Summer 2011's Greatest Hits

As I was sifting through photos on the computer, I realized that there were a lot of things we did this summer that didn't make it into a blog post. And so I present to you, in no particular order, our summer's greatest hits:

Anna's Birthday Party

I finally did it; I remembered to take pictures of Anna's birthday! This was the first year she had a "friends" party. She helped me plan a fun butterfly-themed party, but then on the morning of the party she announced, "I changed my mind, Mommy. I want a ballerina party." Hence her sparkly leotard and tutu.





Treasure Hunt with Grandpa Pugh

This summer I learned about an old Pugh family tradition: Grandpa Pugh's treasure hunts. It seems that Grandpa Pugh used to stage a treasure hunt, complete with a hand-drawn map, for the kids each year in the ravine near his house. The last treasure (which I'm told includes a substantial amount of cold, hard cash) was never found, but the map has survived and Sarah and Skylar are determined to find the treasure. . .so, with shovels and map in hand, we headed to the park.

Shortly after we arrived, though, it started to rain. A lesser family may have called it quits and headed for the car, but we are Olsons: We weathered a whole day in the rain at Mt. Rushmore, and we weren't about to let a little rainstorm ruin this picnic. We covered up the food and huddled together under trees and blankets. And then it started to POUR. The blankets got soaked, and some of us took cover in the playground:


Eventually we decided to make a break for the car. The storm did little to darken Ben's sunny disposition:



Soon enough, the storm passed. We finished our food and headed out on the treasure hunt:

(Elizabeth got wetter than the rest of us;
while we were all hunkered down,
she was happily skipping around in the rain.)

The kids found the new treasure that Sarah and Skylar hid for them, and then we continued down the path to where the "lost treasure" is supposed to be. No luck finding it this year, but next year we'll be back. . .with a metal detector.

Red Butte Garden

Just last week we packed a picnic for dinner and went up to Red Butte Garden for FHE. I've been here numerous times: on field trips (as a student and as a teacher), for concerts at the amphitheater, with playgroups, and just on my own with a kid or two. But this is the first time I'd been there in the evening--it was wonderful! Cool, quiet, almost empty. . .and with great lighting.





Thanksgiving Point

Way back in June, while the Epperson cousins were here, we went to the dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point. It's far enough away that we don't get down there very often; in fact, I think this might have been the first time Anna's ever been.

(There was some terrifying prehistoric creature
hanging right above her head. . .)

Hogle Zoo

This summer the zoo had these fabulous animatronic dinosaurs on display throughout the park. I think the girls liked the dinos even more than the actual animals! These fellas gave me flashbacks to "Jurassic Park":

Aunt Kellie, the girls, and the babies posing in front of "Tommy the T Rex".

The carousel and train ride are always a favorite, too:




There was a new baby elephant, named Zuri, born at the zoo awhile back. Elizabeth has been eager to go see her, and finally this summer we did:


Our most recent visit actually happened to fall on Zuri's birthday, and there was a big birthday card on the plaza for people to sign. Kellie and I thought this inscription was particularly funny:

Now that's optimism.

Also funny was this road sign I saw on the way home from a zoo trip:

(Thankfully we escaped unharmed. I guess motherhood has so reduced my brain size that the zombies didn't feel I was worth the effort.)