Ockey Family Adventures: February 2021

January didn't feel too much like winter since we didn't have any snow. We were able to squeeze in a few adventures like a hike in Highland called Knight Rider Trail. We also took our annual trip to the Ice Castles.

One of the most special parts of January was that Dax was ordained a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood. It was done in our home, and luckily, Grandma & Grandpa Daniels, Brittany, Grandpa Ockey, and Laurie & Glen could all be there to help and support.

We played games with Grandma, Grandpa, and Brittany while they were here.

The boys got suits for Christmas. Seth's is a tuxedo!

Dax looked great in his suit at the ordination.

We were grateful for the support, even during Covid.

Our boys are growing up so quickly.

It isn't very often that we get to watch the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs. This year, though, they were really good. They had two playoff games and both of them were on Saturday! We had parties (private, of course) in the basement and rooted on our favorite football team.

We also took several trips to see how the puppies are coming along. They are really getting big! Our boys have never really been dog people, and Dax has a serious fear of dogs, so it has been good for the boys to have this opportunity to be around decent dogs.

Pizza and treats for the game! They beat the Colts in Round 1.

Everyone sported the team colors to watch them defeat the Ravens in Round 2.

They lost in the AFC Championship to the Chiefs, but it was a great year!

The puppies are getting too big to hold.

That doesn't stop the boys from holding them, though.

Seeing these gentle dogs has been really good for Dax.

Dax made a pretty sweet shark out of clay.

Dry Creek Elementary Spirit Night let's us eat ice cream and pretend we are supporting our local school.

Mark's baseball coach gives away prizes for the best fielding at practice.
He won $5, a giftcard, and wooden bat!

Mark and Mom enjoyed some Wednesday adventures together. One day they went up to see the Bald Eagles at Farmington Bay. They saw some eagles, but they were really far away. The best sightings were 10 Black Crowned Night Herons sitting in the bushes together, and a beautiful kestrel right on a sign by the road. They also went and saw the big ice piles at Utah Lake.

We liked to tease Mark that the other kids go to school.

Those seagulls photobombed the night heron picture.

This kestrel was really colorful.

The ice stacks on Utah Lake became a really popular website post.

You could safely walk on the stacks that had washed up on the shore.

We took a little hike right on the Lehi/Highland border called the Knight Rider Trail. It was right in town, but Mark still managed to spot a great horned owl right over the trail. It was a great reminder that we can enjoy the natural world right in our backyard.

Occasionally our boys don't want to hike, but with teamwork, we get out on the trail.

This little hike was right down in the hollow below the houses.

We didn't see anyone else, so we had to take a selfie.

... or two.

Seth likes to hike with a stick. This was his choice.

See? Even though he was reluctant, he ended up having a great hike!

Someone had built a little fort along the trail.

Owls are easily the most exciting birds to spot.

Every year on Martin Luther King Day, we drive down to Sanpete to spot bald eagles. It is our favorite January adventure, and this year was no different. We spotted over twenty bald eagles, along with a few other fun birds. Best of all, we had pizza in Ephraim.

Out toward Wales there are tons of bald eagles.

This was one of the few golden eagles we saw, too.

This picture is fun because it shows a juvenile bald eagle by an adult bald eagle.

They always remind us of Grandma Ockey, who loved this bird drive.

We had a great adventure at Just Add Chocolate. This is a little shop that lets you make your very own chocolate. You can dip, mold, or mix chocolate. Our boys had a great time with their creations, and Mom and Dad did, too.

Seth enjoyed using the molds to make different shapes.

Dad mixed his in little cups.

We love family outings, and this one was very memorable.

Dax made cups, dips, and used the mold to show his love of BYU.

The boys got to take all their chocolates home.

Dax's favorite was this chocolate that he filled with peanut butter.

We weren't sure we would have winter this year. In the valleys, we didn't receive enough snow to shovel by the end of January. Still, it was cold enough that the ice castles were built, though they did seem a little softer, and a little less sparkling. As always, we had a great time.

The Ice Castles have become a tradition for us.

There are many places to explore.

The kids like the tightest passages, because parents can't tag along.

We haven't enjoyed masks, but we were grateful that they kept our faces warm!

There were fewer slides, but this one was just right for kids.

The boys liked racing down this side-by-side slide.

Seth is all tuckered out from the ice castles.

Mom always laughs at Dad's picture ideas, and then they turn out to be the best pictures.

The castles have become a part of our winters.

This was the most beautiful part of the ice castles.

Dad took a pretty cool panorama picture of the area.

We take A LOT of selfies. We've recently added two cell phones to our household, and the boys can take pictures even without knowing the passwords to unlock the phones. We delete tons of pictures, but here are a few of the gems that were worth saving.