Cirque Italia

Ever since the "real" circus shut down a few years ago, we were apprehensive to try the "mall parking lot circus" that comes to town. We tried one of those in California and it wasn't really all that.

So, when I heard about Cirque Italia, I didn't really know what it was, but the website advertised it as a water circus  an "Aquatic Spectacular" ....whatever that is....so we got tickets.

The website says this:  "Cirque Italia is not your average, traditional circus like the many others."

It's an Italian company that brings a performance of European style. (Whatever that is).

Well, there is water, but the water isn't the spectacular part.  It is kind of cool how they do it, there is a ring of water and the ring is hoisted up to the ceiling and the water falls down and the performers perform inside the water circle.  But as far as the water, that's pretty much it.  

The performers were good though....some what you'd expect - the running guy on the pendulum, tight rope walkers, and some you wouldn't expect - dinosaurs, laser light robots and more.

All in all, it was fun and different, and we will go again next year if they come to a parking lot near us!  We weren't supposed to be taking photos inside, so I didn't get any of the actual show....  only them setting up and one or two where I sneakily took some.

We were sitting right in the center, third row - so up really close...and right next to the aisle where the clown went up/down the stage - He involved the audience through the whole show.  Jacob was sitting right on the edge and guess what?  The VERY FIRST thing, the clown grabbed Jacob and made him come up on stage to ride a very very small bike.  Jacob did NOT want to go.

Before riding the bike however, the clown made Jacob copy him and they did a little dance.  Look really close at Jacob's shoes.  Can you see a slight covering on the front?  Yep.  We had just gone to JCPenney right before coming here, and were in the shoe department.  Jacob put on the mini-nylons that ladies use to try on shoes - he put them over his shoes and was sliding around on the floor of the store.  Well, he didn't take them off...and there he is, up on stage, with nylons on his shoes!

Jacob was a good sport and played along!

VIDEO:  I figured since it was a family member, I could take photos and a video:

During intermission, the clown was trying to sell balloons, but he was just standing in one place spinning them around...and as people walked by, he bopped them on the head with the balloons

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The dinos were pretty funny...it was like a tiger show...the guy came out and there were 4-5 dinos like this, and they all laid down, as he yelled at them in another language...and then he put his head in one of their mouths...it was good

Of course they had the spinning pendulum where the guys walks in and on top of the cage.  Here they are setting it up

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You should definitely go if this circus comes to a parking lot near you!

Payson Lakes Camping

We'd never been to Payson Lakes campground, but it's pretty close, just up Payson's Mt. Nebo loop, and heard it was really pretty, so we decided to try.

You have to reserve a spot early January, which we did, but there were only two spots left and we snatched them up.

There are three small "lakes" in the area that surround the campground, the biggest has fishing, canoeing, swimming and hiking around the small lake.  It's a mile hike all the way round, so it's not that big.

The campground was really pretty and the two last spots that we got, were actually the nicest ones!!  Full of trees and shrubs and difficult to see our neighbors.

We had a great time and great weather and even better company!  Marissa/Matt, Meghan/Corey/Jane and all of us.

Cooking Hot Dogs

One day we took a short hike through a beautiful area

The hike started out with just going through a field....

...but soon went through Aspen groves and pine trees

This is the biggest of the three lakes - Big East Lake

Marissa tried to catch her dinner...but nothing happened

Hannah wanted to try

We had yummy tin foil dinners cooked to perfection - nothing burned!

Salsa Chicken

Meat and cheeeezzzzyyyy potatoes

We don't camp too much for several reasons.....
1. It's usually far away
2. You get all smokey (and we really were this time!!)
3. You get dirty and dusty
4. You have to go to the bathroom
5. You have to take so much stuff to go

This was close, had running water but we did have some problems with #5.  Only having two sedan cars now, we have a hard time carrying all our stuff to go camping...we had to rely on BOTH Meghan and Marissa taking some of our stuff!

We had a good time and would recommend Payson Lakes, Loop B campground.

Fam Reunion - Bear Lake

Shelley's family takes turns planning a family reunion each year.  This year, all 44 of us went o Bear Lake where we stayed in a very large house, with I think 12 bedrooms and plenty of room for everyone!

We'd all been to Bear Lake before, but it was a long time ago.  Bear Lake straddles the Utah and Idaho border, with the border going right through the middle of the lake.  It's a large lake - about 20 miles long and 8 miles wide.  It's nickname is the "Caribbean of the Rockies" because of the unique turquoise-blue water, that changes colors according to the time of day and how the sun hits the water.  The water has high levels of limestone deposits suspended in the water which causes the refraction of the light and the color.  It's the 2nd largest fresh water lake in Utah, with only Utah Lake being bigger.

Bear Lake is over 250,000 years old and is a natural forming lake, meaning there is no man-made dam or reservoir. At 208 feet deep, it's pretty deep and it's said there is an unknown "monster" that inhabits the lake (similar to the one that is supposed to be in Lake Tahoe).  Being a high mountain lake, at about 6000 feet elevation, the water is colder until very late in the summer. Because of the unique weather - warm days and cold nights, the entire Bear Lake valley is known for excellent raspberries, and there are tons of shake shops all over - and of course each one says THEY have the best famous shakes around.

The house we stayed in was straight out of the 70's and looked like the Brady Bunch house - it was decorated like it was frozen in time from when I was a little kid.  It overlooked the valley and the lake.  It was a great reunion!!

View from the house

Plenty of room outside to play

Very large deck 

Lots of things to keep everyone busy having fun

Each "family" took a turn with a meal for everyone. So you only had to worry about making and cleaning up a meal once. It was great!

I felt like they shopped at Home Goods for unique items....or thrift shops to decorate the house

This chair was different, as was the life-size doll that ended up getting "hid" in rooms to scare people at night

We had one of these string art pictures when I was a kid....and I think it might have been this same eagle!

Jacob running the "bases"

Caitlyn made this HUGE twister game!  

Gpa and Gma brought sunglasses for all the kids to wear. Gpa was telling a story about when he was a kid and the sun blinded his eyes (I think that is what he was saying), and that they should be extra careful and always wear these glasses cuz the sun is bright up here!

Not wanting to disobey, Jacob wore his sunglasses all the time

All the cousins

Very exciting "Minute to Win It" games

Keep the balloon in the air

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Pass the fuzzies with a straw

Cup stacking

One evening, we went down to the lake to get some family photos taken by Saundra.  Jacob showed off his rock skipping skills

We tried having a prop for this pic

We celebrated Shelley's birthday while we were there

A friendly game of "Sting Pong" where the winner gets to hit a ping pong ball as hard as they can at all the losers, with their shirts off.  This is a welt from one such hit

VIDEO:  So the way you play, is each person hits the ball once and then rotates.  If you miss, that's one life lost - everyone has 3 lives.  The last person alive wins, and then gets to hit the ball as hard as they can with everyone else standing with their backs exposed on the other end of the table. 

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About 15 mins away, we found a short hike to a Limber Pine tree that is over 2500 years old

It's actually a cluster of about 4-5 trees that have grown together.  This set of trees is much much older than all the other tress in the area.  Not sure why or how it's here, but it's here.

Of course there was a geo-cache nearby we had to find

One afternoon was spent shooting

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Not sure what was happening here.  I looked up and saw Grandma washing her hair in the kitchen sink

VIDEO:  One evening, Austin decided to eat a moth.  

Hannah was going very high on the swing

One afternoon we went to the lake - there was a short boardwalk that led to a small beach

It was very windy that day, but not windy enough to stop Grandma from posing

Time to get dinner ready - this night was tamales, tacos, chips, dips

We went to town one evening for "famous shakes" - we had to choose between about 15 different places - all claiming to have the best 'world famous' shakes

Time for some volleyball

We also went Razor riding (which was very dusty but fun), played games, watched movies and more.  We had a great time and it was a lot of fun!!!