One Great Day

Mike and I started off this great day with a downtown date. I got to pick this date from beginning to end which I was really excited to do. We started with a nice bullet bike ride to SLC. I admit I am really liking our bike rides now. Then we grabbed a large salad from Pier 49 and went to the Gallivan Center. There was suppose to be a concert but I guess the band called in sick but there was some nice music being played from a sound system.

We ate our salad and read from a book we are reading "Hold Me Tight" This book is completely life changing. Next we went to the Salt Lake Art Center. There is an art group called Project 337. They do such amazing things that are out of this world. But first here is some random pics from the other exhibit called "Not just another pretty face"

Mike was really getting into the art.

2 of my favorites.... (above and below)

But here is 337's work. They made a mini golf course which was pretty fun, interesting, and hard to play but great to admire. Here's the photos from that:

the birds eye view

a few interesting holes..... this one played the Donkey Kong theme when you got the ball in the hole. Behind the wall are 3 old school arcades ie Donkey Kong, Pac Man, Super Mario.

Crossing the border...

Paper shredder. It was hard to find our ball when it went into the paper pile.

Kill the clown. We just gave up on this hole. We didn't know how to get the ball over the other side.

Regan. We thought this was going to be a straight shot since the hole is on the other side of the desk. Nope! There was plexi glass under the desk. Laughs on us!

Sneaking a kiss IN Hole 16. We had to hit our ball up an incline. And I followed my ball and soon realized that the incline dropped.....along with me. Mike being such a gentleman followed after me.

And a few other holes....

I won the art course by 1 stroke!! I rock art (ha ha)

But then we took a walk upstairs so see the last exhibit and wow I was blown away. This is a rehab program through the jail called A.C.E. ( i think) and I was so moved by this man's story. I will try to enlarge the photos so you can see his story.

He gets hurt at work and starts taking pain killers so he can go back to work. But then becomes addicted. He loses his wife and son. So he robs a house for money to fed his addiction which lands him in jail. This moment is why I love art.

Enough with the heavy stuff...

After this we headed back home to relieve our new sitter. And continue our great day with our kids.

As a family we wanted to try again the whole idea of taking them out to a restaurant so we headed to Prairie Schooner Steakhouse in Ogden. If you never heard of this place- don't feel bad. We didn't either until I see it on CityDeals. (thanks Diana for telling us about citydeals)

The kids were in awe the whole time we were here. We ate in cover wagons, there were stuffed animals everywhere, and the entire restaurant was dimmed so low that the lantern was our only light. So needless to say it was kinda hard to find something if you dropped it.

But we wanted the kids to have an awesome time so we did desserts first....they were so shocked!!

Lily's so stinking cute! We had some small appetizers afterwards. Sorry I think these are so cool looking I had to take a photo.

At the end of our meal Mike and I were pretty partied out. So we gathered up our million of kids and started our way back home.

The kids had a great time....and so did we.

Willard Bay

Shame on us! Mike has lived here all his life and I have lived in Utah for 13 years and we both never heard of Willard Bay. But now that we have been....we plan to go again (very soon)

 Everyone had so much fun.... Lily was very hesitatant at first entering the water but after Daddy helped her she felt much better

Hailey was fearless....she splashed, swam (fake swam since she doesn't know how to swim), and made sand mud. But she was so excited to be cooling down from these hot temps in some cool water.

Mason- he was everywhere!....playing in the sand, going for a ride on Mike's surf board, and splashing around like a fish out of water

Ducati on the other hand was skiddish at first. Here's her "What-the-heck-did-you-put-me-in?" face.

After a few minutes......

Then towards the end of the day....

It was a great day. We ate lunch at the Bay. Yeah for lunchables! Then we played some more. 

Here's some random pics of everyone during the 5 hours we were there...

HA! After 3 tries I just settled on this photo. Better luck next time.

Angie (me) with Ducati.

Mike and his surf board. He insisted on bringing it to get some practice in so next year when we go to CA he will have some water time in. But he found out that surfing is alot harder than it looks.

Lily was on food patrol. She guarded the coolers and if anyone asked for a snack or water she would open it up and give you something. Sometimes she was right and sometimes she was wrong. Lily didn't care...so you got what you got.

Lily on break time from food patrol.

Willard Bay really made Mike and I miss California. (we can't wait until next year) But this place was pretty awesome. Everyone left with smiles and sunburns....so 12 thumbs up!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jewel Lie

This July 4th holiday our family had an eventful weekend. This holiday we went it the best way we could think of-

games.......

...............eating some good food

spent time with family...........

and celebrated living in our great country with some fireworks.....

Brother Love

A few weeks ago Mike and I sat down with Mason and explained to him how he has autism. The conservation went well. He seemed to understand that it's not his fault on a few of his quirks. But I have had a few mom moments lately. And I just want to share that Mason is such a special little guy. He is such a great big brother. Ducati started to whimper and he went over to her and started to cuddle and sing to her. I think every sibling have their moments when they just fight over who's air is being violated but in the big picture Mason is such a wonderful son,brother, and little man.