Fall Break 2015: Part II

After our adventure to Park City, the next day we decided to take the train to Salt Lake City.

The Frontrunner is fairly new, like only a few years old...it runs between Provo and Ogden.  This would have been a dream back in the days when Ryan had to commute everyday to the city, in traffic and snow...blah!  Glad those days are behind us.  

So yeah, the Frontrunner...it's pretty nice.  We picked it up in Orem and got off at Salt Lake Central. 

 The kids really enjoyed the ride.

 And so did we!

It's pretty nice to just sit back and relax.

But the downfall...we were dropped off in not the best area of Salt Lake.  In hindsight, we should have jumped on the Trax and went straight to the city center.  But we were starving and knew there were some places to eat at this nearby outdoor mall (I'm blanking on the name of it).  But to get there, we had to walk though a heavily populated homeless area.  There are two shelters side by side, so the homeless congregate all around them.  I'm pretty sure we walked right by a drug deal in process.  I'll admit it...I wasn't feeling the most comfortable.

After we had lunch we had to relax on some benches for a bit.  Let me explain.  Haley loves spicy food...seriously, she puts Cholula on EVERYTHING!  And she doesn't go light on it either!  So, we went to a Mexican place to eat and she mistakenly assumed Tabasco would be the same as Cholula and pretty much drenched her Enchilada in it.  She was sweating bullets the entire time but she cleaned her plate.  However, right after she finished she got a terrible stomach ache...most likely her guts were on fire!  I'm thinking severe heartburn maybe.  So yeah, she had to sit for a bit until it passed...poor thing.  She didn't touch any hot sauce for a week after this incident.  

We walked over to the city center and Temple Square.  Unfortunately, it started raining so we headed straight over to the Church History Museum.
They have completely redone the entire museum since we've been there last so it was great to see it...although, it was crazy crowded!
And then we headed over to the Temple grounds and walked through the visitor center.
By this point it was already close to five and we decided to head back to the train stain to go home.  

Unfortunately, we missed the the train we were shooting for by just a few minutes...darn!  So we had to wait about 45 minutes for the next one.  I was a little worried we were going to be stuck with whiny kids..but the kids entertained themselves with a never ending game of tag.

Since it was a little quieter on the ride home we were able to sit on the second level of the train, and let me tell ya, the view is way better!

It was late by the time we got home...just enough time to feed the kids a bowl of cereal and send them to bed.  It was a full day!

Other things we did during the fall break...outing to the creamery and duck pond, Sundance (our last lift ride for the season), and to the dollar theater to see Inside Out.

I'd say it was pretty successful!

Happy Monday ya'll!

Fall Break 2015: Part I

Last week was fall break around these parts...a little perk of Utah's deer hunt.  The kids get three days off of school!  In the past we might have tried to skip town, maybe do some camping.  But this year we decided to stay home and just try to squeeze in some fun outings.

So, first up...Park City.

Ryan goes to Park City quite often for work, but for me and the kids it had been a couple of years.  I think the last time was for the Tour of Utah.

Anyway, we got up there a little before lunch time and decided to go straight to Main St. and look for a place to eat.

 Of course, we had to ride in the free trolley first!

 We found a perfect place where we could eat outside...and luckily the weather was quite nice!

It was The Bridge Cafe and Grill...and I ate probably the best BBQ bacon cheeseburger ever!

Just so you know.

Then it was off to Swaner Eco Center.

It's a preserve area for wildlife, educational programs, and a little museum and kid center.

 There is a look out tower and a little board walk on the grounds.

Unfortunately, we didn't see any animals.  Sad face.

But the girls really loved it here.

After the EcoCenter we stopped in the McPolin Farm...or also known as The White Barn in Park City.

This was a farm and working dairy back in the late 1800's.  Park City took it over in the 1990's and it now hosts different events and is also a very popular spot for photo shoots...which I'm not surprised, the area is beautiful!

 While we were there they were holding a type of Scarecrow festival.  Families from Park City decorated different types of Scarecrows and they are placed along the path to view.  The kids got a kick out of that as some were pretty well done!

And that was that...the sun set behind the mountains and we decided to head on home.

Goodbyes in our home.

I know kids can be quirky...heaven knows mine are.  

For instance, saying goodbye to our two little ones.  Now, normally, when parents say goodbye when they're off to work or the store or whatever...a kiss and a hug and an "I love you, see ya later." does the job.  Not my kids.

First they have decided that the plain ol' kiss will never do...it must be Euro style with a kiss on each cheek and then ended with a third on the lips.  And then a hug...very important.  This HAS to happen EVERY time we part ways...dropping off school (parents probably thought it was cute the first day and now they're like..."wait, you do that everyday?"...that's right, people!  EVERYDAY!), dropping off at friends houses and saying goodnight.

And if you thought it ended there...you would be wrong.  

The goodbye continues into a "race".  Any time, let me emphasis that, ANY TIME,  Ryan and I leave the house the little ones HAVE to race us down the street on their bike and scooter.  We must have our windows down so we can wave, and a honk as we drive away is also mandatory.  And believe me they remind us what we need to do every time.  And like suckers, we do it.  We could be gone for 5 minutes, or five days...the goodbye is the same.

And don't think this is just with Ryan and I...oh no, grandparents, uncles, friends...strangers...it doesn't really matter.  Once you come into our home you will become their next target. 

And be warned, their kisses are sometimes wet and or sticky.

The little ones "racing" Ryan on his way out to work this morning.

This process can be quite frustrating sometimes...especially if ones in a hurry.  But I try to keep reminding myself...there will come a day we won't have two little blondies racing us down the street every single time we leave the house.  At least I hope not, because that would be weird.  Well, weirder than it already is that is.

Dogs and chickens don't always mix.

So these are our dogs, Etta and Belle.

Etta is in the front...Belle in the back.

They're Brittanys, so naturally, they are waaaaay into birds.

And occasionally, they even get one now and again...and  I'm pretty sure it becomes their best day ever when they do.

They don't eat them, they just enjoy catching them...and then running around the yard with them in their mouth...most likely thinking how awesome they are.

Well, earlier in the year our neighbors got chickens...8 of them to be exact.  They decided to put the coop against our sharing fence.  Our dogs know they're there, but really can't do anything about it....they just stare at them longingly through the slats.  

All is well...and had been for the past 6 months or so.

So the other night while we were putting the kids to bed Ryan noticed Belle sitting in the front yard!!  In a panic (because our dogs are known for taking off) he opens the front door to get her back in the yard only to stumble upon a dead chicken laid out right against our front door!

Turns out, one of the chickens didn't make it back into the coop before it got dark.  So, in an effort to roost, she decided to perch herself in a precarious spot on our fence.  Belle saw that and probably wasted no time...the evidence (feathers) were everywhere in that spot.  And with her charging the fence she broke a couple of boards out allowing her to escape our yard.  Our neighbors yard however, is not all the way fenced so Belle was able to get into our front yard and leave us a little gift on our porch.  I think she was pretty proud of herself as she politely waited in the front yard until we finally opened the door.  Our reaction however, was probably NOT what she thought it was going to be.

We felt so bad telling the neighbors what happened.  And of course this particular chicken just so happened to be their best egg layer.  Darn.

Now, I know that some dogs can live very cohesively with chickens...in fact our Black and Tan Coonhound shared a backyard with two chickens in my childhood home.

I have never actually done this, but I have heard that a quick way to train your dog NOT to hurt chickens is to catch the dog immediately after it kills one and then use the dead chicken to whack the dog several times yelling and screaming "NO, NO, NO, NO...!!!".  

They'll never go near another chicken again...actually, they'll probably never go near you again either since they'll think you've gone completely nuts...that's the downside.  Plus you may scare your neighbors...so I don't actually recommend this method.

So...long story short...dogs are naughty.

Have a great weekend ya'll!

Happy October!

 My blogging game hasn't been too hot lately...2 posts for September?!!  

Really?

What a shame!  I must do better!

So anyway...it's October!!

Over the years of living in Utah (I'm going on 12 now!) October is kinda becoming one of my favorite months.  The mornings are cool and crisp, yet it warms up nicely by midday.  And we get an occasional chilly storm blow through...and you know I love a good storm!  Any excuse to stay in comfy clothes and not leave the house, I'm game!

In other news...we are now the owners of a cat.

 Meet Misty.

This little stray had been wandering around our yard and Haley, being our little animal lover, offered her some milk.  Without hesitating the cat lapped it up like there was no tomorrow...she must have been pretty hungry!!  And since that day, this little cat has not left left our porch...okay, I'm exaggerating a bit...it goes to the bathroom at some point...which, I'm pretty sure it's in our neighbors garden...so sorry about that.  But seriously, she lives on our porch.  We made a little bed for her using the kids' toy wagon and her food bowl and water are there too.  She's super happy...which is a lot to say, considering there are like a hundred (some days it feels that way) kids running in and out of this house at any given point in the day...yet, she has stayed.  

It's been a couple of weeks now, so Haley and I made it official and took her in to get her rabies shot (she has already been spayed) and get her a collar complete with her name and our number on it.  So yep, she's ours.  Haley is in little kitty heaven!

I'm not sure what's going to happen when the weather gets cooler...the little wagon bed (as awesome as it is) won't cut it in a big storm.  So either we have to create a better shelter, or this little cat will be coming indoors.

So...another female in our household.

We're 8 to 1 now with the female to male ratio...lucky Ryan!

I'll leave the fish out of it since who the heck knows with a fish!

Happy October ya'll!