Picnickin'

I can honestly say that this was my very favorite Mother's Day. We started off the day with a home cooked breakfast, and I enjoyed cooking most of it myself. I really do like to cook and I like when I make things people like to eat, it makes me feel good. We had scrambled eggs, bacon, and cinnamon bread french toast. It was all very yummy! Then I got my annual Mother's Day gift. While I am being honest, I can also say that I really believe Mother's Day is a Hallmark holiday. I don't believe in spending a lot of money, and I don't need gifts. What James does for me is amazing, and he tops himself each year. For the past 5 years (wow!), he has made a video montage of all of the previous year pictures of me and the kids. He puts music behind it, and he always picks awesome songs that I have (mostly) never heard before. The past couple of years (probably 3) he has had the kids record a video clip saying "Happy Mother's Day" and whatever else they want to say and that is how it opens. It always makes me remember all of the great memories we have made in the past year, and this year it made me really excited for all of the memories we will make in the coming year! This year's video was also in widescreen so it would be fit for our new TV and it also had video clips inserted into the video as well, another addition that he's never done before. He swears it's not hard to do, but it really looks professionally done and I really cherish these videos!

In addition to his creativity on the video gift, he came up with the idea for what to do on Sunday. And I must say it was a great idea, and we all had a fabulous day. We packed a picnic lunch in our new cooler, complete with roasted red pepper hummus & pita, bean dip & tortilla chips, turkey and ham deli meat, rolls, cookies, bananas, strawberries & whipped cream, and tomato feta salad. Oh, and wine & beer of course! So I would honestly say it was not your average picnic :) We drove into Big Cottonwood Canyon and then into the Storm Mountain Day Use Area. I never knew these places existed, and for just $6 we got our own little picnic site right on the river. They even have a playground, and there is a dam & spillway creating all the more ambience. Here is a picture of Space #14, where we settled in for a few hours.
The kids enjoyed playing on the little playground that was just around the bend from our site.

Then we all went hiking down the path a little, and came upon the Storm Mountain Amphitheater. This first picture is for perspective, just look how big the mountain is behind the seating. You can barely see us!
Then James set the timer on the camera and we got this awesome family shot!
We explored the area above the seating, and Quinn liked climbing on the rocks.
All he needed here is a few carribeaners and a rope, and he'd be a serious climber :)On our way out, we walked over to this overlook to see the spillway (about a 100' water drop in the creek). James is actually standing on the concrete edge of the spillway when taking this picture, which is why we are all laughing. Actually I am not laughing but telling him to get off there because I am scared he will fall in the creek!
There were about 100 pictures to choose from, so obviously I couldn't post them all but this was a cute one of both kids. Quinn told me this was "the bestest day ever" :) Being up there for the day makes me want to go camping something fierce and I intend to make that happen soon!
After we left the picnic site, we drove over to the other main canyon, Little Cottonwood with the intention of seeing the mountain goats. Mid-May is the most perfect time for goat watching, but you have to be diligent in searching the mountains above to spot them. After more than a few minutes, we did indeed see a couple. It's amazing how they can traverse such steep slopes! See if you can spot them in this picture...
While we were looking, the kids climbed this big rock next to our vantage point and I was able to snap a rare picture of James with the kids. He is usually behind the camera, so I took advantage and got a good picture!
So that was Sunday, oh except for one last funny. When we got home from the Canyons, Keely had a meltdown because she hadn't gotten to go shopping and she thought all the stores were closed. She told Annie that she hated God because it was Sunday (God's day of rest) and all the stores were closed early! I reminded Keely that we don't say "hate", it's not a nice word and then told her that Target was still open. An hour later armed with a new outfit, bathing suit and jelly shoes, she was a happy camper! Quinn got some toys and swim shoes, and I got a new work shirt...all courtesy of Nana & Papa, so thank you to them! And shopping at Target on Sunday at 7 PM is so great, there is no one there :)