Is this really my SECOND post in 2015???

Well yes, yes it is. This blog is hanging by a thread right now given all that we have going on. But I am determined to keep breathing life into it, every now and then. We may miss alot of stuff b/tw now and the time the dust has settled on our Victoria life but I'll keep trying......

I have lots of wonderful photos and stories from our trip to Victoria in late Feb but I'm afraid those aren't likely going to make it onto this little blog. And there has been other cool stuff to document too, like Kai's first sleep over during spring break with his buddy L, turning 45, beach time, and many small moments. But I am going to post a few photos about our spur of the moment, one night camping trip to J-Tree, where the kids got their rock climbing on!

At the last minute we decided to forego Easter egg hunts in favor of packing up our camping gear and driving 150 miles up to Joshua Tree National Park to join our friends who were already out there. It was quite adventurous of us, particularly as we had lost cell phone contact with our friends and weren't entirely sure if they were really expecting us or not. It was well worth the effort. J-Tree is amazing. And every camping trip with the kids gets a little bit easier. They definitely have a taste for it and they do love s'mores.

That little 3-pronged tree just right of center in the picture is a Joshua tree. They are not much to look at really but forever associated with U2 in my mind and somehow it was weirdly cool to see one (once I learned how to differentiate it from your garden variety Yucca). 

We caught the full moon while we were there and I barely slept. It was like someone left the lights on all night. It was just so bright. When Teia woke me up at 6 am, I seriously thought it was still night b/c that moon gave off just as much light as the rising sun. It really was pretty incredible. I'm not really a desert person but there is something incredibly peaceful about just being in the desert during those quiet, not burning hot middle of the day, moments. 

After plenty of hiking and free climbing/bouldering around the campsite and area, dinner and campfire, and a reasonable night's sleep (the moonlight only seemed to bother me), the kids had a chance to actually rope up and do a top roped climb, with one of the Dads serving as the top anchor and belaying the kids from above. 

I really didn't think they'd be up for it and figured they would just watch their friends but curiosity got the better of both of them and once Kai did it, Teia was game too.

We were so stinkin' proud of them. They just took on the challenge despite their apprehension. So awesome! Teia was so fast that Dave, the belay guy, couldn't believe it was her first time (and Greg nearly didn't get any photos in time!) And Kai - he had nerves of steel the whole way up and down. The boy was all business. When he makes up his mind about something, look out. 

I just love this photo of Kai on the top with Dave, looking down at all of us with the biggest smile on his face!

I wish we'd had a few more days. The kids just couldn't get enough of the incredible boulders. And it was the perfect place to inspire T and her buddy P, to play coyotes all weekend long. Our drive home was exciting as well. A pick up truck went up in flames on the freeway just ahead of us and exploded its tires just as we were driving past and the fire department was arriving. And somehow we managed to take two hours longer than everyone else to get home, despite the fact that Greg was breaking land speed records for most of the trip. We can blame some of it on the traffic caused by the burning truck, some on taking the "scenic" route back, and the rest on picky eaters. 

When we got home we found that the Easter bunny did not forget our house, even though we weren't home but the chocolate eggs were not nearly as big of a highlight as the kids' climbing adventure!