back to school

And just like that summer is over. Well, not quite. We have exactly one week left. And then these backpacks, stuffed with kleenex and crayons and freshly sharpened pencils, will be headed out the door. As early as our school year starts, I think we're ready for a change of pace. Summer has been fantastic, but there is a lot to look forward to this fall. (Not the least of which is having just one child home during the day - what on earth are Elliot and I going to do by ourselves all day?! I can't wait to find out.)

byu in 1997 + 2013

then

now

While we were in Utah, we took the kids on our annual BYU indoctrination trip, wherein we let them pick out anything they want from the bookstore. (Elliot chose an orange screwdriver.)

Life sure was fun back in 1997, but I wouldn't trade it for my life now for anything. Just look at all of those darling faces Mike and I have made since then!

And now my Utah posts are done for reals. This time I mean it.

Sundance: Squaw Peak + Smores

Last Utah post, I promise.

One night, Mike and I ate at the Italian Place (Mike's favorite sandwich shop in all the world), and then we had some time to kill. So we drove up Squaw Peak Road for old times' sake. The views were breathtaking, but sadly, the parking lot was too full for kissing.

There is a little fire pit next to the stream down below my parents' house that is the perfect spot for smores. As pretty as Sundance is, I think I like this dim, shady spot the best. It's like another world down there, and so very far removed from this bright desert where I live. There are teeny little cabins lining the stream, some abandoned long ago. And always, the sound of the rushing water.

Sundance: horses, hikes + house

One of our favorite things to do while we are staying with my parents is feed the horses that live down below their house. Almost every evening, we would take them a bunch of carrots or some apples.

And then there were the hikes. My mom is the best trail guide on the mountain, I am sure of it. She took me on beautiful hikes every morning, through shoulder-high ferns, pretty meadows, and up steep trails. One day, we all hiked together down to the base of the ski lift. We rode the lift to the top. (And tried not to freak out - I swear back in my skiing days, riding the lift was no bid deal. Not so anymore for this mother heart of mine.) We hiked for a bit, rode the lift back down, stopped for lunch at my favorite The Foundry Grill, and then we had to walk all the way back up to my parents' house. It was epic. The kids did great.

My parents bought this house when I was 15 and I remember being so mad that it wasn't at the beach. (It was just their vacation home back then.) I was so lame! Even when I was at BYU (just 20 minutes away), I hardly ever went up there. Now it is one of my favorite places in the world. I am so glad my kids have been able to experience it.

Sundance: Apsen Grove + Elk Meadow

Just up the road from my parents' house in Sundance is Aspen Grove, a family camp and conference center. We go for the playground. And the atmosphere. Oh, and the ice cream, too! (They sell BYU Creamery ice cream in their little shop. Yum.) It is such a pretty spot.

Another pretty spot is Elk Meadow, very near my parents' house. We took a picnic there one night with my Aunt and Uncle and their kids.

the Grand Canyon

We're home. And we had the nicest time. Here's a little recap.

Bright and early last Monday morning we headed north to Bearizona, a zoo of sorts. It's the kind of place where you drive your car through the park and you see animals like buffalo and bears, etc. The kids loved it.

Our next stop was the south rim of the Grand Canyon. As soon as we pulled into the park, it started pouring rain. We waited in the car for a bit, hoping the storm would pass. But it didn't look like the rain was going to stop anytime soon, so we drove up the road to catch some foggy, wet glimpses of the canyon.

But the next morning! Ah! Sometimes the sky was cloudy and sometimes it was clear, but no rain, thankfully. I kept taking pictures, even though I knew they could never compare to the real thing.

This one nearly gave me a heart attack.

Actually, I had a slight panicky feeling the entire time we were there. It was plenty safe, I just had a major case of over protective mom nerves.

It is just so vast. The Grand Canyon is something that everyone needs to see at least once in their life. It is inspiring and beautiful and quiet and a good reminder that our lives are very small.


Some tips: If you are planning on visiting in July, like we did, keep in mind that afternoon thunderstorms are very likely, so bring rain ponchos. Or plan to visit in the morning. We arrived right at 8 am on Tuesday morning and there were hardly any crowds so we were able to have some of the lookout points all to ourselves. The road along the canyon between Tusayan and Cameron has lots of incredible look out points, so make sure to stop at them all. It took us a little more than two hours to make our way along that road. We brought Oliver's binoculars, and they were a big hit.

off on an adventure

We're headed to the land of cool mountain air, aspen trees, and Robert Redford today. But first, a little pit stop at the Grand Canyon.

I won't be blogging while I'm gone, but I am certain I'll be instagraming. You can follow along with me (@barefootstephco) there, or see my photos on the left hand sidebar here <--.

Have a good week!

Happy Birthday, Mike!

I was 18 when I first saw Mike, across the grass at a freshman orientation event at BYU. He was wearing an old blue Halley's comet tee (that is still somewhere in our closet- I can't bear to throw it away) and a backpack. I saw him and he smiled.

It wasn't until a few weeks later that we actually met, at the Fall Fling. (The same night, coincidentally, that my sister, Leslie, met her future husband, too. The stars were aligned for us Parker girls that night!)

As silly as this sounds, I knew there was something special about him the moment we met. It's like my heart recognized his and I was bound to him right there on the sidewalk. (We don't need to talk about how my sorry, fickle heart sort of forgot him while he was away on his mission in the arctic tundra of Alberta, Canada for two years.)

The good news is, he is mine, and I am his, and this life we have together is better than I ever dreamed it could be.

Mike might seem quiet and reserved, but he's not really. He is clever and so witty. He has a relatively stressful life, and there is a lot of responsibility weighing down his handsome shoulders, but he bears it well. He is good at his job and he maintains a positive attitude despite the challenges of his days, all while managing to make the rest of us laugh. Life at home is so much better when he is around.

Happy Birthday, Honey!

renovations

Every summer, I make a big list of things I want to fix up around the house. Then the 110 degree days hit and I realize that what I really want to do is lay on the couch with a good book instead. So my list gets pushed to the fall. Every single year.

But I am happy to report that we actually crossed something off that list this summer, even in the midst of this blasted heat. We tiled our main floor hall bathroom! Anything would have been better than the peeling, 35 year old linoleum that was there before, but we chose a clean, white octagonal tile with cream grout. Tiling is hard, but I think I could grout all day long. It is so much fun.

We still have a few other things to complete (like fixing water damaged dry wall, installing baseboards, and moving my antique sink up from the basement), but we are on our way. Hooray!

our Independence Day

Our day started with an early 10K. Just me and Mike and the canal, trying to beat the heat, but not really succeeding. After that I was spent. So while Mike removed the old linoleum and toilet from our hall bathroom (We will tile that bathroom if it takes us all year!), I took the kids to see Despicable Me 2 (It was cute).

And then we spent the rest of the day waiting for sundown.

Get excited. Backyard Fireworks Show, here we come.

But first we had to wait.

And wait.

And get red, sweaty faces because it was too hot to be waiting outside.

And wait some more. (Mike's sister, Cathy, and her little girl, Hazel, came over for the big show. Hazel is quite fond of Mabel, for obvious reasons. Also, thanks for the photo, Cathy!)

See that pink sky behind Mabel? It's almost time!

And I know no one cares about our little fireworks, but they sure were magical for us. (Just look at Oliver's face!)

Hooray for the USA! I love being an American. I know there's some yucky stuff going on in our country right now, but I still believe that it is the best place on earth, and I am grateful to be raising my family here.

I hope your Independence Day was filled with magic and fireworks, too!