Vacation #8: Beau Jo's Pizza and Home!

I could have taken SO many pictures on our drive home.  The mountains and rock formations are so beautiful in western Colorado.  I was wishing I had no time constraints, and could have stopped and gotten out of the car and switched lenses on my camera, and just enjoyed recording the beauty of God's creation.  But alas, we were in the car with four kids, just my phone's camera, and many miles to go before bedtime!  So, I just took a few; this one through the car window.

We stopped at Beau Jo's Pizza in Idaho Springs, one of our favorite places for many years.  

This waterfall in along the highway in Idaho Springs.  The coolest thing is when it's frozen in the winter.

We are so grateful to God for all the ways He blessed us on our little unplanned vacation.  Times of fellowship and reconnection with sweet friends, times of relaxation and fun with our family, and safe and peaceful travels.  We are blessed!

Vacation #7: In-N-Out

As we were driving back to Utah from Idaho, we happened to notice an In-N-Out restaurant along the highway.  We were amazed, because we didn't know they were in Utah.  We've only had them in California and Nevada.  But there it was!  So we decided to find one the next day.

Yummy!

Caylie in her chef's hat.

Keelan (looking amazed) and Justin enjoying their burgers.

Jim and Sam.  The people behind us were a Chinese family.  Usually I am the one to point these things out to Samuel, but this time he actually said, "Mom.  Those people Chinese."  I told him he should go over and say "ni hao", but of course he thought Caylie should do it, instead.  So she did.  And the grandparents of the family were so surprised.  We told them where the kids were from and that they do speak Chinese, even though Caylie speaks so softly it's hard to hear her, and Samuel is stubborn, haha.  It was a fun moment.

 We had a yummy and fun supper, but my favorite thing about In-N-Out is the scripture verses on their wrappers and cups.

 Here is the hamburger wrapper . . . 

. . . and here is the scripture.

"The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in Him."  Nahum 1:7 ESV

Here are the fries . . . 

. . . and here is the scripture.  

"For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity."  Proverbs 24:16  ESV

The shake cup . . . 

. . . and the scripture verse.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding."   Proverbs 3:5 ESV

The drink cup . . . 

. . . and the scripture verse.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16 ESV

Vacation #6: Utah Olympic Park

On Monday we visited Utah Olympic Park outside of Park City.  This is where several events of the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics were held and now is a training center for athletes from around the world.  Jim and I visited here in 2004 on an anniversary trip, and it was fun to go back and show the kids years later.

This was the most fun part, watching ski jumpers do their aerial flips and turns into the big pool.

The museum has many things from past winter olympics.  These are some ski outfits from Sochi.

Caylie is a snowboarder!

The kids in a 4-man bobsled.

2002 medals.

Samuel was practicing his ski-manuevering.

Kids in a 2-man bobsled.

Justin is a fast skier!

Justin looking at all the different ski resorts around Park City.

Keelan carrying the torch.

I don't know what this is, but it was cool.

Caylie on a luge sled.

Justin on a skeleton sled.

This is an antique ski lift.  No way would I get on such a thing.  The modern ones scare me enough!

We took a tour on a little bus that took us to the top of the ski jumps and sled runs.  This is the view of the ski jumps from the bottom.

And this is the view from the top!  Eeeek!!

The gate to the one of the sled runs.

And the run.  Eeeek again!

View from the top.

We had fun!

Vacation #5: Back to Park City!

On Sunday morning we drove back to Park City, Utah for a couple more days of fun.  We were at the same condo, and this was the site out of our front door.  We could just walk a block over to catch the ski lift.

And this is the view from the ski lift!  

Up at the top were some shops and restaurants where we did a little shopping and had some fun.

Caylie modeling some glasses.

And she found a friend.  This mannequin is just inside the entrance to this store.  The guy working there told me that often customers will come in and start talking to him before they realize he's a mannequin, haha.

 When Sam saw that Caylie was modeling glasses, of course he had to model some, too.  ;)

The next morning we had breakfast with our friend Fred, whom we've known since the Promise Keeper days.  Jim's worked many an event with him over the years.  

This was the pool just down the sidewalk at the condo.  We had it to ourselves for a while on both days.  

More Park City adventures coming up!