Ice Castles Revisited

As the Christmas gift for Scott's family, we headed to the Ice Castles in Midway, UT, and made a little trip out of it by staying over night in Heber City.  It is truly amazing what people can do with water and sprinklers and lights--It is a magical scene to behold.

James and Scarlett checking out a tunnel

 The colors are amazing and everchanging....

 Scarlett trying to sit on an ice seat but it was cold and slippery....

Scarlett loves to wear headbands and it was actually helpful in the darken crowds because you could easily spot her little "ears."

Love this profile....

The slide was a big hit for Scarlett and she and Jena did it over and over again.  Jena had on snow pants, but Scarlett had quite a cold bottom after all of her sliding.

Scarlett on the right

Then Jena on the left

This is an overview of where the kids climbing up to get to the slide...the changing lights gives an interesting effect.

Everyone was ready for a warm fire and some cookies....

Jena and Scarlett

James and Chantel

It was a bit of a production to get here.  Chantel and the kids drove to Scott's work and picked him up leaving his car at work.  Gary went down to Provo and picked Jena up there and headed up Provo Canyon to our hotel and then drove to meet us at the Ice Castles.  I left from work after my last client and we all met at the check-in desk to see the Ice Castles.

As a result, we all went separate directions to get our cars and head to the hotel.  When I arrived at my car, I found two people with Ice Castles vests on writing a note.  You guessed it.  A teenager employee trying a resort shuttle cut the corner too close and scraped the left front of my car.  I was so appreciative that the young employee immediately went and told his supervisor and that they were going to take care of it by leaving a note for me to contact them.  I probably won't not have noticed that night or maybe even the next day.  The boy apologized a couple of times, but I also praised him for taking responsibility and doing the right thing.  When I reached out to the contact person the next day, I said the same thing and that I hoped they would tell his parents that they should be proud of him, too.  Accidents happen, but it is what happens afterwards that is the most important. (Not hopefully their insurance will be equally has forthcoming.)

We headed to the hotel to sleep, except for James who apparently is not a fan of sleeping in new places and didn't fall asleep for more than a few minutes until after 5:30 am.  The joy of parenting!

We took Scarlett down for breakfast and she chose the pancakes.

They had a pancake machine where you pushed a button
and you could watch your pancakes cooking
as they went along a belt.

 Scarlett loves it.....

Gary's favorite moment was after he and Scarlett had walked down to find the pool.  As they were returning, Scarlett took off running to the dining room and exclaimed (in a very happy and excited voice), "There is really a pool."  The whole dining room smiled because of her excitement and one lady behind me said to her husband...remember when our kids were like that?  Gary was a few steps behind her and said that as he stepped into the dining room, he could see the happy smiles on every guest there.

One of my favorite moments was when we were swimming in the above mentioned pool.  Scarlett was jumping in off the side into Gary's or my arms and then James decided that he wanted to do it.  He got up near the side and flung his arms back like he was doing a standing long jump.  It was so cute...and frustrating for Chantel and Scott who kept trying to get a picture of it.  I didn't take any pictures swimming, but there is something fun about swimming and looking outside at snow everywhere.

Gary was trying to convince Jena to sit in the sled on the side of the walkway.  She declined that although you could see that others had used that photo op.

We took the back way back to Syracuse which I was so glad that we did.  It was a gorgeous drive with little traffic.  It takes just over an hour or so to get home that way.  Jena took some pictures along the way.

Passing Gary in the truck

The red rock at the merger of I-80 and I-84.....so pretty with white snow on the level surfaces.

 Morgan Valley with Gary in the truck ahead of us.............blue skies made the drive even more pretty. (and the clear roads.)

We weren't even gone 24 hours, but it was still great to get away...and then we still had the weekend ahead to do weekend stuff.....

like cleaning the house, bowling for Gary and Jena, ushering for Jena and me, and then meeting up with Gary and Ben to watch:

I wasn't sure if I wanted to go see it, because after all, Mary Poppins was Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.  However last Sunday night, while doing some Disney Trivia together on You Tube, we watched a documentary about making the movie and decided we had to see it.  It was amazing.  I was so struck by Emily Blunt who played Mary Poppins-- how she maintain the character and some of the feel of Julie Andrews without ever making you feel like she was "imitating" or not quite as good as.  She was Mary Poppins.  It was so fun and sweet and "Mary Poppins--ee"--practically perfect in every way.

Watch the you tube documentary if you can as well.

And here we are back to Sunday again.......I am still teaching the Primary class one more time as a sub, but then I will be slipping in to Relief Society to get a feel for how that looks before I have to teach.  I haven't been in Relief Society much in this ward.  There are many sisters who I don't even know their names yet.  Change.......got to love it!