Happy Pioneer Day

An excited Seth at the top of Ensign Peak overlooking the Salt Lake Valley

This is me in front of the Ensign Peak Monument. Maybe you can read what the plaque says...

So we are enjoying our July 24th holiday! I think it is great to get another holiday in July. I will be sad one day if we move from Utah I won't get a 2nd July holiday anymore. What a sad day that will be. We decided to get out and do some fun things this weekend. So Friday morning Seth and I went and hiked up to Ensign Peak in Salt Lake. It was a short little hike and a pretty sweet view from the top. I tried to imagine what the valley looked like when Brigham Young stood up there, nothing close to what it looks like now. Besides the skyscrapers and the U of U campus, most of it looked like trees everywhere, which is not what it looks like when you are actually down there. It was interesting. After that we did a little swimming and then got back to Provo in time to catch the matinée for Seth's new favorite movie 'Inception'. We haven't been to a movie in quite some time and Seth was feeling a little deprived. I think he quite enjoyed the show. I had been told it was a 'mind boggling' show so I tried really hard to pay attention and try to understand what was going on. I think I followed just about everything. I had to ask Seth a few questions at the end to make sure I understood everything. I actually enjoyed the movie as well. It was a pretty good one.

Me at the top of the Cascade Saddle

Another view from the top

Today Seth had plans to go paint-balling with the boys but plans fell through. I wanted to do another hike, so I went with the family we rent our apartment from, the Pace's, well the Mom and two of her daughters. We had planned to leave at 6 am and do a 5 mile hike and be back so she could get back to feed her 2-month old baby, but 5 miles actually turned into 13 miles!!! It is a long story, but basically once we figured out we had gotten on another trail and were half-way up, it was like, 'well we are already this far we might as well finish' so we did. The hike is called the 'Cascade Saddle' and it is quite a little hike, pretty steep at some parts. The original hike we were planning on doing was called 'Big Springs' hike which we did and the springs were very pretty. It is up Provo Canyon and you take the Vivian Park turnoff and go another 3 miles or so and you'll find the trail-head up there. It was very beautiful, but my feet are pretty tired. I think I'll sleep well tonight.

Caitlyn and Me at Big Springs

This is a moose we saw while on our hike. It was actually pretty close. After it had some more to eat, it took off up the mountain side and actually crossed over in front of our path. Not dangerously close, but pretty close. It was fun to watch him climb up the mountain side.

Seth is enjoying his internship in Salt Lake and has about a week and a half left before he is done. He is planning on going on a Young Men backpacking trip the first part of August. I am already jealous, that sounds like a lot of fun to me.

Here are some random pictures from the summer:

Seth, Me, Kylee, Jon hiking up in Pine Valley (back in May)

Seth getting ready to hit 3 for 3 on his skeet

Me taking my turn. I didn't do so bad either.

This is me and my Dad doing the hike on the way back from Lake Powell (back in May) which I can't remember the name of the hike at the moment. Seth was taking the picture, but he was there. If you notice the sweet rock formation behind us to the left, it is a pretty good balancing act. That is due to some erosion of the lower layer leaving these little toad-stool type rock things. Pretty sweet. In about 30 minutes I'll remember the real name of these rocks.

Me hiking in Snow Canyon in St. George with Seth and Cody (back in May)

All the girls at Girls Camp located at Mia Shalom on our hike (June)

So after I put in all these pictures, I realized I have done some pretty fun hikes this summer. Yeah for hiking!

I really need to do a deep clean of our apartment, but I don't really know the best place to start. I think dust and cobwebs are my least favorite things....Why do they just have to keep coming back? It is like 'I just got rid of you, please go hang out somewhere else'. And our vacuum broke so we need to get it fixed. Also I really need to have our carpets cleaned or something, they are pretty dirty.

Thanks for everyone's comments on my last post, I liked everyones insight and it has helped. Thank you!!