This is the Place

This weekend my parents came down for a reunion. I wasn't invited- but I wouldn't have gone anyway. Hanging out with people I don't know just because they're somehow related doesn't sound very fun to me.

HOWEVER

I called and asked my sister if her kids could hitch a ride and come play with me- she decided to join them (which was totally fine with me- I just thought she might like a mom-cation) and they all came down to see me.

There are a lot of things on my Salt Lake To-Do list but some of them I really don't want to do alone. Going to This is the Place Heritage Park was one of them. I remember as a kid seeing the big ol' monument across from Hogle Zoo, but I'd never actually been to it. I still haven't. Ha! But now they have a village and visitors center there for people to learn about life as a Utah Pioneer.

We started out by taking the train around to the first stop- Brigham Young's Orchard Home.

You know, I've been to the Beehive house several times, and I've always said I would love to live there. Yeah. You can have it. I'd rather have the Orchard Home. Especially where it's located right now. It's goooorgeous! (but I didn't take any pictures d'oh!)

Then we went on to the Heber C Kimball home replica but they were setting up for a wedding. Still, it was quite lovely.  The little village across the street is where things started get interesting. First we ran into this guy.

My nephew asked him if he was from another time- to which he replied in the affirmative (Myself, I thought he looked like he belonged in an episode of Dr Who... but whatever).  He was selling miracles! My nephew was DYING to get one and I talked the guy from a dollar down to ninety cents- because that's all the cash I had other than a twenty and i sure as heck wasn't buying twenty bottles of "elixir." He was promised that he would run faster and jump higher when he drank it. Poor little soul. I think he honestly believes it. Shame that someday he'll lose that innocence and realize that the fanciful world around him isn't entirely real. :(

I tried to get my niece to sit for the barber- but she wasn't about to have that! The barber guy was really funny. And personally, I thought HE needed a barber more than the rest of us!

We took the kids to the Saddlery and they let them design their own leather swatch. 

I would have shelled out for a bracelet because I'm a doting aunt who has to buy the love of children she's related to- but no one asked.

We visited a teeny cabin that once housed nine people. Yikes. And I complained when I had to share a room as a seven year old! How spoiled am I?

In the back of the house we tried our hands uh.. feet? at some pioneer entertainment. Stilts. I got up on mine for like, 1/30th of a second.

Around the bend we found a little creek (not crick) where we panned for gold. Ugh. I'm such a purist. I wish they'd teach kids the difference between gold and fool's gold.

Not that I expect them to allow kids to walk off with real gold nuggets, but come on...

We also visited a mountain man camp and learned how to set a beaver trap.

I'm no avid supporter of PeTA, but seriously- animal traps are just wrong. Ugh.

We also visited an Indian Village (and I'm going to say Indian and not Native American because they themselves were calling themselves Indians and if they can do it- so can I! P.C.ness be damned!)

The kids got to bead their own arrowhead necklaces and visit a Navajo hogan. The young lady inside was very nice and answered all of our ridiculous questions. And she taught the kids how to grind corn.

There was also a landlocked replica of The Brooklyn and a miniature train.  We took a little jaunt around the pond.

 Then we walked off into the sunset.

My sister was the one behind the camera for most of the day- which is why there is only one picture of her here. But that one picture is proof that she was there!  For the few moments I had control of the lenses I had to take the obligatory selfie.

You're Welcome.

Seriously, it was such an awesome day. And it didn't end there. We went to the City Creek Mall and the Disney store and ate connolis and mousse domes sigh... it was just wonderful! I miss them already and I think they should come visit me a lot more often!