Summer Reading Continues

Here is some of what we've been doing with Summer Reading programs for Orem Library and Provo Library, in no particular order:

Provo Story Trails. It has been so much fun to see them fit with the theme of "Oceans of Possibilities"- they have all been water themed.

"How Water Lillies Began" at Lions Park

"The Golden River" at Riverview Park

One of the activities was to take pictures of a body of water and edit them to share on social media. The river along the trail already looked a little golden so I just changed it to make it more so.

"Tokoyo & the Sea Monster" at Rock Canyon Park.

Jet got a huge kick out of watching his brothers roll down the hill.

 

"Why the Sea Moans" at Spring Creek Park

This park is always so hot when we visit to do Story Trails so we have to make frequent stops in the shade. The kids also got a kick out of the iridescence on this beetle and wanted a picture.

Those last two stories we did while having a busy Summer Reading activity filled day. That same day we also listened to Jr. Jr. read to us from "Treasure Island" along the bank of a river,

hiked to Bridal Veil Falls,

and drove around Utah Lake while listening to a book on CD to get more reading time in.

 

Jr. stayed up late one night to make monkey bread for Jet (make a gift or treat for someone). Jet's gotten on a kick where almost every time we ask him what he wants to eat he'll say, "Umm... monkey bread."

The kids and I went to the Jason Fun Magic Show at the Orem Library. It was fun entertainment that fit in with the theme. He was so nice and let kids get pictures with him at the end and ask questions.

We tried out a new treat from a cookbook we checked out from the library. It was Rocky Road Popcorn from Sweets & Treats with Six Sisters' Stuff. You know I like Six Sisters' Stuff.

 

We made crafts from both libraries, all fitting in with the theme.

The boys had a friendly water fight.

We picked up some of our prizes.

 

We're still going strong with Summer Reading activities. I love it.

Big Springs Hiking

National Sleepyhead Day in Finland is on July 27. I got the kids up early this year (early for Summer anyway) to go hiking up Big Springs since that is one of the items on our Summer Wishlist and we kept putting it off for various reasons. Jr. Jr. really wanted to go so we made it happen. Morning worked better than evening. Anyway, Lucky was the last one still asleep but we didn't get him wet.

We did however have fun hiking. There was so much to see- plants, animals. We saw wild turkeys on the drive up and a few times on the hike. 

 

There were butterflies everywhere. It was quite pleasant.

We didn't make it all the way to the springs which was Jr. Jr.'s goal but he had a good attitude about us needing to turn back. 

I was impressed with Jet and how far he hiked. He was just happy to go anywhere if he got to hold and look through binoculars. 

Jr. got the brother of the day award, though, when Jet didn't want to walk anymore and Jr. carried him all the way down the trail and got him to sleep holding those binoculars. While he was asleep, I took them away but he stirred and I had to give them back so he would go back to sleep. Finally I was able to put them away but that boy loves binoculars. 

It was a wonderful hike. We had Jet saying, "Hiking." We couldn't get him to say, "We are hiking." When we tried to get him to say that, he would say, "1, 2, 3, hiking." So cute.

Later in the day, we did have a water fight like we did last year for Sleepyhead Day.