To camp or not to camp...

...the answer is obvious when the nighttime temperatures are below 30 degrees.  So on our latest trip to Joshua Tree, we stayed in a hotel instead of inflicting torture on our family by camping.  And we had a blast!  For the record, staying in a hotel is much easier than camping.  Yes, I know you know that, but I had to say it, because we haven't ever NOT camped at Joshua Tree.

We had to do more driving, but we had showers every day, didn't have to keep the dirt from blowing in our food, and didn't lose sleep over children crying while slowly freezing.  All in all, a good trade off, don't you think?

The first day, we went on a tour of Keyes Ranch.  Here are the three musketeers trekking off to explore the ranch.

Natalie got a little tired of the tour guide (he did speak a little too slowly for my taste) and resorted to dirt angels.

Lukas and Konrad posing with a few of the machinery relics.  Favorite Lukas quote:  "It's snowing!"  It actually did snow a few flakes while we were at Keyes Ranch.

Great photo of the kids...

...and a great photo of Tom and me.  But not the same photo. 

After our tour, we had a picnic lunch and climbed on some rocks.  We did a lot of rock scrambling!

Sunday we went to church (we never go to church when we're camping, although if there were church at the park, that would be fabulous!) and then visited The Living Desert in Palm Springs.  I think the last time we were there, I was pregnant with Lukas.  So fun to visit with four kids!

Natalie is following the scorpion tracks.

Someone thinks my children look tasty!

You too?  Don't even think about it!

Obviously the bighorn sheep were more concerned with someone else on the other side of the mountain...I think some African big cat lives over there.

There were several times when the kids took naps in the car.  Konrad doesn't usually nap anymore, but here he's napping AND drooling!

Monday we packed up from our hotel and headed back to Joshua Tree to climb some more rocks.  Because that's what you do at Joshua Tree! Favorite Natalie quote of the trip:  "Egypt!"  She said this immediately after the lyrics "Walk like an Egyptian" in the song.

Konrad and Lukas climbed into a cave-like area.

The boys wore red hats, which made it a lot easier to spot them!

Wait for me! Favorite Dominik quote of the trip:  "No, I can't climb that rock, it's too heavy."

Favorite (?) Konrad quote:  "How much longer till we get there?"  We heard that a lot on the way there AND on the way back.