Leav'n On a Jet Plane..

This picture has nothing to do with this post. It's just adorable and it's how Sam looks in the morning when we walk Zina to school.  He LOVES that stroller and cries every morning when it's time to go inside.

Since Mark is in Florida for the month (doing an audition rotation at the University of Florida) he misses a few important dates in our family.  Um, like my birthday AND our anniversary.  So we left the kids with Grandma the Thursday before he left and meandered over the Nebo loop on our way to do sealings in the Manti Temple.  

It was gorgeous.  

The fall colors just starting to come out.  The cool mountain breeze.  My best friend.

It was a great trip.  I love the Manti Temple.  The workmanship in those older temples is so phenomenal. And I think I've said this before.  

But I love rural Utah.

And I think Manti might just be the rural i'm talk'n about.

:)

On Saturday before I took Mark to catch his red eye flight we packed in as much family time as we could.  We drove up Provo Canyon looking for the perfect spot for our picnic and found it at Timpanogas Campgrounds.  It was a 'no fee' day (and our lucky day!) so we pulled right in amongst the beautiful fall foliage.

After our picnic we decided to pull into Sundance and ride the ski tram up the mountain.  It was really fun and the kids thought it was amazing! A little nerve-wracking for Mom and Dad though since Sam really wanted to climb all over instead of sit and enjoy the scenery.   We kept him occupied by searching for birds and bears while uttering over and over "chirp chirp, roar roar!"

This is me getting mad at Mark for playing on his I-phone during our family outing.  Apparently he just wanted to take a picture. :)

We also coincidentally happened upon Sundance Harvest Market. They had booths and food and live folk music.  It was really fun and made the atmosphere of our family outing more legit. :)

And if Wilson's skipping to the car doesn't convince you that we had a great time I don't know what will. 

Except perhaps if you had heard Zina's sorrowful cries turn into exultant cries when her dad found her a caterpillar "just like Kate's" and "just like the one on the top of the mountain (that we wouldn't let her transport down) sitting in the middle of the parking lot - then THEN you would know that the trip was indeed a success.  Especially when the kids recounted their wonderful family trip to their Grandparents with only the caterpillars discovery being expounded upon (or even brought up for that matter).  It is a good thing we happened upon "fuzzy" who has now wrapped himself in a black fuzzy cocoon atop our mason jar.

We excitedly anticipate his transformation.

And last but not least.

 

We miss you and can't wait to see you in 25 days.

Thank the Heavens for Skype!