Mirror Lake Highway Drive

Sunday drives were made for October! Or Maybe October was made for Sunday drives...

We had the best drive today up Mirror Lake Highway. It was beautiful to see all the leaves changing colors. The kids were good in the back talking away about who saw what in which color. It was the most amusing game of i-spy ever. Ali took a little snooze, we listened to some of Conference. Very relaxing and containing. Easier to get the kids to listen if they are seat belted in. My favorite bit of conference is the announcement to make the old Provo Tabernacle into a temple. I cried when I heard. We used to live right by the old tabernacle and I was so sad when it burned down but now it will be resurrected into so much more. So excited!

The drive was typical BJP style traveling. Head out not really knowing which way is up but finding adventure along the way nonetheless. We found waterfalls galore. Ate lunch on a slab of rock by the Provo River, thew enough rocks in to change the rapid patterns, and went on a wild raspberry hunt. They were delicious! Enjoyed a hike around Mirror Lake and earned a compliment from Carter. "This trip was much more fun than I had anticipated." Why is he even surprised, we always have a great time when we DRAG the kids away from our home. Aside from my ever-present car sickness it was a smashing success for a Sunday afternoon adventure.

Have I mentioned I love aspen trees? Oh my goodness this year is the best aspen color ever. There were some trees that were nearly red. It was amazing. I am almost glad I didn't jump in a plane and fly to California to see the bioilluminescence that is happening in San Diego right now, almost. The trees were spectacular! Byron told me he wanted a photo of me taking the leaf photo above, but with just the one camera....we settled for this.

Snaggletooth gets more snaggly! On Friday Tyler lost ANOTHER tooth. Seriously boy, what are you going to do. The gap widens but there is hope inside with his two middle teeth just peeking through his gums. Thank goodness there may be hope for him yet. In the car Ty said, "Hurry we need to take a picture quick before the two front ones grow in." So cute!

My three favorite aspen trees. Must paint these trees!

Provo River Falls trail. This is a series of three equally cool waterfalls. Much cooler than I had anticipated!

Byron throwing pieces of his sandwich trying to lure the fish up to the surface. He wants to come back next week and fish where we ate lunch, just before mile marker 21, but there is much bird hunting to do right now....tough choices he will have to make next weekend.

Our stroll around Mirror Lake. Watched a girl reel in a trout, spotted a dead deer that looked just like a rock, and made it ALL the way round. Ali was very excited to make it the whole way. There was much speculation as to how the deer ended up in the river.

Picnic lunch on the banks of the Provo. Spotted the perfectly ripe red raspberry that spurred on our successful wild raspberry hunt. Splitting one berry between five just doesn't cut it. We all wanted more! Except maybe Carter he is not a big fan of eating wild berries. They could be poisonous!

Tyler on the mirror lake trail. A day full of beauty! Couldn't have asked for a better Conference Sunday. Byron and I even topped it off with a little drive on our Stella scooter. Ahhh....perfect!