Utah 2012 - Part 2

The second half of our holidany was spent in Moutain Home with Allan's mom, Grandma Bleazard and our niece Allysha.  Mountain Home is a tiny little place with ranches and homes blocks apart.  Nestled right in the middle of the mountains I can't think of a more peaceful, quiet place.  I could spend weeks there watching the kids chase guinea hens over the fence, pet the neighbor's horses and funny fat donkeys, and run to the one store that exists that's just right up the dirt road from Grandma's home.  We visited the closest town, Altamont, often and I marveled at the way Allan's mom and Allysha knew everyone's name and what family they belonged to. 

 

Walker's morning ritual of playing with the stray cat that mom and Allysha feed.

The kids were so excited about this little riding mower.

Walker was so thrilled he fell asleep while he was helping Allan mow the lawn.

Sweet Allysha gave up her bedroom to the kids and Lillian spent every morning right in the middle of her lap while she did her hair and make up.

Altamont Longhorn Days Parade

 

Seeing these old war veterans walk down the street brought tears to my eyes, especially when I realized that they had to walk all the way down main street only to turn around and walk all the way back.

 

The kids couldn't believe that people were throwing candy at them.  It took us forever to convince them that this one time it was okay to run in the middle of the street and take candy from strangers.

After acquiring this much candy the kids were begging people to stop throwing it at them.

While Walker was most excited about the tractors and trucks Emma was enchanted by Miss Duschene County and the Rodeo Queen.

Allysha is on the highschool drill team so we got to see her perform in the parade.  She did such a good job!

Vernal Dinosaur Museum

Provo

We stopped in Provo on our way out of Mountain Home long enough to get new BYU shirts from the University store, get ice cream from the campus creamery and give Walker a look at the stadium that Allan is certain he'll play in one day.

Utah 2012 - Part 1

We spent the last two weeks visiting family, temples, and shopping malls in Utah.  I was anxious about the 17 hour drive with three little ones but apart from a couple of frustrating incidents the kids were amazing and the trip there and back went smoothly.  We spent the first week in Brigham City, visiting Salt Lake, Ogden and Logan during the days.  The kids, however, would have spent every moment in their Uncle Rick's pool if we had allowed it. 

Salt Lake City

We made a day trip to temple square to meet up with my Uncle Mike and his family.  While there we visited the Church History Museum.  It was so exciting to look through the museum and have things that the kids could see and touch that went along with what they've learned at home about Joseph Smith and the early saints.

This was a replica of the bunks that would have existed on the boats that brought the saints from England to the United States.  One family of 5 or 6 would share one side of the bunk!!  I guess I should stop complaining about a cramped van.

Temple Grounds and City Creek Center

An unsure Emma encouraging her baby brother to give the sporadically spraying water a try.

Logan

This little park is where my dad proposed to my mom.  It's a tradition to go there each trip and play in the icy cold stream and eat at Frederico's, a restaurant that makes yummy pizza and the best cheese and ham salads EVER!  Lillian was the only one that could bear having her little feet in the stream for longer than just a couple of seconds.

Hanging Out

One of the best things about summer holidays is all the time there is to spend visiting and playing, even if you are nearly 30 years old.

Watching Sesame Street with "baby Eli", not much of a baby anymore.

Great Grandma Broby

Flying Airplanes with Uncle Ricky

Uncle Rick has promised Walker that as soon as he is old enough he'll teach him how to make and fly these airplanes.  I have no doubt that Walker will hold him to it.