Wow. We have had a GREAT summer. We seriously lived it up and although we’ll still have summer weather through September I’m sure, all the pools and most of the splash pads will soon be closing. We have three solid weeks of summer left and the days must be used wisely! Here’s my list.
Go to our pool at least six more times. Two times a week.
Hike Timp. Okay, this can be done in September if needs be.
Two more hikes with Eva.
Three more splash pads, including the one in Sandy (one a week).
Seven Peaks two more times
Outdoor movie (Rock Canyon) on the 29th.
One more concert in the Park (Wines Park) on the 21st.
Utah State Fair (this is actually in September but I don’t want to forget!)
Swim in a lake (this Saturday?)
Tube Provo river on the 19th or 26th (want to join??)
Tin foil dinners and play in the streams up at South Fork Park (sometime next week)
Trip to Arizona (Labor Day Weekend)
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2016-08-15 08:00:192016-08-14 23:18:09End of Summer Bucket List
It’s been a HOT week, hence all the outings with water. One afternoon this week, we met up with some friends (and a new friend from Exploring Utah with Kids!) at Riverwoods for a splash pad date. Finn is so cute at splash pads. He is so curious, but doesn’t like crawling on the concrete, so he tries to crawl with his knees up. I love that happy boy. And my happy girl too, of course. And I’m sorry (mom) for Eva’s gross stringy hair in these photos! I had to take the bow out of her hair for the water and then it got in her face.
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2016-06-25 09:00:482016-06-23 22:07:26Riverwoods with Friends
When I think of a pond, I think of the swampy puddle of water at the start of the street I grew up as a kid. We always went on walks to the pond to throw in rocks or check out the ducks. So, it’s hard for me to call the pond at Glen Park a pond because it’s much nicer, cleaner, and bigger. So, I’m just gonna call this a reservoir. We love Glen Park and go here often but this week was the first time we brought swimsuits and waded a bit. I forgot to bring Eva’s puddle jumper so I was little more on the edge of my seat, worrying Eva would go under, but she did great without it and when she went under once, remembered to hold her breath and pull herself right back up!
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2016-06-24 09:00:172016-06-23 22:07:54Pond Day
I don’t know what it is about summer, but it always makes me get back into country music. So, on Monday evening there was a free concert at the park with a country band called High Valley and we had to go! Country music? Food trucks? Picnic with the kids? I’m there. It was such a fun evening! The kids had a great time dancing and I loved finding a new band to check out!
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2016-06-23 09:00:212016-06-22 21:35:03High Valley
The first Saturday of August, we drove down South an hour to Yuba lake with TJ’s extended family on the Derrick side. They had rented a handful of jet skis and paddle boards which made for a great day! The kids loved wading in the water and I even got Eva to get on the jet ski with me. Since I’m pregnant, I didn’t go to fast and avoided the wake so it was very smooth… but that didn’t stop me from getting motion sick later that night in bed! I had to take a dramamine at home because I felt like I was still on the jet ski!
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2015-08-28 13:52:232015-08-28 13:36:55Lake Day
For the week of the 4th of July, I went with my parents and my sister’s family to a beach in Delaware. This is the third 4th of July we’ve all spent together and it’s becoming a fun tradition! Eva had a great time with her cousins and I couldn’t get enough of relaxing on the beach. Other than the beach, we spent a lot of time at the pool which had a lazy river and some slides for the kids, celebrated Amelia’s birthday (and got eaten alive by flies and mosquitos), watched some people who were crabbing, took the kids to a little funland place with lots of rides, watched lots of performances by the girls, ate delicious dinners and desserts by my sister, and zonked out each night very early! It was a great trip!
People often ask us what we miss most about living in NYC and usually I say that I miss how there was something always going on. Shows, entertainment, parks, celebrity sightings… the list goes on and on. Even walking and taking the subway to church usually had some drama. But that being said, that doesn’t mean Utah doesn’t have a lot going on too. I’ve realized after growing up in a suburb of Cincinnati, going to school at BYU, then spending a couple years in Jersey/NYC… it’s really about your attitude. If you want to have fun and enjoy where you live, you have to actively try. Or you can sit in your house and mope. Some people at BYU always talked about how their home state or city was sooooo much better than Provo or Utah. They’d say there was nothing to do. I’d look at them and think… uhm… Have you even opened your eyes?! Look at those mountains! Have you driven up the canyon? Explored SLC? Been to Southern Utah? Utah has so much to offer. It is definitely different than NYC and sometimes takes a little more effort since it’s more spread out and you’re not just walking everywhere. But there’s still stuff to do. And it’s gorgeous. Okay. Rant is over. I just get sick of people bashing Utah and I needed to defend its honor.I wrote about this a couple years ago, but had to get it out again, sorry!
Here’s all the fun things we’ve been doing in Utah the last month:
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2015-07-28 11:19:362015-07-28 11:19:36Utah is Beautiful
Since moving to Utah, we have had a fun and relaxing couple of weeks. It’s definitely been different than life in Jersey, but the ‘burbs life has tons of perks… especially with a three year old and family nearby. I haven’t been as good as I usually am with about taking pictures, but once we get moved into our new place I’m sure I’ll get back into a routine and start overgramming again 🙂
We went to our nephew’s little t-ball game which was hilarious and adorable. They were so cute running around with those big helmets on.
Eva has five cousins here in Utah on TJ’s side and they’re all just about her age. She’s having a blast!
Someone drove this tractor to church last week… definitely gave me a laugh.
More cousin lovin! She lovesssss her buddy Cohen and tries to kiss/hug him nonstop.
Eva was pretty much done with taking naps (although would still go in her crib for an hour to read/play with small toys quietly while prego mom rested) back in Jersey but since buying a car, she has napped so much more! Best thing ever.
This one is from back in Jersey. On our last night, our good friends took us out to dinner and dessert. We will miss them so much!
Our family favorite is JCW’s and it was our first spot to visit once we came back to Utah. Such yummy food.
Here is our new car! It’s a 2013 Hyundai Sonata. We used to have an Elantra and really loved it, so we went back to Hyundai and got the next size up. It’s been great so far!
Miss Eva had a little trim and just looked so cute and grown up sitting there. What a cutie pie.
TJ’s parents have really made a grandkid heaven in their backyard. Lots of fun toys, a playhouse, trampoline, a little pool… it’s been a big change from our little one bedroom apartment in the city and made the transition so easy seeing Eva so happy!
One of the best parts of being back in Utah is being close to some old besties!
Two weeks in a row, we went downtown to our favorite little part of the city. After picking up lunch at Brookfield Place, we had a picnic down at the river. Not to sound overly cheesy, but I’m pretty sure those two Fridays will be marked down as some of the best times of my life with my sweet little Evabug. Good food, great views, perfect company.
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2014-09-17 13:09:322014-09-15 23:13:37Fridays at Rockefeller Park
A friend of mine told me at least a year ago about the Staten Island Ferry and how I needed to do it someday. It’s free and takes you close to the Statue of Liberty. I’ve wanted to do it ever since but finally did last week! It was really neat. It was a relaxing activity and something different than we had ever done before in NYC.
Eva would not give me real smile. Thanks a lot, Eva!
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2014-08-30 11:01:122014-08-27 11:14:56Staten Island Ferry
