Bear World

Well, we didn't manage to see any bears while we were in Yellowstone, so on the way home, Nana, Taylee, and I stopped to find some. We picked a pretty obvious target this time. Bear World! Kent and I took Skyler here when he was 6, and he loved it. Well, it's sure changed a lot since then, but definitely still a kid pleaser! They've added lots of new animals to the petting zoo, increased their square footage by at least double, and added carnival rides. Nana and I had planned for a quick little side trip, but ended up with a full day's event! And one happy little girl. :0)

Nana and Taylee on the biggest bear of them all.

Bears in their, ahem, "natural" habitat. As seen from our car window.

Baby Bears in their little home.

I think we spent more time in the gift shop than anywhere else! Ugh!

The rides! Now included with the entry fee :(

Cutest girl ever... Except it took her FoReVeR to pick a stuffed animal.

Yellowstone 2015

 This summer we planned a family vacation to Yellowstone. We booked a fabulous cabin in Big Sky Montana, and off we went! Me, Kent, Taylee, Nana, Ginger, Aden, Xavier, and Great Grandpa all went up together on Thursday evening and got settled in our new home for the week. We spent all day Friday in the park, and met up with Poppi (who drove up on his own) that evening.  

The whole fam-damily in the area near Old Faithful

Me and Kent in front of a waterfall. We both really love the majesty of a waterfall.

Here I am toting my six year old around at Old Faithful.

Partial family photo in front of a waterfall

Great Grandpa giving Taylee a rest stop on his walker

Did I mention we love waterfalls?

One of the many, many hot pots we saw during our days in Yellowstone.

 During poppi's weekend with us we pretty much hibernated in our cozy cabin. It was rainy all day Saturday, so that worked out perfectly! We did Legos with the kids, painted crafts, and made dozens of melty bead designs. Our craft day was a big hit with young and old alike! We also played in the hot tub, watched movies, and ate home-cooked meals. 

On Sunday poppi headed back home after his very short visit, and the rest of us headed back into the park. More fun was had as we explored Yellowstone, along with the rest of the population of Utah, Montana, and Wyoming. It was madness! Lesson learned.... Yellowstone is better midweek! At least in August. 

On Monday we got up and took the kids hiking in Big Sky, then to the river bank for a refreshing dip. They had a blast, and we did not get eaten by any bears!! Phew!

Playing in the river

 We were sad to say goodbye to Kent that afternoon, but he had to head home to get back to work. Savvy roadtripper that he is, he stopped at the Park Entrance sign and grabbed a selfie so we could someday remember that we actually went to Yellowstone! 

Solo Selfie. Proof that we really did go to Yellowstone!

 All in all, this quiet family vacation was a darn good time. So glad we had the chance to be together for some good old family bonding. 

Summer of Lagoon

This summer we got season passes to Lagoon. We were able to go several times, and put our money to good use! We visited in the chilly days of April all the way through the chilly days of October for Frightmares! Of course during those warm summer months, Taylee was all about Lagoon-a-Beach. We had a lot of fun there, but man is the water cold!!!

That time we put her hair in a top bun so she would be tall enough to get on the swings!

That Friday afternoon where Taylee and I escaped the heat at Lagoon a Beach, AND got to fit in a few rides!

 That time it was just me and my water baby at Lagoon-a-Beach!

That time Taylee got to pose with the two stars of "Strawberry Fields." She LOVED this musical, and we saw it several times over the summer.

That time my kid looked like a devil because of her face paint. Also, the only photo of Kent at Lagoon this summer. And a priceless photo bomb! (did you spot him?)

That photo of my beautiful girl with her ice princess makeup. This time taken at a better angle!

That little cutie patootie showing off her style in daddy's hat.

Nurses without Orders

I've had this weird irky little thought in my mind for about five years now. I never really talked about it, and I only thought about it once in a while, but I think it was only a matter of time... What, you ask, was this persistent little nugget???

 Ragnar. Ragnar was the nugget. 

So, when I was approached last winter by some friends at work, I wasn't too tough to convince. The idea was there, just dwelling, waiting for its chance to shine. It actually seemed like it was just about designed for me. I mean, I run races, even marathons, so the running part seemed like it would be no problem... And I stay up all night at work twice a week, so sleep deprivation? I'm a pro at that. Put those together, and I could rock this! Hahaha! Wrong!

So, I took on my training regimen with zest, and had visions of two a day runs in my future. Well, that never became a reality, because unfortunately, I had a nagging right hamstring injury that got progressively worse as I ran more mileage. The discomfort was peaking just as race day approached.  I really began to think I couldn't do it. I was just about to throw in the towel when my own little miracle occurred! Due to changes to the overall race route, my individual relay legs changed from 8 miles/9 miles/5 miles, to 8 miles/2 miles/5 miles! My saving grace! I could definitely run a 2! 

Our race start day was beautiful. We all met up at Clelles' (our fantastic driver), and headed up to join the Van 1 half of the team in Huntsville. They had an early start at 5 am, which put us on target to take the baton (errr... bracelet) at about 1 pm.

Our Ragnarmobile, all decked out! (and with no pictures of the unfortunate bundled baby Emily tried to draw!)

Here we are at Exchange 6, our van's start. Just minus our token male member Mike, and our fab driver Clelles.

The first exchange went well, but we were almost an hour behind from the outset. Karen from Van 1 passed off to Katie, and we were off! After Katie, Jen was up, and then me! I headed out at around 3:30, and it was really freakin' hot!!! My race leg took me straight up the old Snowbasin road. An unsupported 7.8 mile run. Seems pretty doable, but it was the hardest 8 miles I have ever run! I pushed myself pretty hard considering my reduced training regimen, and finished right at my targeted time. I think I may have overdone it on this first run, which led to my difficulties later. But who knows?!

Sara and I commiserated for a minute over the hellishness of that run. She had started it about 10 minutes before me. And she agreed it was the hardest 8 miles ever!

After my leg was through I was able to relax and enjoy the Ragnar experience for a while. We ran all through the afternoon and into the evening, and Mike finished up his leg around 8:30 pm to hand off to Van 1. And, um, we lost Mike because we went to the wrong pickup location without his handy navigation skills in the front seat. Oops. Luckily, Van one grabbed him, and after some confusion we met up and got him back by  about 9:30. From there we made a very questionable decision to stop for a late night snack of fries, coke, and grilled cheese sandwiches. However, I think that little snack saved me! Of course, this was all time that we should have been trying to sleep, but who's counting? We finally made our way to Morgan, and got settled in our sleeping bags out under the stars. And boy was it cold!!! I can't imagine how it was so hot, and then so cold a few short hours later!

Emily giving Megan a little roller massage on the grass.

We laid down from about 12:15 to 1:45 am, then were up to send Katie off again! My mini 2 mile run was at about 4 am. It was dang cold, and I was oh so glad it was just a 2 mile run. Even that felt like a struggle.Those wee hours of the morning were painful, but I snagged a short nap in the back of the van, which really helped me I think.

Preparing to send Katie out into the night! I was definitely NOT a fan of running in the dark. Even with a headlamp.

Early morning selfie!

We finished up our second set of runners by about 8:30 that morning, and then we were in for what felt like an interminable wait while Van one finished their final legs.We were camped out at Park City H.S. waiting for Katie's final run. And it was sure to be a doozy! Known as "ragnar hill," it was 10 miles straight UP Guardsman's pass. She was very nervous, and we were all pretty anxious on her behalf.

Relaxation time! You'd think we would be sleeping, but it was so beautiful out, it was hard to sleep.

After hanging out for 5 hours, it was finally go time! We had Katie all prepped for her run with water, cool wet towels, and tons of moral support.

Here's Katie getting prepped and pep-talked!

The victorious culmination of Katie's massive 10 mile run! A few tears were shed.

After Katie's run, Jen endured a 4 mile straight down hill run, and lost a few toe nails. Owww!!! I followed her with my own 5 miles downhill, which was excruciating for my quads, but such a relief to be running downhill because my body was just utterly exhausted. Kent and Taylee were there to greet me during this last leg, and they were a fantastic sight for sore eyes. Kent has always been so good to me when I run these races, and I am so grateful for his support. 

It seemed like the longest day of my life, and we finally rolled into the finish about 8:00 pm, when our expected finish was around 4:00 pm. Many people thought the leg lengths were calculated improperly, and that almost all legs were longer than advertised. The total mileage was closer to 201, rather than the previously believed 189. That along with the heat and terrain made for a very tough race! All in all, it was a very memorable time, and I am so glad it's done!!!

I'm bummed Clelles didn't make it into this photo op! She was a fantastic driver! L-R Mike, Me, Emily, Jen, Karen, Katie, and Megan.

Road Trip!

Well, we finally did it! After 5 1/2 years, we took Taylee on a road trip longer than 2 hours. Aren't we brave?! No, really, this is a girl who has hated riding in the car since birth. She screamed as a baby every time we drove, And it has only gotten marginally better since. But, alas, we decided it was time to brave the open road, so we organized a trip down south... to St. George! This idea originated around taking Taylee to Tuacahn to see "Beauty and the Beast."

We did get to attend the show, but happily, our trip turned out to be so much more! A virtual smorgasborg of family togetherness! After driving down to St. George (which went better than expected!), we arrived at Red Cliffs Recreation Area for some hiking. Kent had picked out a fantastic hike for us that ended up at a little swimming hole. It seemed it was a popular destination! Taylee enjoyed the chance to go "rock climbing" up and around the trail and the swimming hole. I was a bit of a nervous nelly watching her go, but she and Kent had a fantastic time. 

Family Photo Op!

A little hiking diversion

Posing in a cave!

The swimming hole!

We did get a chance to "relax" in the hotel pool before dinner that afternoon. Taylee made good use of her time, and practiced all the swimming skills she was learning. We may have a little fishy on our hands! 

The next day we headed out for more hiking (by Taylee's choice!). This time we went to Sand Hollow State Park, and spent a couple of hours hiking the red cliffs. Our little "leader" developed a system of "earning badges" during our hike, and put Kent and I through our paces! We all had a good time. :) 

Me and my girl!

Hiking buddies :)

After hiking and a little lunch, we were off for more fun in the sun! St. George townsquare has a fantastic splash pad available to one and all. It was wonderful getting our feet wet and cooling down a wee bit.  

Little poser

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On Saturday evening it was showtime! The natural red rock amphitheater is a fantastic backdrop, but of course because it is outside, the show starts late. A tough dynamic for a busy 5 year old, but we made it work. She loved the show, although she was a little freaked out by the beast, and some of the special effects. During the show, Kent and I both had a little snuggle time with our girl. 

The beautiful grounds outside the theater

Posing!

On our way home on Sunday we were able to make a little detour and check out my friend Adrienne's brand new house in Saratoga Springs. It was gorgeous! I am so happy for them! 

All in all, a fantastic weekend!

The Narrows

The Narrows is one of the most unique hiking opportunities in the world. I may have made that up, but I am actually pretty sure its true! You begin your hike at the end of the Zion Canyon Road, named the Temple of Sinawava, and head into the North fork of the Virgin River. The water is pretty cold, but we rented some fancy Water shoes and neoprene socks (as well as walking sticks!), so it was tolerable. And it was a beautiful day, so that certainly helps! There is no official end destination on this hike, so you hike as long as you want before turning around. Kent and I estimate that we hiked approximately 6 miles. 80% of the hike is in the Riverbed, with depths up to waist deep (while we were there). It was definitely an all day adventure, and one we won't soon forget!

Ready to hike! In my rocking Water shoes!

Kent, rocking the Narrows, sans Walking Stick

Taking a short break and an opportunity to dry my feet for a moment. 

So cool!

Angel's Landing!

Kent has wanted to take me hiking in Zion National Park for several years now. He and Skyler went a few years ago, and he has wanted to share this amazing natural wonder with me ever since. This spring proved the perfect opportunity, when our annual Moab in May trip was cancelled (or, not planned, in this case). So, the first weekend in May, we headed for southern Utah! We left Taylee behind because we knew we were going to do some hiking that was beyond her ability level. Good thing too, as the first hike on our schedule was Angel's Landing! If you have ever hiked it, you know what I mean. The story goes that they named it Angel's Landing because the only way to the top is on the wings of an angel. Turns out you can walk. But it's an intense hike for sure! Pictures don't quite do it justice, but I'll include some just for fun. Enjoy!

We made it!

Looking down over the switchback section of the trail

Climbing on all fours. And using the chain. I have no shame. 

Kent -- Tough Guy!

I couldn't resist posting this photo of the trail, which included a stern warning about the risk of death. Eeeek!

Kent stopped to take photos. I gripped the chain the whole way up.

Well, in the end, we felt like Angel's upon our landing on the summit. What a spectacular experience!