First Half Marathon

Moab has a First Half Marathon and Other Half Marathon every spring and fall. Natalie was one of the participants, and brought Ian down for the trip.

After we dropped her off for the run, we checked out Wilson Arch:

We saw Natalie cross the finish line for the half marathon. She did amazing!! Plus, she looks fantastic. She kinda just finished a half marathon!

In the afternoon, we headed to Arches to see some of the sights. Spring was letting its presence known with a vengeance! We were thankful to have jackets and ear protection. We all came home a little gritty.

It was really fun having some more visitors. We enjoyed the time we got to spend with family and the chance to create more memories!

Friends in March

Heather and Karalee came down for a visit during their spring break! We got to explore a bit and had a lovely time together. 

Some issues with wardrobe and health changed our schedule a bit, but it was still really nice. They even got to experience a bit of the Moab wind that is a sure sign of spring!

 

We enjoyed some yummy food too!

 

 

It was some fun times with the girls. Thanks for coming down on your break!

Chicago Trip - Nauvoo, Carthage, and Lincoln

Driving to and from St. Louis and Chicago, we made a few stops to see the sights along the way.

First stop, Nauvoo!

This was probably the coldest we were the whole trip. I'm not sure you can tell what the temperature is outside, but it's cold!

 We went back the next day and it wasn't as cold. Still beautiful!

The missionaries were really excited to see us there. The only visitors probably all week! The first night we went to the Extravaganza (a performance the senior couples put on), the missionaries invited us to go, and we ended up being the only ones in the audience. At first it was awkward, but it became a special, intimate experience. The missionaries were really, really cute!

We walked down Parley Street on the Trail of Hope. We kept turning back to see the temple, and it wasn't too hard to get a glimpse of what the pioneers went through when they were kicked out. It was just as cold and bleak. Look how frozen the Mississippi it:

 Next stop, Carthage!

We got to head over to Carthage to see the old jail there. When we walked in the Visitor Center, we recognized some of the missionaries there. They were so excited to see us again. One of the sisters said, "Moab, right??" We made a little family while we were there.

It was a special experience going to Carthage Jail. Since no one else was there, we got to take our time and enjoy the Spirit that was there. Sean and I had never been to Carthage, and it was worth the trip to see where Joseph and Hyrum Smith gave their lives. 

Last stop, Springfield, IL!

One last stop we made was were President Lincoln lived. There was a really nice museum and library to visit. Definitely worth the stop if you're in the neighborhood. It was hard not to appreciate the 16th President more. We enjoyed learning more about him, and love the legacy he left us.