Museum of Natural History

Today we decided to have a family day and visit the Museum. Neither Dan nor I had been in years. The museum had received funding within the last 5 years to expand and rebuild, so they are no longer in President's circle at the U, but up near Red Butte Gardens instead. The new building was amazing. We spent hours there today. I personally love the fossil and dinosaur exhibits. We got a view of their special storage area, complete with specified temperature and climate controls for the various fossils, minerals, and artifacts. We also got a good view of the paleontology lab.
Cam did really well. Dan and I both hope to instill a lifelong passion for exploring and learning, and starting him out young is the best way! I am amazed at how much he actually takes in. I know that he won't remember today when he is older, but hopefully with repeated exposure to so many different experiences, he will naturally be inclined to want to learn.

Dan wanted a picture with all the skulls- the timeline of Darwinism at it's finest. We descended from Apes!!! That is a good laugh, and Dan and I chuckled and took a moment to reflect on the spiritual side of history. So many of these fossils and artifacts are from millions and millions of years ago. Amazing to think just how old our Earth is in years as we measure it. I am so so grateful for the truth and understanding the gospel brings. I find that having my testimony only makes me appreciate history more- The beauty and life that our Father in Heaven has created!!

Cameron was so good. He had fun. He really seemed to enjoy it and take it all in!! I think that we generally don't give babies enough credit. He was amazed by some the exhibits and excited by others! It was way fun to watch him!

The Paleontolgy Lab...

 The blog won't do this photo justice. However, the museum had multiple terraces with "outdoor exhibits" of many rocks, minerals, and plants native to Utah. On the roof, the view of the valley was spectacular, so I definitely got a panorama!!

Golden Spike

Dad and Dan planned a daytrip for us to all go see the Golden Spike National Monument where the locomotives met connecting the Union and Central Pacific Railroads. May 10, 1869 was the day that the meeting was celebrated!!
The trains were really neat, although they were replicas. The Jupiter was the train for the Central Pacific and ran on wood. The 119 was for the Union and it ran on coal. The steam locomotives were heavy and huge- and only ran from 15-30 miles per hour.
The joining of lines was a huge moment for our Country in it's time. They had the last spike hooked to the telegraph, so when the spike was driven in, it sent a signal immediately all over the Country that the East and West coast were joined at last! The celebration of this moment was modest at Promontory, but in California, canons sounded, and parades and celebration on the East coast.

Isn't our junior conductor so adorable?!