Blanding Vacation Day 1

We decided to make a long weekend of Labor Day weekend. I found a fun cabin to use as a base camp for the weekend. We left Thursday morning with our first stop Arches National Park.

We ate lunch at our secret picnic spot at the Delicate Arch viewpoint. (I say "secret" because it is not listed as a picnic spot on the park map.)

This might be our favorite arch in the park, Sand Dune Arch. We always make sure we stop by to visit each time we go through the park.

We checked into the cabin, unpacked, had some dinner and headed to Bluff to hear the Utah Symphony concert. 

The concert was held at camp "Stickie-ta-Tutie". The Bluff Fort foundation is building this as a camping spot for youth groups who want to come do a handcart trek and visit the fort. If you look carefully at this picture you can see a rainbow.

It was such a beautiful night.

Graig and Andrea made it to Bluff just in time for the concert.

The setting the concert was beautiful and the music very good. They played a few pieces that Graig played while he was in the Lyceum so it was fun to hear some familiar music. The program had some great variety.

From Melanie: "So the first day it was just me, my mum, my dad, and Fiona but that night my brother and his girlfriend came up too. We all went to a Utah Symphony orchestra concert together. The funnest part was probably the tire playground that Fiona and I played on before the concert started."

Utah Renaissance Fair

Andrea let the girls borrow some of her costumes.

Melanie did some fancy makeup and I curled Fiona's hair

Andrea was working in a booth where you could make a leather bracelet.

Melanie's friend, Brighton wanted to come with us. She told him he could only come, if he came in costume. 

We got to see live jousting.

I was impressed with the amount of quality entertainment and educational booths.

It was a fun day!

Happy Birthday Graigry

23 years old

We took Graig to purchase a new suit

We then went to the Renaissance Fair for dinner and entertainment

First Day of School

I took a late start at work so I could see these cute girls off to their first day of school.

Fiona and Melanie

Last week of Summer Vacation

Melanie brought Fiona over to doTERRA for lunch on Wednesday. After lunch, the girls worked in the Days for Girls service room. They put the strings in draw string bags.

Melanie introduced Fiona to Hobby Lobby. She loved it there. Fiona bought supplies to do a cross stitch project and so I had to show her some of my cross stitch projects.

On Wednesday evening, Graig, Fiona, and I took the dogs up to Battle Creek Falls. It was a beautiful night for a hike. The sunset was very pretty.

On Thursday evening, I took Melanie, Fiona, Ben, and Brina to the Utah County Fair. We watched the rodeo. One of our favorite things was watching a master horse trainer ride Roman Style. 

On Saturday it was just too nice not to get up the canyon for a few hours. Warren and I took the girls for a picnic by the river near Tibble Fork. After some sandwiches, we took a short walk by the River.

Wore them out.

We did get Fiona all registered for school. 

Welcome to Fiona

We got to the airport just in time to see Fiona coming down the escalator. Melanie ran and gave her a big hug. She seemed to be relieved to be here.

This sign got finished in the car on the way to the airport. 

We got home and had a bbq with hamburgers and chicken burgers with lots of topping choices like avocado, pesto, bacon, and fresh tomatoes. 

We got dinner cleaned up and Melanie shared some lessons she learned at EFY. 

 We especially liked the four crowns devotional she came up with during her personal study.

I left to take a walk and talk with Tyler. When I got back there was a Les Mis singalong happening in my living room. I love it. 

Knee Surgery

Warren had a knee scope to see if he can get out of pain. The procedure seemed to go smoothly and gratefully, he didn't throw up one time. His nurse before and after his surgery was Kelly. She took good care of him and he continues to recover well.