The Homestead

So it isn't very far and it wasn't very long, but this year's big family vacation was to the Homestead in Midway. I love the Homestead. We had the most glorious time. It reminded me how important it is for families to play together. Playing makes you remember why you chose these people in the first place. And we had three solid days of playing!

Day 1 Highlights:

First we stopped at Bridal Veil and took pictures, went on a walk and saw the leaves breathing in the smell of a season's end. The girls' favorite part was throwing rocks in the stream: the simple joys of childhood. As we started back on the road, Hailey and I wrote poetry together. My favorite line was added by Doug, "And then the leaves fell. The end." HAHAHA. We then had a vomitous incident with dog feces, Libby's shoe, and Doug's pants. Next we went to Heber for lunch at the Spicy Lady- a French, German, Indonesian, Thai, Indian, American restaurant. I highly recommend this fun place. When we go on trips we like to try new places and try not to eat at chain restaurants. Doug had an Indonesian Burrito with Thai Peanut Sauce and I had a Chicken Tandoori Panini. Excellent! Then we checked into the Homestead for the fall festival. We made caramel apples and the girls got their faces painted as adorable butterflies. Looking at all the fun scarecrows was the next item of business. Then after a TV break in the room we went to Dinner at a fun little Italian place. Amber called and told us she had arrived at the Homestead in spite of Austin's sickness. We were happy! After dinner we donned our swim attire and the girls had the best time in the pool. Doug and I reminisced about being kids and not caring about any hotel ammenity as long as the hotel had a pool and wondered when we stopped caring about pools; wondering when we grew up. After a long day, we all crashed. I snuggled up to Doug and thanked God for such a blessed day.

Day 2 Highlights:

We woke up and had breakfast at Fanny's where I decided that nostalgia had won over taste. :) Then we carved spooky pumpkins with the cousins. After that we visited all the little shops and stores in Midway. Doug was very patient. I bought a book at the used bookstore and some Christmas Ornaments for the girls. After that it was leftover pizza and swings. Then we found the cousins at the activity center. We played shuffleboard, badmitton, air hockey, hula hoop, pool and watched a movie. While Doug and I were playing pool Davey Erekson (one of my dearest friends growing up) and his wife Erica came in. That was a fun chat! And later we found out that they were in the room right next door. After the activity center we made spooky masks and then went back and had a brief rest in our room before dinner. At John's recommendation we went to Tarajumara. It was really yummy. We especially liked our dessert, home made Churros and Key Lime Flan. We got back just in time for a spooky hay ride. The Ledgend of Sleepy Hollow was performed on the ride and at stops along the way. It was fun to sit next to Hailey who "wasn't scared at all." Then it was off to swimming, again. After swimming the kids basically fell into bed and Doug and I played cards. He won. He always wins. Another fun day.


Day 3 Highlights:

We checked out and drove home through cascade springs. It was so incredibly beautiful to see the snowy mountains with the leaves. The aspens had finally turned and looked glorious next to the more somber colors. We listened to music and rolled the windows down. We dropped our stuff off at home and went to Grandpa's to pick apples and then took Grandpa Cecil, Grandma and Grandpa Gardiner out for dinner to Joy Luck.

How much I love my family!