2019 Christmas Village - Southeast Utah State Parks Theme

Last winter when Hunter was working as an intern for Senator Mike Lee, 

he was researching National and State Parks in Utah 

in preparation for 

upcoming meetings the Senator had 

that Hunter would be fielding calls and emails about. 

That studying stirred in Hunter 

a desire to visit all the Utah State Parks in 2020. 

He wouldn't be home from DC in time

to help with the village this year 

so we chose the theme in his honor.

"State Parks of Southeast Utah"

became our Christmas Village 2019 theme.

We envisioned Dead Horse Point mesa, 

The San Juan River Goosenecks, 

Goblin Valley hoodoos, 

and Anasazi and Cedar Mesa cliff dwellings. 

Zac put his engineering education to work 

and made our base (not pictured) 

then Paul, Emma and I covered the base 

in slick-rock looking salt dough. 

Family & friends let their creativity flow 

and here are their results.

Gummy people played above and in the water.

Even kayaking the waterfall!

The slot canyon and cave 

beckoned to Alex and Marley's cliff-dwelling exploring gummy guys 

with backpacks and hiking sticks (so cute).

Alex and Marley also took advantage 

of the mesa to park their "adventure car" 

and rappel off the back side.

The backpack and rope are too legit. 

Near the rappelling action, 

Josh built a house complete with a removable roof

and people inside. 

Above the mesa, Alex and Marley 

 contributed parasailers to the village. 

The girl parasailer even has braided hair.  =D

Our littlest village-builders 

(Grant, Hannah & Adam) 

contributed a cave,

hoodoos,

 tootsie roll wrapper blankets & flags,

and a very large ant at the end of the dirt bike trail.

Bikes and 4-wheelers 

were contributed by many village builders. 

Such a fun looking trail!

Joseph made an awesome camp

 on a peninsula in the lake.

Zac made a "van down by the river". 

Backstory here...

he's getting close enough to finishing his Mechanical Engineering degree 

that there is a visible light at the end of the tunnel.

Hoot Hoot!!!!!

In that light sits a future van 

he dreams of adventuring in 

with his bike and climbing gear and friends. 

Go, Zac!!!!

Sarah' houseboat looks like heaven - sign me up!

Emma's teepee was legit 

(as is that gorgeous hair of hers).

Thanks everyone for all the fun,

love you all!

Spring break in the nighttime...

This week was the twigs' spring break from school. 

Zac needed to work so we couldn't go south to our beloved redrock.

We decided to make the best of it and play in the evenings.

(photo credit - Jason Carlton) 

We went to the temple 

(all except our poor Paul who had phlebitis 

and was stuck on the couch at home with his leg elevated). 

I went in to do initiatory work 

while the twigs and Meg'n went to do baptisms and confirmations. 

When I came out they looked surprisingly dry...

yup, the baptistry was super packed 

so they hadn't been able to get in. Oops! 

Another night, Paul and I were going to the Layton High School production 

of the Wizard of Oz for the Stake Single Adult group activity 

so we got tickets for the twigs and Meg'n to come along. 

It was a treat to see so many kids we know perform!

In between these activities, 

there was some board game playing and video watching. 

Another evening, our local missionaries came by for a visit.

Sister Christensen is an artist 

and painted this beautiful picture 

that they've made into a card with Elder Eyring's great quote. 

The week's activities ended with 4 hours of laser tag 

and some very sore thighs haha!

We'd like to do it all again tomorrow! 

So grateful for this precious little family.

<3

Park Avenue, Landscape, & Navajo...

Our visit to Arches over spring break included hikes to/thru Park Avenue...

 ...Landscape Arch...

(How does that baby stay up?!)

...and Navajo Arch.

Navajo has a sweet little cave that is so easy to imagine ancient people inhabiting. Whenever I think of Anasazi or Ancient Pueblo people, I feel immense gratitude for my little home and my soft bed!!

"Everybody needs beauty...places to play in and pray in 

where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul alike.”

 -John Muir

"We don't stop hiking because we grow old - 

we grow old because we stop hiking"

-Finis Mitchell

Hey-fun! That quote is a knock off of one of our girlie's favorite quotes! -here

Totally a favorite...

When the Mr. was just a twig, his family went to Sand Dune Arch as part of a family reunion. We love the place and go there every time we're at Arches - it's totally a favorite!

We were excited to show it to Scott and April and happened to catch this picture of them!! They're so cute!!

:)

Fins and fears...

We escaped to the land of red rock and pictographs for Spring Break.    :)
The last time we hiked to Double O Arch was in 2008 when the trail went along side Wall Arch.

Just a few weeks after we got home in 2008, Wall Arch (pictured above) collapsed in the middle of the night. We're sure glad it didn't get the twigs who had been climbing and playing beneath it!

The collapse closed off the trail to Double O Arch so the new route in the picture below goes up a fin on the back side of the Wall Arch collapse (where the twigs are standing in the pictures above).

(Scott and April joined us for the fun!)

Parts of that fin are crazy steep for us "non-mountain goat" parents! I have to admit there's a little thrill that goes along with the fear. Scott and April called it a "fear" vs "fun" curve. When the fun is high and the fear is low it's a party. However, when the fear gets high enough, the fun goes away and that's when you turn around.  Haha!

Hunter said to me, "Hey Mom, are you taking pictures?" and then he did this. It's all just fun for the twigs.    :)

Our favorite part of the hike is the last fin you cross before you get to Double O Arch. It's some wide open exposure which amps up the fear factor but what a view!

Zac (Elder Branch) was with us in 2008 (pictured below).
This time he was in South Carolina sharing this video with awesome people who would listen. Love that guy and this video!!

Because He Lives

It was a little chilly on top with the wind blowing but wow, it was pretty!

 I'm grateful for these fun people who will come play with me on fins.  xoxo