Over this past summer we got to go on two other vacations besides the big family reunion (see earlier post). I got to take Noah to Colorado to meet my mom's parents for the first time, which was awesome! Noah and I rode over there with my parents and my sisters in their motor home, which was much nicer than trying to do that long of a drive in a car, and we got to stay for a couple of days. Noah had a blast exploring their house and yard and I think he won them over! :) Then, the first full week of August we got to go to my family's annual Lake Powell trip, which was SO much fun!! I was a little nervous about having a newly walking toddler around all that water, but there were lots of eyes watching him carefully. He didn't like the water so much at first, but once he got to play on the beach he was hooked and he would cry when we brought him in! Our boat was beached on a great sandy beach that also had a HUGE rock face on the far end of it, so by 1:00 everyday we were in the shade which was wonderful since it meant that no one got sunburned! We also celebrated a triple birthday: Noah (1), me (27), and my older brother Deven (32) so that was a lot of fun. I always love when I get to celebrate my birthday on the lake! We had a blast, so I have a ton of pictures below, sorry for the overload!
Noah is a watermelon fiend, he eats it constantly all summer long and this is his "more watermelon" face and him reaching for the watermelon plate.
Noah sitting in my grandpa's official chair
Noah with his great-Grandpa and Grandma Clark
Four generation picture with my grandma, my mom, me, and Noah
First day at Lake Powell, we haven't left the marina slip yet, but the sunset was beautiful!!
Noah and Auntie Em
Ben is helping Noah get used to the water slowly and gently!
Approved!
Tradition dictates that we must always bury our legs in the sand on the beach, I don't know why, but we all do it every year!
I brought along Noah's little inflatable pool so he could enjoy the water without being too overwhelmed.
He really liked having his own place to play!
Little pool, big beach
He kept DRINKING the nasty lake water. I shudder whenever I think about it...
Ashley is kayaking, Brittney is tagging along for the ride...
Crawling in the wet sand, getting used to the water
Walking in the water with Aunt Brittney and cousin Kate
Still not totally sure what is going on here!
He fell asleep on one of the speedboat rides.
Love snuggling a sleeping baby!!
Playing up higher on the beach in the really dry, warm sand.
See the "sand drool"? He kept trying to eat it.
Diaper buddies! Noah and cousin Dylan
"What's up, Dad?"
Playing in the sand with daddy.
Shot of our houseboat and some of the incredible rock faces we parked by.
Walking in the water with daddy
I liked walking in the water with him too...
Even if he kept wanting to go deeper!!
Kicking his legs in the water.
Eating more sand...
Cute little beach bum!!
Speed boat babes.
Ben took Noah on his first tube ride.
It was so calm, I think they BOTH almost fell asleep!
For my birthday I was told I could do whatever I wanted, and I really wanted to go for a nice boat ride and then find a canyon to hike into-one of my favorite Lake Powell activities. So, Dad, Mom, Ben, myself, and my three sisters all went and hiked Labyrinth Canyon while my brother and his family hung back and took care of Noah for me!
You can see how the canyon twists and turns!
So gorgeous, and it was mostly in the shade the whole time which was awesome!
We had to do a little "bouldering" in a few places, and walking through so seriously nasty, bug infested water!
Brittney caught a lizard,
And she really liked him!
Hiking, with help!
Floating with my baby boy!!!
We had fun!
Noah's "bathtub" on the boat. There are only showers on the boat, so we improvised...
Ben wanted to water ski, and I was very impressed because he got up on his first try and he hasn't been skiing for a couple of years!
Tubing gals
Our boat and our beach
Sunsets
