This is the Place

So last weekend, I won a HUGE prize from KUTV 2News and This is the Place Heritage Park!

:D :D :D :D :D :D

I wasn't able to go pick up the prize until Tuesday, so we headed to the Heritage Park Gift Shop that day! I was impressed from the moment I walked in. So many things caught my eye right off the bat. Jewelry, home decor, shoes, books, etc! The lady at the front desk said, "Can I help anyone?" I answered, but right at that moment, Seth decided he needed a bathroom. So we wandered downstairs. There were some awesome displays down there that we weren't able to explore right at that moment. I will definitely be going back to find out what is downstairs. Anyway, when we made our way back to that front desk, the lady there was so sweet. When I mentioned my name, it was like a buzz filled the room. That was a cool feeling! Evidently, they had been waiting for me. I had won a much bigger prize than I had first been lead to believe. You ready for this???

Here's the list. It's long:

doggy slippers for Seth
moose slippers for Kai
a man's bracelet for Jason
orange sandals for me
beer bread mix

a canvas sign that says Bless this Home
a necklace
a purse that matches the jewelry and sandals
chicky poop (aka really good toffee)
a book entitled Cowboy Wisdom
two huge kitchen towels
a baby bracelet
earrings
a wall hook that looks like a door knob and key
indian fry bread mix
a metal basket
a bracelet
a candle
a recipe book for Superfood Smoothies
sea salt popcorn (that Jason has really enjoyed)
an invisible paint Frozen book
a Sherlock holmes book (that Kai won't put down)
Tokyomilk lotion

AND a family membership to the Heritage Village!

It's over $500 all together, and I can't believe I won. After we looked at all of this amazing stuff, we headed into the Heritage Village to use our membership for the first time. (Jason was at work, so it was just the kids and me.) I sheepishly admit that I totally underestimated that place. The kids had such a blast, and it was really educational.

 It's baby animal season! Eeeh! Yay! They got to pet a baby chicken, but they didn't want to hold it.

 Baby goats!

 They learned how to milk a cow with this plastic cow. It was funny to see them learn where milk comes from. Lol!

 They got to ride horses, too!

And then there's this awesomeness. The boys got to play on a huge playground pirate ship. Kai couldn't find his way off when it was time to go.

 I locked them in the brig, but they were way too excited about it. Look at those happy faces.

 Fun day together.

 We looked through a couple old-fashioned cabins. I then thought maybe the kids would be bored, so I tried to move on. Seth was not having it. He loved those little cabins. He couldn't believe that people used to live in such small houses with no beds and a lot of children. We took a moment to count our blessings, such as having beds for everyone.

 The kids then panned for gold! Anything they found they got to take home. (Don't tell Kai, but he left his gold in his pocket, so I took it out and put it on top of the washing machine when I washed his jeans. The washing machine then shook it all off. I haven't found even one piece since. He didn't ask, so I won't tell.)

 As I helped them pan for gold, I fell in the mud. I then proceeded to take this picture of my muddy bum. I'm sure I looked really cool in that moment. ;)

 There was a mini-train to ride, and the kids loved it. Seth pointed out that the track was somewhat heart-shaped, and Kai almost hyperventilated when the geese waddled into the little pond.

 We then entered an indian home! It was a mud hut thing, and it was amazing.

 

There was also a large train that took you around the village. Kai said this was his favorite part.

 I love this picture.

 At one point the boys started chasing some very large squirrels. They were hilarious.

 The boys were excited when it started to rain because it meant they got to use their umbrellas.

 We went back to the Gift Shop at the end to retrieve the very large prize. I got to meet this amazing lady! Her name is Tresha Kramer, and she is so sweet. (As is every lady in that whole shop.) Seth took this picture. Didn't he do such a good job?!

We looked aroung the Gift Shop for a long time. Upstairs, there are some amazing paintings that really show you what life was like when the old buildings that make up the village were being built. It was fun to show the kids how the people used to dress and get things done. They also have a miniature village model, so I was able to show the kids where we went while we were in the village. It was hard not to spend triple digits there, because their stuff was adorable. I bought the kids each a treat, and I got me this little treat--

The plate on it is interchangeable, so you can pick about any saying you want. Jason and I were looking online later and found one that says, "Not all who wander are lost." It's a quote from The Fellowship of the Ring, the first book in the Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien. These are some of my favorite books ever! So I'm hoping I get that plate for my bracelet for Mother's Day. :)