Happy Field Trip Day

Erin had a field trip to Camp Floyd for school today. This is what their website says about it:

"Believing Mormons were rebelling against the laws of the United States, President James Buchanan dispatched 3,500 troops, nearly one-third of the entire U.S. Army, to suppress the rumored rebellion in the Utah Territory. No rebellion or war ever took place in Utah. The army stayed to monitor the Mormons, explore the western frontier, and provide safety for immigrants moving west to California, Oregon, and Washington.

Camp Floyd, named in honor of Secretary of War John Floyd, was built by the army with the help of local citizens. The Army pumped nearly $200,000 into the local economy to build Camp Floyd. Camp followers soon increased the population of Camp Floyd and Fairfield to 7,000, making it the third largest city in the Utah territory. At their height, Camp Floyd was the largest military installation in the United States.

Used as a strategy by both the Northern and Southern States, Camp Floyd and the Utah War were an attempt to divert the nation's attention from the issue of states rights and slavery, to the Mormon problem and polygamy. Buchanan believed that Democrats and Republicans, northerners and southerners, could unite in an attempt to restore order to Utah, and he could thus divert attention from the crisis over slavery and tensions between the north and south. John Floyd, Secretary of War, also encouraged him, along with other southern Democrats. They also saw the potential to deplete the U.S. Treasury of millions of dollars by giving government contracts for the move, to southern businessmen and to turn the west from northern sympathies, by creating support for southern state's rights.

In 1861, the army left for the Civil War. Some $4,000,000 of Army surplus were sold for a few cents on the dollar. The names of those who participated in the Utah campaign, read like a "who's who" in Civil War Generals. Rosters include names like Johnston, Buford, Reynolds, Bee, Heath, Lander, and others. Nearly all the buildings erected by the army were dismantled or demolished before their departure. Today, all that remains is the Commissary Building, which serves as a Camp Floyd museum, and the cemetery."

The kids had several stations to go through including candle making, rifle shooting, touring the hotel and commissary, brick making, and visiting the old school house on the property. I was lucky enough to be in the school house and I got to dress up in a hoop skirt and blouse and teach each group a lesson before recess time. At recess the kids played fun pioneer games. 

After the field trip these fun girls got checked out of school and came over to our house to play. They decided they wanted to make cupcakes to celebrate their field trip. They even put in candles and sang "Happy Field Trip Day to you". I love Erin and her friends. I'm so glad they can still be kids and have fun together. I'm definitely not ready for them to be teenagers yet!

Erin, Brinley & Mylie

Blowing out the candles!

Jeff's 40th Birthday

For Jeff's 40th birthday I wanted to pull off a surprise getaway. I first started dreaming big- like Disneyland. Then budget and babysitting realities came into focus and I decided to aim a little smaller. An overnight getaway to Park City could still be a welcome change from the normal hum of life. Up until the day before I didn't know if I would be able to pull it off. The kids had been taking turns all week getting sick and I even got hit pretty hard. Jeff was the only one to escape the sickness and I was worried it would get him right in time for his birthday. Luckily it didn't and so the plan was on! 

I booked a room at The Torchlight Inn B&B in Park City, UT. I had our bags packed and hidden in the garage. When Jeff came home from work I transferred the suitcase to his trunk. I was hoping to convince him we were just going to dinner, but Ryan had other plans. As soon as dad walked in the door Ryan told him ,"Mom is taking you to a ho-tel!" Oh well. So much for the surprise. Suzy was at our house to babysit so we said goodbye and headed out. I drove so Jeff would at least have the surprise of where we were headed. We made it to Park City and checked into our room. Then we went to dinner. I let Jeff choose. We ended up at Zupa's. Perfect for a rainy April night. Then we caught a late night showing of Divergent at the theater.I am not normally an action movie gal, but I knew it was right up Jeff's alley, so I sacrificed for his sake. Surprisingly, I liked the movie and even stayed awake for the entire movie. We didn't get back to the bed and breakfast until after midnight. Breakfast in the morning was divine! The owners of the B&B were wonderful and I would definitely recommend it and go back again. After checking out we headed to the outlets for a little shopping and lunch and made it home.

The view from our room.

Birthday selfie

The Torchlight Inn B&B

Then it was on to Phase 2 of the birthday surprise. I had Suzy and the kids decorate while we were away. And she also made Hawaiian cake- Jeff's birthday cake request. I came home and made an apple pie. I had already purchased a cheesecake from Costco the day before. After dinner his friends started arriving for a pie/dessert night celebration. Guests included Mark & Kelly Petersen (&kids), Paul & Kristin Barrus (&kids), Tyler and Kristen Crockett, Sherwin & Laurielyn Harris (&kids), and Richard Petersen.

The spread of pies/cakes

Lots of people to help celebrate

Make a wish!

Is it summer yet?

Ryan has been asking me for months to buy a watermelon at the store. Of course I know that the ones they sell in the winter are terrible and definitely not worth buying, so I tell him that we will buy one when it's summer. Every time I take him into the store he asks me the same thing. "Is is summer yet?" The poor boy is totally ready for some watermelon. We were at Costco today and ran into some friends. Ryan quickly noticed the watermelon in their cart and asked me if it was summer. Ha! I told him no and explained the situation to my friends. They assured me that they had already purchased and eaten several watermelons this year and that they were actually tasting good. So I caved to the pressure and bought one. I couldn't drive home fast enough for Ryan. After unloading the car I was instructed by Ryan to cut the watermelon NOW! I did. Here are a few pictures of Ryan's first taste of summer this year. He was in heaven.

Date Night at the HFAC

Ethan has an assignment this semester to attend a play and then write a response to it. I love this kind of  homework! We decided to head to BYU to see a play called "The Servant of Two Masters." It was a comedy and I thought Ethan would like it. Erin came too. The play was really great. We had front row seats- literally. After the play we stopped into the Creamery for some ice cream. You can't be on campus and not get ice cream, right?

Some things I learned from the evening:
*My kids think I look smarter when I wear my glasses. (My new ones, not my old "Harry Potter" ones.)
*College kids are getting younger and younger.
*On the way home we were listening to the radio. A song came on and Ethan commented that it was so 80's. I asked him if he could tell because all of the synthesizer keyboard effects. Then Erin pipes up and says no, she knew it was and 80's song because I knew it. Ethan then said 80's music is so Techno. Ha! I guess I better brush up on some newer artists so I don't embarrass my soon to be teenagers!

Our serious pose.

Yummy Creamery Ice Cream!

Gingerbread Man-ia

For Family Home Evening we found these huge gingerbread men at Costco to decorate. They came with the icing and some candy. We supplemented with some additional candy of our own too. They were really fun and a change from our gingerbread houses from last year. 

Ryan and his man. Special feature- the mustache made out of Starburst.

Erin and her girl gingerbread. Very cute hair accented with yellow gummy hearts.

Katelyn's girl. Dress made out of candy dots called "bowling balls". Hairdo made out of Starburst.

Ethan's studmuffin man. Complete with ripped frosting abs, suspenders, and Starburst pants.

Brigham City Temple

This weekend we were also able to visit the Brigham City Temple on the last day of the open house. It was a perfect fall day with the most amazing blue sky. We ended up taking my cousin Cheri's daughter, Kylee, with us too. It was a great experience and I know that when we attend the dedication next week it will be even more meaningful because we were able to see it. It, of course, was beautiful. Ryan and Katelyn didn't enjoy having the white booties placed over their shoes, and Ryan really wanted them off badly. We ended up taking them off and then carrying him through the rest of the tour. The cookies at the end made him happy though.

Visiting Grandpa

We had the chance this weekend to be in Ogden and to stop by the nursing home and visit Grandpa Hutzley. He was sleepy while we were there, but he did perk up for the kids and especially Ryan. His Alzheimer's is advancing. He is not wanting to eat much, but the nurses keep trying. On good days he likes to roam the halls in his wheelchair and wink at the nurses. It is so sad to see him like this, but it would also be sad for him to know where he is and that grandma is gone to heaven. I know that one day they will have a very sweet reunion there.