Mirror Lake

Saturday, June 16

On Saturday we decided to take a drive to the Uintah Mountains and visit Mirror Lake.  We also took a picnic lunch with us.  The weather was beautiful (in fact a little on the cool side) and this was the first time we have been there where the parking lot wasn't super packed!  We brought out our lunch when we first got there and found a picnic table to sit at.  As soon as we started to get out the lunches we noticed mosquitos everywhere.  Unfortunately I didn't think we would be having a problem with mosquitos during the middle of the day so I hadn't brought any insect repellant with us.  Well, Blondie was mentioning that she thought she had seen some in the back pocket of one of the front seats a few days ago so I trekked back to the car to investigate.  And wouldn't you know it but Blondie was right!  I hurried back with the repellant and after everyone was sprayed with it the mosquitos thankfully left us alone!

After our lunch we walked the path around the lake.  It's a fairly easy walk so the kids did great and we even found a little bit of snow off the side of the path for Tan's family to play in for a few minutes.  Once we made it back to the cars we started the drive back for home - and stopped a couple of times to take some pictures.  We also took a quick stop at the Provo River waterfalls.  Our drive out of the  mountains got delayed for a time because of a motorcycle accident - an older couple on a motorcycle had hit a car coming the opposite direction head on and both people on the motorcycle died.

By the time we made it close to home it was dinner time so we stopped at In-N-Out Burger for dinner.

MJ did not want to leave the river to get back in the car.

Jordanelle Reservoir

Temple Trip

Friday, June 15, 2012

On Friday DH took the day off of work and the four of us adults went to the Salt Lake Temple during the afternoon to go through a session there.  Thankfully we made it in time for the session that we wanted.  After that we walked over to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and were able to get them to squeeze us in between reservations at the Roof Restaurant.  It is a beautiful restaurant on the 10th floor of the building and the food is buffet style with a live piano player.  We were told that they could squeeze us in if we could be done in an hour.  It's actually nice with the buffet style because you don't have to order and then wait for your meal to be prepared and brought to you.  It was a nice time away from the chaos of the kids!  M&M and Luke watched the little ones for us and did great - including cooking them dinner.

Family Trip Downtown

Thursday, June 14, 2012

On Thursday DH went in to work and the rest of us headed downtown to check out the new City Creek Center and visit Temple Square.  The new City Creek Center was a beautiful, open space with fountains that were choreographed to music.  We parked in the underground parking and then went across the street to Temple Square.  After walking around the temple a little we went into the Tabernacle to listen to an organ recital.  Unfortunately MJ was not going to have the patience for that so I left after the first few minutes and took MJ outside to run around.  After the recital was over we went to the Visitor's Center for a few minutes and then went back to the City Creek Center for lunch at the food court.  Next we took the kids for a ride on the TRAX light-rail system (there is a free zone downtown).  We went a couple of stops and then got off at the Gateway.  Tan & family stayed there to visit the Clark Planetarium while I took my kids back on TRAX to our car and headed home.  It was an exhausting day for me trying to keep track of all 6 of my kids!  Thank goodness the older ones are able to help out with the younger ones!

Fountain at the new City Creek downtown.

The fountains are choreographed to music.

Picture of all of the kids in front of the temple.

Salt Lake Tabernacle organ pipes

Waiting for the organ recital to begin.

Waiting for the TRAX train.

Riding on TRAX.

Copperton Park

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

DH's brother and family took a trip to Provo to visit BYU.  The kids and I just hung around the house getting some things done and starting our preparations for our trip to Yellowstone next week.  After they returned we ate dinner and then we decided to try out another park in the area.  It is an older park and the kids had a blast there!  Unfortunately Luke was at Scouts and M&M was at YW so we went without them.  (We'll have to go back another time when they can come.)

Swinging

Rings

Cool tunnels

Steep stairs

... and wall!

I'm not sure if I really want to do this... 

I hope someone's going to catch me...

Awesome green space with lots of TALL trees!

Trying to get everyone positioned for a group shot...

Best picture that we got with all the kids in it.

Family Fun at the Park

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

DH's brother and his family came to stay with us for a week just a few days after the kids were out of school.  We cleaned as much as we could before they came to make room for them with their 3 kids.  They are currently living overseas in Indonesia and it has been a year since we have seen them.  Their kids are almost the same ages as our 3 youngest.  They were supposed to arrive the evening of June 11th, but due to some delays in Hong Kong they missed their connecting flight in L.A. and had to stay the night there.  They got in the following morning and the parents crashed on the couch while the kids played!  That evening we walked down to our neighborhood park to enjoy the nice weather and let the kids use up some of their energy.  The kids played while the adults talked and monitored the little ones. Later that night we put the kids to bed and then stayed up way too late talking!

Blondie - end of the school year

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Blondie has loved Mrs. Smith's class this year!  She is such a kind teacher!  M&M also had her for 3rd grade.  Blondie's class did a presentation and awards ceremony for the parents the same day as Kitty's zoo field trip.  Mrs. Smith was kind enough to change the time of her program so that I would have plenty of time to make it back from the field trip and make it to the program.  The class sang a few songs and then Mrs. Smith gave out her awards.  I can't believe that Blondie will be 4th grade next year!  She will have the same teacher that M&M and Luke had and I know that it will be a bit of a challenge for her so I am already having Blondie work on some things at home to prepare her for Mr. R's class.

Luke - end of the school year

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Luke's class didn't have any kind of end of the year or awards program for the parents so I stopped by his classroom at the end of the school day to get a picture of him with his teacher.  He has had a good year and his teacher, Miss K, has really enjoyed having him in her class.  On to 6th grade next year!

Field Day

Monday, June 3, 2012

With M&M getting out of school a few days before the elementary school kids, I was able to use her as a babysitter on a few occasions as I attended some end of the year activities for the kids.  On Monday I was able to help out with field day for the Kindergarten and 1st grade classes.  Unfortunately Luke's field day was on Tuesday when I went to the zoo with Kitty's class.  It was a really hot day for Kitty's class' field day and I'm glad I was assigned to an indoor rotation for most of the morning.

Kitty's 1st grade awards

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Kitty's class did a play/musical for their end-of-the-year program for the parents and then had an awards ceremony.  Kitty played the part of Cinderella in the play.  I know she had a lot of fun learning the words for the songs and being able to participate in the play.  She enjoyed school this year but I think she got bored at times when she would finish assignments early.  Her teacher did a good job finding additional assignments and tasks for her to do.  Kitty was quite sad on the last day of school and is going to miss her teacher.

Field trip with Blondie

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

I was able to go on a field trip for the first time with one of my kids (other than the zoo field trips).  My parents were available to watch Kay and MJ for me so I volunteered to go on the field trip with the class.  I rode on a school bus for the first time in many years and we went to the Clark Planetarium and then the Children's Museum at the Gateway in Salt Lake.  I had Blondie and two other girls assigned to me and it was a lot of fun.  We went to the Clark Planetarium first and looked at the exhibits for the first 45 minutes or so and then we met up as a class to attend a presentation in the dome for 3rd grade classes.  After that we went to the Children's Museum and ate lunch first and then had some time to visit the different exhibits in the museum.  I think that Blondie really enjoyed having me there with her. Hopefully I can attend more field trips in the future (one advantage to not having a nursing baby anymore and having my parents living nearby).

Here are some horrible pictures from my cell phone camera (I forgot to bring my digital camera with me):