Spring Break:This is the Place Heritage Park

By far the most fun we had was at This is the Place Heritage Park. We went up to go to the zoo but when we arrived the parking lot was full, and the line to the entrance was a mile long. I didn't want to deal with all of those people so we decided to go across the street and visit Heritage Park. It was the best decision ever! I got front row parking and we never had to wait for anything. Plus, all of their homes were fully staffed and running so we were able to see a lot. Even then, we were there from when they opened their doors until they closed and we didn't get to see everything.

The kids plowed a field, washed clothes by hand, 'vacuumed' a rug. Carson got his first shave and we tried to identify different kinds of animal skins. It was hard!

Afterwards we rode the train to the Brooklyn ship where we got to search for precious stones and pan for gold.

Eureka! We were rich. On our way back we stopped by Hooper & Eldredge bank and received an offer of $14.08 for our gold. The equivalent of  two months worth of wages.  We  decided to keep the gold.

The kids decided they wanted to ride a horse again so we went to the livery stable.  As we approached I saw a boy, maybe 6 years old standing outside crying. He looked up at me and told me he was lost and couldn't find his family. It broke my heart to see him so worried. I could only imagine the panic his mom must have been feeling. I found a park employee and left him with her. She was even more lost as what to do with him than I was. So I left the pony line and went back to ask the boy if he knew his mom's phone number so I could call her. He didn't. Finally another gentleman left his post and decided to walk the boy to the visitor center/gift shop. On the way there they came across the boy's mom. Phew! What a relief that was. Lesson learned: teach my youngest children my phone number.

Even on Spring break the kids asked to go to school! They were taught how to write their name in the Deseret Alphabet. Can you read their names? Now we can become spies!