Salt Lake Summer Fun

Cranky Kara, that's what you can call me!

It's actually been a lovely day.  I had a snowball fight up Millcreek Canyon with the kids, completed a 500 piece puzzle, and watched General Conference.  So why am I cranky?  I opened up this nearly complete post and discovered that the text was completely GONE.  Argh!  I will not be dismayed.  Here we go--again.

Summer!  Seems silly to write about summer when our snow boots are drying, but it was fabulous nonetheless.  I adore summer's carefree mornings without alarm clocks or buses to catch.  We stay busy, but the days are our own to fill.

The Salt Lake City Library puts together an amazing summer program that kept our entire family entertained.  We participated in magic shows...

jumped rope... (Brooklyn, Talia, and Eli all managed to double dutch)

...and rocked the candy construction.

Brooklyn the library's OWL camp at Hogwarts.

Talia and Eli preferred Star Wars day.

As for Annie, she was obsessed with the petting zoo.  I'm reminded of "L'enfant et le renard."

On hot summer days, the Salt Lake City Sports Complex is a great place to cool off.  You can ice skate...

...or swim a few laps in the pool.

The view isn't bad either.

Liberty Park is another fun place to splash. (Just wish they'd re-open their Seven Canyons water feature.)

Eli's been known to stick his head in a book there.


Just as long as he's not sticking his head in the sand.

The nicest pool we swam in all summer belonged to a classmate of Brooklyn's, Sierra.  She invited the sixth grade IP class for a graduation party since most of them have been together since kindergarten.

I've always said I don't want a house with a pool for fear of drowning.


Perhaps I could make an exception on account of the view.

Back to the real world, we spent some time this summer at the Planetarium.  (Good news, it's free!)

Volcanic eruptions on Mars.

Programming a rover.

So fun!

We also spent some fun times with our good friends, Hannah and Sammy, at their property up by Ogden Canyon.

Brooklyn and I couldn't come, but Jason and the other kids had a marvelous time.

Sugar!

Red Butte Gardens is another favorite gathering place.  Here are Eli and Sammy studying their maps.

And here they are arm-wrestling during a family night concert.


Annika flies down the hill.  Should I mention that I saw the staff fish a rattlesnake out of the bushes nearby just a few minutes earlier?

The joys of childhood.

Whee!

There was rain and wind when "Samba Fogo" performed, so the party got moved indoors.

In your honor, Callie.

Look closely, and you can see Eli dancing in his blue hat.

When the light is right, the gardens are stunning.

Here's Annie, waiting to meet a different friend at Red Butte.

Ruby!  The two cousins had fun exploring the Children's Garden.  Just grateful nobody got stung by the bees.

Annie picks out her own ensembles.

The gila monster or the salamander?

Check out Peter Rabbit's garden plot!

Charlotte's Web

Where the Wild Things Are.  (Annie identifies with Max.)

We can't leave our dads out of all the fun!  Here are Jason and Justin at the Fairmont Farmer's Market.  We love having family just down the street.

Eli and Annika operate, just like their doctor uncle.


And Ruby, speeding down the slide.

Fairmont Park is also right around the corner from Bruge's waffles--yum.  Right after Justin and Brianna moved into town, we met up here along with Kevin and Talyn, our former college roommates.  Kevin roomed with Justin at BYU and I was roommates with Talyn in the FLSR.  What a small world!  The best part was putting Brooklyn in charge of the kids' table so that we grown-ups could actually talk. :)

Playtime with Ruby at our house.  When it comes to stripping off clothes and putting on swimsuits, Annie's a bad influence.

Life is always better with Legos.

One day we kidnapped Ruby and took her to the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum.  It was so cute to watch her explore all the play food.

Last but not least, Ensign Peak.  During a weekend when Christy was in town (yay!), we took a hike at sunset.  Despite ACL surgery earlier this year, Justin carried Annie like a pro.

I kind of love this city...especially when it's filled with family.

Eli, you're so lucky to have an uncle close by to take you by the hand.

Adventure awaits.