O Pioneer

It wasn't Pioneer Day last week, but my family decided to take part in the great sites of the pioneers here in the valley. Disclaimer: I used to really detest this valley. I was used to being surrounded by green, and being able to drive to the beach in two hours. And then two things happened: I grew up, and I found out how many of my relatives on both sides came to this valley and worked the land and made it blossom like a rose. So I decided to look at it with new eyes. And now, ten years later, I do love the scenery here.

Paul's parents came for a visit and we hiked Ensign Peak, behind the State Capitol. The hike is less than a mile round trip, but fairly steep and it was ninety degrees by ten in the morning. We all made it up and the sweeping views were worth it. A family of golden eagles soared above us on our way down as if to congratulate us. I'm just glad I didn't have to carry my three-year old over the Mormon Trail.

After that we ate lunch in City Creek Park, and headed over to the Salt Lake City Cemetery. What a beautiful place! I've never been here before, but I knew many of the LDS Prophets are buried there. Before hand, I found this blog about the General Authorities buried there, and a great map the author created. With this in hand, we ran around looking for the headstones. The most gigantic sprinklers were running, and so we did too. It was great fun. Here are my in-laws in front of David O. McKay's headstone. I love that so many great leaders are buried here in such a lovely, peaceful place. Cemeteries of heroes are always so filled with the Spirit to me.

We finished our day at This is the Place Monument. Notice I didn't say Park. By now we were all too hot and tired to take part in pioneer reinactments. We also lost my 18-month old for the first, and hopefully last time, due to too many adults and not enough communication. The worst part was when another family with more kids than ours brought him screaming to me, and I hadn't even realized he was missing. I'll listen for the Mom of the Year Award Distributors knocking on my door at any moment.

Lastly, we enjoyed falafel at my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant, O Falafel, in Sugarhouse. I highly recommend boldness and eating outside the comfort zone. My pioneer roots probably rolled over in their graves that they worked so hard to get here and I'm eating falafel and french fries at the end of the day remembering them. But guys, if you could have, you would have, too.