Colonial Days - July 2nd

To help the girls learn a bit more about the founding of our country we took them over to the Colonial Days in Orem. It was held in a park by the Scera movie theater. They had several teachers from the Alpine School District there to teach families about the travel over from England and what the first couple of years were like for the settlers. After hearing the details of what they went through I gained a greater respect for those people. The festival also had a several craftsmen that showed how to make their wares and a school that ran an actual 20 minute class for the kids.

It was really interesting to watch the cooper, baker, potter and the lady doing tatting. It's amazing the time and talent it takes to make all of those things - things we take for granted now.

This lady tatted the most amazing purple lace.

The cooper making a pail. He was selling his pails for over $100 but after watching him for a bit I can see why. It is very time intensive.

The village potter. This was Dave's and the girls favorite one to watch.

After looking at the different craftsmen we went over to the games area where the girls played different games and Annika schooled a couple of little boys on a colonial game of fox and geese. :)

I think over all Dave and I enjoyed it more than the girls did, but I think as they get older they'll appreciate more the history of where we come from.

Cute little colonial girls feeling some what put upon - "why does Mom make us wear these hats!"

Camp Floyd - July 1st

Our summer field trip trekked out past Eagle Mountain to a small state park - Camp Floyd. Dave and I saw it when we drove out to go to the geode mines. It was a park that detailed the history of the US army's encampment in Utah just before the Civil War. We learned so much about the history of Utah and the US Government. It was especially interesting to read about how the Saints initially fought back against the army. I always had thought that they passively let the army come in.

At the park they also had an inn that we toured through. They had lots of old furnishings and set it up to look like it would have back during that time. They also featured a bullet hole that one of the guest shot through his room and into the next room. The story goes that the guest in the other room had just laid down in the bed and that if he had still been up it would have gone right through him. They also had a list of people that stayed in the inn - I was surprised to see that Mark Twain stayed there. I read that he despised Mormons, so I was surprised to see that he stayed in their country.

All lined up on the front porch.

The kids lined up on the steepest stairs ever in the inn with their Junior Ranger booklet. It should have been called the College Graduate Junior Ranger booklet - some of the questions and activities were hard enough that the moms had to consult each others for the answers!

After the tour and picnic we made the obligatory trip to the gift shop where the girls each picked out a pioneer bonnet and a junkie little harmonica. Mieka played her's for a few seconds on the way home and declared that "this thing is not for me!"

Pioneer children eat their candy sticks as they walk and walk and walk ...
to the car.

Annika's 1/2 birthday - June 29th

Annika is now officially 6 1/2 years old! She makes sure that you know that 1/2 is in there. :) For her birthday we let her be the boss of the day. She picked out the food and activities. Unfortunately for her those activities had to move around me making jam all day. :) She got her main present early when she picked out her new bike. She did get to open a few new art crafts after breakfast. That seemed to make her pretty happy and kept her busy while I was making a fore mentioned jam.

We did go out to dinner to her favorite spot - IHOP and then we had the traditional Dippidee cake for her birthday treat. It's amazing how big she is getting. Before we know it she will be 8 and then 12, 16, 18 ... scarey to think about! I am so grateful for Annika. She is a sweet, gentle girl that is an amazing big sister. I can't imagine what our family would be like without her!