Trippin'

Field trippin' that is! Our elementary school year came to a spectacular end on Friday, even if the par-tay events of Thursday had to be held inside due to snow and other generally gross weather conditions.

I thought I would take a moment and reflect on the year. First, Nixon and Easton both had fab teachers. I'm grateful for both of these ladies and the love they gave my children this year. Second, we really do have a great school. The facility is superb, the parents are involved, there are more fun events than I could list here. And lastly, the kids have fun! I'm thrilled that my children are enjoying their learning experience! Part of it might be all the field trips. Between my 2 boys, here are all the field trips I've tagged along on this year ...

Clark Planetarium

Ballet West performing the Nutcracker

Strawberry Reservoir to see the salmon run

Coldstone ice cream (the kids rode the city buses - which are always free!)

Jordanelle Reservoir/Red Cliffs Nature Area

Great Salt Lake/Antelope Island

Ballet West performing Sleeping Beauty

Swaner Nature Preserve

This is the Place State Park

I also missed a field trip to downtown Park City to see a play at the Egyptian Theater.

I learned that beavers secrete oil that you can see on the water. I got to wade in the Great Salt Lake and collect shrimp brine. I learned that in pioneer times, where we have a mattress, beds had reeds woven to form a base to sleep on. Sometimes you had to tighten them before sleeping, hence the term "sleep tight". I learned ice cream that you make with 3rd graders is DELICIOUS before it gets frozen. I learned there are salmon in Utah! I learned about wetlands, salty bodies of water, and how to "read" ballet moves.

The kids also left the school for other things. The 4th graders walked everyday in the wilderness by the school. Even in the cold! By the end of the year, they had walked enough to "walk around the state of Utah". My boys were able to snowshoe out in the wild, and to play in the great public park across the street from their school. The 3rd grade had swimming lessons. They had fun days to celebrate mountain men, and field day, and they were in plays, and there was a great end-of -the -year movie with pictures of their school from the whole year!

Yea for a great year! Yea for Summer!

Dear Weather Person ...

I have a comment. It is 32 degrees and something that looks and feels suspiciously like snow is falling from the sky in Park City. Perhaps a check of the calendar is in order. I believe you may have confused June with January. This could put a damper on the end-of-the-school-year beach themed party scheduled for tomorrow. I trust the situation will be corrected in a timely matter. Thank you.