"Y"king

Today was one of my favorite days all year.  It was our annual Y mountain hike.  This is the third year that we have made the 6221 feet trek up to the Y in Provo.  Maybe I am getting old- but it seemed a lot harder this year.  While it is a short 1.2 miles up to the top- it is SO steep.  At least it is to me.  We actually saw several older people making the trek, a very heavy set woman and a three legged dog- so it's probably just me..ha ha.  It's our tradition to hike it in the morning and then to eat lunch at Kiwanis Park in the neighborhood just below it.  After lunch we play baseball and Frisbee in the park for a while.  Then we head over to BYU and explore the campus and visit the bookstore.  To end the day we always stop at the Creamery on 9th and enjoy some wonderful BYU ice cream. This year we couldn't get a parking spot so we had to drive into the neighborhood across the street to park.  The second I saw the street sign I knew that we were parked on Stephanie Nielson's street.   I convinced Jeff that we needed to try and find her house.  The kids thought I was crazy.  They said are you going to stop and knock on her door.  Heck NO- I was actually really nervous that she might be outside and think who the heck is that crazy woman gawking at my house.  I knew I would recognize it from the pictures she has posted on her blog.  It was beautiful!!  So darling in fact.  I was so excited and got emotional just being anywhere near her.  We just did a quick drive by and then headed on our way- but I was more than thrilled.  I know I am so crazy to love a total stranger- but she means so much to me.

 Ethan had brought 4 Pokemon cards and would not stop talking about which one would win if they were all in a battle.  I finally got him to smile for this picture.

 Right before we took this picture Ethan was sitting on the wooden fence in the background- he started to fall backwards and I froze and watched in horror as he twisted and turned by one arm and landed on his feet.  It was a miracle he was not hurt and he was so proud that he had totally saved himself.

 This is one of my favorite pictures because there is no place in the world that I would rather be than on a picnic blanket any where with my family.  It made me so happy!

 The kids in front of the Joseph Smith Building.

 In the middle of the building is this atrium with this amazing statue.  It was so peaceful and quiet in here.

 In the Eyring Sciences Building

 These were to demonstrate different amounts of weight and force.  Each one was a little bit heavier to lift.  The last one was impossible to lift- but the kids kept trying.

  

Band Of The Week

I LOVE the band Third Day.  They are Chirstian Rock- I love every song they sing.  But mostly I love Mac Powell's voice so much!!  Happy listening:)

Fall Hike 9/17

This time we hiked Twin Lakes Trail.  It's located off the board walk of Silver Lake at the very top of Big Cottonwood Canyon.  This is a pretty rocky trail the last half.  The lake was of course beautiful!  Chilly and windy but gorgeous.  Ashtyn loves to sing on our hikes and this time it was Taylor Swift's We Are Never Getting Back Together that she performed for everyone to hear within miles around.  We really need to buy a house closer to the canyons:)

 

 View of Silver Lake from the trail

 

 Twin Lakes- It's one lake now

Fall Hike 9/9

Here is our first Fall hike as a family.  Hidden Falls and Mill B North in Big Cottonwood Canyon.  These are two trails right next to each other.  We've done Hidden Falls millions of times because it's a short hike with a great pay off.  We've also done part of Mill B North before too.  This time we only got about 3/4 of the way  because it was starting to get late.  We plan to go back and do that one again soon.  Ashtyn did not want to go on this hike and was mad for most of the time until Jeff took her to climb up some rocks and to a little rock cove that she imagined was her house.  I want people who read this to know that we definitely hear our fair share of whining- but it always ends on a great note:)  Which is probably why we keep going.

 As you can see by Ashtyn's expression she was not happy- and yes that's a drum stick Ethan insisted on bringing with us.  He uses it as a wizard's wand.

 Here's a happy girl

 

 Hidden Falls is a popular rock climbing site

 

 The little rock cove

 

 View of the S curve from the rock cove

 

 Ashtyn and Jeff above the rock cove

 

Ready Set HIKE

The kids slept over at Aunt Kristy's on Sunday night so Jeff and I went hiking on Labor Day.  I'm pretty sure all of Salt Lake had the same idea.  We hiked the Brighton Lakes- Mary, Martha, Dog and Catherine.  It was the best day!  The weather was perfect.  The leaves have even started to change and it was gorgeous.  I LOVE Fall Hiking!

 Great view from the trail- It's a very steep trail

 They spell Katherine with a K on the sign- but every book I've ever read spells it Catherine- I wonder which one is right?  It's suppose to be named after the wife of the man who started Brighton ski resort.

 Dog Lake

 My sun glasses broke- so I borrowed these from Whitney.  Jeff called me Willy Wonka the whole trip. :)

 Lake Mary

 View of Lake Martha

 More Lake Mary

 Lake Catherine

 View of Lake Martha and Lake Mary in the background

 Jeff loves to climb on rocks- he thought it would be a great idea to climb down these huge, sharp rocks instead of taking the trail.  Here I am almost at the bottom- I'm smiling but I was scared to death and at this point my hands were killing me from gripping the rough rocks.  Jeff called me the billy goat.

 Here's a better view of the rocks.