The houseboat in Knowles Canyon, Lake Powell

The houseboat in Knowles Canyon, Lake Powell

We just returned from a long weekend with my in-laws at Lake Powell. The Glen Canyon area is absolutely beautiful and stunning. My in-laws fell in love with the area years before I met my husband and own a houseboat there.

D and I spent a few days at Lake Powell with the in-laws before we had children. It was interesting to say the least. We haven’t been back since. The girls were just too young. A houseboat on a very deep lake is not a good place for a baby or a toddler.

My girls are now 4 and 7. We decided this was the year we would take the girls. We had to wait until fall…the last time I was there, it was 120 degrees in the shade. I love the heat, but not that much heat.

This time it was a totally comfortable 95 to 100 degrees.

I went in to the trip knowing I wasn’t going to do much relaxing. My 4-year-old can swim a bit. She just doesn’t float so well.

The girls spent a lot of time in lifejackets and near the railing

The girls spent a lot of time in lifejackets AND near the railing.

I didn’t relax. The girls went crazy when we arrived at the boat. They ran everywhere. Up, down, along the sides. Anywhere and everywhere they could go. They also loved the ability to walk right over to the edge, stare down into the deep water and watch fish swimming.
They saw the beauty, the fish, the adventure.

I saw the beauty, the danger, the fish, the danger, the adventure, the life or death.

This was a vacation to enjoy and survive.

I have always had a fear of the water and drowning. It’s definitely number one on my top ten list of ways I don’t want to die. This vacation was not helping the situation.

I had to know where my kids were at all times. Leaving them in the back of the boat while they played on the bunks was not an option. I watched them constantly. I worked to keep them within arms length at all times.

I had to remind myself to breathe. Watching my daughters’ every move was innate.

Swimming definitely challenged my nerves. Even in lifejackets

Swimming definitely challenged my nerves. Even in lifejackets

I didn’t do a lot of relaxing, but I was able to sneak two naps in while D and the in-laws took over the life-watching. It was difficult, but I knew I had to take a break to keep my sanity and cool. I also tried to not let my travel companions see me sweat. I wanted the girls to see there were dangers, and they had to follow the rules. I didn’t want them to be too scared to have fun or paralyzed with fear. Teaching my girls to be cautious, serious and safe at the right time but not to allow their fears to take over is a very difficult task.

I tried to be relaxed. Cool. Fun. I succeeded at times and failed at others.

By the third day, I was relaxing and feeling better. I didn’t let down my guard, but I began breathing and smiling again.

The girls had a really good time. Despite my fears, I had a really good time. There is so much to do and learn at Lake Powell. I will save the learning at Lake Powell for another post.

It was so good to get away from everything (and I mean everything) for a few days. No phone calls, no electronics, no computer, no TV, just family and nature. Yet another future post…

Driving home I felt rested and relaxed. I also felt good that we had escaped from Lake Powell without any disasters and with our lives.