Red Dirt & Blue Skies

It's weird, growing up I wouldn't have considered myself a total outdoorsy kind of kid even though we lived acres of lush, green forest and my Mom and Dad were always gardening or working on something outside. My Mom likes to joke about how I would have done anything to avoid getting dirty. I loved sports, riding my bike, etc., but I was never one to go digging in the dirt or want to jump in mud puddles or anything. My sister was much more of the adventurous one, and even later I've always preferred more "controlled environments." Ever hear of "glamping"? ;)

So it's funny now, that I have this need to be outside as much as possible. I have an urge to camp, to dig in the sandbox with Henry, to get dirty in the front yard planting flowers. I'm not sure when it happened, but I'm sure it had to be after college. Have I ever shared the sorority camping incident story here? If not, someone let me know, because it's a good one. But I do think this whole shift has something to do with being a parent, wanting to simplify (in my own way, at least), and get back in touch with nature. Although that begs the question, was I ever IN touch?

Henry and I spend a lot of time outdoors, and every weekend the three of us always find ourselves outside exploring or on some sort of an adventure. Last week we all made the short drive to beautiful Sedona, and spent some time at Red Rock Park, one of our favorite places in Sedona. Have you been there before? There are a ton of picnic areas and trails to explore, but the most beautiful little spot would have to be the first bridge as you're walking down into the main hiking area. I just love it.

This time we decided to wear Henry in our ErgoBaby carrier (Ergo generously sent us some carriers last month for Henry and Charlie) and it was AWESOME. I actually didn't know you could wear a toddler as big as Henry in the pack, but both Hank and Henry were pleasantly surprised with how easy and comfy it was. Henry even remarked that Hank was Luke, and he was Yoda. Ha!

A few things about our day:

1. At the end of our hike Hank and I both finally decided it was DEFINITELY time for H. to get a haircut. The mix of sunscreen, sweat, and the breeze made it all sorts of tangled (dreadlocked even) so a couple days later I ended up cutting a few inches off. Much better!

2. Sedona = red dirt. And that red dirt gets everywhere! The running shoes I wore are now gray, neon yellow...and red.

3. No matter how much time I spend in the great outdoors, I'm a still a wimp. A crack of a branch or the rustle of a bush sends me jumping towards Hank, positive there is a mountain lion set to pounce, when in actuality it's usually a squirrel or a bird hopping around. I'm trying to reign this in as much as possible so I don't rub off on Henry! Easier said than done, though...

4. We ended our day with hot dogs are the BEST PLACE EVER. I'll write a separate post about this later!

p.s. Here's the carrier Hank has on, and you can use this with children up to 45 lbs!