Children's Discovery Gateway

We visited the Children's Discovery Gateway for the first time this week. We had a great time! They were running a promotion in April that you could get in for $5, that's a great deal considering normal admission is $8.50 (and they charge for kids beginning at one year old). Hailey could probably move in there and be happy! They have all sorts of really neat stuff for the kids to play with. My big beef with them is that they {normally} charge $8.50 for the parents to get in, and all we do is sit there. Not really much that us parents are going to be doing. But whatever. I would LOVE to have some of that stuff in my basement!! We would be the coolest house on the street!

Claire ringing Hailey up for her groceries.


Hailey and Gavin playing in the water. This was one of Hailey's favorite things there.



They have a helicopter up on the roof which the kids loved to play in. Claire did not like how loud it was, though.


I think that the highlight for Hailey, though, was riding trax there and back. She LOVED being on the "train". Every time we stopped, she would say "We're not done, Mom." She didn't want to get off. I think we could have just rode the train downtown and back and she would have had a blast!

Red Butte Garden

We took our first trip up to Red Butte Garden on Arbor Day (April 24). We went with our friends, Megan and Claire. It was fun, but crowded since it was free admission day and the masses were out.


We were walking past this bench and Hailey climbed up on it and said "Mommy, take a picture of me!"




They have an area just for children that was very impressive. They had play houses, a sand pit, giant lizards, a snake maze and other things to keep the kids entertained.

Hailey chillin' while we were eating our picnic lunch.

On the way home from Red Butte, I decided to take a trip down memory lane and stop by Garden Park Ward, where Ryan and I had our engagement photos taken, and my bridal photos were taken there as well.

She wanted to hold those ducks so badly!

What a cheeser!!!

The Living Planet Aquarium

I don't know if you remember our last outing to the local Aquarium. I do, and it wasn't pleasant.

So I was a little hesitant to take Hailey back, but we went with our friends Ava and Lynsey. Well this trip was much better than the last, and we actually ended up purchasing a year pass.

They have expanded their exhibits and I really enjoyed the outing. Lynsey and I had a great time visiting, and the girls LOVED spending time together. Its so nice for her to have little girl friends.

I snagged the first two photos from Lynsey's blog.

Look at those cute bums!!

LOVE this photo. They both look so annoyed at having Lynsey take another picture. They are both so sassy!

Cute girls!!

This is the Place & Heritage Park

I thought that the only thing up at the This is the Place park was the big Church History monument. I had NO idea that Heritage Park was even up there. Our friends Megan and Claire used to have a pass, and had asked us to join us up there before. We finally decided to join them after a bit of research...

Hailey and Claire had a GREAT time together! It was super hot, but the girls really enjoyed themselves, so it was worth it.

Hailey and Claire on the big train (which was their shuttle from each attraction)

churning butter in the Brigham Young Farmhouse

Hailey and Claire on the mini train

Dancing queens!

Pushing the handcarts

We had a great time with Megan and Claire! This ended up being the last time we were able to get together with them before they moved to Nashville. We wish them luck and can't wait until they move back - in 2 years!!

PMBA Family Appreciation Day!

The Professional Masters of Business Administration program at the University of Utah has a Family appreciation day every year. This year it was up at Hogle Zoo. I thought Hailey would really get into the zoo this year since she knows the animals and can recognize them. Well...she LOVED the train and the carousel, but the animals were pretty boring!! It was so hot, and they were just lying around, and some of them weren't even out...oh well, at least we didn't have to pay for it ourselves :)

Lehi Round-Up Days Horse Parade

So, we have lived in Lehi for almost 3 years and have never participated in any of the Round-Up days celebrations. This year we went to a few of the activities including the Horse Parade. I knew that Hailey would love it since she LOVES horses. She really enjoyed watching the horses, although I'm sure she would have preferred riding them herself.

Hailey watching the parade

Declan

Elijah

Happy girl watching the horses...

Hailey and Elijah getting candy

mouthful of candy

Story Time and the Children's Discovery Garden

We have the GREATEST neighbors!! Heidi planned a great outing to Story time at the Point Meadows Branch of the library and then to the Children's Discovery Gardens and Thanksgiving Point and invited us to join. We had a great time! Hailey just LOVED story time and anytime she gets to play in water, she is a happy girl! At Noah's ark they have this elephant that sprays water out. Hailey was pretty good about keeping away from it, since it scared her....Until this ONE time. Her and Jackson were walking hand in hand, when it sprayed, right by where she was standing. She tried to run away, but was ankle deep in water and so she fell and scraped her knee. She was pretty traumatized for a bit. She talks about it all the time. Next time you see her, ask her to tell you the story about the elephant at Noah's ark....its pretty hysterical!

Hailey with two random kids at Story Time

Hailey dancing

Hailey and Jackson

Hailey playing in the water at Noah's Ark

Teagen, Lindsay, Maddie, Hailey & Jackson

Wheeler Farm

And I thought the Thanksgiving Point animal farm was cool...

We joined some neighbor friends and took the kids up to the Wheeler Farm and it was so much fun! It was super hot, but the kids had a really good time. The best part is, admission is FREE!! They do have some activities that you can pay for (wagon ride, pony ride, etc). Hailey had the best time and she wanted to ride all the animals. Every time I would show her an animal she would say "I want to ride it." When we saw the ducks at the pond, they were a little too aggressive for my liking. There was this one that kept coming after the kids. Every time one of the kids would get near it it would HISS! Whoever heard of a hissing duck...maybe it was a goose, who knows. At any rate it was aggressive and I think Hailey was a little traumatized after her encounter with it.

Anyway, enjoy our pictures! (Check out our friend, Jennica's blog to see some more cute pictures of the kids.)

Poor Hailey and that darn aggressive duck (goose?)

Riley and the chickens

"see me duck!"

Tate - the cheesy grin

best friends!

chillin' on the tractor...

mommy and Hailey

Hailey and Jackson - Loves!

Teagen and Hailey waiting for the wagon ride!

Hailey riding the pony.
She saw the horses and immediately wanted to ride them. Since she is two, she thinks she can do everything by herself. In this picture, she is telling me to move my arm so she can ride by herself.

Hailey petting the sheep!

Sheep are one of her favorites, and she was so excited that she could get so close to these ones at Wheeler Farm. You can't get so close to the ones at Thanksgiving Point.