Midway Ice Castles

One of my New Years resolutions is for us to do something that is new to one or both of us each month.  This month we decided to visit the Ice Castles up in Midway, Utah.  We were blessed to have my brother Scott join us on our adventure.  Our first stop in Midway was for dinner at Tarahumara.  Seth and I shared the Pork Loin Chili Verde and the Mole Poblano and Scott had the Pork Loin Chili Verde Burritos.  It was delicious and we loved the salsa bar.

We drove a few blocks over to the city park where the ice castle currently stands.  Since it was a holiday it was fairly busy and we had to wait for about an half an hour in line before we could make it in.  We were entertained by the fire throwers while we waited in line and loved when they brought their torches over for us to warm our hands.

Some of us were more entertained than others...

Our first stop in the ice castle was in the ice caves.  It was a little unnerving to walk under the huge ice stalactites.  We were able to make our way out of the caves and to the main part of the castle where we captured this picture below.  The lights are frozen right into the ice and changed colors consistently.  It was at about this time that we encountered a group of teenagers playing some songs from the movie Frozen on their phones and singing out loud.

We also enjoyed the ice slot canyon although with Phin strapped to our chest and holding all of his gear we were unable to go through some of the narrowest parts of the canyon.

We had a great time and would recommend a visit to any of you who have not visited before.

Night in a Yurt

WARNING:  The following is the story of how our little Phin almost became an orphan.  Now that I think about it Phineas kind of sounds like an orphan's name...right along the lines of Oliver or Annie.  We may have to be more careful when naming our future children.

For years I have dreamed of spending a night in a yurt.  What is a yurt you ask...a circular, domed, portable tent.  I first heard about a yurt when I started dating Seth.  His family loves to snowshoe and several members of his family have talked over the years about renting a yurt that we could snowshoe to during the winter.  When we were living in South Carolina I looked into renting a yurt in North Carolina and Georgia on several occasions...but it never quite came together.  Seth remembered my hearts desire and arranged for us to spend a night in a yurt the Friday after Christmas as part of a Christmas present for me.  

We stayed in the Utah State University Yurt up Logan Canyon.  Our brother-in-law Jami who is a student at Utah State was very kind and met with the yurt host several times in preparation for our trip.  The big day came and after dropping Phin off at my parents, driving to Logan, getting our car stuck in the snow, digging our car out and finding the trail-head we were on our way.  From the road it looked like there wasn't much snow but as we got further along we found the snow was much deeper.  The picture below is quite possibly my favorite...I just have one word for it...handsome.

The yurt host had gone up earlier in the day on skis to mark the trail for us and to unlock the yurt.  We would have been completely lost without the ski tracks.  It had snowed earlier in the week and the powder was fresh and deep.  We started out great but quickly started to slow down.  We both had packs that were weighing us down.  We found that the person in the lead quickly tired from blazing the trail.  The yurt host had not sunk down in the snow as much as we were.

We are smiling in the picture below but completely exhausted and starting to wonder what we had gotten ourselves into.

The yurt host had indicated that it should take us 3-4 hours to snowshoe into the yurt.  We are typically on the shorter end of hiking ranges like this so once we hit the 3 hour mark we started thinking "this would be a good place for a yurt" each time we came to a meadow...but alas there was not yurt in sight.  We also were expecting to run into the yurt host on his way down from unlocking the yurt.

Seth and I kept rotating the lead.  Once one of us would tire out we would switch.  It was very slow going...we would walk about 20 feet and then have to take a few moments to catch our breath.  The meadows were beautiful...but I have to side with Bambi's mom...don't go into the meadow.  In the meadows the snow had fallen unobstructed so with each step we were literally sinking in the snow up to our knees.  We quickly found that if we took little baby steps we would sink nearly as deep.

By the time we made it to the second meadow I was starting to get worried.  It was starting to get dark and the yurt was no where to be seen.  I was absolutely exhausted and wondering at what point we would have to turn back.  It was hard to not know how much further we really had to go.  Well it got dark and we kept moving forward with our headlamps strapped to our heads.  We started on a very steep uphill portion of the trail.  The trail was very deceiving because we would get to the top of a little ridge just to see more mountain ahead of us.

We hit the five hour mark and were in bad shape.  We had been hiking in the dark for about an hour and were still on a very steep section.  Seth's legs started cramping.  We prayed together that our legs would have the strength to carry our bodies where they need to go and that we would be kept safe and able to return to our Phin.  After praying, we decided that we would snowshoe for about another hour or until we got to another steep section.  If we didn't reach the yurt by then...we would turn back.  Within fifteen minutes we saw lights off in the distance.  At first I thought they might be stars but then we realized they were lights from the yurt.  We were relieved to step into the yurt and know that we would be safe for the night.

We quickly got to work making a fire in the stove, cooking a dinner of fish and vegetables, melting snow for water, doing dishes,etc.  I made my first yellow snow and then we turned in for the night.  I slept close to the stove and now know what the term "tending the fire" really means.  I was up every hour putting more logs in the stove...let's just say I would much rather tend my baby then a fire.  We didn't sleep great and were up early to make breakfast, clean the yurt and hike down the trail.

Before we left we got a few photos of the yurt.  In the photo below you can see the sleeping bags hanging from the ceiling.  The yurt was outfitted with a wood burning stone, propane camp stove, dishes, supplies, camping chairs,etc.    

Here are a few pictures from the outside of the yurt before we headed down the trail.

The trail was much more enjoyable on the way down largely due to the fact that we could walk in our tracks from the night before.  Below is a picture of one of the dreaded meadows.  Seth looked at a map in the yurt and the meadows had fairly ominous names like Moose Massacre Meadow and Never-ending Meadow.

We ran into several groups on our way down the trail.  The first group thanked us for blazing the trail the night before.  They said they had gone off our trail for a short section and that it was much harder in the non-blazed section.

We ran into another couple near the very end of the trail.  They were planning to stay in the yurt on New Years Eve and were coming to test out the trail.  They were skiing up on skis that were originally a snowboard that had been cut in half.  Once they got to the top, they planned to snap the snowboard back together and board down.  

It took us just about two hours to make it from the yurt down to our car.  After a quick stop at the Bluebird in Logan for lunch we drove back to pick up Phin.  He got some pretty serious hugs from two parents that were very glad to see him again.

About a week after our yurt adventure I saw a great deal on another yurt on Groupon...I mentioned it to Seth...his response..."if I tell my co-workers we are going to another yurt they are going to think I am crazy."  Needless to say I did not book that yurt.  

CAUGHT RED HANDED

Back in December I had the brilliant idea to make a Christmas ornament with Phin's hand-print.  My plan was to get his hand-print on a piece of transparency and then slip in into a glass ball ornament.  Rookie parent mistake...I quickly figured out why they don't do hand-prints at the hospital...this little guy closed his fist up each time I would put paint on his palm and try to set it down on the transparency.  What we ended up with looks more like the Vulcan salute from Star Trek but at least we will remember this fun stage in life.

7 MONTHS

Phin hit the 7 months mark last week.  According to our measurements he weighs approximately 21 pounds and is 29 inches long.  We are pretty confident with the weight measurement...the height is a different story. He was very interested in the measuring tape and kept squirming to try to get in his hands.

He is still wearing size 3 diapers and is in 9 and 12 month clothes.  He is quite the chatter box and will typically babble away...most often when he should be quiet.  He continues to mumble and moan before he falls asleep...when he is quiet we know that he is finally asleep.  The last month and sleep have been a struggle.  When he was sick we spoiled him with lots of hugs and snuggles at night...in an attempt to get any sleep ourselves.  Once he recovered we wanted him to be back in his bed...he had different ideas.  We let him cry it out a few nights...which may have been harder on his momma than on him...but he is finally back to his own bed.  He isn't quite back to sleeping though the night...but we are getting closer.  We have thought that he has been teething since October...still no teeth.  His nickname this past month might as well be TOOTHLESS.

Phin has become quite the observer this month.  He loves to people watch as much as his parents do.  He has also become more aware of his own body.  If his socks are off he is often found with his feet up in the air so he can examine his toes.  He is starting to bend his hands at the wrist...which we think may be a precursor to waving.  He also loves to turn his head from side to side like he is saying no.  We have been working on him nodding up and down for yes but it seems to be quite a bit harder for him than no.

On Christmas Day Phin finally mastered sitting.  He can now sit for an extended period of time and loves to sit up and play with his toys.

He also sat up in the cart for the first time. He was very curious about all of the food I was stacking up next to him.

He is starting to adjust to some new tastes.  I have to say we have been consistently inconsistent when it comes to solid food.  It just seems so much harder to get his bib out, warm up the food, feed him, clean him up, clean the food up, clean the chair up, etc.  But we are hoping to do better in the new year.  He has had rice cereal, acorn squash, carrots, yams, potatoes, mango, pear, applesauce and oranges.

I know it doesn't look like he loves the mango but I think he really liked it but oranges seem to be his favorite so far.

Phin is starting to take much shorter naps.  He typically takes one cat nap in the morning, a cat nap in the early afternoon and a long nap in the afternoon.  We have made the rule of no naps after 7:00 pm so that he will sleep better at night.

Phin has started to really play and love his toys this past month.  He would be content to have a toy or two in his hands (or mouth) at all times.

He has also become very curious about regular household objects.  In the picture below he is trying to get to my flowers.  He loves to rip up magazines or crumble crunchy bags.

The sink is still our favorite place to bathe him.  He learned a new trick recently and started drinking out of the faucet on his own.  We also taught him how to splash...in hindsight this may have been a big mistake.

His favorite Christmas present was a ball that his cousins Isabelle and Ben gave him.  He could seriously play with it for hours...if the darn thing would just stop rolling away from him.

When we got Phin a pack of stripped onesies I realized that I had a matching shirt. 

Phin's hair is really starting to come in.  I spiked it up in the picture below so you could see just how much is there.  

We knew 2013 would be the year we would welcome our little guy into our family...we are excited to think that in 2014 we will watch as he learns to crawl, walk and talk.

Zoo Lights

We visited Zoo Lights at the Hogle Zoo the Thursday after Christmas.  Mary, Max, Benny and Andrew also visited with us.  We got there about a half hour before they opened...which meant we had to wait out in the cold...but also meant that we got some good parking spots...and based on the line to get in when we left, it was much better to get there early.

The zoo looked very different from the last time I had visited.  I remember most of the enclosures didn't look as natural as they do now.  A lot of animals were asleep for the night...but the Tiger put on quite a show. The tiger's enclosure had a little bridge that went over our heads.  In the dark it was hard to see the netting that kept him enclosed.  As we walked up to his exhibit he was pacing and making loud noises.  He walked up on the bridge and I was afraid for a moment he was going to jump down onto us.

Phin probably liked the small animal exhibit the best.  I think it was a little bit easier for him to see the animals in there.  Here we are next to the snake...which totally makes me think of the second Harry Potter movie.

 We also checked out the turtles.

But I think Phin was most fascinated with the bats...look at his eyes.

We had him all bundled up again...he really couldn't put his arms down and ended up falling asleep just like this.

The lights were spectacular.  Most of them were animated which was fun.  My favorite was the poinsettia arch pictured behind us here.

We had a great time and may have to make this an annual tradition.

Phin's First Christmas

Santa came to our house a few weeks early this year...Phin got his Jumparoo...

...and our family got a new TV.  We had to move our old TV out of Phin's room and it didn't fit into our armoire so we figured it was time for an upgrade.  

Christmas Eve was spent with my side of the family.  We went to the traditional neighborhood sing-a-long and then had pizza at my parents' house.  We had a great time teaching our nieces and nephews how to play pool.  Then the grandchildren opened a gift from my parents...new pajamas.  We had them all put them on and snapped their picture.  

Christmas morning was spent at our apartment.  Phin slept in so we didn't get going until almost 9...it was heavenly.  Here is a picture of Phin with all of our loot.

Phin needed a little help opening his presents.

It is a tradition in Seth's family for each family member to get a new Christmas ornament...I was indecisive so Phin ended up with a few.  The first was this Hallmark baby rattle.

The second which is my favorite was ordered from Shutterfly with all of Phin's birth information and some of our favorite newborn photos.

I had grand visions of Phin fitting in his Christmas stocking...our Christmas stockings are pretty big...but he didn't quite fit...so here is Phin with his Merman tail.

Seth got the new Pioneer Woman cookbook for me.  Then he made me breakfast from the cookbook.  Eggs in Hash Brown nests...or birds nests as I like to call them.  They were delicious.  

While he made those I made Skewers of Glory for our family get together later that afternoon....think shrimp and pineapple wrapped in bacon on a skewer and covered with teriyaki sauce....yum.  Once we pulled them out of the oven, we headed over to Beth and Philip's for an appetizer party.

Phin got some great hugs from his Aunt Emily.  She even let him take a super long nap on him.  We had a great time eating, playing games and hanging out.

A couple of days later I finally had time to dress Phin up and get a few photos.  I was trying to make him look like the Elf on the Shelf.  I had plans to pose him all around the house like the photos I have seen from friends on facebook...but I ran out of energy.  So here is a photo of our little Elf in front of the tree.

...and my one shot of being creative...a snowball (aka marshmallow).

We hope you all had a Merry Christmas.  We have loved getting Christmas cards from so many of you!