Monthly Archives: September 2018

Temples and Tigers

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Grand Mesa and the Colorado National Monument were not exciting enough for Levi because he didn’t see enough animals.  Eye Roll.  So we stopped in Provo on our way up to Salt Lake City to visit the Bean Life Science Museum at BYU which is stuffed with animals. (Pun Intended).  He saw lions and tigers and bears and alligators and eagles and giraffes and…..you get the idea.

We went to a live animal presentation and Levi had his hand in the air literally the whole time so he could answer every question.  I was torn between embarrassment and pride. 

I had to tear the kids away from the museum so we could make it to temple square that afternoon. We have rushed through temple square in the past, but I wanted to spend some time there this time.  I never get tired of looking at this beautiful temple.

We wandered through City Creek Mall afterwards because…….Levi wanted to find some animals.  He remembered the fish pond from last time! Most people go to the mall to shop.  Not my kid.

As we left Salt Lake headed to Alli’s house, Levi noticed that we took the freeway ramp marked “To Las Vegas” and asked incredulously, “Are we going to Las Vegas?!”  I said yes, assuming that he would know I was joking.  About five minutes later he pipes up from the back seat, “Are we going to eat in Las Vegas?”  
Rather than eating in Las Vegas, we ate at our favorite place, Pizza Pie Cafe.  While there, I took Liberty into the bathroom.  I was almost done when I realized Liberty hadn’t gone into a stall so I called out her name and asked what she was doing? She sheepishly answered, “I’m dancing to the music.”  I’m telling you, this girl dances literally everywhere she goes.  
After dinner I tried to show the kids where Rock and I got engaged in Provo, but due to a pretty hefty thunder storm and the growing darkness I couldn’t find my way up to the spot.  When we got back to Alli’s house her roommates were having a party and invited my kiddos to play Catch Phrase.  My two social butterflies joined in happily, not caring that they were the youngest by far or that they didn’t know anyone.

Finally it was bedtime.  Liberty loved sleeping in Alli’s purple mummy bag.

The next day we headed home by way of every temple I could easily stop at.
Draper

Jordan River
 Bountiful

 Brigham City
And that was our whirlwind trip to Utah and Colorado this summer.  

Miss Wesel Goes to Grand Mesa

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Day 2 of our trip to GJ this summer was Grand Mesa.  I’ve been looking at it for years every time we go to GJ and finally we got to go!

An up close look at Mount Garfield on our way!
 We took a beautiful hike up on top of the Mesa.  
Levi and Cade went up ahead so this is the last picture I got of them.  

 Hiking with Grandma

Ok, one more picture of Levi.  He found a dead salamander and thought he’d died and gone to heaven.  Look at those eyes sparkle!  
Yuck.  Not my heaven.

Making plans for the hikes they will take the NEXT time Alli comes to CO.

 Picking Wildflowers.  

Cade and Grandpa really got into this puzzle while we were there.  They worked for hours on it.  
Levi, Liberty, Alli and I left the next day but Cade stayed with Grandma and Grandpa.  They played in Grand Junction for a couple days and then they took him to Salt Lake to see the fireworks on his birthday/Pioneer Day.  After seeing some sights in SLC, he flew home.
Feeding the chipmunks on the Mesa.
Levi was very jealous and is counting the days till it’s his turn to stay with G and G Hymas.
After staying up late every night they finished puzzle just minutes before leaving for SLC.
Coming up; Levi and Liberty in Salt Lake City.

Miss Wesel Goes to Colorado Day 1

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As part of our summer travels we took my sister, Alli to Grand Junction, thus allowing her to check off a huge bucket list item.  She has made it her sole purpose in life to get to every national park in existence, so the Colorado National Monument has been high on her list for a while.  This summer we made it happen!

The day after Lagoon we said goodbye to Rock, who was headed home for some alone time, and picked up Alli.  We stopped at Walmart to get snacks after eating lunch at In-n-Out Burger and Liberty provided this gem without any prompting at all.  Every once in a while she shows that she is the only girl in a family of boys.
Then we were off to Colorado.
Image result for welcome to colorado sign from utah
Our first day in GJ we did the Monument.
Disclaimer: None of these pictures do the Monument justice. Grand vistas and vibrant colors just don’t look that great on a phone camera.  I’m trying to justify a purchase of a newer iphone just so I can do justice to the grand vistas and vibrant colors.  Rock isn’t convinced. 
Another thing you can’t tell in these pictures is how close to a cliff someone is.  Most of these pictures were taken right next to a cliff.  It’s a miracle we ever survive trips like this.  It’s a miracle I don’t have a heart attack from worry that my kids will fall off a cliff, a miracle my kids don’t throw me off a cliff for constantly trying to stop them from falling off a cliff and a miracle my mother in law even agrees to take me because I’m the mom who is constantly trying to keep her children from falling off a cliff.  

Alli REALLY likes cliffs.

These two are definitely kindred spirits.  Nancy loves to talk about the Monument and Alli loved learning about it. I wish they could have gone off on their own for a day without my kiddos and me in tow.
 Goofy Grin
Levi spent the entire day begging to go exploring for animals. He asked at every. single. stop.  Everyone got to practice patience that day.

Independence Rock

Yes, that really is the same rock, Alli.

Nancy took us to the coolest spot for lunch!  Overlook Everything!

More exploring for Levi.
Alli was a huge help and together we tag teamed the “Levi exploration buddy” assignment.  Levi is out in this picture somewhere exploring and if you look closely you can see Alli following close behind.

We stopped at the Visitor’s Center on our way out of the park and Liberty found a book about Arches National Park.  The kids and Rock went to Arches over spring break and I have been lamenting the fact that I haven’t gotten to see it yet.  When I exclaimed over the book, she said, “It’s OK, Mommy, you will see it someday, just don’t die.” 
Then as we drove out of the parking lot, we saw this arch in the sky!!
On our way home that day we stopped to see Great Grandma Dot.  So glad this neat lady is still around!

Great Grandma insisted on walking us out to the car and giving her daughter a hug goodbye.  
Stay tuned for our day on the Grand Mesa.  Hopefully you won’t have to wait too long…..