Train rides with Daddy

Last week, UTA let all the Hill AFB employees ride for free, so on Friday, Mark took the kids for a train ride. The rode down to the next station and then the plan was to walk into the adjacent shopping complex and check out the fountains and get some dessert. Apparently, as soon as Mark mentioned going in to buy some dessert, Matthew insisted the had to go back to the train. So then they came home and had some ice cream at the house instead.

Ogden Dinosaur Park

Last Wednesday, Melissa came up, and we took the kids to Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park. It has a museum which I've never visited, walking trails with large sculptures of dinosaurs and a large playground. Matthew got about 10 feet into the park before he refused to walk another inch. Some of the sculptures near the entrance also make scary growling noises. My mom carried him for a little while before we finally got him to walk by himself. It's funny, but once he started walking, he wanted to be the one to lead the way. It's fun to see how much the kids have grown since our last visit when Hannah was about 2 weeks old.

A weary Matthew

Melissa and Ayden

Hannah

Grandma and Matthew

A dinosaur sculpture

Ayden

Hannah leading the way

Ayden

Hannah

Hannah, Matthew and Ayden

Looking for fish

Katherine

Katherine and Grandma Pingel

Hannah

Matthew and Ayden

Ayden

Matthew

Hannah and Aunt Melissa

Backyard Fun

I pulled my camera out to take pictures of Matthew and Mark in their matching Yellowstone shirts. Of course, Matthew decided he didn't want his picture taken with Mark. However, after we put his pajamas on, he insisted that we take his picture ... not with Mark, but with me.

Matching Yellowstone shirts

Hannah with her oreo face

Naughty Hannah in the garden

Picking the last of the pears

Mom and Shadow, my neighbor's cat

Mark

Me

Hannah

Matthew and I

At the Park with Grandma

My mom came into town this month for the birth of my nephew. She spent the first week and a half at my house, and the kids had lots of fun having Grandma around. We went a different place everyday. We decided to test out a new playground in Fruit Heights. It's a bit farther away, but I always see it when I'm driving on the highway, and I've wanted to check it out for a while. It's a castle playground, so it's a big wooden structure. The kids really enjoyed it. Our next test spot was the Ogden Botanical Gardens. We packed ourselves a picnic lunch and then had a lovely walk around the gardens. It's not terribly big, but it was free. Lastly, we went to the park near our library which has a duck pond. I had just lectured Matthew about looking at the camera and smiling, and to my surprise he actually listened!

My token Matthew picture

Hannah going down the slide

My beautiful little girl

Grandma Pingel and Hannah

Ogden Botanical Garden

Follow the leader

Hannah and Grandma

Hannah and I

Matthew climbing the rocks

What! A picture where Matthew is smiling at 

the camera and no one else is.

Matthew at the duck pond

Hannah and the goose

Can you tell I gave him a lecture

 about smiling at the camera?

Mark, Mom and Hannah

Take 2

Hannah and Grandma

Hannah and I

Grand Teton National Park

On our way home, we drove through Grand Teton National Park. It was probably the most gorgeous drive I've ever done. The view was fantastic. The pictures don't do it justice. You really need to see the panoramic view to get the full effect. We stopped at a couple of overlooks and stayed way too long at Jackson Lodge. We saw just enough to make us want to go back someday. If you are ever in that area, it's well worth your time to drive through the Tetons.

First look at the Tetons

View across Jackson Lake

Mark and I

Kailyn, Matthew and Quinten

View from Jackson Lodge

Kailyn and Hannah

Matthew and Kailyn

Hannah

Dinner at Pioneer Grill, Jackson Lodge

 View from Jenny Lake

Jenny Lake

Jenny Lake