Oak City

I decided it was high time I got my kids back to their country roots. Luckily for them, those roots are conveniently located in Oak City, Utah, and their Grandpa Russell and Mikesell great-grandparents just happened to be headed that direction while we were visiting. 

Other than a slight mishap involving the trailer (thanks to my son's need for a bathroom break less than an hour after leaving Ogden), we made it safely to Oak City in all its glory. I was completely unsurprised to find that my kids LOVED it. After all, my cousins and I used to think this was the best place in the world.

Excited to be out of the car and given free roaming privileges.

It took them about 2.5 seconds to discover and scale this pile of gravel.

The purpose of this trip was the installation of a huge pipe in the creek in order to make a bridge for an access road. So once Grandpa Scott got the trailer settled, we headed off across the land to see where the pipe was going to go. 

Someone insisted on walking by herself.

Believe it or not, she didn't even flinch when she turfed it right on her face:

I cracked up when I saw her face. 

Do you know how many pictures we have of me/my sisters/my cousins covered in Oak City dirt?

The pipe was a big hit with the kids: 

Talking to Great-Grandpa Scott through the pipe

Testing out the pipe's sturdiness:

Best part of the hike: playing in the dry creek bed: 

My job was keeping them away from all the random pieces of barbed wire buried everywhere.

The last thing we needed was an emergency room run for a tetanus shot...

Then it was off to the creek for the installation of the pipe!

Catherine snagged a great view from the back of Great-Grandpa's truck: 

Seth preferred the view from the pile of gravel: 

My dad insisted I get some action shots of the pipe going in, so here we are: 

My handsome Dad: 

The four men, surveying the work: 

The women-folk kept a safe distance, mostly because Catherine was sure the backhoe was going to get her: 

Seth obviously had no such reservations: 

Once the pipe was safely in, we enjoyed a delicious dinner of Spaghettios in the trailer before heading to Aunt Lora's house for a nice bath before bed. The kids and I slept wonderfully (once they stopped being fascinated by the color-changing nightlight and sitting up every three seconds to announce the new color).

Then it was time for Oak City, day #2: 

Looking cute in Grandma's hat

Seth helps Great-Grandpa put the finishing touches on the pipe.

Three Mikesells surveying their work

Catherine was most pleased with the whole situation: 

And this is how my children spent the rest of their time with the pipe: 

Laying on either end of it and yelling to each other.

Despite my (and Grandma's) fears, neither of them fell in.

Did I mention that neither of my children wore any shoes basically the entire time we were there?

Even after I had to fish splinters out of their feet at night? 

Seth, testing the strength of the pipe: 

Our work successfully completed, we spent one more night at Lora's before making the drive to Logan: 

Catherine kept herself entertained with all her various reptiles.

We were able to spend a couple of lovely days in Logan, just hanging out with the Mikesells and visiting with our family. And many thanks to Amber, who let me & the kids come sleep at her house and who fed us delicious breakfast every morning! 

Catherine snuggling with Great-Grandma Danice