Fremont Indian State Park

Our family escaped from our own life for a while and headed down south for the long weekend.  Todd also used this time to scout out the area for an activity with his YM for this summer.  So that meant lots of time in the car, but our children were promised a reward for their patience with a trip to Big Rock Candy Mountain.

When Todd was a child he used to visit Big Rock Candy Mountain often, and would tell me about the animals they had, the way he used to tease his brother, Spencer, that the water coming from the spring was really lemonade.  Then Spencer tasted it and, of course, the reason it is yellow is because of the sulfur and he would taste something terrible.  That's what brother's do.

I also realized that when we are children, we truly think that almost anything is AMAZING if it has a cool enough name.  Todd had talked this place up like it was something magnificent to behold.  His childhood memories must have been clinging to fun memories more than details of the actual location.

There are no longer animals there, something about "cruelty" and "cages."  The lemonade springs of yore aren't brimming forth with yellow water, it's more like a small trickling stream and you can't walk up to it, like he used to.  There is a small cafe and motel with a gift shop.  Winter months, they don't get much business, so the gas station across the street was closed.

Our kids just couldn't understand why there was no candy and Big Rock Candy Mountain.

Thank heaven the Fremont Indian Museum was open to visitors, and they had candy!  It was the best $6 we spent the whole weekend.  We had the entire visitors museum to ourselves, along with the trails and the weather was on our side.  They have an interactive children's exhibit that we had to peel our kids away from so we could go outside on the hikes to see the different rock art.

 Once we got outside, the kids were in heaven.  The trails are clearly marked and very easy for kids to maneuver. Connor says that it was "so amazing.  It had kid stuff and I got to make so much good music.  It sounded good."  The kids were more interested in finding the markers that tell you where to look for the art than actually looking at the art.  Todd and I laughed thinking that we were just looking at some teenage Indian's graffiti and in a couple hundred years, the names etched into trees or graffiti on the backs of warehouses will be the thing we ooh and aah over.

We got to explore a Pit House (this is us inside the pit house).  Connor wants me to say that "It was so amazing, I thought that it was a cave.  I don't know it Indians have pets.  I don't know if my mom knows if they have pets."  While we were down inside the pit house, Connor asked if we could live in one of these instead of our house.  Todd and I joked that someday we might have to, if things don't turn around soon.

Even this little guy trotted along the trails. The remainder of our time was spent:
Battling a mouse
Swimming
Connor playing Sonic the Hedgehog
Scrabble
Eating junk food, lots and lots of junk food
Reading through old scrapbooks and journals that belonged to Todd's grandpa
Napping

It's nice to have a place to go to where we can escape the city life and be forced to be - somewhat- unplugged.

Month of Thanks - Blah

I am usually a very optimistic, grateful kind of person.  Or at least, I think I am.

Without a doubt, I will have a brief moment of thanks everyday.  If I get to park in that great little parking spot.  When someone I don't even know pays a compliment.  If the sunset is pink and purple and blue.  When I get to have a few moments of silence for myself.

But something happened toward the end of the month that made me kind of blah.  Yeah, I was grateful for the things I am supposed to be grateful for, but I didn't feel like writing something down every single day.

So there you have it, the rest of the month went to blah.

National Geographic...In our own neighborhood!

We were at our friends, the Buchert's for an annual Christmas Caroling party and as we turned onto our street from 1250 west, something flew right by the side of Todd's window and perched onto a limb in our neighbors, the Jensen's tree.  It was a HUGE barn owl.

We parked the car in the middle of the street and just sat there staring at it.  I have never seen an owl that big up close in the wild in my life!  We were all enthralled.  What spooked us the most was the owl, just staring us down.  Todd rolled the window down and we got frightened that it might dive into the car and attack us.

After a few more minutes of gawking, we rolled slowly on home.  Slowly enough that we were able to watch through the back window as the owl swooped down out of the tree and tried to attack a little cat that was walking across the street.  The cat ran, and hopefully wasn't harmed.  But it was the coolest thing our little family had seen all winter long!

Month of Thanks - Day #25

Connor:  I am thankful for my five sense. Because we wouldn't want to live without them.

Abi:  I am thankful for this whole family.

Carly:  I am thankful for my Princess and the Frog dress.

Dakota:  Baba

I am thankful for these amazing kids.

Month of Thanks - Day #24

Grateful for Holidays!

The smells.

The food.

The decor.

The company.

Month of Thanks - Day #22

Today, Todd and I decided to get some Christmas shopping out of the way.  So who do we call?  The Barlow's.  There is always someone available to watch our kids, and they do a great job!  And I am terrible, because we usually call them just 10 minutes before we decide to do something, and they come with a smile on their face!

I am thankful for great babysitters, like the Barlows!

Month of Thanks - Day #21

Yesterday my handsome companion turned 36.  WOW!!!  I am grateful to be attached to him!  Why, he is one of the most attractive men on the planet, he's taken me along on lots of awesome trips, we've lived in some pretty neat towns and has lots of great laughs.

I am grateful for the Birthday Boy!