Autumn Adventure

For our 37th anniversary, we decided to take a trip to Jackson Hole over General Conference weekend. Friday morning we drove over Monte Cristo to check out the autumn leaves (gorgeous), then stopped in Alpine, Wyoming for lunch at Tootsie's Pizza.

When we got to Jackson, we checked into the Rusty Parrot Lodge, walked around downtown and did a little shopping. Then we drove to Teton Village where we saw this huge moose just resting in someone's front yard. That night we ate dinner at the Wild Sage Restaurant-where we got to watch the chefs prepare our food! My halibut was some of the best I've ever had...

Saturday morning we ate breakfast at Cafe Genevieve and then drove to Grand Teton National Park, stopped at gorgeous Jenny Lake then entered the south end of Yellowstone Park...
We ate lunch at Grant Village, then drove to West Thumb to see the Geyser Basin and on to Old Faithful. Along the way we saw one elk from a distance and a fox trotting along the road, but no buffalo or bear! Old Faithful wasn't going to "erupt" for 45 minutes, so we didn't wait...

There were wild fires in both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, so the view of the magnificent Tetons was not ideal. That night we ate dinner at The Kitchen-fun atmosphere, food was just okay.

Sunday morning we had a yummy breakfast at the Wild Sage then started home. We took a different route on the way home...through Montpelier, Idaho, past Bear Lake and up Logan Canyon. The autumn leaves were amazing in Logan Canyon, but weren't very colorful yet in Sardine Canyon. It was nice to get away for a few days! Thank you Delbert, and Happy Anniversary!!

Twenty-five...

Darren's 25th birthday was a 4 day celebration! On his actual birthday, he went to a birthday party for Becca's nephews. On Saturday, Becca spoiled him! They did yoga at The International Peace Gardens, went out to breakfast, then fed the ducks at Liberty Park and went to dinner at Brio Tuscan Grille and to see the movie Warrior. She also gave him a gift he was super excited about...a Derrick Favors jersey! (Which he wore to the Utah Jazz vs. NBA Exhibition Charity Basketball game they attended on Nov. 7th).

Sunday we had a family dinner and his favorite chocolate chip ice cream cake from 31 Flavors.

Monday, Dale & I took him to Tuscany (the restaurant, not Italy...) for dinner to celebrate 25 years of having this great son in our lives...

Happy 75th, Mom!

My mom turned 75 on Sept. 13th...she decided for her birthday she wanted to go on an adventure to visit Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln! Here my cute parents are at some of their stops on their road trip (Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, and Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills-Custer County, South Dakota).
They loved Custer State Park in South Dakota and thought Mt. Rushmore was spectacular!
On their way home, they stayed at the Old Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone Park, and the next day went for a boat ride on Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park. Unfortunately it was a rainy day, so the view of the Tetons wasn't too grand! I'm grateful to have such an amazing, dedicated, loving mother and am so happy she got her wish to visit somewhere she's always wanted to go. Love you, Mom!

The Greatest Show on Earth...

For Ashley's birthday party on September 24th, she went to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus with some family and friends. They left the circus "Fully Charged", and ready for pizza and cake & ice cream at Ashley's house.

Circus Favorites: Tabayara and his twelve ferocious tigers, the galloping stallions, the silly clowns, the dancing four-ton Asian Elephants, the Ukrainian strongmen, flying trapeze performers, and The Human Fuse (a man who rockets through the air all ablaze)!