The day after school was officially out, we packed up the car and made our way to Moab. It’s just a 5.5-6 hour drive from home, and we thought it might be a good first trip with all four kids. My grandma has a condo there, and I have a lot of childhood memories visiting with my family. I couldn’t wait to introduce my kids to this gorgeous place. I hadn’t been there since I was in high school, so we were definitely due for a trip. The drive had it’s ups and downs. Baby just doesn’t love falling asleep in her car seat, but she did her best. The kids were most excited for their Lunchables. 
We made it with a little daylight to enjoy the pool, always the first and most anticipated activity even though it’s just a little pool and it was raining a little. Hazel was relieved to be put down in the pack and play that we set up in the walk-in closet of our bedroom.
My mom and dad were in need of a little getaway themselves, so they drove their T@B trailer and stayed in a campground just up the street! The kids were surprised and delighted to see Nana and Papa. And it was nice that we could leave the kids with them to do some grocery shopping. 
We all got a great night’s sleep. Hazel had just started sleeping wonderful 8 hour stretches and being away from home didn’t disrupt that at all. It’s always nice to be rested with a big day ahead. I was still in bed when I heard the kids walking around. When I heard the front door open, I hopped out of bed to see what was going on. I think they said they didn’t know where we were, so they found their jackets and shoes and had decided to head out for a walk to see if we were outside. Ha! It just a little condo, so I’m not sure how hard they looked. Funny kids. 
After a leisurely breakfast, we got dressed and headed out to Arches. We decided to just take on a couple kid-friendly ones this time around. The weather was perfection, being overcast with a slight sprinkling now and then. We know how hot it can be there, so we were grateful.
Our fist stop was Sand Dune Arch. I vividly remember playing here as a child and absolutely loving it. It’s shady, beautiful, and the sand is powdery soft. It’s just a quick walk from the parking lot to the arch, but the kids still found plenty to do on the way. We brought sand toys and stayed as long as the kids wanted. I enjoyed nursing the baby against a rock with the arch as my view. A morning well spent.
Landscape our was next on the list. The kids just couldn’t help running around and climbing on every rock within reach. It had been so long, I had forgotten how amazing, vast, and vibrant this place is. So incredible. 
See tiny Alex??
A couple arches was enough to wear them out! They thought it was an adventure to ride in Mom and Dad’s jeep.
Pizza buffet hit the spot. 
We hit the pool as soon as we got back, of course. We worked on a few strokes. I’ll call it swimming lessons for the summer. 
We brought clay for them to play with on the road, but never used it. They found it later and played with it for hours in the condo. Bennett made an Angry Bird out of a cup. 
After the kids fell asleep/passed out, the adult enjoyed some take-out nachos. Best decision ever. 
We decided to fit a little more fun into the next day before we took off, so we all went out for bunch. It tasted so good, and I guess the kids had worked up appetites because they ate very well. 
One more dip in the pool because the sun was out and the weather perfect for swimming. This time Hazel joined the fun. Her first time getting in the pool and she was not a fan! But it was worth a try because she was adorable in her tiny swimsuit. 
She was happy to be bundled up, snoozing in the shade. 
We said goodbye to my parents. made sure the condo was ship-shape for the next guests, and made our way home. KC took us on a little detour to see some cool sights on the way home. We had to make a few stops for the baby, but were in no rush. 
The clay came in handy again on the way home. I think they played with it for over an our.
This was our last nursing stop about and hour from home. It was beautiful enough that I wasn’t annoyed that the baby couldn’t wait a little longer to eat. 
I loved this little road trip and so did the kids. They still talk about it. Can’t wait to visit again.
