pretty ghetto. Ben was a little leary of our room, but I wasn't. It was just what I expected. The whole area, though, of where we stayed was a little sketchy. But it was about 1/5th (literally) of the price of what everyone else had to pay - so frankly I felt lucky to have found this place (thanks to my sis Erin).

The children's innocence was so darn sweet as they just LOVED our "new home." LOVED it. Miles was super excited about it all, even asking me, "Mom don't you love the checkered curtains?" "Of course honey." So here our some shots of Home Sweet Home in Moab:

Yessss, a bunk bed! But even cooler. . .
Christmas lights under the top bed! Sweet. My kids were hooked.

I guess the lights were a little too bright for Emmy, though.

How cute.

That night we just hung out there at the cabin, ate dinner at Hogi Yogi (no crowd at all there), then came back and put Emmy to bed. Then the 4 of us watched the new "Charlottes' Web" on our car-DVD player. It was fun.

Saturday morning we got up and drove me to the bus-shuttle area and dropped me off. Ben wished me to find a friend - ha, I only knew of 2 friends running this race and since there were 5,000 runners, the chances were slim. But lo and behold one of my friends got on my bus! So we sat on the bus together and then chatted at the starting line for about 2 hours before the race. I was so glad that I found Michelle and it was great visiting with her (we went to nursing school together).

While I was doing this the kids went to some parks:




But the real reason they were there in Moab:

to watch me run.

The reason I was there: to run the Canyonland's Half Marathon. It was a pretty great race - until about mile 11. Then I was tired. I don't get along much with the Noon-Day Sun and he was out in all his glory. But it was a beautiful race. But not quite the downhill I expected nor was told. :) I mean, come on. There was about 400 feet of decline in elevation and about 320 feet of incline. Really, a net loss of about 80 feet. Sorry, that is not downhill to me. :) But whatever. I finished. In 2:03. (Barely) less than half of my marathon time 8 years ago - so that was good enough for me.

I didn't feel too grand afterwards and had to sit just about every minute. After standing for one minute, everything around me started turning white. Weird and annoying.

We went back to our Cabin, got lunch, then Emmy and I napped - while the boys went hiking on Slick Rock. Miles had been waiting to do this since we left for Moab. They had a great time! Such cute little hikers. . .

Miles had to tell Everyone that they had gone hiking in a "real desert." And that they saw a lizard ("well I didn't see it, but Jonas and daddy did."), a real cactus, and a broken car. Very cool.

Then they came back and picked up us gals. We went into town and got an Italian Soda. Yum:



After that we just walked up and down Main Street. I ran into a gal that went to high school with me. As well as I boy from my BYU ward that I went out with a couple of times. Crazy. Emmy had to throw a few fits while out 'n about, though. She doesn't care where she is, she can throw a fit or a pout anywhere! Proof:
Proof #1. Mad that I wouldn't let her run down the "ramp" into on-coming traffic. I'm such a mean mommy.

Proof #2. Sometimes her tantrums are real quiet ones. She just gets mad (I don't know why she was mad here) and goes somewhere and lays herself down. Funny girl.

It was a fun trip. At the end of the 1/2 I felt like it would probably be my last. 3 kids and 3 1/2 marathons. A 1/2 for each kid.

So this one just might be my last. Or it might not. . .