heaven on earth

So we went to Lake Powell with the Cheney clan last week. No, I was not just being lazy for yet another week and not blogging. I was busy basking, silly. Usually I'm just lazy. This time I was both lazy and basking.

When I was little, my family went almost yearly to Lake Powell, and it truly is one of my most favorite places on earth. It's beautiful and refreshing. And relaxing, even when there is a lot of work involved. Because technically, you don't have to do anything. Including shower. There's no Internet, no one knocking at your door. Just the water licking your toes and the smell of that lake in the air that is so singular it escapes description. Something like exhaust and sand and sunblock all mixed together.

I haven't gone to Powell since the summer before I got pregnant with Belle. And this year we took the girls. Admittedly, I was nervous. Belle is the most cautious child, and adhered to the life jacket rule before she even left the apartment (literally - she made sure I knew the rule fifty thousand times before we left), but Lou? She posseses little caution and pretty much loves to test everything. Boundaries are made to be stretched. Thankfully, no one was hurt or fell in or had any scares. They just built a sand village (with a ridiculous water feature) with Daddy and rode in the "little boat" that goes "bump bump bump" (Belle's favorite part) and refused to ride the "motorcycle boats" (waverunners). Belle was - as expected - nervous about the water. But she worked up enough courage eventually to hang out on the ladder at the back of the boat and ventured out a few times with me or her Aunt Whitney. And Lou just wandered around being goofy. As always. All in all, it was perfect and REALLY needed. We had the best laughs and the deepest sleeps, borne of lazy sun-drenched days. Good times all around.

And because this blog has become a serious dumping ground - cue the massive photo dump. You're welcome Grandma Lichelle and Aunties. The rest of you are excused. :)