Outdoor Summer Fun

We have had so much fun playing outside this summer. We spend quite a lot of time in our own yard, since it is so big. Tayson thrives on being outdoors, because it gives him an outlet for his massive amounts of energy. His favorite outdoor activities include running through the sprinkler, and light-sabering with anybody who is willing. Or just by himself. He has 3 toy light-sabers, but he will use anything that strikes his fancy, including a plastic baseball bat, my vacuum extension hose, and, as seen below, a feather duster.

Brennen's favorite outdoor activites include playing in the sandbox and sitting on the porch to watch everything that is going on.

We've also spent quite a bit of time at the various parks that are close to our home. One of the wonderful things about Utah is how many family-oriented outdoor recreation areas there are. We have 3 fantastic parks within a 1-mile walk from our front door, in different directions. Each of the parks includes a paved walking path, a playground, pavilions, acres of well-tended grass, and several sports areas that include a combination of soccer fields, baseball fields, and tennis courts. I have a strong appreciation for these parks because I was raised in Alaska, and my town had once pathetic park in the middle of town (about 7 miles from my house). Not only did we not go there often, but when we did, there wasn't a whole lot to do to keep me entertained.

So, we spent many a fine summer evening walking the kids to the park, where they enjoyed playing at the playground, while Clint would jog around the path.

I also recently discovered a goldmine of a park a few weeks ago, called, ironically, Discovery Park. I don't know how I could have possibly lived in this valley for 11 years and not know about this park. Clint introduced me to it, and I fell in love. It is about a 10 minute drive, but definitely worth it. I can't possibly include pictures of the whole playground, because it is so huge! It is a place that inspires the imagination of children and adults alike. While we were there, I saw a group of dads playing a game of tag or hide-and-seek. Clint even mentioned that when he was single, he would frequently go there on group dates to play night games. It's as if somebody had taken the best and favorite elements from 100 different parks and combined them to create an imagination fantasyland.

The only bad thing I could say about the playground is that it was so big and involved that it is impossible to keep your child constantly in your sights. I'm usually paranoid at playgrounds, constantly watching out for potential child predators and strangers. At Discovery Park, I had to settle with keeping by Brennen's side, and just hoping and praying that Tayson had paid attention to all my lessons about not talking to strangers. It wasn't too bad, because Tayson would return to my side every few minutes to tell me all about some exciting new playground feature he had just discovered. These pictures are pathetic and only show about 1/10th of the playground, but they were the best I could do. If you live in the area and have never been there, check it out!!!