Pioneer Day Weekend

Mindy and her kiddies came "home" to Utah while David went on High Adventure with his scouts. We had such a great time. We rode our bikes to Crestwood Park where we had dinner, played on the park equipment and checked out the still raging Little Cottonwood Creek! (Last year at this time we played in the water, walked up the creek, and built a small dam....NOT this year!) Grampa joined us a little later as you can see him rolling in on his bike.

And here we are visiting the Kennecott Copper Mine which is astounding! And one of only a few man-made structures visible from outer space...the Great Wall of China being another.

We snapped a picture (not included) of the Oquirrah Temple on the way home. Mindy and the kiddies went back to Crestwood to go swimming, and then participated in the Primary parade and ward dinner while I substituted for a shift at the Draper Temple. The next morning they went to the Cowabunga water park while I played with Cutie Pie Charlie at home.

Mindy was able to bring all the kid's bikes with her from Boise as they have a perfect trailer to hold all of them and the buggy for the wee ones. We love to go on bike rides. Saturday morning we rode along the Jordan River Parkway which had just barely opened due to recent flooding of the river. Very enjoyable!

Cutie Pie Sadie!

And then on Saturday, as Mindy was just finishing packing up and was just about to leave, Michael's family arrived. Parker and Mason headed straight to the pond, and Ava headed straight to the dress up!

Grampa gave the kiddies a ride in his 1958 Corvette, my favorite...of his many.

And then we had our own Pioneer Day firework display in the circle, just like old times. We only had one mal-function that sent us scampering, and laughing or crying, depending on how old you were. Cutie Pie Parker.

Everyone left by the time we went to church today. As I've said many times, it's feast or famine around here! It was a very fun 4 day weekend!

Today is July 24th and of course, it is the day when we pay special tribute to our pioneer ancestors and to all of those early, faith- filled saints who endured hardship and sacrificed to keep their covenants and join the Saints here in the Salt Lake Valley. Perhaps they gather on this day in the spirit world and are filled with gratitude and astonishment that they have thousands of descendents who are still active, covenant keeping, faithful members of the church! The gratitude may swing both ways! Hopefully, we will be able to experience the same joy as we look to our descendents in years to come!

Miles Romney - who sailed the seas to New Orleans, traveled up the Mississippi River to join the saints in Nauvoo, and finally joined a group of saints migrating west in covered wagons. He is our "claim to fame" for his part in the building of the St. George Tabernacle and Temple and our Miles is named after him.

His son, George Romney, was 9 years old when they lived in Nauvoo. He witnessed the mantle of Joseph Smith falling on Brigham Young and bore testimony of that experience till his last public address. He, too, traveled by covered wagon to the west and he and his wife lived in their wagon for 18 months on the land that is now Temple Square. His wife, Vilate, have birth to a child while they lived in their wagon! He had 3 wives (he outlived all three) and 35 children. He was a prominent member of the church (bishop for 25 years) and a public works VIP. Instrumental in the building of the Hotel Utah.

This is Vilate, my great grandmother. I believe she was wife #2. These are relatives on my Dad's line, we also have pioneer ancestors on my mother's side. Perhaps I will write of them next July 24th!

I have always felt very blessed to have a noble pioneer heritage! I hope they look down on all their "children" and feel good about what they see!