Eclipse

I kid you not when I say that our family had been looking forward to the total solar eclipse for two years. Seth, our hobbyist astronomer, announced to the girls a long time ago that an eclipse would be visible from our house on August 21, 2017, and he couldn't wait for it.

So while other people were scrambling to get eclipse glasses (and some places were begging people to come get them for free because they ordered more than people would buy), we had received ours months prior. And while other people traveled hundreds of miles to see the celestial phenomenon, we got to watch it in our own back yard (and invite people over to see it and eat a barbecue immediately following). My aunt and uncle and two of their children (along with a spouse, a child and a friend) came from Utah to watch, and both sets of grandparents came from their houses one street over.

And boy, the eclipse didn't disappoint. I think we could describe it as a spiritual event. The sight was almost overwhelmingly beautiful. It made me want to chase more eclipses.

Setting up cameras, looking through a telescope and eclipse glasses. 

Seth looking through his telescope. He bought a filter just for this event so we could view it safely.

Grandpa Scott and his shooting contraption.

Analee and her leaf with holes poked it in casting crescent shadows on a sheet while Grandma Susan takes a picture. 

The crescents.

Looking (safely) at the sky. 

Rebekah with her glasses. 

Seth with his. 

Rebekah taking a picture through the telescope. 

Getting darker. 

Beautiful 360-degree "sunset."

Group photo after the eclipse and barbecue. (Top: Seth, Andrea, Grandpa Dennis, Grandma Susan, Uncle John, Aunt Marta, Hannah, Harrison, Aunt Jessica, Zoe, Sam, Sarah, Grandma Scott, Uncle T, Oakley, Aunt McKall. Bottom: Winnie, Miriam, Analee, Rebekah, Bennet, Grandpa Scott.)

Looking at the sky. Looks like Grandpa Scott didn't make it in time. It's hard when you're the cameraman shooting with a timer.

Silver Lake hike

With our school start date looming, we decided we needed to have our three generation hike. Between hunters' ed for Analee and me, Grandma and Grandpa's weekly temple assignment, the total solar eclipse and various doctor appointments, the only day that worked for everyone was August 18. Rather than going to Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park to hike (because of the predicted influx of visitors for the eclipse), we stayed closer to home and hiked in Harriman State Park.

And because I was too lazy to set up a baby-sitter for Winnie, she got to accompany her sisters, mom and grandparents on the 5-mile hike. But she was tough, and everyone had a fun time looking for swans and deer tracks.

Rebekah, Analee, Miriam and Winnie checking out Silver Lake at the beginning of our hike. 

Winnie, Miriam, Andrea, Analee, Grandma and Rebekah hiking along the road before the turnoff for the trail. 

Rebekah showing Winnie and Analee a caterpillar she found while stopped for lunch. 

Grandma, Andrea, Analee, Winnie, Miriam and Rebekah hiking past the barn. 

Grandma, Winnie, Analee, Andrea, Miriam, Rebekah and a stuffed bear. After hiking around the lake, we stopped at the Harriman Ranch to tour the buildings. Miriam refused (again) to see the bear rug in the bathtub.

Week with cousins

My brother's family visited from Washington during the first week of August, so much fun ensued with cousins.

We went to the zoo together:

 Miriam, Same, Bennet, Mason, Winnie, Analee and Rebekah posing on the tiger statue.

Rebekah, Uncle T, Winnie, Aunt Jessica, Miriam, Sam, Bennet, Aunt Teressa, Spencer and Mason looking at the tortoises.

Bennet and Miriam goofing off while waiting for penguin feeding time. 

Watching the penguins eat.

We went to the Snake River Roaring Youth Jam together:

Winnie and her toilet paper tube owl.

Rebekah and Analee next to an art tent.

Andrea supervising Miriam and Winnie's making paper mosaics.

 Analee in a cardboard house.

 Miriam weaving ribbons through a fence.

 Miriam completing an obstacle course.

 Winnie posing next to princesses. (She wasn't interested in posing with Batman and Captain America.)

We went to Rexburg Rapids together:

Miriam, Winnie and Sam playing in the shallow area. 

Winnie freezing her tuchus off after playing in the water.

Rebekah climbing the rock wall. 

 Analee climbing the rock wall.

And we went rafting together:

This is the only way we can get family pictures, apparently. The last one we had with everyone on the Scott side was take five years ago in front of rafts. (Top: Uncle Jon, Aunt Annie, Uncle T, Aunt McKall, Grandpa Scott, Grandma Scott, Mason, Spencer, Seth, Andrea. Bottom: Uncle Ethan, Aunt Teressa, Matthew, Shelby, Libby, Rebekah, Ellie, Analee, Sam, Miriam, Bennet, Winnie, Aunt Jessica.)

Grow reunion

Five years ago we were part of the horde of people who descend from Henry Grow and attended a huge reunion on Temple Square. Since it's the 200th birthday of Henry Grow and the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Tabernacle, the family association chose to hold another reunion this summer. I knew we couldn't miss it.

We drove to Salt Lake Thursday, August 3, and made it to our hotel. Although the summer concert series across the street in Pioneer Park made it hard to fall asleep, we all managed to do so.

Friday morning we walked to the TRAX station and rode it to Temple Square where we spent the morning at the Church History Museum.

Miriam, Winnie, Rebekah and Analee waiting at the TRAX station.

Seth, Miriam, Rebekah, Analee and Winnie taking a virtual tour of a pioneer cabin. 

Winnie using a pulley system to lift Nauvoo temple stones. 

Miriam making a silhouette of a pioneer profile.

Miriam writing and posting her thoughts about the Book of Mormon. 

Winnie's picture of Jesus. 

Andrea, Winnie, Miriam (in pioneer dress-ups), Analee and Rebekah posing in front of painting. 

Winnie riding a camel in the children's room. 

 Analee making pictures out of shapes.

 Rebekah making pictures out of shapes.

Seth and Miriam building a house with blocks. 

Miriam and Analee holding cards of their ancestor Drusilla Hendricks.

We spent a good amount of time searching for the hearts our Primary children sent to the Friend (they're not available to be seen by the public), then went back to the hotel for lunch. We met up with my parents and sister in time for Grandpa Scott, Seth, Rebekah and me to perform baptisms for the dead in the Salt Lake Temple while Grandma and Aunt Jessica took the younger girls to the visitors' centers and Conference Center. We checked out the Family History Center (which has a super cool interactive display) before going back to the hotel to play in the pool and then go to sleep.

 Rebekah outside the Salt Lake Temple after doing baptisms for the dead.

Seth pointing out ancestors to Miriam at the Family History Center.

The next day we woke up early for breakfast, then Seth stayed at the hotel with the girls to pack up while my parents, sister and I went back to Temple Square for the official Grow reunion. We attended some informational classes, toured the Tabernacle, had a family devotional and attended a group meeting.

Grandma Scott, Rebekah, Analee, Seth, Winnie, Miriam and Aunt Jessica enjoying breakfast. 

Walking by the Tabernacle. When your ancestor designs and helps build the roof, you get certain perks (like having reunions on Temple Square). 

Winnie, Analee and Miriam by the Salt Lake Temple waiting for Andrea to come out of classes.

Andrea, Analee, Seth, Miriam, Rebekah, Aunt Jessica, Winnie and Grandma Scott learning about the Tabernacle. 

Family picture by the organ pipes. 

Analee checking out the roof construction. Not many people get to see this nowadays.  

Grandma Scott and Miriam at the Assembly Hall (Henry Grow superintended its construction) for the family devotional.  

Boarding TRAX to go back to the hotel for the van.

The last time we attended the reunion, I was pregnant with Winnie, so it was fun to experience downtown Salt Lake and remember Henry Grow with the girls.