salt lake city 2012

Every summer I like to spend a week in Salt Lake City.  We’re lucky to have some great friends up there – Ryan & Leslie – that open up the Andrus Hotel Basement for us every time we show up on their doorstep.

Wes made the trek up with us – it was the minivan’s first adventure.

Wes & I took the boys to Hogle Zoo.  I went there every summer as a kid and love going back.  The new exhibits at the zoo were open which was fun.  The seal tank is amazing!  We hear the polar bear has quite a personality but he was snoozing during our visit.

After the zoo, Wes drove me by my late Grandma Florence’ old house.  The new owners are taking good care of the place and adding their own touch.  I’m glad more great memories are being made in that home.

Wes spent the rest of the weekend with us and then flew back to Vegas to work on Monday night.  Wes & Ryan managed to squeeze in a few rounds of golf and we enjoyed some good times at the Andrus house.  I love Utah summers and I love that every street is full of kids playing in the middle of it!

Tyler is the King of the water guns – as long as no one squirts him.

Both of my boys loved this little man, Brooks.

These two crazy kiddos actually did quite well together all week!  They were little buddies most of the time.

We got lucky with great timing and we were able to stop by my Aunt Leslie’s 60th birthday party to see aunts/uncles/cousins!

 

We discovered a new favorite in Utah – Thanksgiving Point’s Children’s Discovery Gardens.  Not only did they love the Noah’s Ark splash pad – but Nate & Ryan would have stayed all day in the gardens behind it.  I think we just might next year!

 

The next day was “Farm Day.”  My kids love animals and we hardly have anywhere to see them in Vegas so we do as much as we can in Utah!  We started the day at Farm Country in Thanksgiving Point.  It’s always a favorite.  We see lots of farm animals, feed the geese, ride a pony, & even had a horse and carriage ride.

We ended the day at Wheeler Farm where we met a few of my aunts and cousins there.  It was my first visit – what a fun place.  The highlight for Nate was he got to milk a cow!  He thought that was awesome and stayed as long as he could watching the cowgirl with the cow.  When I asked Ryan if he wanted to try he said quite loud, “not me!”  I do have to say that after being on 2 farms that day – I was done with the farm smell and all of the flies that come along with smelly animals!

After Wheeler Farm, we went back to my Aunt Leslie’s house for pizza & salad.  The kiddos jumped right in her sandbox and didn’t move until it was time to go!

I had a lot of friends move in the last few years but at least a lot of them moved to the same place – Utah!  It was fun to meet up with Nancee & Megan and their kiddos to catch up a little.  Sure do miss them!

I also love seeing my cousin, Shannon and her cute family.  We went out to their new home in Eagle Mountain and spent an evening having dinner and playing.  Nate & Zach hit it off and had a great time playing.  They would definitely be buds if we lived closer. 

On Thursday, Leslie & I took the kids to Chic-fil-A to celebrate Nate & Tyler’s birthdays.  They had a great time!  That afternoon was Tyler’s birthday party which we were lucky to be able to attend and then the boys and I hit the road and drove to the cabin!  It was another great trip to SLC – can’t wait to go again!