Yellowstone

This week-end I really wanted to go to the McIntyre family reunion, but also wanted to stay close in case Clay & Tara needed us. So being the "helicopter parents" we are we decided to go to Yellowstone and to Wendells cabin so we would be half way to Great Falls, just in case...  I mentioned to Tom that I hadn't been to Yellowstone since I had a digital camera so when I got home from work he said I have a present for you. "If we're going to take pictures of Yellowstone, you need a better camera." So it was fun experimenting with beautiful scenery, but I decided my true passion is taking pictures of grandbabies.

Full Moon at the cabin.



I love waking up to these Tetons.

Stopped for Ice cream and to get my Nat'l Park Passport book stamped.

Saw lots of buffalo. This gentleman went to the road, stopped traffic and helped this little sweetie cross the road.

Tom's favorite family vacation memory (when he was about 6) was fishing on this bridge right here in Yellowstone. They stopped fishing on it in 1973.

We were watching this big old Mama Moose and all the sudden these two babies poked their heads out. What a bonus.  I love anything babies.

We made it back in time for Wendell to cut the grass and see a beautiful sunset.

Mimi Day 08-01-12 The Hale Theatre and Tracy Aviary

 We planned on starting our day at lunch at our favorite restaurant Chik fil A, but it was so crowded (at least 100 in line) due to a comment the owner made opposing gay marriage and some politician declaring it "chick fil a appreciation day"  that we chose to go to Arbys instead. We thought they must be giving out free food, but found out it was all political. We love Chick fil A, don't care about their views on gay marriage as long as they keep providing good chicken, but I'm not waiting in line an hour for it.
 Next we went on a  a tour of The Hale Theatre. I loved it more than the kids since I have season tickets and got to see all the behind the scenes, but I think they were surprised they enjoyed it much more than they expected. Plus the bonus was they got free play tickets for an upcoming play.

 Next we went to Liberty Park and Tracy Aviary.

Amalee and Boo

Sunday July 29th~Carp of the Day & Killian Quips

Killian: "Mom, is it almost dark time?"

Tara: "Yes it is Killian."

Killian: "Mom, dark time kind of freaks me out."

Saturday July 28th~Hiking Donut Falls

We hiked up Big Cottonwood Canyon on Saturday to Donut Falls. It was a perfect hike for a Mimi, Papa, a 6 yr old and his mama.

PAPA, CAN WE GO FROG HUNTING FOR THE 100TH TIME.....

Killian Quips and Boo Bits

Mimi to Killian "Mimi and Papa are coming to see you in a couple more weeks"
Killian: "Are you coming to go to the fair?"

Boo to Mimi: "What did you want to be when you grew up?"
Mimi: "I don't know, maybe a journalist/photographer"
Boo: "I bet you wanted to be Tom McCarty's wife and you saved the best for last"

ready to pop!

Sorry Clay, I know you asked me not to post your picture, but it makes me laugh everytime I look at it, and since this is my happy Blog/Book it's going in here.

Mimi Day/Lagoon Day with Tom, Chels, Boo, Misty and Sierra

Tom wanted to take Boo to Lagoon one of these week-ends, then we decided at the last minute it would be less crowded during the week, so we packed up and headed to Lagoon for Mimi Day. Tom and I hadn't been there since Clay and Chels were in Jr. High. It was fun, but the best part we don't have pictures of. That was floating in the lazy river in the water park at the end of the day.
Boo's favorite rides: The bumper cars and the Rattlesnake Rapids.

Park City Get away

I promised Tom we would stay home the whole month of July, but maybe I'm not the only one with a little gypsy blood because it was his idea to spend the week-end in Park City. This has always been one of our favorite places as it feels like we've left Utah, but it's only an hour away. We got a condo, walked to a concert, ate out, shopped and dreamed of owning a little place up here someday. and we rode the funicular. It was really neat.

Mimi Day 071812

Riding Trax from Gateway to City Creek. 

The Children's Museum with Gavin & Emma. Only one picture as Carole & I went shopping.

The water fountains at Gateway. Bring it on!

Oh yea.

"I promise you won't get wet if you run through just once"

photo by Boo.

Ended the day trying out W&C's kayaks. Very fun.

Nice Relaxing Week-end: Golfing, long walks, canoeing, fishing, playing tennis,shopping, & visiting friends.

K and his sandbox

I sent K a new sandbox because his lid got blown away. Clay said he kept throwing the sand out and Clay told him "If you keep throwing the sand out I'm going to send this back to Mimi."  K said "Will you send me to Mimi's too?"



Then he was watching a commercial about a light up pillow. He told Clay will you buy me that? When Clay said no he said "I'll ask Mimi". I told Clay whatever he wants.... ha

Thursday

Boo and Papa's new toy. The first day they found 13 cents, a heart charm, and a Bud Light cap from a beer bottle that Boo said "We should give that to Grandpa Bud"

A baby rattlesnake in the canyon. Boo said " My first deadly snake I've ever seen!"

Fires on the mountain by our house.

Mimi Day at This is the Place

Chels, Carole, Josh, Courtney,
Emma, Boo, Asher & Ryleigh.
I know Boo loved it because he kept asking
"can we go back tomorrow?"

Boo, Emma & Asher finding lots of gold.
The gold panning was the favorite thing Boo did. However Chels loved it just as much. They found lots of fools gold, then you could turn it into the bank for candy. Boo said No Way! He'd rather have gold than candy. I called him an old Gold Miser.

Train ride.

This baby goat escaped and they had to grab him from the petting zoo.

Working in the garden helping Papa weed it.

Beautiful evening on the lake.

The Great Salt Lake and Brine Shrimp

Papa showing Boo the brine shrimp.

Half way up. Oh, Boo doesn't want to go any further.  OK, I'll go back down!

Doesn't like heights. He got part way up. Maybe next year.



He found a wedding dress. Wish we knew it's story. Blown away, or thrown away....the funny thing is on the way out I was telling Gavin that I wanted his mom to have her picture taken on top of Black Rock with her wedding dress at sunset and she didn't want to.



on top of the black rock. There used to be a dance floor on top of this yrs ago. Unfortunately it and the stairs going up are gone.

He found a treasure. It was a piece of green glass.

Scooping up brine shrip to take home.

A year ago April Chels was laying in the hospital, not knowing if she would ever walk again. One evening Tom and I took Boo out to the Great Salt Lake for a little break. He was told the brine shrimp hatched around July. Last July was so busy we didn't make it out there. So this year on Jul 1st he asked if we could go. The bonus was that Chels got to go this time and was even good enough to climb the rock with Tom.

4th of July