December 2019 through February 2020

A very sweet Christmas buddy...

Getting nails done:

A pre-Christmas walk. Max wore this Santa hat 24-7 for the entire Christmas season. It had worn to tatters by the end so much that you could see his hair clearly through the bare threads.

Winding up to throw a snowball at dad:

Claire trying to avoid pictures:

Every goose poop had to be pointed out. Without her glove on, no less.

Climbing around an unusually empty skate park near our neighborhood:

Before church on the Christmas Sunday. Neither of us can remember why Max was grumpy. Probably because mom took off his Santa hat (see her left hand):

This time, Claire requested the photo:

In front of Grandma and Grandpa Bagley's tree in Mapleton:

In front of our tree in Stansbury wearing new Christmas jammies on Christmas Eve:

Christmas Eve sleepover party!

At the Museum of Natural Curiosity on New Year's Eve:

You can see me and the older three on the platform in the middle. Max was too terrified to do much, unfortunately:

On a walk by Saltair on a Sunday evening right after sunset:

Ailie stayed home with mom and Cal:

Max had a cold that irritated his eye. Still a cute capture:

The wide open spaces by the Great Salt Lake after sunset are really beautiful. Kind of ethereal lighting:

Random chair stuck in the water. Not the weirdest thing we've ever found out at the water's edge:

Unhappy to have her picture taken. Even in such stunning light:

A jolly parade:

Smelter lights:

A happy Cal on his 11-month old day:

Sunrise creeping up on the mountains West of Stansbury Island. Another 4am hike with my friend Michael on the first of February. We really enjoyed the reflection in the still water:

Ascending Stansbury Island (the goal was the island's highpoint—Castle Rock):

Sir Michael:

Same view as above as the sun rose and we hiked ever higher:

View along the ridge looking North. Castle Rock is the mound on the left of the frame:

View from the top of the ridge and our first moments in the sun:

I kept the head lamp on my head the entire hike:

Getting closer:

View South down the ridge of Stansbury Island, you can see Deseret Peak and the Stansbury Mountain Range in the distance:

Enjoying the view:

Beginning the scramble up towards the summit:

The view ahead towards the summit:

From the summit—Antelope Island and then the Wasatch in the East:

Michael on the summit and the route we travelled behind him:

Snack break (and cooling off—jackets go back on):

View to the South again:

Stansbury range in the back. Deseret Peak is the tallest summit on the left:

Beginning the descent:

Here's an oozey-faced birthday Cal! Still cute:

On our way in to Salt Lake on a Saturday, Claire, Ailie, and I stopped at Blackrock (on the right). Road to get to it was shut down due to construction, so we had to hoof it the last half mile or so:

Ailie wanted this picture with the rock in the back:

Finally there:

Lots of little nooks and crannies to explore. They were both quite thrilled:

On the top of the rock:

Forced perspective makes this far spookier than it was, I assure you:

Stansbury Island!

A very content 9 year-old. Loves being outside:

Sisters:

The last Sunday in February, we went on a little stroll in Middle Canyon before dinner. We lasted maybe 10 minutes. The snow was pretty slushy in most areas, so pushing the stroller uphill through it was murder:

Max is wearing a backpack because he's being a Sneaky Sasquatch: