Vikings in the City of Rocks

While Brooklyn was off playing tourist in London and Paris, we tried to have some fun of our own around Salt Lake.  The Natural History Museum opened a new exhibit about Vikings.

Only thing missing was a toothless dragon.

On guard!  I spy a viking lurking in the parking lot.

 With the city cemetery just a block from our home, it was special to see all the graves decorated for Memorial Day.

We are so grateful to all who have served.

On Memorial Day itself, we headed to Idaho for some hiking at the City of Rocks with Grandma Susie.

Annika, expressing her billy goat side.

Talia looks deep in thought.

The bestest of friends.

Speaking of friends, Annika found a fuzzy one to hang out with.

We tried to do a bit of climbing/top roping, but the route was more challenging than we realized and we didn't make it much farther off the ground than this.

In the end, our hike was much more successful.

Annika wasn't very excited about walking until Grandma Susie sweetened the deal with some Starburst jelly beans.

Such stunning nooks and crannies!

All went well until Annika fell and landed with both hands on a cactus.

Poor girl!  She must have had at least fifty spines in her palms.


She was a trooper and withstood the pricklies for the long drive back to Grandma's house where a soak in Epsom salts helped her hands feel much better.

Way to be brave, little viking!