Ten Things of Thankful: "Staycation" Edition

Last week started with a bang (literally--Tuesday was Pioneer Day, and fireworks were legal in many areas from Sunday through Wednesday.)

I'm thankful for pioneers. Regardless of whether or not our ancestors were pioneers (Mormon or otherwise), we all benefit from those who came before us. 

I'm thankful for a better-than-expected outcome. On Pioneer Day, John and I ran the Temple to Temple 5K. I felt like I wasn't doing well; I took some walking breaks (and this was only a 5K!) and I just wasn't really into the run. However, as we approached the finish line and I noticed the clock, I had a change of attitude. Our pace was in the single digits! It was barely in the single digits, but it was! I'm pretty sure I was a teenager the last time that happened. (I ran two 5K runs as a teen, then didn't participate again until I started running in my 40's.)

Photo: John and I, with the Provo City Center Temple in the background, after our run

I'm thankful for an unexpected phone call. Later in the afternoon on Pioneer Day, a friend from California called and asked about the possibility of staying at our house later in the week. Of course, John and I were delighted to open our home to her and her children. Their arrival, and their willingness to let us tag along on their adventures, gave us an excuse to declare a "staycation." (Well, John still had to work during the day, but joined us as much as possible.)

I'm thankful for the abundance of things to do:

On Thursday, we went to the Hogle Zoo, where we fed a giraffe, saw Nora and Hope (the young polar bears), and observed all sorts of unusual animals.

Photo: A mossy leaf-tail gecko clings (upside-down) to the glass of its enclosure

Friday, we packed in a whole lot of fun! We started at Moon's Rare Books, which is an amazing little store disguised as a museum, with all sorts of old books, movie props, and historical furniture. After that, we toured the Crandall Historical Printing Museum. The tour given there is hands-on, and keeps the interest of children and adults alike. Next on the agenda was The Soap Factory, where we--you guessed it!--made soap. We finished off the day at Escapes in Time, which is an escape room. None of us had ever done an escape room before, and we were all a little bit surprised at how tricky it was--until a worker came in to check on us and discovered that the room hadn't been set up properly and we were missing a couple of vital clues! At that point, we were given an apology, the missing information, and told not to worry about the clock; we could take as much time as we needed. Of course, things went a little faster from that point on. 😊

Photo: John and I and our friends pose with props from our Wild West escape room

Saturday's activities involved a couple of short hikes at the Temple Quarry trail in Little Cottonwood Canyon and Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon. That evening, we went miniature golfing. Of course, our family can't go mini-golfing without retelling the story of the time John and a couple of the kids got locked inside the fun center. 

I'm thankful for good friends. I'm not sure how to consolidate a decade or so of memories and friendship into a paragraph. Let's just say that we enjoyed spending time together!

I'm thankful for this house. Growing up, I lived in a house that was near the park where the city had their 4th of July fireworks display, and we always watched the show from our own front yard. I love those memories. This house affords views, and on Pioneer Day, John and I could watch fireworks going off all across the valley. 

I'm thankful for a splinter being gone. I easily picked up a splinter while doing yard work earlier this week, but I couldn't seem to get rid of it so easily. After several days, I finally managed to get it out, and what a relief! Just another reminder to me that little things can make a big difference. 

I'm thankful for little kindnesses. While on a walk this past week, I noticed a bike repair station near a trail head. What a great idea, to have tools and air readily and freely available to those who might need them!

Photo: Bike repair tools dangle from a cable attached to a metal post. Near the ground, an air pump is also attached to the post.

I'm thankful for my children. I always appreciate hearing from each of them. 

I'm thankful for John. He works at his job, completes home projects, takes time for fun, and is training for a marathon. I love being married to him!

How is your summer going? What are you thankful for this week? Feel free to comment below, or link up your own post!

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