Labor Day Fun and Panic

We decided to get out of the house and do something fun on Labor Day. Chad was looking through his Church History guidebooks and found that there were pioneer markers up Emigration Canyon. We planned to go up the canyon, stopping at markers along the way, have a picnic, hike a bit, and then come back down and go to Temple Square. We found historical markers for the Donner Party (they passed through the canyon on their way to eating each other in Nevada) and for the Last Encampment of the pioneers before they made their way into the Salt Lake Valley. We went to the top of Emigration Canyon, through switch backs and hair pin turns, and found a large parking lot at the top, another marker, a spectacular view, and several hiking trails heading off in different directions. We ate lunch in the car, as it was pretty breezy in the canyon and we decided we didn't want dirt blown into our sandwiches, and then headed down a trail.

View to the west from the first rise of the trail. That is Emigration Canyon and a bunch of fancy pants houses on the mountain's slope.

View to the north: I think this reservoir is called Wasatch National Forest Ponds, but that is a really weird name.

View to the east: The amazing green you see is the Mountain Dell golf course...definitely NOT naturally occurring! The ribbon of road far to the east is I-80 through Parley's Canyon. I watched the cars whiz by for a while and finally commented to Chad that this particular site would either make the pioneers marvel or gnash their teeth, considering the difficulty they had passing through the same terrain.

This was our trail of choice.

Here we are trooping up the hill. Well, Grace isn't trooping...Chad is trooping double time and Grace is enjoying the ride.

Chad and the kids are enjoying the view from the top! The trail went on, of course, but we saved that for another day.

We headed back into Salt Lake City, and after running a quick errand it was off to Temple Square!The children are contemplating eternal things...hopefully! Actually, they are probably wondering why we won't let them swim in that awesome pool!

This is where the "panic" part of our story comes in. After Chad snapped this picture, I went to help the children hop down. Merritt got down on his own, I swung Grace to the ground and then snagged Grant. I turned to where I thought Grace was, but when I'd turned a full circle I realized she was nowhere to be seen. I quickly asked Chad where she was and we scanned a wider area...still no Grace. Now we were going into panic mode. Where could she have gone? We left Merritt in charge of Grant with strict instructions NOT TO MOVE, and then took off in search of Grace. Some lady told me her mother had seen Grace heading toward South Temple Street and I took off at a dead run. When I reached the gates, again- no Grace. I felt the blood draining from my head, where could she be? I headed back toward the reflecting pool and saw Chad with Grace and two sweet sister missionaries. They had been standing at the gates when Grace came running and skipping their way. Seeing no adult nearby they stopped her and asked where her mom and dad were. "In the temple!" Grace chirped. Well, that just sounded weird, of course, so they walked her back into the main area stopping to ask people if anyone was missing a child. They pointed Chad out and we were reunited. I sat down with Grace and just hugged her and shook. Chad gave her a good talking to, we all calmed down, and then, not wanting the day to end on a sour note, continued with our tour.

"Let me in!" he says! Note the fantastically wet pants from splashing in the reflecting pool while Chad and I looked for Grace.

Hey, a normal face! Merritt has entered that lovely phase of childhood where pulling out a camera means pulling out a hideous facial expression. Once again, note that he is styling fantastically wet clothing.

I can't get over how relieved and happy I am that she's safe! I kept grabbing her up in bear hugs today to reassure myself that she's the real deal.

There they are...the little loves of my life. Can't do without a single one!

And finally, just for laughs...
Grant running with his pants falling down!