Winter showers bring desert flowers!

We took an off road trip with my parents a few weeks ago before the weather gets ridiculously hot!

We drove west on Interstate 8 until we reached Ocotillo. We headed up S-2 to a trail called Blair Valley. There was a camping area there (we did not camp) and Graedy couldn't wait to get out of the truck. He hiked up the hill with my dad.


Here are my mom, dad, and grandma (she is in her 70's!) coming down the trail.

We headed up the road to the trail head for the morteros. This area was a campsite for local Native Americans. They used the same boulders to grind their corn year after year and left behind mortar indentations in them. We had a picnic lunch and then started up the trail. Graedy has been into racing lately and this is his racing stance!
Here he is smelling some of the flowers that had bloomed after the wonderful winter rains!

I want my mommy!

Graedy with Papa next to the pictographs.
It was a mile hike round trip but at 3Pm on a rather warm spring day it was a tough uphill hike. Matt began calling it the "trail of tears"! Graedy was beginning to get a bit fussy.

My grandma and mom.

The three of us. Notice my slightly crazy smile? That was "hurry up and take the picture"! Graedy was so tired and hot at that point. Our usually extremely photogenic child was in no mood for pictures!

Graedy decided that he was going to help out on the way down the hill and haul the backpack for us.

Taking a break on the way back down the hill.

Yea! We made it!

It was a great day and we had so much fun together! We took the trip to see some wildflowers and didn't see a ton but had a great time anyway. As we entered the valley there was an area that had tons of ocotillo plants that were all blooming with beautiful red flowers at the top of their long spiky branches. It was really pretty. There were also a few places on the drive where the shoulders of the road were covered with white, yellow, and purple blooms. Looking forward to the next off road trip!

A swingset!

Last summer we got Graedy a little hippo pool and a small slide that could be used indoors. This year we upgraded to a swing set. We started on it the weekend before spring break and then headed to the Grand Canyon. It took us two weeks to finish it. We had lots of "help" from Graedy and Matt's dad helped tremendously.

I can fix it, just give me a minute!

Something must have been funny!

The yard before the swing set.

Hey! A little help over here, the swing isn't working!


We couldn't wait for it to be finished-we just set the slide up there and let him go! That is his Uncle Russ (Un Ru as Graedy calls him).

Hmm, what can I get into next?


Apparently the answer to that question was a mud puddle.

Getting closer.

First time up the rock wall.

Helping mom finish the fort section.

Testing the rope.

The fort section is nearly done.

Trying out the first swing.

Full of joy.


The swing set is done and it is so much fun. Graedy loves it and has gotten really good at climbing the stairs-both up and down! He also likes the rock wall and I caught him climbing it by himself the other day-he has little monkey toes like I do and they were gripped around the "rocks" as tightly as could be. We have already been talking about turning it into a water slide with a little pool at the bottom. I know how much fun I had with my swing set when I was young and am sure Graedy will get just as much enjoyment out of his. Can't wait to see all the things he comes up with over the years!

Disney Land at Spring Break

Over spring break Graedy and I headed to Disneyland (yes, again!) with Uncle Mitch (my youngest brother) and my mom. They decided they needed a nap before we got going.


There is a movie room downstairs in the Paradise Pier hotel. They play the old Disney movies and Graedy loved the movies and the chairs. He loved putting his little feet up on the tables-he already knows how to kick back and relax!


These pictures don't do the excitement of this moment justice! Graedy got to meet Buzz for the first time and he thought it was the coolest thing ever!

I Loooovvveee my uncle and my grandma!


Momma, Graedy and Grandma