Big Cottonwoon Canyon - Silver Lake

So I've been lucky the past week or so to take several days off from work. So I really wanted to focus on having a fun time with the kids everyday. Something new for them to play with and somewhere new for them to go.

So after Tyler got off of work last Thursday, we had some dinner and then drove up to Silver Lake at the Brighton Ski Resort. It's a small little lake that you can walk around and fish from, but just beautiful all the same. Also, I know that a family of moose love to spend a lot of their time there as well and I hoped that the kids would get to see one. Well we were in luck!!!


Just as we were coming around the first batch of bushes you can see there in the middle picture in the background we heard a noise. And there they were, two Moose munching on the bushes. A male with a full rack and a female. We also saw one more when we got around on the other side of the lake but not as close as these two were.

This is when we first spotted the antlers...
Here's the head...
Coming out of the brush...
He's Huge!!!

This is how close we were to the moose...even closer sometimes... Tristan is keeping an eye our for us!!! So cute! Then we continued around the lake took some fun photos and saw some beautiful wildflowers. Josi had to pick them. I only allowed one of each species. I know it's illegal. But she can't pick any at my house and she LOVES flowers.




Other than the mosquito's we had a great time. And the kids have been talking about the mountains and hike for days now.

4th of July - Park City - 2009

This year was pretty fun for the 4th of July. We went up to Park City and stayed at Shadow Ridge. We had a split condo that we shared with my parents that had a full kitchen and 2 BD/3 BA. We came fully stocked with snack and drinks for an exciting weekend getaway. The kids had a blast staying right next to my parents and seeing the family everyday. They loved their new room, and wouldn't sleep hardly at all they were so thrilled to be somewhere new.

We got up the on Friday the 3rd and went swimming in Sean's hotel pool. Which is right next door. That was so refreshing and I love playing with the kids in the water, they are total fish. Tristan is so daring he loves to jump off the edge of the pool to us.

After that we went to dinner to a nice and quiet restaurant at the top of Main St.



The food was okay, but I love having dinner with my family. We have such flowing conversations and I love to catch up with them all. I don't get to eat dinner with conversationalist very much. Ty does at the end of the meal, but not during....he's to busy eating. Dad and I catch up on our new cameras and learn from each other. We drive everyone crazy, but I don't care. I love having something to do with him.

The next morning we woke up early got some quick breakfast and headed to the Park City parade. It was fun, small and creative I loved the quaint hometown feeling being up there. Like I was apart of everything, not a needle in the haystack of SLC. The kids LOVED everything. Baby Emily didn't know what to make of everything, but was still a great sport. She's so cute!!!

The "Happy Birthday America stuff" as Josilyn would say. Like the red,white & blue everyone was wearing and the party accessories & flags. We saw dancers, and police cars and firetrucks, the Marching Band was Josilyn's favorite.



Tristan's was the people walking on Stilts. "Wooahhhh Mommy Look!!!" So funny!


After the parade we went to the park, got some hotdogs and chips and listened to some band play. Then back to the room for a nap.

For dinner we went to Baja Cantina.... Ooooohhhhh so good. The wait was 45 min so we got a 30 minute pass for the kids to go ride the blow up slides and playrooms. THEY LOVED THEM!
Tristan was like a wild ape running lose through all the different playrooms and slides.


He had a hard time with the climbing ones but Josilyn was a monkey. She loved those the best.



I think that was honestly the highlight of the whole trip for them. They loved the fireworks after dinner, but those playrooms were the best. We were able to sit in our hotel room and watch the fireworks from our balcony. So nice and relaxing. They were fun, not as good as Riverton or Sugarhouse Park, but good. Mostly I enjoyed the family time. It's nice to spend more time with my siblings and parents. Time keeps us apart too much.

Hope you all had a really great 4th of July with your family or friends!