Thursday, August 27, 2009

Photostory Friday: Making Memories

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek





A good memory is like a warm blanket. It's like a deposit in a savings account. We hold it in reserve, to draw from when the lean times come.

Or maybe a better metaphor is that a memory is like a piece of fine art. We acquire it -- sometimes at a cost -- and hang it in a beautiful place. We come back to admire it from time to time. And, as the years go by, it's value increases. Some memories are worth more than others.

Memories that involve my wife and children are the most valuable of all.

We've reached a new plateau in the life of our little family -- we are no longer burdened down with strollers and diapers, and we're more free to act spontaneously. This past weekend we picked up and headed to southern Utah, to make some memories.



We hiked and we sweated. We looked up at towering stone, and down from an island two-thousand feet in the sky.




We saw, distinctly, why the Green River is called Green.




We looked out over Martian landscapes.




We climbed all over the "Indiana Jones" arch (also known as Double Arch).




We watched the sun rise through Mesa Arch perched, quite literally, on the very edge of a 1,500 foot cliff.




(One of us walked across the arch, much to the consternation of his wife).


Sunday night, as we sat in the backyard, dusk coming on, the first day of school only hours away, and unwilling to let the weekend slip away, we started talking about our favorite memories of the previous two days.

It turns out it wasn't seeing this:



Or being here:



It was seeing this:


Together.



It was being here:


As a family.

It was Emma, inadvertently keeping me awake on the drive home, as she interpreted the lyrics to Bon Jovi's "It's my life."




("I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd" became "I ain't gonna feed you the fish in the cloud.")

Forty hours yielded a lifetime of memories.




You know, that's not a bad investment at all.

29 comments:

Kristen said...

THAT'S what life is all about.

Thanks for sharing.

Cecily R said...

Coooool. The whole post is just cool.

And now I have Memories running on a loop in my head. :)

Kelly Deneen Raymond said...

Ahhhhh. Beautiful. :)

SO glad that you and your family enjoyed yourself.

Happy Photo Friday!

Dan said...

I love that Emma is coming over to the good side (The Utes). I saw her walking to school this morning with her half BYU, half Utah hat. I asked which team was hers and she said she like them both. I figure that is better than BYU. I need to get Raylee to spend more time with her. ;)

CC said...

See. THIS is exactly what I'm talking about in my post. Making family memories.

I did get to see Delicate Arch when we were moving cross country. But I seriously almost died of heat stroke getting up that dang walk.

Terri said...

Stunning landscape. Beautiful family. I love the sunrise photo especially.

Did you have your whip with you, Indie??

tiarastantrums said...

your photos are amazing . . .
your storytelling is amazing . . .
your family is amazing . . . (but you already know that)

latree said...

I guess you really have reached the plateau of life. oh I always love how you make analogs about your picture to the story

Lori said...

I always talk about that our kids won't remember how beautiful our house was and how weed free the flower beds were but they will always remember camping together.

So we do lots of it.

{krista} said...

I need to drag my husband down there to do something besides golf. It's so beautiful and serene and you make it that much more tempting with your photos. And.... that song is one of my favorites! Great interpretation. LOL

Emily said...

That's the best kind of investment...the one that will actually matter. It really looks like y'all had the perfect family weekend.

Steph said...

That's just awesome!
I love your pictures as usual, and I always lean toward pictures with people in them.
Here's to making memories!!! :)

kayerj said...

not a bad investment at all, what a great trip!

(My brother lived on Island in the sky for a year while he did his thesis on big horn sheep)

Lisa said...

Stunning photos and an incredible story. You certainly made some great memories.

Lisa

Suzanne said...

You know, we'll often come back from a trip and ask everyone one by one what their "favorite part" was and soo many times it's NOT the main, big event we experienced, it was something small & simple or funny & spontaneous...and then I wonder, "WHY did we just go spend all that money on the BIG thing?" :)

Suzanne said...

P.S. I KNEW Jill would say something about Emma's UTES hat! As would my Ryan if he read your blog! :)

Heidi said...

That's the best investment you can make. It will last for eternity!
I love going to Arches N.P. I have so many fond memories and you know they all rotate around who was with me. Thank you for the beautiful reminders of where my priorities should be!
My little picture that shows up with my name was actually taken in southern Utah. But it was at Goblin Valley. next time you want to take a great trip you should hit that one and Little Wild Horse Canyon (it's just up the road from the N.Park.

Raise Them Up said...

What a neat place to take your family! We don't have much in the way of spectacular views here in Indiana. But we like to make the most of family time, too.

Thanks for sharing the beauty with us!

Corey~living and loving said...

again...not only are the photos fabulous, and I soooooooooo want to go there, but the sentiment is devine. :) you have the right idea, Chris. so glad you know what it is all about. :)

PS. I heart that first shot!

Alex @ I'm the Mom said...

That was truly beautiful Chris. It looks like such a gorgeous place. I'm glad you and your family were able to visit it before school started for your children.

Big hugs!!

Robyn said...

Those are the best weekends. Beautiful shots. I need to get out and visit my Dad and check that place out.

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

Wonderful, as usual, post, Chris. Beautiful pictures with meaningful words that do describe what is most precious.

Angela said...

Wow, wow, wow! What gorgeous shots. We've definitely gotta to head out there someday!!

imbeingheldhostage said...

Oh Chris, these are gorgeous. I am looking into flights from Orlando now... ;-)

Momisodes said...

You always manage to bring a tear to my eyes. I'm sure those memories are just as spectacular as those photos. Simply priceless.

Michelle said...

Fantastic shots....oh and just think of all the caches you probably hiked right by. :)

Honey Mommy said...

That looks like so much fun! The prospect of a trip like that with my two little ones is just too daunting at present. But I am sure soon enough they will be old enough to take trips like this with us.

Izzy, Emmy 'N Alexander said...

*drooling*....and more *drooling*

I need to go there.

I think you picked a fabulous place for wonderful, family filled memories. What a special weekend to have with your most favorite people.

Lindsay said...

Those pictures are beautiful - especially the GREEN river...never knew such a thing existed. Very cool.