Fossil Springs

This weekend Chad was invited to go to Fossil Springs with some friends. I told him that he could go and he was so excited but I was a little sad. Chad has been gone a lot the past few months and I was hoping that we could spend the weekend together. He finally asked if Grady and I wanted to go, so we started to get our stuff together for the next day. We were going to leave earlier because we had a baby and didn't want to slow the rest of the group down. We packed up Grady's backpack carrier and the other backpack with all the necessities . . . I always forget how much stuff you have to pack for a baby!! Anyway, we put Grady in the pack and chad tried to put it on his back and it was not going to work out. It was way too heavy!! Well we were still going to go no matter what so I told chad to pack up the car and I would get ready to go. While I was getting ready I thought about the stuff he had to get out of the car, the garbage, the toys, the stroller . . . duh!!

Me being the smartest wife ever (I wish) thought why don't we go get a jogging stroller instead? ( the way we go to the creek is hiking up the old flume road which goes from the APS power plant to the dam) You should have seen the smile on Chad's face when I told him. It was like the little boy on A Christmas Story when he gets his gun. So we finished getting ready and headed out to get a jogging stroller and few other items. Well three stores later, we finally decided on one and left town. I looked at the clock and realized we are only about and hour ahead of the other group.

Well we made it there and put the stroller together, put grady in some jammies, locked up the car, and loaded all the heavy items on the stroller. I forgot one small detail about the stroller idea . . . you can't trespass on APS property where the start of the road is. So we were left to cross the stream and hike the half mile up the mountian to the road. we got the creek and the 2x6 that is normally there was washed away so Chad took off his shoes, rolled up his pants and carried the packs and stroller adross the stream. We took grady out of the stroller and carried him across because I thought it would be safer. Now the hard part. The trail up to the road is about ten inches wide but has several parts that are overgrown with cactus and shrubs. We carried that heavy stroller up the zig zag trail, the rest of the 3 1/2 miles up and down and our calves have never felt such soreness! Needless to say that Grady slept the whole bumpy way in. We were so happy!

We had so much fun on this trip and loved doing it as a family. Chad can't wait to take Grady again. On the way back people kept staring at us like we were crazy! Maybe we are but isn't that what makes life fun?


Here is Grady playing in the tent.


I still can't believe he let me put that light on his head. He hates wearing hats.


Jason and Chad at the rope swing


Grady sleeping on the rocks


Grady in the backpack to get down the swimming hole