Down to Dixie

I'd forgotten how gorgeous Southern Utah is in the spring; and how much fun mountain biking is, although I still get terrified every time I try to power up a technical bit, lose my determination, and can't get out of my pedal clips fast enough to make a graceful dismount off my bike. I've always said that I prefer rock climbing to mountain biking just for the fact that when I fall climbing at least the rope catches me but when I fall biking I hit the ground - and I always wreck at least once. I was not born with the superspeed reflexes that Scott was blessed with.

We had the chance to head to St. George for a few day with a few friends, without the girls (although I missed them terribly!) to bike around the area and hike in Zion.

Scott, Jason and David biked Gooseberry Mesa and Green Valley Loop while Becky, Jill and I hiked the Emeral Pools, Grotto and River Walk trails in Zion.


Here's Scott and I biking a slickrock section of the Church Rocks trail. I had never seen the desert so beautiful - there were tons of flowers blooming. Scott's now decided we should move back; we lived there our first few years of marriage before the life flight whisked us away. I do love it there; I just melt in the heat of the summer.

Spring Break

We spent our first day at Huntington Beach where Aspen experienced the ocean for the first time; she did not like the sand on her hands but thought the waves were fun. Mercedes collected as much seaweed as she could find. Aspen spent a lot of time zonked out in her carseat or the stroller the whole trip.


The first day at Disneyland was 98 degrees so we took an afternoon reprieve in the pool. Mercedes is finally tall enough to go on all the rides - her new favorite is 'Soarin'; she was a bit scared of 'Tower of Terror' and her first words after 'Space Mountain' were "That was so scary it made me cry!"

Mercedes also loved Splash Mountain and Aspen kept oohing and aahing in the Winnie the Pooh ride.



We had a great time on our first 'real' family vacation. Mercedes wasn't tall enough when we lived there before for all the bigger rides so it was fun for her and Scott (he never went as a kid) to experience them. Mercedes and I got completely soaked on the river run ride. Aspen was so cute toddling around but Scott finally had to put the brake webbing from the stroller around her waist so she wouldn't keep running off. We got to visit some of our friends and wish we still lived there. Of course Mercedes cried as we were taking off on the plane; begging to never leave California again, but it's always nice to come home - even though we got off the plane in freezing temps and snow. I'm sure we'll be back again soon!