Camping!

We went up to Mt. Charleston to go camping last month (Holy Cow! has it really been a month?!) and we loved it. Spent some time hiking and more than an hour of just letting Bowen play with some sand in the middle of a meadow.  It was therapeutic. And just what I needed.

Here's some pictures of our trip. In backwards order. Sorry about that. If you want from start to finish, start at the bottom and scroll up! Problem solved! :D

Our happy little camper. Bowen loved every aspect of camping. He has a new found love for dirt, tents, bugs and trees.

Photo courtesy of Shaun, thanks love. :D

This was the opening of one of the slots we hiked. It was beautiful.

I was obsessed with the rock. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. So many tiny rocks and shells and so much pressure to help it become something so much bigger than itself. I love that idea. Just check it out for your self!

He was Mr. INDEPENDENT this trip. I do it my self! Yes sir, you do!

This was like Shaun's only photo request. The moon was beautiful that day.

Such a cool rock formation.

No, he didn't like camping at all. Such a happy little energetic boy!

We brought the Ergo with us up these slots because we didn't have a clue what we were getting ourselves into, and didn't want to be stuck carrying him if he couldn't walk it himself the whole time. But luckily we were wrong, and it was PERFECT for Bowen.

Loved these flowers. It amazes me the beauty of the desert. 

Close up of the rock. How cool is that?!

This rock appeared to had fallen and then split. So cool.

Our slot.

Do you see the faces in the rock?! There's two in this picture. One in the slab that has fallen and another in the rock just to the right of it.

Love my Subaru! 

That slot in the middle is what we hiked. We drove off road for a mile or so to get there. So cool. So worth it!

On the way up and down the mountain we hiked our first day camping Bowen was a trip. The thing we loved the most was him yelling at trees. Where on earth he got that idea, I have no idea. But anytime there was a tree hanging down over the path or near the edge of the path Bowen would stop, yell at it, and then continue on his way, like nothing happened. Shaun and I were laughing so hard.

Handsome boy!

More yelling at trees.

Squishing bugs. Not a clue where he would have gotten this from.... oops. :)

Shaun decided that there needed to be more pictures of me, thanks love!

Trying to get a picture of his dirty butt and shoes. He fell a couple of times, not hard, but missteps and it took a toll on the cleanliness of his shorts.

His shoes took on a whole new shade.

More yelling at trees. Seriously, every tree he had to tell his peace to, and then we moved on. It was so funny!

I believe this was 'Robbers Roost' that we hiked.

I know this was up Robbers Roost. Check the smiley face, middle of the rock. The mountains sure were happy to see us!

Smiley face is in this picture too! extreme right hand side, middle of the picture. This was up that same trail.

While hiking Bowen was very proud of himself. He'd get to a part he thought was going to be hard....

And then he would tackle it......

And smile, and laugh, and be proud of himself.....

And there was pride to be had, and then.....

Clapping. Lots and lots of clapping! "Yay Bowen, you did it!"

That's my love!

Ok, love these pictures. No editing was done, the naturally darker and lighter areas are just shade and light coming through the trees.

On happy camper.

If breastfeeding photos bother you, scroll past the next two. If not, I promise hardly any skin is even shown. Enjoy the precious moment between my son and I.

And there was a milk break, or two. Hiking is hard work!

We love this shared time. I have no idea what we're going to do when it is gone.

The trail we hiked.

Happy Happy camper.

At the very start of the trail.

Handsome husband.

The view from our camp site.

Our little tent. Ok, well it is our friends tent, but it was ours for the weekend.

There are more pictures from this trip, but I guess I didn't finish editing them, so that will have to be another post, and the whole set of Bowen playing in the sand in the meadow is worth it's own post anyway.

This trip was much needed break from Vegas. We were able to spend some time as just a family, without any cell phone service! Didn't even know places like that existed any more! 

It was wonderful to just be able to take a bit of a break from life, and the stresses of this world and put our selves in a bit of a different perspective. 

Sometimes our problems seem so big. Too big. And some times they are big problems, and trials. But being out in nature, helps me remember that He is the one that has created us, and all of this world. He cares for all the little bugs that Bowen squished, and the trees he yelled at (sorry guys) he cares about our problems too. He will not leave us. He will not forsake us. Ever. But especially during times of trials and troubles.

And that is my that is my hope and my prayer that He will continue to comfort us. And help us on this path.

Kirsten