Utah: Salt Lake Area Part 2

I stayed at my parents house for about a week before they left for Europe.  While there, we celebrated Tiffany's (my youngest sister) birthday.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utah: Salt Lake Area

My mom, Grandma Savage, Kate, Me, and Max.  It was good to talk with my Grandma for a few minutes.  Max was intrigued by all of her "old-fashioned" toys, while Kate was worried I was going to leave her.
 

I tried to get together with all my siblings while I was in Salt Lake.  I met up with a few of them at Thanksgiving Point.  We visited the barn.  Pictured below is Kate, Max, Kai, Mason, Lainee, Tanner, and Violet.  They had a grand time running around together.

 

Standing by the horse: Max, Kate, Lainee, Mason, Tanner, Violet.

 

This is actually a very deceptive picture.  Kate stayed on her horse for less than a minute.  The horse whinnied and scared her right after I took this pic, and she wouldn't get back on.

 

Max was a champ riding the horse around and around.

 

Max, Kate, Wyatt, Violet and Lainee posing on the wagon wheel chair.

 

Tara (sister-in-law) came over to my parents (where I was staying) one afternoon so we could walk to the neighborhood park and have a picnic lunch.  Max is pulling Violet at the park.

 

Have I mentioned how much my kids love to swing?  They could stay on the swings for hours if I let them (and pushed them!).

My Dad is awesome.  He arranged for Max to go to one of his construction sites to help dig with the backhoe.  Max was very excited.


Unfortunately, when Max realized I was not the backhoe operator, he wasn't so sure he wanted to help dig.  He was brave though, and helped flatten the dirt down and then get a big scoop in the bucket.

 

He really enjoyed watching the backhoe work from a short distance.  Max tells me every morning about how he dreamed about backhoes the night before.  "Mom, I drive a backhoe, and I scoop it and put it in a dump truck.  Scoop and dump."  I can ask him follow up questions, like, "What are you building with your backhoe."  Since this experience, he almost always tells me he is building a house.

 

It warmed up nicely while I was staying at my parents, so we turned on the sprinkler to cool off.  Max and my youngest sister, Tiffany (aka Tiny) are shown below.

 

We played Ring-around-the-Rosie on the trampoline with the kids.

 

Paige spinning Max for "Motorboat, Motorboat."

 

Tiny spinning with Max.


I typically only do Motorboat once with my kids as it makes me sick to spin around, but Kate lucked out because I gave her a whirl.

In Arkansas, we have gone cardboard sledding a number of times.  I decided to give it a try with my family.  I figured that real sleds or boogie boards would work just fine.  I was wrong.  We did not slide.  At all.

 

I wanted to get a few good pictures of my kids by a temple while we were in Utah.  I forgot the grounds are closed on Sundays, but I tried to snap a few at the Oquirrh Mountain temple anyways.  Kate was not cooperating, so I asked Max to hold her in his lap.  Kate ended up getting tackled.

Max hooking his thumbs in his pockets for the picture.

 

May: Lake Sylvia, Rob's Birthday, and Aspen Grove

We went to Lake Sylvia with some friends to kick off the summer season.  Kate was stylin' in my sunglasses (with Oreo all over her face!).
 

Kate was so excited to catch a ball.  She would get all giddy with excitement, as shown below.


 

Asher, Me, and Max.  Asher and Max are best buddies.  They mostly just ran around and chase each other.

 

We celebrated Rob's birthday before we left for Utah.  Yes, that is Christmas paper I used to wrap his presents.

 

Ron and Judy came over to help us eat an actual ice cream cake!

 

The rest of the pictures are from our first stop in Utah: Aspen Grove (with Rob's family).

Max and Kate really loved the turtle statues.  We frequently have turtles in our yard, so they think turtles are common to see.

 

There was a firetruck on the playground.  Here Max is spraying out the fire!

 

I knew it would be cold while we were in Utah, but I was not expecting snow!  Max and Rob (and lots of other cousins) made snowmen.

 

Me, Kate, Lindsey, Grace and Max on the bridge after breakfast.

 

Max really got into throwing snowballs.  Rob was an easy target.

 

Kate wasn't sure what to think of the cold stuff.


I had to include a picture of all the people swimming in the pool, with the snow pushed against the building (and by the railing), and the lifeguard in a hoodie, sweatpants, gloves, and a hat.

Rob climbing up, Ben (nephew) rappelling down at the ropes course.

Rob making his way around the rope course.

 

More animal fun: bears!


Sitting on the goat (Max did not want Kate up there by him).

The Madsen Family

 

Crazy pic!