Meanwhile, in Utah - July, 2014: The Fourth, Payson Canyon Camping, Thanksgiving Point Gardens, Snowbird

(Yup. I'm over a year behind. Again. Meaning, this post is about what happened in July 2014-- the summer that we waited for our UK Visas to come through, so we could move back to London.)

Independence Day - July 4, 2014:

I can't remember where Chris was during the morning, but I went to the Freedom Festival Parade in Provo, and hung out with my sister-in-law, Nancy. And my (almost, at the time) sister-in-law, Hillary. Hillary's whole family hangs out at the parade every year. It was fun to meet them all. Plus, I got to spend time with my niece, Lily, who is awesome and hilarious.

Like a little Geordi La Forge.

Aunt Hilly and Lily. 

She was grippin' this candy so tight, afraid that I'd take some. She knows me well. 

"This is mine, you can't have some."

After the parade, we went up to Chris's brother Graham's house to watch fireworks. They live in a cul-de-sac, and it still has that "neighborhood-where-I-grew-up-and-rode-bikes-in-the-street" feel to it. 

All the neighbors came out, and brought drinks and food,  and we had a big firework show in the circle. 

                     

             

Silhouette Max, dancing with his glowsticks. 

Payson Canyon - July 12, 2014:

We had a quick weekend of camping in Payson Canyon with my brother Jayson's, his wife Karrah, their daughters Taylor and Saydee, and my parents. It was a lot of fun! We slept on an air mattress in the bed of Jayson's truck. 

Oh, Saydee. I don't know who taught her how to do a peace sign, but it's adorable.  

These are the wildflowers Saydee picked for us. 

Saydee is such a ham, and wanted me to take ALL the photos of her. Taylor is 16, and way too cool to be photographed. 

I wasn't joking when I said she's a ham. LOOK AT THESE FACES! I can't handle it. 

 What a goofball.

Thanksgiving Point -  July 17, 2014:

One Thursday evening, Chris and I went to enjoy some time in the gardens at Thanksgiving Point. Prior to leaving for London, we had purchased the Salt Lake Connect Pass which gets you free 1-time entrance over the course of a year into a lot of attractions around Utah. And we wanted to use them up before we went back to London!  The Gardens just so happened to be one of the attractions, so off we went!

Chris would dump a little bit of his water onto the koi, then watch the subsequent feeding frenzy.  

Seriously, just gaping fish-mouths everywhere. Plus I hate that gulping sound they make. Koi freak me out. 

My favourite part of the gardens, The Secret Garden.

While we were there, they had all these bronze statues, telling stories from the life of Christ.  Pretty cool.

"And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:27

 "And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." Matthew 14:26-27

"When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" Joseph Smith History 1:17

(Another view of the First Vision.)

 "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." John 20:29

"And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." Matthew 26:39

"And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master." John 20:14-16

"And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go." John 11:43-44

"And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger, wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. John 8:3-11

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" Matthew 23:37

 "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see." Luke 10:21-23

 "And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour." Matthew 9:20-22

 "And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks." Luke 17:12-16

 "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:3-5

We kept walking through the gardens, and came upon this topiary carousel! I didn't even know it existed.

And lastly, the waterfall amphitheater. 

We kind of had to rush out, as it was near closing time, but I managed to grab a last few photos with that magic golden-hour lighting. 

Instructure Summer Party at Snowbird - July 19, 2014: 

The summer party with Chris's work was awesome. We went up to Snowbird, rode the Alpine slide, and Mountain Coaster, and took the tram up to the top of the mountain, where the views are STUNNING. 

Also, just a few random photos from my iPhone from July: 

Poor Tando after a fun day at doggy day care. He was too tuckered out to jump out of the back of my car.  

Little Jimmy!  

Swimming with Nancy and the kiddos.

When we went up to visit Anne and Graham, Ryker ran out to greet us saying "You guys have GOTTA come see this! It's a new Star Wars!!!" (Evidently, they'd never shown him the prequels. Haha.)

My mom and dad's backyard. One of my favourite places. 

Happy Baby Jimmy