Snowbird

It was a rush to get to Snowbird this year.  We got back from our Bryant family vacation around 5:00 p.m.  Thankfully Logan had mowed the lawns earlier in the week, so I was able to run to the grocery store to get some last minute things for Jill.  She worked hard on getting everything ready for our next vacation.  We had the kids pick up some dinner for us and ate at home.  After packing up our cars, we drove up to Snowbird and checked in just before 9:00 p.m.  

As we checked in and unpacked, somehow the stovetop in our room was turned on.  The plastic tote that had been placed on top of it started to melt and some marshmallows inside started to burn.  I quickly picked up the tote and turned off the stove.  Sadly, melted plastic rubbed on my clothes and ruined them.  We were grateful, though, that a bigger disaster was averted. 

This is a landmark year because the Bunkall family has acquired more units.  Last fall, the Buxtons bought a room at Iron Blosam.  It is a north efficiency room on the 7th floor; the view isn't the best, but the breeze cools the room down so nicely!  Hayden, Anna, and Breland stayed in that room this year.  Aaron and Amy also bought a room this year.  It is on the 8th floor and has a beautiful view.  When I saw it come up for sale as an auction-type of room, I let Aaron know.  He was the highest bidder and now they have a room.  Aaron and Amy stayed in their new room this year and had their children stay in the room on the 3rd floor.  All in, the Bunkall family now owns 7 rooms at Iron Blosam during week 28.

Sunday morning we went to Snowbird church. There has been a changing of the guard so it's not the same group running it this year, but we always enjoy the meeting.

Once church was over, we took our traditional family pictures.  Then Jill and I walked around Snowbird to take pictures for the scavenger hunt.

After lunch Jill drove to town to lead the primary in singing time.  The rest of us relaxed because it was so hot outside.  Salt Lake broke a heat record at 109 degrees!  Snowbird was cooler, but it was still hot at 93 degrees.  Iron Blosam doesn't have air conditioning, so we were definitely warm.

That evening, after dinner, we celebrated Jill's birthday.  We also hosted the annual scavenger hunt, hoping that it would be cooler in the evening.  We broke the kids into two teams, boys against girls.  The girls won this year!  The kids love this activity each year and Jill and I have fun taking random pictures of Snowbird and having them search for those places.  The kids joke that one day, they will be in charge and have the adults hunt for their pictures, but it hasn't happened yet.

We love a nightly walk on the nature trail. 

Monday was a relaxing day.  The adults swam in the morning while Alyssa joined Makenna, Jenn, Anna, and Breland at the family pool.  We talked to Landon for quite awhile today.  He's missing the family vacation, but enjoyed talking to extended family.  Tuesday morning, we hiked Catherine's Pass.  Judy felt up for the hike and she did great.  Corwin, sadly, wasn't up for it this year.  We enjoyed the hike and the wildflowers but were disappointed that we didn't see any moose.  Logan went to town for a doctor appointment so he didn't join us on the hike.  The Buxton family was fighting the stomach flu, so we also missed Tanner, Maren, and Anna.

Wednesday morning, many of us hiked Hidden Peak.  Corwin and Judy stayed back and so did the Buxton family (Dave and Makenna had caught the flu, too).  Robert, the Roundys and the four of us made the climb.

As we approached the peak, Aaron took the kids up on the Cirque ridge line trail while I stayed with Robert, Amy, and Jill to hike the road. The last approach is the same, though, and it's so steep. We still made it up in 2 1/2 hours, just behind the kids.

It's such a feeling of accomplishment to get to the top and rest.  

The tram ride down is such a fantastic way to get back to our room.  If we had to hike back, I don't know how many of us would do this each year!  Then we bought the celebration Mountain Dew Kickstart at General Grit's! 

After the hike, Logan packed up and drove to St. George so he could get back to working to make some money for next year.  We were glad that he was able to spend time with us at family vacation!

We did get some rain this year.  It's always so fun to see the storms roll in and our view is incredible with the rain.  We were grateful the rain brought cooler temperatures, too.

Each year swimming is almost a daily activity.  Our teenagers love the teen swim and don't like going to the kids pool.  Several of our "teens" are now old enough to go to the adult pool anytime they want! 

Jill loves treading water and making a contest of it.  She and Jenn ended on a draw.

Thursday and Friday I drove down the canyon to go to work.  It was nice to come up in the evenings to eat dinner and walk around.  

Our family really came and went this year.  Hayden and Anna returned home Wednesday, Aaron, Cam, and Addy left Thursday night, and Robert left Friday morning.  Friday evening, those of us who were left  did our farewell hike around the Snowbird center.  We packed up and headed down the canyon.  Snowbird is a favorite week each year.  We only have 51 more weeks to wait until we can come back!