Last Weekend

Let's just pretend that we hadn't lived here for 27 months before we ever went to The Great Salt Lake. Let's pretend that our experiences with the lake surpassed merely seeing it from the air and driving past it on our way to my favorite lake. It's not that we hadn't tried to go to the lake, it's just that every time we thought about going it rained or snowed or something came up.

Finally, on Friday, we made it to Antelope Island on our way up to Logan for a weekend away. Apparently the island is typically inundated with brine flies but we didn't see a single one. I guess going in the winter is the way to do it. The Rock Star and Little Buddy had their first experience with bison buffalo bison whatever these creatures are.
In my day I've been much closer to one of these animals than I got on this particular afternoon. In Yellowstone, when I was nine, one of them was on the side of the road, about six feet from our car. And a few years ago, at Campus by the Sea on Catalina Island, my brother and I came within about ten feet of one before hightailing it back down the mountain. I decided this picture was good enough. I didn't feel like being gored to death two days before my youngest son's birthday.

Garrett kept insisting that he'd swam in the Salt Lake before. We assured him that he hadn't and he launched into a speech. "Yes. Remember. I jumped in with my Papa and my Uncle Jon was there and it was cold and we went swimming a lot." Not the same lake. "Yes!" No. Have you ever tried arguing with a three-year-old? Lake Tahoe, Salt Lake, what's the difference?

We actually saw some creatures for which the island is named. I went on a little journey to get this picture. A journey through what you ask? Well, I shall show you in just a moment. I stopped to take a picture of my "journey" and apparently The Rock Star asked his father what I was doing. Troy replied, "I bet she's taking a picture of poop."

Ahhh. Does he know me or what? I think what impresses me most is not the fact that he knew I was photographing poo but the fact that he continues to love me anyway. I had to put my foot in this picture just to show the sheer size. And can I just tell you that I had to watch each and every step so that I didn't sink my shoe straight into one of these gems. They were...everywhere.

So it totally looks like both of my children are desperately trying to get away from me. Turns out it was chilly and windy and both of them would look at the camera with frowns. In my attempt to tickle both of them simultaneously we got the above shot. Apparently my children are flight risks.

On Friday night we stayed with our good friends up in Stupid Logan. On Saturday we went up to Hardware Ranch to introduce our sons to elk.

I know that isn't an elk. I typically don't get within five feet of these suckers on account of the bad experiences I had 21 years ago but I'm trying to grow up so I don't pass my irrational fear of equines on to my sons. So I pet this one on the nose. And it didn't even try to eat me.

We all piled onto a wagon and took off onto the preserve with our friends. Garrett thinks they are his cousins or his siblings or something.

Garrett and Isaac and, well, a lot of elk.

Allison and Matthew.

Elk. A lot. Of. Elk.

Hungry elk.

Kimmie and Garrett playing in the snow.

We had a great weekend out in God's great creation, introducing our sons to range animals, hanging out with friends, and photographing poop. Especially photographing poop.