Raise Your Endorphins: The Summer of '13, Part 1

The boys have been playing Rock Band on the wii and one of the songs they play over and over again is "The Summer of '69." One of the lines is "Those were the best days of my life," and maybe it wasn't the best summer, because we've had some good ones, but we sure had a lot of fun! Every summer I've lived in Centerville, I've put together a park group in which I designate a day of the week and rotate parks to go to and invite everybody I know, just so the kids have time with many friends and so I can have time with my friends too. Last year the boys seemed to be reaching the point where playground structures were too juvenile for them, so this year I put together an activity/field trip group. We drove a bit further, learned a bit more and generally got some good exercise!

One of the first activities of the summer was with Mark's firm at Lagoon. We had a great time with one of Mark's fellow associates, Peter and his family. We rode Wicked numerous times, as well as Colossus (excuse me, Fire Dragon Colossus) and got soaked on all the wet rides. The great thing for Mark and I this year was that the boys were able to go on the rides themselves, so we were spared some of the headaches and nausea that seems to come with roller coasters and getting older. I can't even watch the boys go on the Samurai without dry heaving. Props to Mark for trying out Wicked!

When someone else pays for Lagoon, I like to take advantage of the bounce back passes where we can get four people in for the price of one. During our second visit, James was able to go on most of the rides with his brothers except the Rocket, the Samurai and Jet Star II. We discovered that he could go on the one where you get catapulted into the air held in by a mere latch down cushion inside of a cage that had spaces an elephant could get through. Go figure. So we did it. This was my second run, the first being with my brother Jed (who thought he was having a heart attack and screamed like a little girl-I screamed a little too). James felt so cool that he was able to go on this ride and his brothers were a little envious!

One of our first activities with the group was to hike to Ensign peak. The Gregersen's and Larsen's joined us (my stalwart attendees) and while we were up there, a man hiked up behind us and then handed out geode rocks and we found a $20 bill which we used to purchase Slurpees after the hike.

One of my favorite visits for the summer was to the Hill Air Force Museum. They have a new exhibit about prisoners of war that is very moving and was very appropriate right before the 4th of July.

The museum has a kids exhibit which we have missed every time we've gone because it is subject to the volunteers schedules, but this time we got in 20 minutes before it closed. The kids dressed up in all sorts of uniforms and played virtual air games.

The week of the 4th of July, Spencer and Mark were at scout camp, so D.J., James and I played. We were persuaded to join the Centerville bike parade just to score a popsicle.

Then of course there was the ever popular 4th of July parade wherein the kids risk life and limb by running into the street to collect a piece of taffy.

Fireworks that night were a little lonely without Spencer and Mark, but D.J. and James braved the loneliness well as they experienced the excitement of lighting their own fireworks while I sat in a chair and watched both the fireworks and the mosquitos.

D.J. and James wanted to go for a walk/scooter/y-fliker ride one evening, so we went to the Farmington trail which is a beautiful path that runs behind Lagoon. We found this great log chair and some goofy faces.

Spencer's orthodontist hosts a party every summer at Cherry Hill. He can invite a friend to come along. Being the mean Mom that I am, I made Spencer invite D.J. so James and I only had to pay. I also knew there were a number of Spencer's other friends who would be there, as all of them are wearing braces, but that doesn't make me less of a mean Mom.