Splash pads

This is from the summer months... and it makes me even colder, just thinking of these hot summer days.  But I wanted to share these fun places to go in the summer (and they are free).

Splash pad at the Riverwoods-  We picked Jason up during his lunch break and headed over to the splash pad.  Claire was pretty timid at the one last summer in Highland, which has a little river of water and a fountain(where the water shoots out of the ground). She enjoyed the river, but wouldn't even go near the water fountain last year.  And the splash pad at the Riverwoods  is just the fountiain, so my hopes, for her enjoyment, were pretty low. But Jason got her at least near the water! Go dad!



I'm such a lucky mom, to have these two cuties who make me smile daily!





(gotta love the kid in the background, who practically took a bath there)

The only prob with this splash pad, is there are too many shops for little ones to run into, without your knowing where they went.  Right after I had Trevor, Claire had a lot of problems with running away and not coming back when I called her.  (So I stuck mainly to places with shopping carts)  But she had made huge improvements since and did well the few times we went to the post office and was getting better for our trips to the doctor.  So I was surprised that she ran away, but I guess this place was too tempting.  Luckily, I found her pretty quickly- prayer works!

Spanish Fork Splash Pad- northeast of Maceys - This one opened the end of last summer- and its great!
There is an awesome playground (which was temporarily closed when we went), nice bathroom facilities, and a nice open splash pad.  She can "run away" but because its so nice and open, I can find her alot easier!

I was more hopeful that she would like it this time, she we came dressed for it.  She took one look at the fountain and ran away, I couldn't even get a pic of her near it.  So we went the swings, where we met a a brother and sister that were both soaking wet from the playing at the splash pad. Since this kids didn't seem to crazy,  I think Claire started warming up to the idea about playing near the splash pad.  So when the brother and sister wanted to go back to play in the water, Claire wanted to go with them.  It worked out great!  I chatted with the other mom, while our kids had fun.


Claire's fun started out with running around the perimeter of the splash pad, while the brother and sister proceeded to get soaking wet again.

Then I showed her that I could walk inbetween where the water shoots out and not get wet.  So she held my hand and tried it out.
Then she did it on her own, then she started running


Then she stuck a stick in the water, and then stuck her arm in the water.


And then it was hard to get her to go home.  Thank goodness for mother nature, who sent rain and  (in the distance) lightening, to help get Claire to the car.