Water, Water and More Water

Who doesn't love a deal? Every now and then I'm on the ball enough to take advantage of something fun for a bargain. This month Thanksgiving Point offers $2 buck Tuesdays. Watson and I visited the Children's Garden for the first time the first Tuesday. The gardens have fun shrub mazes, splash spots, a little stream with a pond at the end, and some musical instruments in a forest. Watson loved it, especially the Noah's ark water feature. We will definitely be back to enjoy all the fun again!

A Day at the Beach, Kind Of

On the short list of "things to do this summer" was a visit to Antelope Island, at The Great Salt Lake. I had never been there, but do remember long ago trying to float on the lake. So, I thought I would give Chandler the same chance to try it out. We packed up the car with sand toys and snacks and headed out to Syracuse? Beyond Syracuse? Challey and her kids came along and made it fun for everyone. It was quite the adventure. Aside from the smell--it is pretty stinky--and the bugs---there are a katrillion gnats or something---we had a good time. Watson loved digging in the sand, Chandler loved float attempting, and we topped it all off with hot Krispy Kremes and yummy Italian ice. It was a once in a lifetime road trip. Well, maybe I'll try it again when Watson is a little bit older.

Rain Didn't Keep Us Away

One of Watson's favorite places to visit is the farm. We tried out a new one and were pleasantly surprised we could pet the goats and go on a wagon ride. Watson even braved the pony and made it round and round several times. It wasn't crowded and we got to stay until Watson was ready for ice cream. While we visited with the bunnies, the clouds burst open and dumped rain for about 20 minutes. Luckily, Watson didn't mind and patiently waited out the storm running in and out of our covered bench spot.

One Celebration After Another

The last week of June was busy, busy for Scott and Chandler. They both attended a week long Scout camp. It was so fun for both to go for the first time. They slept in tents, ate good food, Chandler earned FIVE merit badges, and they endured one night of "wilderness survival." All in all, it was a fantastic experience for them. They got home on my birthday and the fantastic times continued. Scott wished me a happy birthday with beautiful flowers and a promise of a surprise the following week. The boys rested up and we went to Stadium of Fire that night.  We had so much fun watching the dancers, playing with the giant beach ball, watching David Archuleta and Brad Paisley, and seeing the fireworks. It was totally worth our time. Watson loved it all and Chandler asked if we could make it a yearly tradition. I thought it a great end to my birthday and a great beginning to celebrate Independence Day.

Cousins Outing

Watson got a special day out with Grandma and his cousins, Stratton and Paris. We all took a trip downtown, on Trax, to the Church's Children Art Museum. He loved sitting on the seat next to the big kids. He loved playing with the different parts of the children's exhibit. He loved running wild amongst the amazing works of art. Now he knows what its like to actually ride the "choo-choo" of the tracks we cross every day.

Summer of FUN!

Every summer is bittersweet. I guess that is the nature of sharing a kid with another family. Since Chandler is home less in the summertime we really try to make the most of our time together. Bees games are always on the list of "things we'd like to do."  This year we tried something a little different. I never knew sitting on a blanket beyond the outfield would be such a party! It was perfect--and the only way we'll attend the games again. There is lots of room to play catch, wrestle, roll down the hill, do baby yoga, and eat kettle corn.

Did you know they have a free kiddie train? And a little playground area? And tables for picnics? Yes, it was a perfect evening for our little family and we have happy boys to show for it. Even now Watson will request a "ba-ball game" for the evenings entertainment. We will be back.

Aminals, Aminals, Aminals--according to Watson

 

Watson and I took a little day trip of our own--to The Hogle Zoo. This was his first trip. I thought it would be a great way to kick off the summer for the two of us. Right now there are "dinosaurs" at the museum, as well as the animals. The dinosaurs move, make noise, and sometimes squirt water. Watson was fascinated with them all, except for T-rex. He wanted nothing to do with him. In fact, he wouldn't even look at the thing. He just kept his head turned and said, "done, done, done." So we moved along to see the tigers, gorillas, and giraffes.  He was most curious about the elephants. We were lucky to see so much of them as they were playing in the water and the stage area. He loved to watch the baby elephant follow the mommy and sit on the tire. The other animal he really loved to watch was the giraffe. We watched the baby chew hay and drink water. Ask Watson what a giraffe says and he'll show you!

We spent some good time at the playground area. He braved all of the slides, even the big snake. Of course we rode the choo-choo train. It could have been a little longer for his liking. We learned about the polar bear and brown bear. A special presentation was set up to help people get excited about the new exhibits being built. We spent some time with the gorillas and monkeys, and I lost Watson for a few minutes in the old monkey house. He is fearless, whether I'm around or not!                                

Watson loved every minute of the zoo! I'm excited to go back again and watch him rediscover something familiar.

Best Dad on the Planet

It is completely obvious to me that these two boys know they have THE BEST dad on the planet. We are so lucky!

High on the Mountain Top

We discovered last year that our family really likes to hike together. Chandler is a bit competitive when it comes to reaching our destination first. Watson is a great spectator from the top of the pack on Scott's back. And I'm loving my new trail running shoes because it means I can keep up with the boys. We took a little hike on a trail near our house. We had never explored it before and found a little lake mid hike. Chandler, Scott, and Watson chose to dip their heads in the cold stream. I chose to be an innocent spectator. This hike has led to a few others as it has become our Friday tradition. We are lucky to live so close to so many beautiful spots!

Just for Fun

Have you ever been to one of those rinky dink town fairs? You know, the kind with creaky rides and you can win a goldfish from getting a ping pong ball in a bowl? I don't know when I went to one last until recently. We took the boys to the South Jordan Days. They rode rides, ate Kettle Corn, and played games. It was kind of fun--for everyone. I loved to watch Chandler hold tight to Watson down the FUN SLIDE. True brotherly love: