Santa Fe : Part 1 - Grand Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, CO

*warning: photo overload*

See little River on the bottom left? We let him out of the car and told him we were going to go see those dunes, and he took off running for them. We couldn't call him back. Eventually Sky had to chase him down to bring him back 

This place. I mean ... THIS PLACE. 

It was other worldly. None of it made sense to me. It didn't play by the rules all other landscapes do, and we loved it. High altitude sand dunes butted up against beautiful alpine snow-tipped mountains? The ever changing sky, sand, wind, water flow, and temperature made me feel like I was exploring an alien planet. The sand even had a magnetic property to it. It was unreal and it was a true adventure. I got lost in it's magic. We all did.

To get to the Dunes we had to cross a wide spread river/creek. The water ebbed and flowed as the sand blocked the water and then let it go, creating these surges of water. They were gentle, but noticeable.

Once we got to the other side, River didn't stop running and exploring the whole time. I was surprised at how far his little legs carried him. We had to keep calling him back to us, his excitement and curiosity unbridled. He stayed right up with Skyler, dipping down into the dunes, walking along their crests, and scaling steep sandy sides. We walked barefoot with the sand giving way under our footsteps. Robin kicked her arms and legs with so much fervor we lost both socks somewhere in the dunes. She had just as much fun if not more than the rest of us. I wondered if the bjorn would hold her.  

It was amazing and overwhelming beautiful and new. I saw the hunger in Skyler's eyes to keep going deeper into the dunes. I think we all felt the pull. We left with sand everywhere and a renewed sense of adventure. 

Robin Hope : 8 months

8 months? How could it actually be 8 months 

and at the same time only be 8 months?

Our Sweet and Spicy Robin is really starting to come out of her shell and it is so fun.
She has more quiet but powerful personality. She's thoughtful and smart, with definite opinions and wants. She is so strong, I feel like I spend most of my time wrestling an alligator. She can sit up, roll like its no ones business, enjoys solid food, and is determined to get what she wants. 

She loves to empty bins filled with her toys and play with them one by one, and we do this all day long. I fill them up and she empties them all over the floor. She has the cutest way of moving her hands as she fingers and explores new objects. Everything she touches goes straight into her mouth. One of her favorite things to do, is to roll over to our large window and play with the hanging blinds.

  Robin is very social and is so content watching people and being part of the party. She takes very short naps, mostly because I think she's worried she's going to something. She excitedly watches River run around all day, and he is the only one that can make her belly laugh. I love watching these two together. It melts my heart. River ADORES his sister and it's the cutest thing. The world is right when they're together.

Robin loves her daddy. She watches him, waiting for him to look at her. When he does, she greets him with the most sweetest smile I have ever seen. She flirts with him too, bashfully looking away and then turning back to make sure he's still looking. She just lights up when she hears him and sees him. Skyler is a good daddy, and this little girl has stolen his heart.

I can't put into words what my little bitty is to me. She's a part of me I've known and waited for my whole life, and now she's here. We're together again. She's beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Her quiet thoughtful expressions cause me to catch my breath. Her blue eye, soft hair, and full cheeks endear her to me. The way she rests her hand on my arm while she takes a bottle, sleepily rubs her eyes and leans her head back on my shoulder when she's tired, how she's starting to giggle when I tickle her under her arms, her contentment whenever we're doing something together, her strong will and sweet, soft smiles -- She has run away with my whole world and I will do anything for her. 

She is my daughter. 

My little Robin Hope. My Itty Bitty.

My Vision. My Treasure.

~

And just because Robin's brother is so awesome too...

Hoppy Easter from the Briggs Kids

All dolled up in their sunday best o celebrate Easter.

We were at Nana & Poppa's house and had to catch our flight home later that day, but we had fun going to church with them and then finding hidden eggs with a flash light. River wanted to eat all his candy right then. It was a fun sticky treat on the flight home.

"Hoppy" Easter!!

And the missionaries in our ward shared this video with me 

and of course I got choked up. Here's the link:

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2016-02-1000-hallelujah-an-easter-message-about-jesus-christ?lang=eng

He is Risen!

Just a little Robin Hope

Castlewood Canyon

We are just chomping at the bit to get outside and explore.We decided to take a risk and go hike around Castelwood Canyon. I think we did this last spring too, and the smae thing happened, on the shadow side the snow made the trail muddy and slick and the run off makes the water to high to cross the boulders, at least if you have a baby strapped to your chest or are threes years old. So at the bottom of the canyon we had to turn around, but thats ok. Skyler and River made the best of it running around and climbing on rocks. Robin chattted and squakd up a storm. On the plus side, we made it home just in time for the plumber to come and reattach my sink. 

I am aching for some spring, some life, and some new discoveries. Everything is in that in between state, not quite winter and not quite spring.  I guess in some ways I can relate.