Ice Castles {sunshine and ice and every shade of blue}

Yesterday we went up to Midway Utah and explored the Ice Castle. Have you heard of this thing?! I hadn't until my sister-in-law went a few weeks ago and then I started seeing it everywhere. Suddenly, I NEEDED to go.

Their website reads "Built by hand and made from more than 20,000,000 pounds of ice, the Ice Castles are READY to be explored! Carved walking paths will lead visitors through towering glacial formations, caverns, archways, and maze-like tunnels."

The air in Salt Lake has been so yucky, full of inversion and smog. Midway (one place I'd love love love to live one day), however, was clear of any inversion and so beautiful it takes my breath away.

E's family decided to join us, because seeing this in person really shouldn't be missed.

You can choose to go at night, but if you plan on going, I'd recommend day time. The ice is amazing. The sun is amazing. And paired with the blue sky, you can see every hue of blue ever seen my human eyes. Each photo I like more than the last. Blue and cold and so awesome.

James was LOVING it. He said over a dozen times "this is the best day of my life" and "I want to sleep here!" I love this cold weather boy of mine.

Look at all those shades of blue! And walking under and between all the icicles was unnerving and totally awesome.

Icicles of every shape and size where everywhere.

We made the mistake of going on Saturday. If I were to do it again I'd beg E to take a Monday or Tuesday off and go when it wasn't wall-to-wall people.

Luckily with the crowds I still got a photo of two of my favorite people in the entire world.

Views like this were everywhere you looked.

Portions of the castle were called "The Maze" or "Slot Canyons". These areas you weaved in and out of tiny hallways of ice and snow. Any moment you looked up, this is what you saw.

There were little caves and tunnels you could crawl threw. James went again and again, a smile plastered on his face the entire time. This might be one of my favorite shots of him ever!

This boy couldn't be happier.

All the shapes of ice were so beautiful. Looks like modern art.

These two. Oh I love them. Juliet was grumpy (cold weather? teeth?) and only wanted me. Since I wanted to take photos I passed her off to E, and somehow he got her cheered up and even smiling. Magic, that man.

Going late in the day (this was taken around 4:45 pm) meant that the sun was low enough to shine threw the ice.

Best winter post ever, I'd say!