Golen Spike and Rockets

GOLDEN SPIKE

On our way back from Grandma Karan's, we saw the sign for the Golden Spike National National Historic Site along the freeway. Everytime we see it we say, "We need to go there sometime." This time Kendra said, "Lets go now." So, we went. After getting off the freeway, a sign said it was 29 miles away and we almost turned around because it was a longer detour than expected. But, we did continue. We got there about an hour before the park closed. One of the engines was just retiring for the day but we got to see the other engine, Jupiter. We went through the visitor center, watched a movie, and saw all the relics. We got to see them fire up the steam engine and watched it head back to the engine house. It was a real steam engine, the engine was pretty warm from burning wood (at least the car behind the engine was full of wood), and there was steam and water spurting out here and there around the engine. When the engine started to move, a lot more water and steam sprayed out. Its a good thing we weren't any closer or we would have been burned.


Marinn sitting on the railroad tie (not original, of course) where the two railroads met.












I have my finger in the hole where one on the golden spikes was driven (this is actually a fallacy, the golden spike wasn't really driven into the tie. You can imagine what would happen if you tried to hammer in a golden spike.)















A lady took a family picture of us with the train in the background, but she cut off half the train so Kendra had to take another (this) picture with the whole train in the background.

ROCKETS

On the way back from the Golden Spike National Historic Site, we went another mile out of the way to go to ATK Thiokol. This is the place were they make the solid fuel rocket boosters for the space shuttle. Right before I graduated from BYU and was interviewing with different companies, I interviewed here but they seemed to think I was over qualified and would be bored working there. I don't know how a college graduated would be overqualified. Anyway, they had a display of a lot of the rockets that have been built over the years, (as you can see in the background.)







This was the kids' favorite part. It is a lower part of one of the shuttles solid fuel rocket boosters. They would run up the sides as far as they could and slide back down. Marinn kept bonking her head when she would do it. Even Denae like to slide on it.

Labor Day

On Labor Day we were at Grandma Karan's house. It was an unofficial family reunion as most of the family was there. We all had lots of fun talking and catching up on what each other's lives.

I think all our kids had fun playing with their cousin, Cody. Mckay and the other young boys were all trying to tackle him and Brynlee liked to use him as a jungle gym and be carried by him. (oops, I forgot to take a picture of this.)

On Saturday everybody (except Kendra and Denae, who were napping) went to Cave Falls. The kids took their shoes off and played in the water. Marinn is being really cute in this picture.

Mckay and Brynlee both slipped on the rocks and skinned up their feet and legs. After a brief rest though they were back in the water.













In the cave at Cave Falls.

First Day of School

Brynlee's first day of Kindergarten. She was really excited about her My Little Pony backpack. She was also adamant about having a crown for her hair. She has Mrs. Jensen for a teacher (the same teacher Mckay had). Kindergarten started about a week after the rest of the scool. Brynlee impressed her teacher when she wrote down all the words that she knew.











I think this picture was taken on Brynlee's first day of school, so Mckay had already been to a few days of school. He is still in the Spanish imersion program and will probably know a lot more Spanish than me after this year. He is excited about school.