Maramec Springs Park

 It is hard to believe, but yesterday (Saturday) is the last Saturday I have with my parents before we leave.  The time has just flown by so fast since Eric left and I still have a hard time realizing that he will be home on Thursday--YEAH!!!  Anyways, since yesterday was our last Saturday together, we decided to go have fun.  We ended up taking a little road trip to a place called Maramec Springs Park.  We have been there before and I just absolutely love it.  It is such a beautiful place.  The highlight of the park is this giant spring that pumps out 100 million gallons of water a day.  There is also a river that goes through the park and they have TONS of fish in there that are pretty big.  They also have water where you can feed fish--there are tons of them and it is fun to see them fight over the food.  Here are a couple of pictures from our fun day!

Papa, Ethan and GG feeding the fish

It is kind of hard to see, but those are all the fish, there were spots that were thicker than this with fish-Ethan was in heaven!

Walking away from the spring--I thought the water was such a pretty color.

Salt Lake City Zoo

Another day while we were in Utah we went to the zoo we went to the zoo with Eric's dad and Eric's brother and his family.  I have to admit that I love the zoo and we had so much fun.  Eric's brother, Matt, has a little boy named Blake who is almost exactly a year older than Ethan.  When we have gone to visit in the past they really haven't played too much together.  It was really fun this time, because they were both old enough and had so much fun together.  It was so funny to hear them talking to each other, they would hold hands, they just had so much fun together.  Here are some pictures from our fun day at the zoo! 

Grandpa Nelson, Blake and Ethan on the merry-go-round!

Kailey on the merry-go-round--she LOVED it!!

I knew Ethan liked eggs, but didn't know he would turn into one!

Ethan the turtle!

The Treehouse Museum

So another fun outing Grandma Nelson planned for us was the Treehouse Museum.  We went with my sister-in-law Brooke and her two little boys (Blake who is 3 and Connor who is 2 months).  The treehouse museum was so much fun and when we head out to Utah next month we are already planning to go back.  The whole museum was interactive with costumes to dress up in, things to play with, they had a wonderful little music time, things to climb on, art time, etc.  In the middle of the museum they had this giant tree that you could climb up, it was so neat.  Needless to say, the kids and even I were in heaven!!!  I took so many pictures here that I had to make a slideshow.  One of my favorite exhibits was the Japanese one.  The kids and I spent a lot of time here practicing for when we move to Japan in July!!  They had little kimonos to try on, plastic Japanese food, chopsticks, etc.  Kailey liked the sushi so much that when we went to another exhibit I noticed she still had a piece in her mouth she was trying to eat (it was plastic).  Anyways, we had a blast and I just can't wait to go back with Eric!!

Wheeler Farm

So the kids and I spent the last two weeks in Utah.  We spent the first week with Eric's parents and then we went and met up with my family and had a mini reunion.  We had a great time.  We did so many fun things that this trip is going to take many blog posts.  One of the first places we went to go visit was Wheeler Farm.  Eric's mom took us one day and we had so much fun.  It is a farm that has all kinds of animals, tractors (Ethan's favorite), we went on a wagon ride, fed ducks, just had a great time.  Here are some pictures from Wheeler Farm.

Kailey riding the wild buckin' bronco with Grandma Nelson!!

Riding the tractor--Mommy was so nice to bounce the seat up and down!

Ethan and Mommy testing out the two seater outhouse--why go alone when you can go with someone!

Ethan in the chicken coop jail!

Who dresses their child in Lederhosen??

So I am  embarrassed to admit this, but my husband use to wear lederhosen as a child on a regular basis--I know, can you believe it??  His mom had traveled to Switzerland and bought Eric and his brother little lederhosen outfits and they use to wear them to church.  Well fast forward many years and here are Eric and Matt's sons in the same outfits that they use to wear.  We just got back from visiting Eric's parents in Utah and while we were there, we found these great little outfits that Eric and his brother Matt use to wear.  Being the very nice mom that I am, of course I made Ethan dress up in it.  It took a little bit of bribing, but he wore it.  I think he and Blake look so cute.  Eric's mom showed me a picture of him wearing it, I wish that I had that picture to put up here--it was so cute.  She showed me quite a few pictures of him as a child--I don't know why I had never seen them.  Anyways, enjoy the cute boys in lederhosen--you don't see this everyday!  Also, Ethan I am sorry, but I am sure this picture will be resurrected when you are a teenager along with other embarrassing ones that we have taken!! 

Hiking with Papa!

Yesterday, Ethan and my dad (Papa) went on a hike at a nearby park.  I thought they were lost, they were gone for about 2.5 hours, but Ethan kept telling my dad that he wasn't ready to come home!!  They ended up hiking over 3 miles and Ethan walked the whole way.  That three miles was not all flat either, part was uphill and another part included climbing over 100 stairs!  I think I have a future hiker on my hands!!  He was well-prepared, we packed some snacks and water in his backpack, which he carried the whole time.  They had a great time and Ethan is very lucky to have such a fun Papa!  Here are some pictures from their adventure!  

They found a turtle on the trail and Ethan liked touching it!

Looking at the squirrels!

Snack break--they really worked up an appetite!

Looking through his 'noculars'!

Throwing rocks in the water--Ethan could do this for hours!