Joshua Tree Day Trips

This is the time of year that we like to head out to Joshua Tree for day trips - as many as we can, which often ends up being only a handful for the season. In truth it's not the easiest trip we have ever taken with the kids. On the contrary, it's a trip that involves lots of driving and lots of climbing - not necessarily the recipe for the perfect day for a 3 and 5 year old. But the kids are good sports and I am grateful to them for making the most of it. With great trepidation we have even begun to experiment with bouldering more with the kids. I have a lot of hesitation in this regard due to my injury but as it turns out bouldering is so much easier to do with the kids than rope climbing (even top roping). The whole experience of bouldering just lends itself to a much more carefree environment. It involves more movement and less focus - all major plusses for our young bloods in tow. Trying to incorporate rock climbing into this mermaid kingdom (that is my family) is just another part of our journey. Sometimes I feel like giving up and surrendering to the power of the ocean and the magnitude of it's draw, but the dirt and rock  is where I feel at home. I'm grateful that we have continued to venture into that world together and eager to see what it has in store.

Making a checklist of all the creatures they had seen thus far - it looked something like this: Stinkbug, Vulture, Bunny, Lizard...I'm probably missing a few but you get the drift.

Can you see Jon atop the rock in the back ground? Setting a top rope.

Both the kids fight over the task of pulling the rope.

Off on another explore

ROAR!!!

I just love this heart shaped rock

This boulder is called pig pen (and takes a route under & through the roof). It's a (not so hard) climb that we were never able to accomplish before (kids) and still have not gotten now - though I am happy to say that we are closer than we have ever been.

Jon showing Eden how to fasten the crash pad. She was so excited to carry it around everywhere and be really helpful.

I could not get enough of those little legs sticking out from under the crash pad.

As we waited for Jon to pick us up I taught the kids a bit about hitch hiking - I couldn't get enough of Zi and his little index finger. 

After a long day in the park Zi was toast - he literally could not make it a step farther and we had our hands full - not to mention it was a bit of a slog back to the car from where we were. Jon got creative and put Zi in the crash pad. 

Back to Boating

Jon sold the motors off of our boat back in the fall - early October I believe. We didn't get a new motor on the boat until February. Finally in early Feb we were able to go on a long awaited boat ride. It was fun to be back out on the water even if it was just for a quick cold ride. We are hoping for many more boat rides to come with the new motor. 

Skate Park Shenanigans

The kids have been pretty excited about the skate park these days. Zi on his scooter and Eden on the skateboard. It's really wonderful to see their personalities emerge int hess settings. Eden with her reserved determination and Zion with his fearless abandon. Eden is becoming more and more proficient on the skateboard. She has been trying to use it since she was three. But she really isn't very much interesting in doing any sort of tricks on it as much as she is interested in just being able to go without crashing. Zion on the other hand shows very little interest in skateboarding and cares only to bomb the biggest drops on his scooter that he can handle because he CAN. If he isn't amazing at something from the start - he isn't very interested in trying it. 

Double shaka

Dana Point Tide Pools

We visited these beautiful tide pools that are right in our back yard for the first time ever the other day. Jon calls them advanced level tide pools because it's pretty hard to maneuver around them. Because of this Zi was pretty frustrated most of the time, but Eden had a blast. She could have stayed for hours and days.

Zoomars

I feel like the kids are on the verge of growing out of this place. I also feel like I have watched them grow up here. It's a place they have enjoyed so much since they were babies. Such a wonderful gem to have so close to home.