Wingardium Leviosa

We probably talked for too long about which of Maile's stuffies would accompany her to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Ultimately, we decided on the oldest (and arguably dearest), Kisses the koala.

So we headed out, slightly terrified that she would cry for Mickey when we were 4 hours from home. But we were determined to pack light! And a 10-oz Mickey makes a difference, darn it! 

Obviously, Maile was fine. And on top of the highest dunes in North America, we discovered she may also be a wizard? A trick of the camera, of course. But I might look twice in the mailbox, come her 11th birthday. ;)

* Maile's headband c/o Kindred OAK.

Western Wanderlust // Colorado's Great Sand Dunes

Our camping weekend, we enjoyed trying not to wake Maile (also, an orange koala), while lunging up sand dunes,

pretending we were in Saudi Arabia (yes, that is an untouched Colorado blue sky),

a photo op with friends (my high socks are to try to keep the sand out -- ha -- and Tim would like me to note that he is not, in fact, a redneck),

lots of pictures in sand (I'm still trying to get it out of everything!),

and many magical moments with the most adorable little ones.

We should have slept hard, but

we were on the edge of monsoon rains,

so we stayed awake listening to the hard, steady rain.

And wind.

Lots of wind, whipping around our tent.

Have you been camping this summer?

America's National Parks are so beautiful.

Full of inspiration, and life, and peace.

Hope your weekend was wonderful!

Happy Monday, friends.

Western Wanderlust // "In a Tent!"

I used to think that camping wasn't for me. (Glamping is whole different story ...) It makes me sad to reminisce over this -- the fact that I was actually much less open to new experiences before Maile came along. Then again, doing different things, and getting to also see these activities through Maile's eyes, is something kind of wonderful. (Also, slightly more terrifying, as there are about a million ways for a curious toddler to injure herself while camping.)

So thankful for this family of mine, and for lovely friends who invite us to places we've never been. I don't doubt for a moment that Maile will remember "going camping! In a TENT!" I can't wait to go camping in a tent again.

Sand Through Her Hands

Five minutes before these photos were taken, I was about to pull out my hair. Maile wanted me to hold her. We were hiking up quite the incline, nearing the tallest point of the dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park. She was making her displeasure with waking up in the hiking pack, on her dada's back, known by sobbing "Mama hoooold you, Mama hoooooold you ..." We were all sweaty and tired, and I felt a flash of angry words pop up into the back of my throat. Thankfully, I caught them there, and they never escaped my lips ...

I hope you know what I'm talking about.

And then, we were there. It didn't quite seem so much like the top of the world, as it did the top of some strange and distant land. 

She picked up a handful of sand and let it go, grain by grain, flowing seamlessly into the wind that created the great dunes. 

In that moment, even though I captured it on camera, I didn't know quite what to do. My heart stopped in my chest, and I just stared at her, wanting to scoop her up like the sand that so fascinated her, and never let her go. She was spellbound, yet so free. And that stitch in time, as all like it, made the frustrating five minutes before so worth it. It really did.