Days of ’47 Pioneer Day Utah style

August 9, 2014 by shelley

Days of ’47 Pioneer Day Utah style

Going to Utah is going home for me. The Days of ’47 Pioneer Day is pure Utah. No where else is there anything like it. I decided to celebrate Pioneer Day in Utah this year with the added bonus of some of my family being in Salt Lake City. We kicked off the celebration by attending the Pioneer Day Concert at the Conference Center.

The artist who brought magic to life as Prince Hans in Disney’s blockbuster film Frozen headlined this summer’s Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square’s Pioneer Day concerts. Santino Fontana joined the Choir in two gala performances entitled “A Summer Celebration of Song,” that were held on July 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. in the Conference Center. The concerts were conducted by Mack Wilberg, music director of the Choir, and Ryan Murphy, associate music director.

Program 2014 Pioneer Day Concert

2014 Days of ’47 Pioneer Day Concert

It is possible to watch the program in its entirety on YouTube:

This year the youth parade was a must see..both Henry and Becca, were a part of it walking beside their Stake the Monument Park North Stake’s float.

Henry and Becca by their Stake’s float

Pioneers Made the Desert Bloom

Henry and Becca in the Parade

Of course Henry would have nothing doing with flower petals around his neck or a headband on his head…but he did like being in the parade.

And a couple of the other really good floats…remember this is the youth parade:

Another Float in Youth Parade

After the parade we enjoyed the festivities at the City and County building block downtown Salt Lake City where the Family Festival was in full swing…

Family festival after the parade.

A fun tradition that Jen started with her kids was to go to the “preview” party where one gets to preview all the floats that will appear in the parade. You get to get up close and personal with the floats. There are also fun activities for the kids. Rachel Kunz Lingmann and her children joined us!

Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

Caroline

Jen, Caroline and Becca

Becca

Henry

Caroline

The whole gang

Becca, Caroline

Henry

Becca

All the kids

Caroline, Jen, Me, Henry and Becca

Caroline

Becca

Becca, Henry and Caroline

Henry and Caroline

Henry examines a float

Caroline at Preview Party

See the Preview Party floats in picture gallery here:

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

: Pioneer day Parade Preview Party 2014

And the big event the 24th of July Parade! Bob and I headed down to get good “seats” on the street at 3:30 in the morning only to find very few spaces left since most places were taken up by people that had camped overnight! After walking several blocks we did find a great spot and “staked out” our space.

Bob in our “reserved” parade spot.

Everyone, including Izzy, joined us shortly before the parade began:

Everyone arrives for the parade!

And the main event:

2014 Pioneer Parade, Salt Lake City, Utah

We finished the day with a visit to Heritage Park…perfect activity for Pioneer Day!

Becca visiting the mountain man

View of Heritage Park

Caroline and Adam on the train

Becca visiting the mountain man

Adam and Caroline Train Ride

Henry Train Ride

Train Ride

Henry and Becca panning for gold

Panning for gold

Becca

Henry

Other fun things we did in Salt Lake City:

Foothill Villages Annual Sidewalk Sale

Becca

Caroline

Becca

Henry

Becca

Henry

Caroline gets Face painting but on the arm

Becca’s arm paintings

Henry’s arm paintings

Caroline’s arm paintings

Tennis lessons

Becca

Caroline

Becca

Becca and Caroline

Henry

Soccer

Becca

Caroline

Becca

Swimming

Becca and teacher

Henry

Caroline at Little Gym

Caroline

Other SLC moments:

Henry

Becca

Bob and Caroline

Caroline, Jen and Bob

Bob, Henry, Jen, Adam, Caroline and Becca

Henry, Caroline, and Becca at City Creek

Thanksgiving Point, Utah

May 9, 2014 by shelley

Thanksgiving Point, Utah

I have mentioned Thanksgiving Point before, and it is still a great place to visit while in Utah. This time we visited the Farm Country. What an experience!

Caroline on the horse with Jen

Becca on the horses at the Farm Country Thanksgiving Point

Becca and Caroline

Caroline

Caroline and Adam petting the horses

Caroline, Henry and Adam feeding the horses

Adam, Caroline, Henry and Becca feed the horses

Turkey at Farm Country Thanksgiving Point

Caroline and Adam feed the llamas

Adam and Henry

Becca

Becca feeding the animals

Caroline and her dad Adam

Salt Lake City and the new aquarium for family fun !

May 9, 2014 by shelley

Salt Lake City-family fun-and the new

THE LIVING PLANET

aquarium.

Salt Lake City has a new beautiful and very large aquarium, The Living Planet. It is located in Draper 12033 South Lone Peak Parkway. It is quite spectacular. It has 2,484 animals and 451 species are on display in our four main exhibits: Ocean Explorer, Journey to South America, Discover Utah and Antarctic Adventure! There are always lots of things to see and do as you make your way through The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.

Bottom Jellies

New exhibit at the Living Planet

Penguin at the new aquarium Salt Lake City

Henry at penguin exhibit

Henry on Rope Bridge

Becca and Henry on Rope Bridge

Becca

Henry and Becca

A fish larger than Henry!

Turtles

Rays

We spotted Jen and Caroline on the bottom level of the Amazon Giants exhibit

Of course we had to visit Cafe Avalon.

Cupcakes that look at you

Becca and Caroline enjoying snack in Cafe Avalon in the new aquarium

Henry with his cupcake in Cafe Avalon

Caroline and cupcake.

The massive Megalodon Shark Jaw

Megalodon Jaws at The Living Planet Aquarium

Megalodon lived from about 20 to 2 million years ago. It measured over 50 feet and weighed over 100,000 pounds.

And the grand finale.

Becca, Henry, Jen, Caroline and Shelley at the new aquarium in Salt Lake City

Utah now has another great activity to do with kids and grandkids!

Just a few fun shots of Becca, Henry and Caroline:

Henry and Caroline

Becca and Caroline

Henry

Salt Lake City and fun times!

April 28, 2014 by shelley

We arrived in Salt Lake City and knew we would have to wait a few minutes at the airport before our ride arrived. The Salt Lake airport is not a bad place to spend a few extra moments…it is a place you can witness a moment (and secretly share) the joy and happiness of perfect strangers.

We watched families welcome home and joyfully celebrate their returning missionary. These missionaries were returning home after serving a two year mission somewhere in the world for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). They had not seen their families for that entire time. Only Christmas and Mother’s day are they allowed to call home. Weekly emails were their only form of communication. Cheers would erupt as a young man in a suit would appear at the top of the escalator and slowly descend to the waiting group below. The cheering would continue, signs would wave and people would jump up and down. But when the young man reached the bottom, and it never failed, the first person he would embrace was obviously his mother. It was always a long, sweet and very emotional embrace. And then his dad would receive a big hug. And then siblings would “glom” onto him and create a mass hug. Other relatives and friends followed. So very heart warming. We knew no one, spoke to no one, but we witnessed, shared and thoroughly enjoyed, the sheer joy and happiness of perfect strangers watching their sons come home from their missions at the Salt Lake City airport.

Joyful reunions at the Salt Lake City Airport

And then it was on to other activities and a full few days we enjoyed with Jen, Adam and kids in Salt Lake City.

It was a busy time in Salt Lake City.

One of the reasons we came to Salt Lake City was to see the kindergarden production of Mother Goose nursery rhymes. More specifically the Queen in Sing a Song of Sixpence. We had to see her in the parlor eating bread and honey!

The Queen!

The Queen awaits

The Queen shows us her classroom.

We spent a fun day at This is The Place Heritage Park.

First a quick look at the map…

looking at map

One of the things Becca, Henry and Caroline were excited to show us were the baby animals. First stop the baby chicks.

Henry, Becca, Caroline, Bob and Myself viewing the baby chicks at Heritage Park SLC

Becca holding a baby chick

Bob holding a baby chick for Caroline

Henry holding a baby chick

Henry, Becca and Myself at the baby chicks

Becca and myself with the baby chicks

Next stop the baby goats.

Becca and Caroline with baby goats

Becca with the baby goat

Caroline feeding the baby goat

And of course the pony rides!

Craft making:

Making an Easter Craft

Making a craft at This is The Place Heritage Park

Henry’s craft

The blacksmith…

Visit to the blacksmith shop

The rope maker…

Becca and Henry helping make rope

Henry and Caroline watching Becca make rope

Tooling leather…

Becca showing her tooled leather

Henry and Becca working on tooling leather

Jen and Caroline tooling leather

Henry, Caroline and Becca working on their leather.

Train rides…

Jen and Caroline taking a little train ride

Train ride

But we came for gold, so pan for gold we did!

Becca panning for gold

Gold Rush!

Caroline panning for gold.

Henry and Becca hard at work.

Henry finding gold

Henry counting his gold.

Jen, Caroline and Becca at the stream.

And we struck “GOLD”!

Gold!

and Brigham’s doughnuts

Becca enjoying a Brigham doughnut

Brighams Donuts

And then it was time to go.

Jen and Bob

We enjoyed seeing friends.

Lunch with Carole and Sam Cowley

We built recycling trucks at Lowe’s.

Building at Lowes

Becca building at Lowe’s

Henry

Caroline

Building team

Building at Lowes

Henry

Ballet class.

Becca at ballet.

Soccer game.

Henry at soccer game.

Caroline enjoying soccer game.

We checked out Adam’s office.

Daddy’s office

Went to City Creek.

City Creek

And played in the park.

Caroline

Becca

Henry

Caroline

Becca

Bob watching Becca

Adam helping Caroline

Henry and Caroline

Henry

Becca

Henry

Becca

Becca and Caroline

Jen helping Caroline

All in all a busy wonderful time!!

Thanksgiving Point, Lehi, Utah

September 12, 2013 by shelley

We spent a very enjoyable evening with friends, Dr. Mark and Leslie Donaldson and their granddaughter at Thanksgiving Point, in Lehi, Utah. Thanksgiving Point is centrally located about half-way between Salt Lake City and Provo just off Interstate 15 at the Point of the Mountain. Their signature water tower is easily seen from both directions just west of the freeway.

Thanksgiving Point, water tower, Lehi, Utah

We decided to visit the Museum of Ancient Life, Dinosaur Museum:

At the Museum of Ancient Life you can roam among the dinosaurs, explore a Carboniferous Forest, and dive deep into a Cretaceous Ocean. The museum has one of the world’s largest displays of mounted dinosaurs with 60 complete dinosaur skeletons in their galleries, along with more than 50 hands-on exhibits. This is a fun destination where you can enjoy learning about pre-historic animals, playing with toy dinosaurs in the Erosion Table, and digging for fossils in the quarry dig.