Well, well, WELL! Long time no see, my little blogging community. December was chock-full of change from beginning to end, and it seemed that all month long, there was never a dull moment. We started off the month going on a road trip across the US - We traveled through ten different states, saw the Grand Canyon, spent a night in Vegas, drove through the snowy mountains in Colorado, and spent a peaceful morning exploring the Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. There were late evenings spent eating pancakes at Denny's, and lots of time on the road listening to 70's music. We decided to really take our time getting to California because we knew Ben wouldn't be able to sit in his carseat for longer than around 6 or 7 hours each day, so it took us almost a full week to reach our destination. I have so much to share from the past month that I've decided to do a photo diary series instead of just trying to type everything out. Even if you have no plans to move to the West Coast, I would strongly encourage anyone to take a long road trip to see the country. It was such a fun experience, being in a new place every night and seeing so many cool things along the way.
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After some deliberating, we decided to take the more scenic route - we wanted to cross through Colorado and Utah, so we decided to take the northern route. It was a risky move due to snowy conditions in the mountains, but it ended up being a huge blessing because there were huge storms on the southern route! I love this photo - driving through Colorado was beautiful. We spent one night in Denver, and drove through Vail and the Rockies the next day.
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Moab was really one of my personal favorite spots. Utah feels special to me, and being in the Arches National Park felt spiritual. Millions of years ago, a sea dried over and left a thick layer of salt where the rock formations began. Our night spent in Moab and the morning exploring was peaceful and beautiful. I also loved how once you entered the national park, you had free range - you were able to climb into the arches and explore on your own.
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| We were nervous about Ben in the car for so long - but since we were able to take our time with the drive, he did really great. With lots of time to stretch and play at the hotels and various spots along the way, he was a real trooper. He had toys and snacks and lots of entertainment and naps! |
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| We spent the night in the nearest city we could find to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. You guys, let me tell you - choose wisely when finding a place to stay near the Grand Canyon! Let's just say that where we stayed, EVERYTHING was so expensive. A case of water that would normally be $2.99 was twenty dollars, and there were no grocery stores! Plan ahead. |
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| The Grand Canyon sure was stunning. We went to the National Park on the South Rim, which was lovely but more guided than the park in Utah. (A trolley system takes you to the vista point and there are tours.) Though that makes these areas more accessible, we kind of prefer to be able to be wild lil' adventurers and explore ourselves! I would love to explore the Canyon more at some point - kayak through the river at the bottom, explore the North Rim. I felt so lucky that we were able to make this stop. One of my favorite ways to "soak in" a place is to just sit on the ground and breathe the outdoor air in and out slowly, tuning out all other distractions. (Might sound weird, but try it yourself! Soak in the beauty and energy of our world!) |
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| Plenty of fast food was consumed on our trip - Ben tried a chicken nugget for the first time, and as you may be able to tell - he was a big fan. |
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| VEGAS, BABY! We started off our day in the Grand Canyon and ended it spending the night in Vegas. (At a very shady motel, but thank God we made it out alive to tell the tale!) You guys, I've never had a huge urge to see Vegas, but I sure am glad we spent a night here. It was amazing! I would completely and absolutely go back - it was exciting and the city had such a fun-loving and wild energy. We didn't gamble or anything (I don't think babies are welcome at blackjack tables) but we just walked around and took in all the attractions and sights to see.
After we left Vegas, we basically drove nonstop the entire day all the way to the Central Coast. We made it home! Any move (especially one that's well over 2,000 miles with a baby and a dog) is tough and takes adjusting - I miss my Michigander family and friends, and we are still figuring out our routine here. I feel like just about the luckiest girl for having such wonderful and welcoming in-laws and family out here, because living here in California has been a dream so far. Beaches, mountains, and endless sunshine. I feel like we were meant to live here - the lifestyle is relaxed and I've been feeling like creating and painting again because there are so many beautiful things to recreate. Seeing Chris around his family again and spending time with them has been amazing - they're my kind of people. I can't wait to get back on the blog and start writing about all of our new experiences. Thank you for reading and I would love to hear about your New Years resolutions and favorite moments of 2018.
Hugs always,
Megan
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