Camping...and a little soccer!!!

This past weekend we headed out on a TWO day camping trip...eek...I am still not sure I am ready for that...but it happened anyway.  We headed to Great Basin National Park...which ended up being a beautiful place...honestly is there a non-beautiful place in the mountains???  I think not!!! The girls had a blast...but very much like their mother...they were ready for a hot shower and their own bed once returning to Sandy, UT...however while there we took advantage of all that the park had to offer!!  Only thing I couldn't get a great pic of was the amazing stars in the sky...honestly wish I would have had a book with all the constellations...we would have been able to spot them ALL!!! (hmmmm I bet they have one on Amazon Prime?!?!?) Here are a few pics of our tent and our Lehman Cave tour...you cannot go to Great Basin National Park without doing that tour...it was AMAZING!!!

Our tent(home) for the weekend...

The girls in the cave...it was super sunny and hot outside the cave but a chilly 40 degrees underneath the Earth's surface...was such a neat experience and learned a TON!!!

On the road again...once again the view doesn't disappoint...

Little camper is tired out...

Once home there was no rest for this household...which is NORMAL.  We were back to summer schedule ASAP...gymnastics camp, swim lessons, laundry, gardening, running errands, laundry, Wimbledon, World Cup soccer, Kaylinn starting soccer(pics included) & now laundry begins for our trip to SD...WOOT WOOT!!!  Yes more laundry and groceries in the summer for this gal...but I love every minute of it with the girls home.

Perfect weather for Kaylinn's first soccer game!!!

Kaylinn's cheering squad...honestly NEVER a dull moment!

Like I said we are headed to SD for our next get away and couldn't be more excited!!!

Utah State Gymnastics Meet & Red Cliffs Camping...

Wow!?!?!?  What a fantastic weekend we had...we headed south to St. George for Bailey's level 5 Utah State Gymnastics meet...we had the bonus of some extra family and our first camping trip of the season.
The highlight of course being Bailey's gymnastics meet(Ava and Kaylinn may tell you otherwise...they loved the pool...we had to drag them out)  Again I can not emphasize enough how proud we are of Bailey...all of her hard work, dedication and passion for the sport of gymnastics paid off this weekend!!!  Here are some pics and stats...

Olympus Gymnastics...Level 5's...ready to stick it!!

Quick pic of Bailey...looking nervous.

She's in the groove now!!

#gameface

Vault 3rd Place...9.175

Bars 5th Place...9.275

Beam 3rd Place...9.075

Floor 3rd Place...9.3

All Around 3rd Place...36.825(personal best)

Some highlights from the meet were...#1 watching Bailey glow with pride & excitement for herself and her teammates...#2 Bailey getting 9+ on all four events for the first time ever...#3 Bailey earning her highest all around score ever and #4 Olympus Gymnastics level 5's taking home the team title!!  It was a fantastic end to her competitive season and for now she is enjoying her week off from practice before she gets back to work.
Once done with competition...Brandon and I thought it was worth sneaking in a quick camping trip...I did some quick googling and found a first come, first serve camp site just outside of St. George.  If you happen to be campers I highly recommend checking this place out, Red Cliffs Campground...great views, great hiking trails, fun wildlife, dinosaur tracks and archaeological ruins to check out!! 

At the bottom of this was our campsite...the girls stayed busy going up and down this rock/hill

Ava grabbing some water before our hikes

Bailey helping Kaylinn climb the rock...giving her footing and hand placement advice...#sisterlove

no zoom...standing in our campsite...

Little friend we were lucky enough to see...Gila Monster...was wishing my nephews could have seen him!!

Photo op

Be on the lookout for this dinosaur print...

We found it!!!  Right in the middle of photo...look close.

Amazing views...

These little guys were EVERYWHERE...I am sure if my nephews OR brother were here we would have had a campground pet during our stay.

More photo ops...

another breathtaking view...

This was a home...long, long ago...

on our trek back...ready for Home Sweet Home!!!

Like I said at the beginning of this post WOW?!?!?!  We couldn't have asked for a better weekend...we took advantage of every moment...and are ready for the next adventure!!

SLC Half Marathon & Easter in St. George

I can't believe it has taken me this long to sit down and write about my half marathon I just ran in!!!(2 weeks ago now)  This was a BIG goal of mine in 2014...to get back into running, do it consistently and be at my best!!  Now time to support the hubby as he embarks on his first Ragnar...can't wait to cheer him on!! I had set 2 goals back in February...on #DeclareItDay with the Fellow Flowers #1 was to run all my training runs no matter what AND #2 was to run my best time at a 1:45:00
I am happy to report that out of all my training runs I only missed two 3 mile runs and they were closer to race day due to a pesky, painful IT band...and although I didn't hit my time goal I ran my BEST.TIME.EVER 1:56:23...so I am super pumped about that!!!  Honestly reflecting on the prep to race day...I must admit I deserve the pat on the back I gave myself. :)  I trained in rain, wind, cold, heat...no matter what I went out and ran what was on the training schedule and because of that on race day my body was ready to go for it.  The best thing about race day was running with a great running partner and having the hubby and our 3 girls at the finish line!!!  I am VERY happy to report that I got my first workout in today...had to take some time off due to that pesky IT band I mentioned earlier...why I am so happy??  Usually after race day I take a year off...or more...not this time...consistency...I am sticking to it!!

And in true Dawes fashion that wasn't the end of our day...we headed home...I was able to ice bath, shower and eat...then we headed south, to St. George, UT, to visit Brandon's sister.  I must admit my exhausted mind and body handled the 4 hour drive better than I expected. HA!!  We got there in time for dinner and some social time...the kiddos got some swimming in and quality cousin time.  Loved watching them all play catch and hit the ball with each other.  On Easter we of course planned some fun...dyed eggs, Easter egg hunt, Easter baskets...the fun just never stopped!!!  Then back in the car and back home to reality...I have to admit I wasn't ready for spring break to end...this is a good sign and means I am officially ready for SUMMER!!!  We have a fun one planned and can't wait to get it started!!!

Gymnastics Season!! Winter Classic - Park City, UT

Yay!! One of my favorite things to do as a mom is watch my children compete...after all the hard work, dedication and hours of practice I love to see those huge smiles at the end of a routine/dance that just say...I did it and I am proud of myself!!  So hear we are at the start of Bailey's 2014 competitive season...and wow did she impress.  I really can't tell her enough how proud I am of her!
She competed in the first session Friday morning (check-in 7:30 am & warm-ups 8 am) in Park City...so the Dawes clan was up bright and early and on the road by 6:30 am.  (Brandon and I are doing a 28 day cleanse right now...so I had to have all our "safe" snacks/drinks ready to go the night before. #dedicated) 
Lets Get Ready to Rumble...

Warm-ups...just chillaxin'

Olympus Gymnastics Level 5 Team

Bailey's.Biggest.Fans...just taking a little vault video

 Once in Park City it was the Bailey show...and WOW was she spectacular!!! I tell you what for a little squirt she sure packs a lot of power, yet is so graceful and clean in her movements.  I have to admit I was a ball of nerves (Bailey seemed un-phased...just another day in her gymnast life) and I didn't really relax until her final event was complete...luckily I have social media to distract me and I can get lots of pics and videos sent to family...thank heavens for technology(I usually don't eat until competition is over...but with our cleanse I was forced to eat every couple hours...kept me alert and not so shaky...ha!!!).  Bailey had a great meet and her team took first place for Level 5's...I would have to say Winter Classic was a great start for the Olympus girls...and I can't wait to cheer them all on in 2 weeks at our host meet Crystal Cup. 

 Vault - 8.7 - 4th place

 Bars - 9.15 - 1st place(I think they call that a gold in the Olympics...proud momma!!)

 Beam - 8.925 - 5th place

 Floor - 9.05 - 2nd place(Silver)

 All Around - 35.825 - 3rd place(Bronze)

 Olympus Gymnastics - Level 5 Team - 1st place (they brought home the GOLD!!!)

 Gym pals...Ellie & Madi

The Winter Classic was a great start to her season...I can't wait to see where this year takes her!!  She is definitely making life long memories and learning so much along the way. (As is this gym mom)