Lindy's First Road Trip!

Two weeks ago we decided to go to Saint George for Sophie's birthday. The weather looked perfect down there and we wanted to get out of the thick soup that is the air in the Salt Lake Valley during the winter inversions. 

As with all treks to Saint George, we planned to stop at the Meadow Hot Springs. It was after much deliberation that we decided to give Lindy her first taste of the hot springs. We left Salt Lake early on Friday morning and reached Meadow just before noon. The path out to the springs was snow covered and the morning air was frigid, but we are intrepid, so we bundled little Lou up and headed for the 100 degree water. Once she was in, she was loving it. 

Lindy's first hot spring adventure

The little bathing beauty

Sophie, Hallee, and Zeke did countless reps--jumping in over and over.

It was a bit tricky to extract Lindy from the hot springs and get her back to the car because we wanted to keep her warm. Casey handed her right to me and into a dry towel. Then I wrapped her in a thick fleece and headed for the van. She was pitifully crying while I slowly walked the snow and mud covered path back. That is, until she fell soundly asleep. I'm pretty sure she digs the hot springs.

Our next stop was Cedar City. We wanted to visit my sister, Kristen, in her new house, which we hadn't yet seen, as well as pick up my swimming suits. (I lent them to my nieces for a rafting trip down the Provo River last summer.) We ended up staying for dinner and Kristen even made Sophie a birthday cake for an extemporaneous birthday's eve celebration. We loved their new home and we loved spending the afternoon with them and I totally forgot to pick up my swimming suits. So much for swimming in the hotel pool in Saint George. (Which ended up being fine because Lou and I got to relax together while everyone else swam.)

Sophie's birthday eve celebration with her cousins in Cedar City

Saturday, January 17th, was Sophie's birthday. We let her pick the days activities and she wanted to hike into the lava fields in Snow Canyon. We took the trail out to the Whiterocks Amphitheater, but veered down the lava rock wash that crossed the trail, exploring the mostly dry watercourse.

Lindy relaxing in the sun at our lunch spot.

The kids picked this spot for lunch. Hallee was so excited to show us this drop off and the secret path that she scouted out to get down it safely.

Zeke, our master builder, creating a city in the sand.

Sophie Gene

Hallee created an entire sand village

After making our way back to the the Whiterocks trail, we hiked out to the natural amphitheater, which was way more awesome then we'd imagined.

Part of the trail to the natural amphitheater.

The entertainment, once we reached said amphitheater, was climbing a steep hill covered in warm white sand and running, rolling, and tumbling down it. On one run, Hallee was watching Sophie and Zeke race down and called out, "Zeke. Go crazy. Do whatever you can." It is now a favorite family quote. 

I swear I'm not pregnant again. That's Lou wrapped onto my front side. 

There is nothing the kids love more than swimming when we stay at a hotel. It is totally dreamy for them, so after hiking in Snow Canyon, we headed back to the hotel.

Sophie, living it up on her 8th birthday!

Sophie wanted pizza for dinner, so we dreamed up this awesomeness for production in our hotel room microwave: tortillas, enhanced with piles of mozzarella cheese and pepperonis. They were amazing!

Hallee mass producing birthday pizzas.

Sophie wanted strawberry pie for her birthday dessert. After calling all of the reputable bakeries in town, the best that we could come up with was a strawberry rhubarb pie from Village Inn. We opened the window (as to not deploy the fire alarm) and lit eight candles to celebrate Sophie's 8th birthday!

The party unfolding Saturday night.

Every dose of pie needs some ice cream. That lemon gelato was ridiculously delicious!

We were missing our stake conference in Salt Lake but managed to coincidentally attend a stake conference in St. George. When we were in Cedar City, Ruthie wrote the above message on our dusty van window. It too has become a favorite family quote.: "I am here. [pause for effect] Right now." It feels very existential. 

Zeke and Soph, loving on Lindy.

We spent Sunday afternoon on the temple grounds. The kids gathered pecans and raised a bit of Sunday ruckus, chasing each other around. Then we watched "Meet the Mormons" in the visitor center there. Casey and I had already seen it, but the kids hadn't. 

Hallee found this "tuffet" and employed it as a seat--really some poor dormant plant in the temple gardens.

Old people selfie.

Casey and I (along with Lindy), sat in a warm spot near the temple and talked while the kids ran loose on the temple grounds. It was amazingly enjoyable.

Monday we decided to go find some dinosaur tracks in Warner Valley just east of Saint George. On the way, we discovered a historical site to explore--Fort Pearce. Apparently during the Black Hawk Wars, the pioneers built several rock forts in the 1860s to defend themselves against Indian raids. The fort was built near a spring and some petroglphs, located in Pearce Wash, which we also explored.

Hallee posing in the 150-year-old fort

Zeke at Fort Pearce

Casey had wanted to hike into the Virgin River Gorge on this trip, so after exploring the dinosaur track fossils in Warner Valley, we drove to Arizona and did some overland hiking down into the gorge.

Joshua trees are just plain cool.

Trails are for wusses. We devised our own trail down to the Virgin River, which passed through this culvert and underneath I-15.

Hallee, underneath I-15.

Sophie Gene

Parched earth near the river.

Although it wasn't really warm, the kids couldn't resist getting into the river.

Tuesday morning we woke up early and drove back to Salt Lake totally refreshed. Sullivan family trips are the best!

And now for a couple of obligatory pictures of baby Lindy:

Cute Zeke loving on his little sister.

Lou's first time riding on Casey's shoulders. She looks a bit scared.