West Fork Fourth of July

My grandma Jean's family were sheepherders in the Uinta's on the West Fork permit. My grandma used to spend her summers up there throughout her childhood. In 1937 her father, Roy Okelberry, built a cabin for the family to live in during the summers. It is one of the only remaining cabins in the area. My family spends the Fourth of July at the cabin every year. I would prefer being at the cabin over a parade or firework show any day! It is the most beautiful place and holds so many wonderful childhood memories for me. I hope that my children will be able to enjoy the cabin as much as I have.

One of the things I love about the cabin is that you are disconnected from the world. No tv. No radio. No phones. You have to find ways to entertain yourselves. When I was a kid we spent hours in the "elephant ears", hiking, exploring and playing in the "tree house". This year was no different. We found an old rope and had a jump roping competition. Bayden and Clinton were the winners by far.

I forgot a diaper when we went for a drive up top so this is Hayley fashioning Milo a diaper out of a grocery bag and some napkins. In case your wondering, it doesn't work.

Westwater

Last weekend Cody and I packed up the truck, dropped Milo off at his grandma's and left him for the first time. We met up with our friends Kyler and Julia and headed south. Our destination: the put in on Westwater. (Westwater is a section of the Colorado river just east of Moab.) It felt good. Like I was finding a piece of me I forgot existed. It reminded me of when Cody and I were newlyweds and we would go to Moab almost every weekend in the spring jeeping, biking, climbing and just camping.

We arrived at the put in in a windstorm but we were not about to let that dampen our spirits. We set up camp rigged the boat and waited for the rest of our group. By the next morning our group of 21 people was assembled. A few people from the Rogue river trip were there, and kayakers Shannon and John, the rest I didn't know. The crew at lunch

After enjoying some slow water to the take out Cody, Shannon, Kyler, Julia and I found a nice little camp spot and stayed another night. It was so fun to get out and luckily Milo did very well with his grandma's, so maybe they will let him stay again;)
When we got home my mom brought Milo home and he was MAD at me! He wouldn't look at me or let me hold him for a like an hour. But he eventually came around.
Hopefully Cody and I will be able to get out and enjoy some more time together before I begin nursing school in September.

Thank you Mom and Diane for watching Milo and thank you Shannon for being our personal photographer.
P.S. You can check out more of Shannon pictures here.