Category: Photo Journal

Summer’s End Seeking Adventure Photo Journal

It’s always bittersweet when seasons change. Summer is all fun, sun, play, and outdoor adventures Once fall hits it’s school, chill and structured responsibilities. This year in order to hold on to summer just a bit longer I partnered with four other outdoor family bloggers to share some of your summer adventures. 

Jennifer at Hiking Along sent me the first #seekingadventure shot. But there are so many more to see at The Kid Project, Adventure Tykes and Play Outside Guide. Enjoy this montage of photos that fit the theme: Seeking Adventure. Hopefully they inspire you as much as they did me.
Climbing volcanic rocks during low tide on the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. Photo by Jennifer Chambers at Blog.HikingAlong.com
Wall Lake, Utah

Up at first light swinging among the pines. Photo by Amy Beatty.
Hiking near Tony Grove, Logan, UT.

Washington Lake, High Uintas, Utah

Kissing on the ice on Bow Glacier in Banff National Park, Canada. Photo from www.rockies-chick.com
Bear marks in Unita National Forest.
Climbing toward water
Mountains, Trees and Sky
The view from the top of Park City Mountain Resort. Photo by Kimberly Christensen
The sun reflecting off the Puget Sound. Photo by Carrie Strayer

Want to know my favorite #seekingadventure photo? You’ll have to head over to Play Outside Guide to find out! 

 

Park City Mountain Resort Summer Activities, Utah

For a recent family reunion our crew of about 20 adults and 27 kids descended on Park City Mountain Resort to check out their summer activities. The resort has several options of things to do with kids – rock climbing, mini golf, a merry-go-round, and super jump trampoline. In addition to those smaller activities they have the big three – the Alpine Coaster, the Alpine Slide and Zip Line.
 
Big E and I took a ride on the Alpine Slide, first enjoying a scenic lift ride up the mountain. Alpine scenery is my absolute favorite so I was a fan of the view and all that green. At the top of the lift Big E and I took our slide seat to the track and loaded up.
Although he is big enough to ride the slide on his own, Big E wanted to ride with me so we squeezed in together for the ride down. The track races through trees and green meadows. Each rider has control of their speed which was good for my reticent six-year-old.

 

After the slide, Big E and I waited in the hot sun for over an hour to try the other big attraction – The Alpine Coaster. The Coaster rolls through trees, bushes and grass close to the action. Again Big E rode with me and we liked controlling our own speed down the mountain.
This video is from the Park City Mountain Resort website and gives a good idea of what it was like. Both the Coaster and Alpine Slide were fun and worth a visit. I’m glad I finally tried this summer attraction. The one big drawback I saw was the price. The combo price was $29 for adults and $13 for a youth passenger, which seems steep for less than ten minutes of thrill and a long wait line.
Overall we loved the day, topping it off with ice cream. It was great to spend some one on one time with my son.
 
Park City Mountain Resort did not provide any compensation for this post.

 

I Love the Mountains, I Love the Rolling Hills

In this week of gratitude I would be remiss to ignore the natural beauty of the world. Living in the mountains has been an amazing adventure for the last three years, but the beauty of the mountains would not be as amazing without all the variety in the world. Desert, plains, hills, mountains, oceans, rivers, lakes, forest – the options are endless for outdoor exploration. I am especially grateful for this nation’s National Parks and the outdoor opportunities they present.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Week of Gratitude

This Thursday is Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays. I like that the roots of this holiday are about being grateful, not wearing scary costumes, lighting fireworks or buying lots of gifts. Thanksgiving is about remembering what is most important in life and taking a moment to be grateful.

So this week I want to focus on things that I’m grateful for. I encourage you all to do the same, either by leaving a comment or reposting these posts. Being thankful for the blessings in life is a message that can’t be over done.

The biggest thing I’m grateful for is family. I grew up the middle child of nine and love my huge, loud family. My parents lives revolved around rearing healthy, happy kids and their sacrifice is one worth emulating. Through their example and those of my siblings I learned how to love, share, pitch in and work. Now we are a clan of close to fifty with all the grand-kids and in-laws and get-togethers are always crazy fun.

Although my family of origin is wonderful and taught me many important life lessons, I’m even more grateful for the family I’ve made. Mountain Dad is my partner in life. If I could express how much I love him without sounding cheesy I would. Suffice it to say he’s the best.  With him by my side we’ve had two great kids with a third on the way.

Big E is in kindergarten, a good reader, energetic and full of life. When he learns something new I can almost see his brain make those connections that he will use through out his life. He’s my buddy with outdoor adventures always willing to put a little make believe into whatever hike we’re on.

Little g isn’t really that little anymore. At three years old, she’s making her own decisions about what she wears, what she plays and what she says. She’s learning how to get along with her brother and play make believe. When I look at her smiling face it makes me glad to be a mother.

Being part of a family is the best part of my life. I’m grateful for them every day, but especially around Thanksgiving.