Last Day

Corey and I took an epic ride this morning. Up Jenni's (Armstrong was closed boo). We made it to midmountain and then kept going. Empire Canyon! I can see the Judge Mine S curve!

Continued riding Mid Mountain to the Montage, then went east over to Deer Valley. Super fun, felt so good to be out today. Maybe we'll get a bike haul pass sometime this year and go spend a day riding. We saw Jordanelle then started to head back, but that still took another 40 minutes. We rode down Deer Crest and Snow Park in Deer Valley and then followed a few other trails for fun until we got back on the road. I put on my swimsuit and went to find the kids - they were playing Mega Jenga in the Silver Station.

It toppled on Daniel's turn.

K coloring, she's so cute. 

You're cute too Peter.

Boys playing Star Wars Battlefront.

So they weren't swimming, but I went and read the scriptures while I gave my legs a few minutes of sunshine. Abi didn't work today so she was here. Corey worked in the hotel lobby. 

I went back to the room and did a little bit of stuff while Lily made lunch - she cleaned and gutted and fried up the fish they caught last night.

I went back to the station. (I keep wanting to say "the mine" which is the activity center at the Mountainside.)

Natalie and Sophi walking to the room.

Corey and I were going to go on an early date, but then we got distracted watching some video about a guy who got arrested in Utah recently for some lego thing... Corey had heard about it from his brother, we started to watch it while we waited for the kids to have their pizza ready, and then we were all hooked - it just kept going and going and it was funny and so then an hour and 25 min later we were done and the kids wanted part two. Pic below of when the BAM employee was accepted into a cult and brainwashed.

So that was super interesting and we will be following Ben for updates! Corey and I left after that, we walked to Sammy's Bistro. I got the teriyaki salmon burger again with sweet potato fries again, YUMMMMMM it was so good. Then a 20 minute walk back to the room to work off dinner. The kids were watching Star Wars back at the room. Today was our last day here and it was a good and relaxing one. We are getting up early tomorrow to check out and make it down in time to get to Layton by 10:30 for cousin Connor's wedding, one of Neil's kids. Christian is running a marathon tomorrow morning too, and Corey wants to try to go to that to cheer him on, so we'll see if we can pull that off too! So now it's time to head to bed before a busy and wonderful day with family!

Fishing

Abi, Lily, and Corey all went down to the valley today. We've had two cars commuting twice a day 3 out of 4 days this week, feeling like we live in LA or something. Abi went to do some Visa stuff for her mission and then she had work until 7:30. Lily had an SBO thing so she went down with Abi this morning, then Corey went down to do work and he picked her up. I watched ODPK go swimming and when they were done I colored with Katharine. The boys played some video games, I came back to the room for a bit and let Sophi and Natalie stay with the kids in the Silver station. Good news from me is that I had enough time blogging to finish May today! I'm all the way caught up until just this past week! Wow! So that was super exciting and I'm pleased with myself and my effort to record our family history. Corey and Lily got back in time for Lily to take the girls to go to the outlets and Corey took the kids fishing in Deer Valley. I was there with them for like an hour, took two strolls around the pond, then I decided to go on a walk back to the room. I left right before Daniel got his first catch! 

He felt very proud. Good job Daniel! What's your secret??

The secret was getting help from Miguel, a fellow fishman there who caught a fish right away when we'd been there for 45 min with no bites. He was doing some fishing talk with Corey (teal shirt below).

Katharine was so cute casting her line. 

She didn't catch anything but enjoyed playing the game. After Daniel's catch, then Owen caught a fish (Corey killed it). Sorry the pic only pic with Owen didn't have his face.

When the girls were back from shopping they wanted to give it a try. Natalie caught one! 

She was freaking out and grossed out by it, but also excited. Then Lily...

and Natalie again...

Finally Peter got a fish! 

Corey was glad with that final catch and was ready to wrap things up as the sun had gone down. So again I had left before they started catching fish. I decided to walk back to the hotel. And as I walked I was thinking about the Judge Mine and if I had enough daylight to make it there, and maybe if someone could pick me up. Yes, they probably can, and Google maps says it's a 40 min walk, I have time to make it before sundown. Then I turned left on Main street instead of going to the room. I'm going to find the Judge Mine. I had spent sometime today doing a little family history research on my grandpa Julian who used to live up here in Park City in the 1940s. I googled his name and "Park City" and found this old Salt Lake Tribune article from June 29 1947. On page 46 it mentions my grandpa AND that he worked at the Judge Mine. I followed Google's directions. When I still had 20 minutes left, Abi called to see what everyone was doing. She was back and came to my location to give me a ride home, but I hadn't found the Judge building yet! I told her I'd be "right" back, it was just .5 miles and I'd hurry. She waited for a minute and then drove back to the room instead of waiting. But then 5 min later she called cause she didn't have a room key, so she'd be on her way back to me and would wait at the Daly trailhead gate for me. Then I found the Judge Mine office building! 

There were "no trespassing" signs, but I went up two steps and touched the wall, thinking it was cool my young grandpa walked up those steps and through that door. 

And that was all I did. I was glad to find it! I want to go to the Park City Museum this summer and learn more about the mines and see if I can find anything on my grandparents. On the walk down, I saw these logs sticking out of the mountainside that I didn't notice on my hike up, probably from an old cartway or mine shaft thing to dump the rocks? 

It was super cool. So one other thing - on the walk up, there's one part where the road does like an S curve, and you can turn to get back on Daly Avenue or take a road that goes over the ridge to connect to the Ontario Mine. On my hike up, I was able to skip it and just hike up this little hill to where the road continued. But on the hike back down, I was on the road and didn't notice the hike spot until I was far enough past it that it made more sense to just continue and walk the S curve, so I did. But I would have taken the shortcut if I had noticed it. Looking back now I see that as a tender blessing, cause it gave me probably another minute of time to my walk, which was important because as I was almost to the car, a big brown animal came rushing down the west side of the Ontario Ridge and then crossed the path in front of me and hurried up a dirt maintenance road. And I've seen moose many times up here, so I first thought it was a moose, cause it's body was about the size of a moose, but this animal did not have long legs, nor did it have antlers. It had short fat legs, and a big giggly body. It was a bear. It looked like a grizzly bear to me. A big brown bear. I've been reading that there are "black" bears in Utah that are brown, so maybe it was a black bear, but it was a bear. And after I got back to the car I asked Abi if she saw it. She didn't (might have been on her phone) but she heard something running through the trees breaking branches and stuff. If I had not taken that extra distance on my hike back down, I would have been there on the trail where he came down. !!! I don't know if bears that are in a hurry pause and eat when they see something available to snack on, like a hiker, but I am so grateful I was not there in his way when he crossed the trail!!! Nice to feel like God's looking out for me. 

Color & Swim

Today's been a good day of more of the same. Corey and I went on a morning ride up Armstrong and down HAM and Seldom Seen, until Seldom Seen was closed and then we had to take Jenni's up for a little bit then came down CMG. Back at the hotel, the kids came and went from the activity center to their heart's desire. I joined Katharine a few times coloring. 

This little girl likes to color! She draws so carefully, she's as good as Daniel was and also still holds her pencil the correct way (last pic). 

She was bffs with the staff lady today, who was very nice and joined in coloring with us. She and I both did the same color page with a shark, jelly fish, and clam. I kinda liked hers better. Katharine said they were both good. Daniel looking for a good page to color. 

Katharine got a cute page with a unicorn in a tea cup. So fun, she was working hard all day. 

Lily taught us which ones are AI and which ones were illustrated by actual artists. 

Abi didn't have work today so it was nice to have her around. The kids all went swimming tonight and it was funny watching Abi Sophi and Natalie be silly doing stuff, like trying to stack themselves up on Abi's shoulders. (They couldn't do it). Abi and Owen tried to hit the ball back and forth for each letter of the alphabet. Took a few tries to get to Z. Abi used some of her newly acquired life guard skills to teach Peter how to float and swim. Taking off his floaties is a big step!

"Make yourself like a star!" Peter was excited and would call us to look at him and watch. 

Katharine was floating around everywhere. 

Peter and K in the hot tub. Corey and I sat and enjoyed watched them all for an hour. 

Owen and Daniel playing Battlefront. 

No movie tonight, we're heading to bed. The teenagers (just Lily and Sophi) need to go to bed so they can hopefully get up before 11 tomorrow!

Karaoke

Another nice day at Park City. I was able to get out for a walk and it was nice. Abi went down for work again. Corey worked all morning and left around 2:30 to go to his dad's to pick up something that was delivered and he was down there for the rest of the day. The kids have all been helpful though. Lily and Sophi were in charge for a bit this afternoon while I went to the lobby to try and do some online work for a bit. I've been mostly present and on duty, but I was glad to have a break for a moment. I didn't go swimming with the kids this morning, but I was by the pool watching them (struggling to not fall asleep... and I might have dozed off. Natalie came over twice to stare at me through my sunglasses). Lily sponsored a Karaoke night tonight. Katharine sang Let it Go and was twirling as she sang into the plastic spoon ~

They did some Michael Jackson and Kpop Demon Hunters - "Huntrix don't miss!! How it's done done done!"

No complaints from other rooms about the noise, but we did turn it down as it started getting dark. 

They put red shirts over the lights to make it more night club-y.

They've been having fun today - swimming, watching some tv... Corey locked up all the remotes, as we usually do up here, and there were 4 remotes, but then somehow the kids were watching tv, and they had an extra remote, and then we found ANOTHER remote... No one confessed to stealing one from the other rooms or asking the front desk, so we're not sure how we got 6, but they're all accounted for and locked up. 

We like to set one out for them to use in the morning when we're gone on a bike ride, and that is a good strategy to keep the kids staying put until we're back. We're planning on going on a ride tomorrow morning though I'm not sure how early we'll be getting up cause it is late and we're watching a movie - Lily recommended "Confessions of a Shopaholic". We prob have a lazy morning tomorrow cause of it but that's ok if we start late. The show is cute and I'm glad it teaches that shopping for clothes can't satisfy what we're really after in life (love and connection). Save your money - that's a message our teens prob need to hear!

Swimming

Hello to summer and our first day at Park City. Mel & Christian and Ethan & Bella and Alvie all came up last night for Katharine's birthday and have stayed to spend the day with us. Abi and Lily left around 8am cause Lily had some SBO meeting, and Abi was going down to visit friends before work at 3. Corey went down to work too and brought Lily back up. We were able to go swimming tonight after a chicken salad and sourdough dinner (good job me). I'm sure we'll be doing lots of swimming every day this week. 

Peter was practicing jumping in the deep end with his floaties on. The kids all loved playing in the pool with Alvie and holding him through out the day. Bella got these pictures of Ethan tossing him in the air, and I thought it looked a bit like an optical illusion, like Alvie was a huge Godzilla baby off in the distance coming to wreak havoc on Park City!

Or we just need to add a few strings to make him into a Macy's Parade balloon!

Bella and Ethan took Katharine out for some birthday ice cream while I played with Alvie. 

And K had to get a picture with the pretty pink flowers.

The kids have been playing a lot in the "Silver Station" which is the Summit Watch's equivalent of the Mountainside's "Mine". It's not as big as the Mine but there is still plenty to do. The kids have been playing foosball, Battlefront, coloring, and any of the activities the Marriott hosts have going on - making trailmix, poolside popsicles, a scavenger hunt, bingo, etc. Katharine below playing with Mancala stones.

DPK and I participated in the Poison Creek boat race. Peter's "boat"

And Katharine's boat ~

My boat was a small stick with tape on it (I won the race). It's really nice being right next to the creek. You go out of the hotel and you're walking on the city creek walkway. It reminded me of when we lived across the street from Parque Portugal in Brazil and I could walk out the door and go do a 3 mile loop. Our room is right next to Shoe Tree Park. I saw a pair of black Sambas in the tree that were pretty low and within reach, I was able to knock them out for Daniel. Then Daniel continued to go "shoe shopping" haha

But he wasn't able to get any more. So kids have been playing at the Silver Station Activity center and in our room. Katharine playing with a new lego set from my mom for her birthday -

Sophi and Peter fixing Rapunzel's hair (gift from Abi). 

I like the little window areas at the Summit Watch. I'd like something like that in our house someday. 

Mel took the boys to the fitness center and tried to lead them in some yoga and stretching. But Owen is on his belly ready to do the sea lion, what a weirdo (He and his soccer team would drop and do that on the field after their soccer games, it was kinda cringy!)

I went swimming with the kids earlier and I'd follow Katharine from the pool to the hot tub to the pool repeat 5x. I didn't go in tonight. This morning Corey and I went on a ride up Jenni's and down Mother Urban until we got to King Road. I missed not doing HAM, that one is my favorite to come down, but it's ok, we'll get it next time. 

Katharine is 4!

Today is Katharine's birthday!! 

She has been looking forward to this for a long time! She's been patiently waiting and asking for weeks "How come birthdays take sooo long?!?!" It's finally here! Abi was gone in Brazil last year on Katharine's birthday, so she wanted to make this one extra special. Abi stayed up last night making cupcakes and decorating the hotel room. We had to get up early to make it down to church on time, so we woke Katharine up by singing to her (little video here). 

She came out of her room and saw the pink streamers that Abi had set up - 

And gifts on the table. I brought up the gift bags and tissue paper. I got her a few dresses ~

Corey took this pic of her opening gifts while we looked on.

It was mostly dresses from us and one Little People toy of Moana and Maui

Abi got her a princess crown and jewelry and a Rapunzel doll. 

Time to choose the dress of the day - So many choices!

And Elsa is the winner!

Happy birthday Princess Katharine! Yes, I let her wear the crown to church. We sang to her again - 

And the kids all ate pink cupcakes for breakfast. 

Katharine played for a minute while the rest of us got ready to head home.

Everyone else's Sunday clothes were back at home. We went home (oh, I broke Corey's drivers side rear view mirror as I pulled out his car from the parking garage. I didn't see the cement pole and it bent the mirror the wrong way and it shattered, doh! Corey said his car is begging for repairs - new AC, cracked windshield, broken window wipers, now this...)

I'm kicking myself that I wasn't paying attention and didn't check my left side. I might have been distracted making sure I didn't touch the car on my right, but it was a dumb mistake. We left at 8, got home by 9, and everyone got dressed for church. At church her friends in the Primary sang to her again. After church, my mom and dad came over to bring Katharine some presents. 

Happy Birthday to Grandma Hibbert too!

Back up at Park City - we went for a family stroll. It's fun being at the Summit Watch and having the city walkways and the Poison creek 50 feet from our hotel door.

Corey and I went on a walk and I loved looking in the Mountain Trails art gallery - love love loved it. Melodie and Christian and Ethan Bella and Alvie came up for the night to celebrate Katharine's birthday with us. 

Natalie made some brownies so we had brownies and ice cream for dessert tonight. Lots of sugary treats for this SWEET little girl!! 

Katharine we love you so much! 

We've had four wonderful years with this angel. A few Katharine memories: 

• Her birth day
• Blowing raspberries
• Starting to walk 2023
• Learning to ski 2024
• She likes roller coasters

She's just adorable. Love her so much, happy birthday to our beautiful princess Katharine!