Hiking with Hallie

Photo 1: Bridal Veil Falls. Hallie (in green) and Marcus hiked to the base of the falls.
Photo 2: Holden went off-roading into the river.
Photo 3: Hallie and Wether taking a stroll at Sundance.
Photo 4: At the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Behind us is the temple.
Photos 5 & 6: Aboard TRAX in SLC. Holden's expression did not change.
Photo 7: Hallie learned what a challenge it is to take a decent picture of 3 boys. Here they are in their Guy Harvey shirts - gifts from Hallie.
Photos 8,9, & 10: Atop Squaw Peak. We were sure glad to take a rest and enjoy the view.

My cousin Hallie (age 22 and recent college grad) came and visited me this week from Florida. Having never been to Utah, or seen mountains for that matter, I happily played tour guide for the 3 days of her visit.

Day 1: I missed seeing Hallie's face when she awoke to the beauties of the Wasatch mountains right outside her window. Still, it wasn't long before we visited Bridal Veil Falls and Sundance. That evening we went out to dinner at California Pizza Kitchen.

Day 2: After packing the kids in the car we headed to Salt Lake City. We took TRAX to the planetarium, Gateway Mall, and to Temple Square. We almost skipped the last stop due to the ominous weather (and cranky kids) but I told her we couldn't go to SLC without seeing Temple Square. Hallie was especially impressed with the meticulous gardens around the temple.

Day 3: We did our parents proud (well, my mom and Hallie's dad - siblings) by rousing early to hit the garage sales. I found clothes for Marcus and Hallie scored a pricey dress for a fraction of the price. Next we planned a short hike up Rock Canyon with the whole family....that lasted 5 hours. After about 30 minutes of hiking, Kjell took Holden and Wether back to the car. Hallie, Marcus and I hiked an additional 6 miles (round-trip) and climbed 3,000 vertical feet to an elevation of 7,877. Hallie, having left sea level just 2 days previous, had no problem reaching the summit of Squaw Peak. The last stretch had quite a bit of snow and mud, the former seen by Hallie only once before in her life. I was especially proud of Marcus for making it to the top - no small feat for a 5-year old. He counted to 100 several times on the ascent to keep his mind off the steep trail. That evening Pam and Tracie stopped by for a visit and we enjoyed a delicious BBQ dinner by Kjell.

Hallie was the perfect guest (thanks for cleaning my kitchen...3 times) and was a great sport for whatever I had planned. Come back soon and bring your mom and dad!