This week was Spring Break!! We took our four youngest and left Monday morning for Dinosaurland! (Which sounds like an amusement park but is really just what an entire county in Utah calls itself. Ha ha!) We stayed in a hotel in Vernal and on Monday we went to the museum there. Afterwards, we had dinner at a local diner, went back to our hotel for some games, and then walked over to Wendy's for late-night snacks/treats.

Wendy's! Sitting on one bench.

On Tuesday, we drove to Dinosaur National Monument. We saw the wall of bones they've preserved and built a building around. It's amazing because most of the amazing dinosaur bone recreations in museums all over America, came from this spot, and there's still hundreds left.

We travelled on through the park. We saw petroglyphs, had a picnic by the Green River, then saw Josie's cabin and hiked to the box canyons where she kept her animals.

After that, we drove to Red Fleet State Park. We went on a two-mile hike to see dinosaur footprints next to the lake. The beautiful desert hike wore us out with lots of ups and downs on plates of rock turned vertical from geologic upheaval. We had fun finding the footprints and taking some eye-tricking pictures!

Back in Vernal, we went out to eat for dinner again and visited the Vernal temple. Then we went back to our hotel room to watch Land Before Time. Dad and the girls drove out to the desert to see the stars, but Ben wasn't feeling well so I stayed back with him.

Wednesday was our last day. After a good breakfast at the hotel, we found the hike to Moonshine arch. Another beautiful desert hike took us over geologic formations to a very splendid arch. Ben had a rock Kevin had given to him and he lost it here. That made Ben very sad.

Ben cheered up when we got back to Vernal, though. Yesterday, he found a park ranger pin and he renewed his efforts to say to all of us, "Congratulations! You are now a Junior Park Ranger DINOSAUR at National Monument." We had a picnic in the city park and bought souvenirs before we headed back home to Springville.

We had a great trip but it was good to be back home. Benjamin's birthday was on Friday! It's been a fun birthday because he just finished the Harry Potter series. Ben is turning eleven which is the age of Harry when the books begin and he gets his letter from Hogwarts. Ben's class at school is starting a Harry Potter unit at school and to kick it off, they sent all the kids letters from Hogwarts which Ben received as we got home! He had also told me he thought it would be cool to get glasses like Harry's and they arrived in the mail on the same day. So much fun!

On the day of Ben's birthday, we got him a present that he has really been looking forward to. We took him to the pet store and got him a hamster! He named him Marshmellow and it is true love! For the rest of the day he played with the hamster and his friend Luke. That night, the family came over for presents and cake and ice cream. It was a fun day!

In other news, Savannah couldn't come with us because she needed to work every day this week. In addition to keeping Funfinity open and in business, it was the week to move the bees into their new home! So, she also painted the beehive boxes and on Saturday, Brother Berger came over and helped her get the bees in the hive! Her new project is officially under way!