Utah Tourists

Sometimes I do not post a lot because I do not have much to say. Sometimes I have lots of things to say but don't really feel like writing. Sometimes I have pictures to show but not a means to get the pictures off the camera. Sometimes I have lots to say but am too busy doing other things and do not bother to write blog posts.

My brother and his wife and four kids came into town from Jackson Hole on Thursday and have been hanging out and doing Utah touristy things for the past week. On Thursday I stayed home with the two little kids and Ike while the big kids got a tour of BYU. Then I took the little kids to the Bean Life Science Museum, which we affectionately call the Dead Animal Zoo. Ike had fun not only staring at the taxidermied animals, but also staring at the other people who were checking out the stuffed animals. Because of Ike's keen interest in the people (rather than the animals) at the Dead Animal Zoo I was concerned that the next day's visit to the Hogle Zoo would not be all that exciting to him. I was wrong. He totally got the concept of staring at the animals. There were lots of really active animals on Friday, and it was so fun to watch him find them and point and stare at them. Oh, and he waved hello at many of the animals as well. (He liked the people too, but he seemed to understand this place was for staring at animals.) John and I didn't go into the reptiles and small animals building because we don't do snakes, but apparently it was very difficult to get Ike away from these turtles. He was mesmerized. I have seriously considered purchasing a pass so I can take him a bunch more times. It was that much fun.

On Saturday and Sunday we watched General Conference. (My brother also ran a half marathon on Saturday and his time was a personal best. My oldest nephew ran a 5k and won for his division.)

Eric originally planned on taking Friday off to come to the zoo, but then he bailed at the last minute, believing that the child would be too little to really "get" the zoo. He had remorse as Nicole and I sent him pictures of our boy staring at animals. My nephews really wanted to go to the museum at Hill Air Force Base, even though they just went last summer, so we all headed up there on Monday. They had specifically noted that they wanted Eric to go because he knows all about the airplanes. Later that day we all went to the Kennecott open-air copper mine. I had flown over it before and knew that it was massive, but it was seriously impressive to see it up close. (It's the largest open-air mine in the world.) The little visitors' center is very cool, and totally worth $5 per vehicle.

Ike has just had a blast with his cousins in town. It has been so fun watching him play with his cousins, follow them around and just be amused at their presence in the house. I think my four-year-old niece has also thoroughly enjoyed having a baby to boss around. (Not that he always listens, but he does prefer her to the others.)

Today they took off to hike the Y. (Facebook informs me that they succeeded.) Ike took a much needed 3-hour nap. His batteries are re-charged for his last night with the cousins.

Tomorrow they are all leaving. And I am going to Pittsburgh for a few days, and I think Ike is going to be so sad and befuddled about the empty house.