Just a fun picture!

Cora 

August 2019

Age 6

and for a 6 years later comparison.....

Cora

November 2025

Age 12

Our Utah Christmas Trip Part 6: The final weekend

We ventured into Wyoming and back into Utah on our drive North to Bear Lake.

Murdock's was a favorite accidental stop

So western!

We were greeted with an amazing steak dinner by Papa Tim!  And the kids watched Star Trek.

The Bear Lake Cabin - watching a movie

 

Our big activity at Bear Lake was to SKI THE BEAV

I skiied here in the 90s just once and it was just the same as it was in the 60s.  Quaint.  Small.

They just opened a new lodge this year.  It's been known as a small lesser known resort until just recently.  During COVID it became quite popular when people realized what great prices they had, and less restrictions during the pandemic too.

This was the first year when Beaver Mountain was not open during Christmas since 1972!

They just opened two days before we arrived finally.

Very beautiful!  We were thankful there was finally enough snow to ski.

Scott even came for the afternoon!

This was the ski rental with the vintage boots and Beaver. :)

We have never bought tickets and rented skiis at a resort before.    We always have some deal and our used gear and homemade lunch.

It was a huge splurge, but something the kids definitely wanted to try.  I'm glad we went.  We still brought a homemade lunch, but it was interesting to just walk up, get your gear and return it after the day was done....instead of hauling it to your car.

They had a new RFID system that was super glitchy.

It took an hour just to buy tickets and rentals the night before...... even with no line at all.  There were SO many issues to print the cards and just to get us in the system.

That was nice to have done, because on Saturday, we just had to get the rental then.....

not wait in line for it.

Sunday, we attended church, had an amazing lunch that Papa Tim made....RIBS!!  And then we packed and cleaned up and drove back to SLC.

We hung out at the sandy home for a couple of hours and then went to the airport.  Our flight was delayed nearly an hour, but we made it home in one piece!  Barely!  :)  Those red eye flights are brutal. :)

Amazing trip!  Amazing people!   We appreciated everyone's hospitality SOOOO much!  What a memorable Christmas and tour of Utah!  Thank you so much to our family and friends!   HAPPY 2026!

Christmas Trip to Utah Part 5: Utah County

 

We bid a fond farewell to Grandma and Grandpa and headed North again

We stopped in to see our dear friends, the Bursell's in their new Mapleton home.

It was wonderful to see them!  We miss them in New Hampshire, but are so happy that they are close to their daughter Emma, and closer to Dave's work and both of their parents, who all live out West.

We also had to stop in and see Christa, Kent and family!

My kids loved their home and hanging out!

I had to play Studio C's "Delivery" to Ollie the next day and say "Look!  You've been there! Remember?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MdQPAifDu0

I also loved showing Cora how they have stairs that go up one side of the house and come down the other side.  It's seriously cool!

I was dying to see Mel and Adam's new townhome

Adam has nearly 100% gutted and replaced everything in it.  There's very little he didn't newly install. It looks great and has a fantastic city view!

Scotty - don't these look like something you want to make. :)

Brand new shower

City views with a hiking trail right next to the house too!

The secret panels

The kids are sad that Melissa and Adam are selling their cool house.....they begged Uncle Adam to show them all the secrets of the house one more time!

The secret murphy bed

The secret bookcase

The theatre room will be missed!

Adam thinks of the most fun ways to make something boring .....magical!

And all the fun climbing

Christmas Trip to Utah Part 4: Zions & Jacob Hamblin Home

This view in Zion's National Park

is Truly Spectacular

I give this View 5 STARS!

Fun little slot canyon.

I give it 3.5 Stars....very cute

This little slot canyon was very pretty and fun, but I was worried the whole time that it was going to tucker us out for the "real hike".....which it pretty much did..... it certainly was fun and pretty though.

The Mountain Goats stopped traffic in the canyon quite literally.

A little summary of our day:

We did a drive through the East tunnel and saw amazing views!  We pulled over and just explored, and found a little slot canyon hike.  

We then found that we had to take a shuttle to go North......So we did..... in order to see the north branch of the canyon.   We went to the top and hiked that little paved hike..... with a sea of tourists...... to the start of the Narrows.

We also discussed doing a short Emerald Pools hike on the way down too, but we had already done too much and the little kids were spent.

The shuttle experience was disappointing.  You can only see out the sides of the bus, not UP where the view is!  You do miss out on the view that was once accessible by car.  

I would not take the shuttle again unless I was just doing it to access Angel's Landing, or if I just needed it to get back from doing a canyoneering feat, and then needed to get back to the car.

Melissa recommended renting e-bikes and biking up the canyon.  That would have also been super spectacular.   Much more costly, but spectacular for sure.

We got to give the kids a quick taste of Zions anyway!  I hope they enjoyed what they saw.

The Narrows

... after a long shuttle ride with a bunch of people and no view.

We are all a bit tired...... and I had to use the restroom.....

and the bathrooms were CLOSED up there for some crazy reason - even with ALL those people!

Mom and Dad met us at the Jacob Hamblin Home on our way home from Zions!

Very interesting tour - It's fun to go and hear stories!

I then dropped Tim off at a stake dance at the Hidden Valley Stake Center.

He was so brave to go by himself and check out the "LDS Utah Scene" for New Years Eve

We stayed up and played games for New Years with Grandma and Grandpa!  It was really fun!!

HAPPY 2026!!!!!