Halloween 2019: Princess to Crime Fighters

 
Halloween was more cold than spooky this year, with high winds and falling temperatures. Luckily it had stopped raining earlier in the day, so we could put away the umbrellas and make do with layering up the kids under their costumes.

Edith's costume throughout the Halloween season varied between Belle (at school functions) and Owlette from PJ Masks (for trick or treating, particularly since Atticus was Catboy and a neighbor was Gekko from the same show). In any case, they each brought home enough chocolate to keep us stocked for months!

A Summer Afternoon in Park City, Utah

I'm not a skier, but even if I were I wouldn't find much of it in Park City, Utah, in August. Nevertheless, I was interested in seeing the ski resort area during our recent visit to Salt Lake City. At only 40 minutes away, it was an easy goal to accomplish.

Why did I want to visit? Maybe it was my memories of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, of which there are still many signs and reminders. And when I came across the Atticus Coffee & Teahouse online, I knew we had to pay a visit.

We arrived in Park City in time to eat a very late lunch at the town's Wasatch Brew Pub location, then we walked up and down the crowded Main Street. Of course I took many photos of Atticus in front of "his" Atticus shop!

The street seemed like the main street of any small tourist town, except with a ski-and-outdoor bent. Interestingly, several restaurants had "patios" on the other side of the sidewalk, essentially taking up a parking space or two, and on a platform so they would sit flat on the steep hill.

Park City was a fun detour and a good way to spend the afternoon, if only for the photos of Atticus!

Burr Oak Weekend

It was only the second state park weekend getaway in as many years, but the kids were looking forward to it as much as any vacation they had ever taken. After all, they get to spend 36 hours traipsing around with friends who are just footsteps away! But truthfully, that's why I enjoy the weekend, too.

Our trip two weekends ago to Burr Oak State Park in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio had been on our calendar for months. A good friend organizes the weekend, basically setting aside cabins that are available to rent from the lodge for a discount. Something like 14 families were there in our group, and I knew almost all of them. The weekend was filled with fires, food, pumpkin decorating and crafts for the kids and indoor swimming (mostly for the kids again!). Some people went on hikes, although lazy me did not. But I enjoyed the camaraderie.

It's not much of an exaggeration to say the kids were devastated when we returned home on Sunday morning. It's a fun way to spend a weekend, and only 90 minutes away.