Hogle Zoo to see Rocky Shores

I've been so excited about Rocky Shores that this year I got a season pass.  I usually try to avoid season passes because there are so many fun things to do around here that I don't usually visit the same place more than once a year anyhow.

We had a blast at Hogle Zoo.  The kids love seeing the animals and it's great to be outside walking around.  We saw the usual monkeys, elephants, giraffes, stinky animals (small animals and reptiles inside a building), tigers and other wildcats, rhinos, camels, and a few others.  Then we saw Rocky Shores.  We were most excited for the polar bear.  The kids were a bit surprised when he wasn't walking around on ice.  We had fun watching him for aboutr 20 minutes.  He would push off the window and back float across the water.  Then he would dive down and swim back towards the window.  Repeat and repeat.  We were mesmerized watching this routine.

We also saw the river otters, seals, and sea lions.

And in the Rocky Shores they have grizzly bears.  They were out swimming and laying on the rocks when we were there.  They were very cute and fun to watch but I sure hope I never run into one outside of the zoo.

And of course the kids' very favorite part of the zoo are the carousel and train rides and the playground.  As they are ripping out this playground I made sure to take a few pictures of our favorite play items in hopes they will keep them or at least be sure to make fun themed play structures in the new playground.

First week of summer and Mt View Park

For the first official full week of summer Brodie was out of town so I had a busy, fun week with the kids.  We went to the Lone Peak skate park for Family Skate Night, took Tessa to gymnastics, had swimming lessons for both kids, and Spencer started tennis lessons (which he loves).

We also had a fun day at Mt View Park on Fort Union.  We've been watching the progress almost daily as we drive by and the kids have been so excited.  I've also been very excited.  I love taking my kids to playgrounds and try to find as many different ones as I can so they don't feel like they are always playing on the same ones.  I am also so excited for the splashpad.  Most of Sandy's public areas were built long before the splash pads came around and the only one I know of close to us is Alta Canyon's but you have to pay to get in.  Last year we drove out to Herriman, Riverton, or Liberty Park to visit splash pads.

We also invited Spencer's friend to come with us.  There are two different playgrounds.  One is geared more for little kids.  There are the little bouncy animals, a small tractor play structure with a little slide, a low teeter totter, and a short climbing structure with a slide.  Even the older boys managed to be entertained.

The other playground is great for older kids.  There is a game thing where you run around tapping the lights and there's music. There is a fun spinning structure you can stand on, climb up, or hang on and swing on the outside.  There's a bridge, tunnels, big slides, rope climbing structures, and a rock climbing structure.

Then there's the splash pad.  The center had buckets that would spill over.  There was also the section of loops that spray, blasters the kids could aim all over to hit people with a stream of water, a frog structure that sprayed just small water out which was perfect for Clara, and then plenty of places the ground would spray out water.  The splash pad rotated through but always had a few places spraying at once so the kids could spread out.  I know this park is brand new and it's the beginning of summer but it was REALLY crowded.

Clara's 2nd birthday party!

My baby turned 2.  She is the cutest thing ever.  She never stops talking and laughing and singing.  She loves doing what her older siblings do.  Her favorite shows are Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Dora the Explorer.  She loves playing with baby dolls, reading books, having Tessa fix her hair and put makeup on her, watching Spencer play electronic games, making me food to eat in the play kitchen, and getting hugs and kisses from daddy.

To celebrate her birthday we invited the aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents to our house.  I made some more popcorn and cotton candy and set the bounce house back up.  I also made her a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cake but the Mickey Mouse head didn't stay up too well so I had to hold it up for the pictures.  Clara loved her birthday.

Because I give Tessa flowers for her birthday I thought it would be nice if I gave Clara some too.  I just picked some pink and purple flowers from my front yard and tied some birthday balloons on for her.  She really loves Rapunzel.

End of school parties

If you haven't caught on yet I like to have fun.  And I like my kids to have fun.  And yes, they are spoiled.  So I was trying to think of a fun way to kick off summer and I decided it was a good excuse to have a party!  I let Spencer and Tessa each invite all the kids in their class to a End of School/Summer Kick Off party in our backyard.  Might as well get some use out of the swing set and bounce house I bought this spring!

For both parties I made cotton candy with my awesome cotton candy machine (it can actually make cotton candy from lifesavers and jolly ranchers although buying the actual cotton candy sugar from Zurchers and using it tastes much better and has a much better texture).  I also made a bunch of popcorn, had fresh fruit on frilly toothpicks, and made some lemonade.

The kids had a blast eating, playing on the swingset, the bounce house, and the trampoline.  It was a fun way to begin the summer.

Boys and Girls

Brodie took Spencer to the ward Father and Son's Campout Friday night while the girls and I rented the Sketchers Twinkle Toes movie and had a girls movie and popcorn night.  Everyone had a great time.  After not enough sleep Saturday both kids had double headers in soccer.  Spencer had a 10 game followed by an 11:30 game.  Tessa's first game was at 11 and her next at noon.  So we spent a long day out in the sun.