Barbara, Stan and the Fam: July 2010

Monday, July 26, 2010

Pioneer Days Celebration

Bountiful Parade to watch Amanda and the KSL float.

Friday evening, July 23: This was our first experience, so to be prepared I got on the Bountiful parade website and printed off the list and order of parade entrants, to which there were about 135, that filled five pages. Stan and I found a small tree next to the Arts Center, and settled into our folding chairs to wait, dutifully checking off each numbered entrant, waiting for #85, the listing for KSL. Turning to the second page we were surprised to see a listing for Gov. Mike Leavitt followed by Lt. Gov. Olene Walker, just about the time that current Gov. Herbert's car went by. The published list we had was from 2003! Fortunately, Danny was texting us from his spot in the route with the Butterfields, to let us know that Amanda would be #62, so we watched the numbers, sans our outdated list. Amanda was the best part of the parade!

Days of '47 Parade
Saturday, 9 a.m., we went to our usual place, in front of Ryan's work, Wasatch Advisors, on 200 East and Social Hall Avenue. We were surprised by the crowds, many of whom camped out right in our spot. Surprising because it's on the west side, the sunny side, where people don't usually like to be, but these people had set up tents. We sat under a tree and had plenty of shade, just had to look around the tents. The KSL float was #41 this time, and Amanda was riding instead of walking and throwing candy (no candy allowed in this parade). However, she did have Danny come up to the float and get some candy for the kids. Stan said, and we all agreed, the floats this year were better than ever! Parker stayed out with Grammy and Grandpa the whole time, while everyone else spent part of the time in the third floor conference room with the air conditioning, watching out the windows.

This People's Choice winning float, was our favorite. Seagulls and crickets...

Then came Amanda on the KSL float with other TV Anchors. She's our favorite news anchor though. Danny went up to the float to get Amanda's surprise treat for us......candy.

Here's the happy crew of parade goers. Our family tradition. Thanks to Ryan, we can enjoy added comfort, too.

Swimming at the Snow's after the parade

Amanda and Danny set up their version of Old Faithful: a liter of Diet Coke and 7 Mentos dropped in simultaneously. The boys were cautious at first.

We all thought it was pretty cool!

Amanda's parents own a children's scientific/educational toy company. This was a Mentos holder with a string that releases the candies into the soda pop. It's an immediate reaction.

The next trick was making SNOW. White, fine powder with water poured on, bubbled up into puffy, dry snow that was room temperature. That was really fun, and amazing, also.

Henry wasn't too sure about Grammy's request to get close to Ava

Thanks Ryan and Ashlee, for your hospitality. We had fun, especially for a 99 degree day.
We were amazed at the apricot tree that has more apricots than leaves.....good luck picking them all.

Cousins for the summer

All for one and one for all, celebrating Danny and Amanda's marriage!

Then some free time in Grandpa and Grammy's backyard

Next time we need to wear the proper shoes...

some sprained ankles,

bumps and bruises

Family Night at the Bee's Game

and the Bee's WON!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Koosharem, Utah

On our way back from Capital Reef and Teasdale, we visited the Grass Valley and the very small town of Koosharem, the birthplace of my mother's mother, Beatrice Petersen Marchant.

From the highway you can look through to the serene Grass Valley and town of Koosharem.

A historical marker is placed at this spot, concerning a significant treaty

between the Mormon settlers and the local Indian tribes.

In the tiny Koosharem cemetary, we found the headstones of Great-Grandma's

mother and father, Anna Christine Pearson and Frands Peter Peterson.

Their daughter, Beatrice was only seven years old when her mother died.

Her father married another woman, from whom she had many siblings.

Beatrice's father lived a long life and died just a couple of years before her husband, Stephen.

Fantastic Fourth of July weekend

Capital Reef...the magnificent sites of Utah

Thanks to Camilla's hospitality at her family home in Teasdale, we spent the holiday watching the Torrey parade, eating at the Boy Scout breakfast, and driving through some of the amazing sites at Capital Reef National Park, outside Torrey, in Wayne County, Utah.