while we were away...

Hello! Long time!

You've heard the saying "life is what happens while you're looking at your smartphone." It also happens when you're plugged in to the wall staring at a glowing screen. We have been so consumed in summer this year--real life--that I haven't had the desire to spend a lot of time around here in internet land....

I wanted to stop by and share a little of what we've been up to....but I hope you're also out enjoying your summer and not spending too much time indoors. If you're itching for a road trip, I have one that should be on the top of your list...

A few weeks ago, we loaded up a tent, a cooler full of food, a few tie-dyed shirts--and we hit the road. The first night was spent deep in the desert with exactly 1 bazilliongillion stars shining overhead. We woke with the sun and continued south. 

Goosenecks State Park.

We drove through the early morning heat to Monument Valley. 

Monument Valley is a 17 mile dirt loop through the park--all on reservation land (it costs $20 to get in). Hiking isn't allowed, and there are paid guided tours that take you deeper into the area, but we opted for the self tour. It is an incredible little corner of the earth, and while my feet ached to get out and explore more, the drive was beautiful and well worth it.

We passed through Four Corners Monument  (worth skipping if you want my honest opinion), found a Colorado river to play in and beat the heat, and headed to our next campsite in Mesa Verde National Park. The campground was HUGE and I expected to be camping on top of our neighbors, but we found a site in the trees and felt like we had the place to ourselves. 

oh--and no one does camp hair better than these two.

Mesa Verde is a must see place--you get to visit ancient Anasazi dwellings from the 1200s. They lived within the cliff walls because it gave them easy access to water--there are springs that come through the rocks. They farmed on top of the Mesa--scaling the walls of their homes to their crops up top. The two largest dwellings--Cliff Palace and Balcony House you take a guided tour through, and there are several other dwellings you can explore on your own. There is such a reverence and peace within the walls of these rooms. I wish I could have spent an entire day here thinking about those that lived so long ago. 

A FEW TIPS:
We wanted to pack light since we were changing campsites each day (we did stay in Mesa Verde two nights). We wanted quick meals so we could hurry out in the morning and get a quick start to our day. 

Breakfast Ideas:

-oatmeal! before you leave home mix up a big bag of oats, dried fruit, nuts, coconut, hemp and chia seeds, chocolate chips, brown sugar--the possibilities are endless. Boil some water in the morning and you have a quick and filling breakfast. If you're feeling fancy bring some almond milk to splash in.

-bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon.

Lunch Ideas:

-whole wheat tortilla with peanut butter/honey (mix them together before you leave home to save on time/space) and dried fruit. If you're on the go at lunch time wrap these in foil and they hold up pretty well in a pack. 

-jerky, trailmix, granola bars. 

Dinner Ideas:

We love Aidell's Sausages with all the fixins!

For a suuuuuuper fast dinner when you are exhausted after a long day, it's hard to beat some "just add water" soup. I like the Dr. McDougall's brand--they are tasty and they pack up easily.
I pack a little fruit/veg in the cooler, and then we look for small farmer's markets wherever we are traveling.

helpful links:
Jetboil  so small and light to pack, and boils your water in a flash without the need of a fire.
Kind Bars real, whole food bars that taste awesome.
Larabars fruits and nuts packed into a little bar
Epic Bars--these are a recent find--I'll tell you more about them soon!
Krave Jerky the BEST jerky
Kids Camelbak  a must have. 
Kids Keens the perfect summer shoe for your kiddos
Patagonia Trucker Hats  our favorite

more road trip to come....

to keep up when I'm away from here come find me on Instagram @_sheenarae