Pioneer Weekend with V-Town Folks

Our best friends the Meurer's came into town for the 24th of July, a holiday in Utah we call Pioneer Day. It was sort of a surprise for the guys. You see Jamison (we call him Jamie) & Lars have been best friends since the beginning of time. I have spoken of them many times before on this blog. We usually do an annual camping trip with them and other families but this year camping wasn't happening so this trip was thrown together as a surprise by Jamie's wife, Nelia, and I. We didn't tell them anything, only to keep the weekend open. We were going to wait and tell them the day before the holiday but then they started asking questions so a week before we had a conference call and spilled the beans, though I am sure they knew what was going on by then. :)

We rode the train into downtown for the Days of '47 Parade. 

We had never been to the parade before and feared we would get terrible seats since we didn't camp out. We got there just before the parade started and had amazing seats. 

The Prophet of the LDS church is in that car, Presiden Thomas S. Monson. Nelia just about had a heart attack. It was awesome!

Roan and the kids waiting for the parade. 

I taught Roan how to wave to all the people in the parade

Did you see this. That horse is totally smiling for my camera

Here is that smiling horse close up. Talk about a photo bomber. 

After the Parade we were so tired and thirsty. So we walked a million miles to the nearest 7-11.

That night we joined forces with our awesome neighbors, The Duncan's and had a firework show. Poor Roan was scared. Thankfully Grandma was around to help protect him. 

Then the Emily and Roan enjoyed an adorable bath together. 

These two were really cute together. Emily is the one girl Roan LOVES to play with. They did almost every kind of play together. I am totally okay with them getting married someday. :) There story would really be like the Swan Princess since every summer since the day they were born they have been forced to hang out. :)

Nelia and I had a girls afternoon out. We got full body massages and then had Cafe Rio. 

Later we had a double date. We got My Thai in downtown and then got special chocolate desserts from Hatch Family Chocolates in the Avenues. Then we went on a romantic drive around Capitol Hill. It was lots of fun. 

Later in the weekend we played around at the mall.

Then we went it on this crazy 3 mile (each way) hike up to the Timpanogos Caves for a tour. We weren't allowed to bring strollers so we had to carry Roan most of the way. We are rock stars. As I carried him up many women going the opposite direction were giving me high fives. 

It was so much fun but extremely tiring. 

Nelia made us lumpa. It was so yummy. Jamie also made homemade ice cream. Oh man we ate really well while they were here. We loved having them and can't wait to reunite :)

Lars has a ton more pics from the caves and parade but I am too impatient to wait to get them off the camera before posting. Maybe I will post again with more pics just in case you haven't already had enough. :)