January

On New Years Eve we hung out with the family, and then on New Years Day we had plans to take Jennie & Dalin and go on a hike, but we decided that day to go to the Mud Caves instead.  I love the Mud Caves – we’ve gone there a number of times over the years (I guess Dad & Aaron have been there at least once a year since Aaron was small).   Basically you drive forever, out to Anza Borego State Park, and then keep going through miles of dusty dirt roads past plenty of sage brush and yucca plants.  It might be kind of hard to find the Mud Caves if you weren’t with someone who knew where they were going, since there aren’t many road signs and it’s not even always clear where the roads are.  But finally you pull up in a little canyon, and if you know where to look you can find entrances to several caves (oh, and the name is a little deceiving – the caves are quite dusty, but I’ve never been there when there was any mud).  It’s always fun exploring the caves, and once we get to the end of a cave we usually turn off our flashlights and head lamps and try to feel our way back out in the pitch black.  The kids loved it, and I think Jennie and Dalin had a great time too.  Maybe this will have to be our new New Years Day tradition.

Camden also lost his first tooth on January 8^th – so cute!

And I celebrated my 31^st birthday.  (Michael made me a homemade angel food cake with a strawberry/whipped cream topping -- yummy).

And I had a fun visit with Erin Devenberg, my best friend from high school.  It was so fun hanging out together again!

And we got to go the Wild Animal Park with Jennie & Dalin.  We have really been loving having these Zoo & Wild Animal Park passes – thanks so much to both of our parents for the great Christmas gift for the whole family!

Taelin, Amika, Taelin’s friend, Courtland, Isaac, Kolby, Lijah, & Camden