#Uptodate

One last miscellaneous post and I am up to date!  Excepting today, of course, which happened to be Great-Grandma Hansen's 100th birthday celebration in Rupert.  While surely something to celebrate, those photos will have to wait until tomorrow.

In the meantime, here is an assortment of photos from September and October.  My Aunt Pat and Uncle Steve came to visit my parents in their new place.  It was so delightful to see them for a bit.

The leaves started to change up Millcreek.  Thanks to Justin's suggestion, Zion and I explored the upper section of the Pipeline.  Less crowded and still delightful.

More foxy photos.

Annika wore this mask to FanX (thank you Make-a-Wish) where she picked up this super cool glass pen and etched box.

Jason stopped by Provo to see Talia and her cute dorm.

They ate lunch at the MOA as well.  This display has been there since I was a student, and I still love it.

Continuing on, Jason had a work trip to Torrey.  In the morning, he went for a run in Capitol Reef.  Stunning!

A word of warning for those searching for the trail.

Breath-taking.

Meanwhile Annika traveled with her Girl Scout troop to Southern Utah to see the Little Mermaid at Tuacahn.  While a great opportunity, she missed the Heart Transplant picnic hosted at Sugarhouse Park. But hey, with Coldstone, pizza, cotton candy, face painting, and games, the rest of the family still went to represent. Here's a photo of the transplant kids and their providers.  So many faces we know and love who have impacted our lives! Dr. Lal, Dr. Ploutz, Dr. Milligan, Dr. Kalb, Transplant nurses Karla, Ethel, Michelle, NPs Marissa and Angie, Social worker Krystle, Medical Assistant Faith, and others.  The providers actually outnumber the heart warriors in this photo. It's amazing the size of the army that works together to keep these kiddoes strong and well with healthy hearts. We will always be grateful.

Among the strange questions Annika has asked her transplant team is whether or not she can have a tarantula as a pet.  Fortunately for me, they said no.  Looks like Zion found one anyway.  (This is a different one than the spider we found on Eli's birthday.)

Yup, Salt Lake is a beautiful place to live.

Even with our naughty pup.

And there you have it!  #Uptodate

My Grand Teton Birthday

My birthday celebration this year was magnificent.  Heavy on the outdoors, light on cake--my dream combination.  On Friday morning, Jason and I drove with our friends Stephen and Julie to the Grand Tetons for a weekend adventure.  What a delightful get-away with the best of friends!

At the James's suggestion, we brought our inflatable paddleboards and explored String Lake and Leigh Lake (near Jenny Lake.)  From the crystal clear waters of the lake, you can experience the mountains like never before.

It was so beautiful that I found myself plotting how to come back with our whole family.

The passage from String Lake to Leigh Lake required a short portage.  Good thing our stake president's strong!

Our own secluded beach.

Best birthday ever.

Once again, too many photos, but I just want to save every moment.

We stayed in a cute AirBnb in Driggs, Idaho.  It's a bit of a drive, but far more affordable than Jackson Hole.  Plus, the toilet paper holder was adorable.

 

In the morning we headed into Jackson so that Stephen and Julie could share their favorite breakfast spot, a delicious pastry shop named Persephone.

Then it was off on a bike ride from Jackson Hole into the National Park.  25 miles each way, it was the perfect distance to challenge my untrained legs without killing them.

To quote Oscar Hammerstein, can't stop lovin' dat man of mine.

I took off my shoes and put my feet in at the turn around point.  Now I'm even more convinced we need to come back.  Canoe camping, anyone?

We ran into another couple from Sandy who told us a bit about their children.  They mentioned that their youngest was 47, then stopped and gasped, saying heavens that's old!  Having just turned 47 the day before, it was a bit of a laugh, but growing old has never felt so good.

Plus, we certainly earned our pizza that night!

Thank you amor for organizing the best birthday!