Summer Bucket List - Going to the Mountains and Midway

 Last week we decided to go check out Silver Lake up Big Cottonwood Canyon.

We had a picnic before we walked around the lake.

There were several chipmunks that came right up to us looking for food.

There is a boardwalk and flat dirt path around the lake.

Making the whole thing stroller accessible.

 

It  was gorgeous and green.

It felt great to get away from the city and just enjoy God's creations.

 

Eli was so excited about this duck.

 

Avery was tired and asked to ride in the stroller and didn't want to be in any pictures.

Lexi on the other hand was happy to be running around and smelling all the flowers.

 

Look at all these cute ducklings.

 

Sean thought this mountain looked like it had Mickey Mouse on it.

After Silver Lake, we decided to drive over the mountain to Midway. 

I had seen a road on Google Maps.

And since going to Midway was on our summer bucket list, we decided to go.

Here's a view going up the west side of the mountain.

There was no guard rail and at times the edge was closer than I would have liked.

So I'll admit I was a little stressed but the views were breath taking.

 

At the very top of the mountain is a trail head. 

There were a lot of cars parked there.

We stopped and check out the view.

Then we continued on.

(Something we learned that most people probably don't do.)

The drive from there was horrifying, especially at first.

It was literally one lane (as in both directions shared it).

And at first the road sloped down so much that you couldn't see where you were going.

It just looked like the road was going to end!
 I thought to myself, "My family is going to die! And it's all my fault!"

But the road quickly got wider, thank heaven's!

When I wasn't having a panic attack, I was enjoying the views.

We drove past a ton of aspen trees.

My very favorites.

Sean informed me that they were his mom's favorite too.

 

We stopped to look at the Midway Reservoir.

 

This is about half way down the east side of the mountain.

Look how cute Midway looks at the base of the mountain.

When we got to Midway we went to this cute little ice cream shop.

 

We came to Midway, a cute little Swiss town, in June of 2011.

We came for a vacation while we were living in Albuquerque.

We went to this same ice cream shop then.

Looking at this picture of my girls two years ago, 

I realized that Avery is now in the shirt Lexi was wearing last time we went.

And my girls used to be more photogenic and less awkward.

 We went to "The Store" and got some deli food and had a picnic at a park.

We went to this same park with all of my extended family last time we were here.

It makes me so happy that my kids have a fun dad.

Sean really does love playing with our children.

 

 I can't get enough of this chubby little guy.

I love these next few candid pictures of my boys.

It shows their relationship perfectly.

I was happy watching Sean and the kids play and looking at this view from the park.

It was another great day as a family.

 

On the way home (we took the highway this time) 

Lexi told us that she had fun and that it was a beautiful day.