More Moab- Fiery Furnace

Last year, we had hoped to go on the Fiery Furnace Hike-  which is either a guided hike or on your own- but you can't just go into that area- if you are on your own hike, you still have to sign in and have permission to be in there.   The guided hike is a 3 hour adventure, and it costs a little bit-  but it was worth it.  We learned some interesting stuff, and our group (big surprise) asked our ranger some great questions.

Youngest started off back by her parents- and ended up talking the ranger's ear off at the front.  He rewarded her by letting her lead the hike into his favorite place- Surprise Arch.

It is hard to capture the grandeur of the formations- but rest assured it was amazing.

Little Miss Youngest Tour Guide

Youngest and "Ranger Rick"  (not his real name-  but that is what "someone" was calling him)-  he was a pretty nice guy- and we even saw him when we went out for dinner that night. It was interesting to hear how he came to be a ranger giving tours.  Most of us agreed we would love to go back and hike it again.

Best Laid Plans- October Replay

So much for my plans to post more frequently :).  I am sorry, but I also know how very busy I am- so something has to give.


Moab:

Youngest's Last minute Class Party.  Went very well if I do say so myself.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins.

Youngest had a Rapunzel/ Tangled theme going (can you see the long hair coming out of the tower window?)

Middle is sort of in love with owls right now

Oldest went for a flaming face

Dear Oldest-  if you are going to pull stupid faces, I WILL post them on my blog AND facebook.

Girlies before leaving to go Trick or Treating.  It is Middle's last year-  I have a prejudice against kids older than Middle School going.  And I am okay with that.

Rapunzel meets the Mafia

the 80's meet the 50's

Where oh Where have the Looney Larsens gone?

Where have the patients been?  We have been running around like crazy with hockey, soccer, piano, TaVaci, work, school, and church jobs; and threw a trip to Moab in there, just to spice it up.

This year we were able to add one of the DR's sister's, her hubby and her daughter who is bestest cousin friends with Middle.  Sis J and her hubby and two of her boys camped in front of us- and Sis E and hers rented a cabin.  I think they had fun, despite all the hiking we did.  We missed having the older kids with us-  but LOL's brother had his white coat ceremony the same weekend. And- if Outpatient wasn't going- I guess the other older cousins didn't want to go either.  (one is on a mission now- so he had to miss it too)

We got there a day later - so we had a day less of vacation time- so it felt too fast.  We re-did some things, but added a new adventure.  Hiking up to Delicate Arch was harder for me this time-  I was in worse shape from not working out much, and weighing more, but the DR has lost about 28 pounds and it was easier for him.

We had wanted to do the Fiery Furnace hike last year- but it was booked solid- so that was a main agenda item for this year.  It did not disappoint.  The hiking was not as physically strenuous as hiking up to Delicate, but it was a little more technical.  Some tight places, and some gaping ravines.  I did fine- although I was a little nervous on one ledge.  Heavenly Father has some beautiful country.

The hike needs a post of its own- so I will get my pictures downloaded and hopefully get back to blogging a little more frequently. 

I am so grateful for the family I married into.  They are really great people- while not being perfect, and they are great to spend time like that with.

The recent doings-

Been really busy.  I know.  Big surprise.  Funniest part is this is supposed to be our slow month- and it has been.  Need to simplify.

We made a trip out to the dentist and then saw HP-took Miss Sophie to the groomers (ugh- she also came in heat this week)  came home- turned around two days later and drove back out to attend the temple with one of our nephews.  He leaves on a mission next month to Boston!  So excited for him.  My inlaws are home and report their mission on Sunday.  A nephew returns in two months, and then by the end of the year- another will return.  Fingers are crossed that we will be sending out another soon too- (really it is prayers instead of fingers you know)  We also had a nephew get engaged!!  So much exciting stuff.

Came home same day and then a day later we hauled the trailer up on the mountain and we just spent the last several days camping with a combo of friends and family- and I am just taking a quick break from hours of entering data into the database to give my brain a break.  So- I will update that stuff later (tomorrow maybe?)

But I am excited because I just made reservations for a return trip this fall to Moab for the Looney Bin.  We are going with the cousins we went with last time plus a couple of other family groups have said they want to join us-  so kind of family reunionish-  without everyone.  Looking forward to a few things we didn't get to do last time.  Like a few special hikes, maybe a river run, not sure what else but we have a little more time to plan and a better idea what we might be interested in since our last trip.

It is fun to have stuff to look forward to and plan :)

Moab- Day Three & Four

Saturday, we decided just one more short trip to Arches.  Those who missed out on the first walk through Park Ave could go plus any who wanted to go again.  I was a designated driver.  DR, Outpatient, O, and Middle missed out the first time, and Youngest and Oldest wanted to go again.

Our first trip was a lot cooler because the sun was not directly overhead.  But they found some cool things we hadn't seen the first time.  Like a Love Puddle.

Then we headed up to the Devil's Playground to go see Landscape Arch.  There are a lot more Arches to see in that area- but we were not up to that big hike that day.  I think we had to loop the parking lot three or four times before we finally found a parking space.

The nicest part about that walk was that most of it was in shade.  And we visited with a group of college students who were a mixed bag of loyalties. BYU, USU, and UVU.  Then we headed back to the trucks-  there was some amazing scenery!

We opted to call it good for Arches for this trip and headed back to the trailer for lunch.  The DR and other Cougar fans in our group tried to go to the Brewery to watch the game but someone else already had the Husker game on- they were going to stay anyway and watch after those people left, but after hearing the score- decided not to bother.

That afternoon, we drove out to Dead Horse Point- which is a State Park.  There was a film crew there, and it was tempting to ask them what they were filming.  But we restrained ourselves.  The canyon was very hazy- but massive.  We were a little late to catch the sun light in the canyon, but it was still beautiful, but hazy- I guess from a fire somewhere.

We left as it was starting to get dark and just barely managed to get pictures of Youngest by the two county signs in the park.  You may wonder why we did that.  Well- in 4th grade, they study the State of Utah and memorize the Counties and put on a big program with a power-point with pictures of the kids visiting around the state.  She got two counties just by running across the road (She also got a picture with Delicate Arch- as you might have noticed in the last post).  They are a little blurry because it really was a bit too dark.

We had a good dinner and then some watched movies, or just chilled.

Sunday, Outpatient and O headed out early, then we cleaned up camp and headed home.  We went a different way home, which ended up being about the same time-wise (hauling a big trailer is so much fun :P)-  but it used way more fuel going home- so I don't know what the DR will decide when we go back again.

We stopped for lunch, and had awesome bbq. We rolled into the neighborhood around 5:30- Tired, but everybody seemed to really like the trip- other than the "no swimming".

We learned a lot, and will do things a little differently next time, but all in all- it was a great vacation.

Moab- Day Two

Friday morning- just a repeat of Thursday- later start, but then we had everybody in tow and off we went.  Oldest was still feeling a little cruddy- especially if we didn't keep him on pain killers-  he had a headache, chills, and a sore throat, but he didn't want to stay behind.

We headed back to Arches and went to see Double Arches (really seemed like three with the open top),

Turret,

and North and South Windows


 as well as stopping for many of the other formations- like the petrified dunes.

   We had lunch on the truck tailgates since Arches is severely lacking in picnic areas.  We hiked all over and took tons of pictures. 

Then, by 4:00 we headed up to Delicate Arch. It was an interesting climb, and since we forgot to dope up Oldest, he started feeling really bad just about the time we got to the top of the hike. 

see the tiny people under the arch?  That would be Outpatient and O-

And those tiny people on the left side of the arch are the bulk of the Looney Bin inhabitants. Minus Oldest and Myself-

I did fine- heights-wise up until that point, which was when there was a drop on either side of me- then I was more than happy to just sit with Oldest and take pictures from there.  The DR came and took my camera for a few shots and J took some closer as well.  We decided not to sit there until full sunset- which was good since we didn't think to bring flash lights or anything, and I couldn't believe how many people we passed on the way down- most of them were no how no way going to make it in time for the sunset, but they didn't seem to care.

We headed back to camp and had dinner, then Outpatient was working on a project, we all had showers after our warm hike, and some watched movies-  I think I passed out for a while (not really, just fell asleep)

It was a great day.