Day 275 - Visit a U-Pick Fruit Farm

I'll let the pictures do the talking.  Let me just say, the raspberry bushes were taller than my boys.

We ate more than we picked

These were so yummy

Day 274 - Pilates Reformer

I have wanted to try this for years.  I'm totally hooked and am even thinking how fun it would be to be certified.

Day 272 - Grout and Caulk the Bathroom

If you can change it, change it.  If you can't change it, change your attitude.

Today I recaulked and regrouted my bathroom.  yeah me!

Day 271 - Look at the Clouds

There have been some fantastic thunderstorms in Utah this month.  While my boys were playing at a park I was looking at the clouds, mostly to see what they were doing and how soon we would have to leave.  I noticed that they look like water, if you change the coloring to blue.  

Dark Clouds

Coloring changed to Blue.  Looks like water and sunlight.

Day 270 - Greek Yogurt

Yumm.  Loved the pineapple one.

Day 269 - Replace a Vacuum Belt

Holy Cow!  I replaced a vacuum belt all by myself.  I'm really super proud of myself, especially since I have a child that repeatedly breaks vacuum belts and I'm so tired of paying someone to do it.  I was super mad so I took the machine apart and started moving things till I figured it out.  I'm sure I could have looked online at a youtube video or something, but I was too ornery for that.

So Proud!

Day 268 - Flow Free

Really fun game!

Day 267 - Study a Mushroom

This mushroom is as big as my hand.  It was the first time I've ever really studied a mushroom.  

Day 266 - To IFLY or Not

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."
-Wayne Gretzky

Went up to IFLY today.  Got all suited up.  Went through the training.  And the machine broke.  So I didn't get to fly.  Sad.

First time I've ever gone and first time the machine has ever broken there.  Could be worse,  one couple was celebrating their 1st yr anniversary.  Hopefully they have a good year…

Day 265 - Shop at Savers

Shopped at Savers.  It's been years since I did some shopping for myself.  I found some really nice things and my total was under $20.

Yeah me.

Day 264 - Do my Hair Curly

“Some of the worst mistakes in my life were haircuts” 
― Jim Morrison

I have seen teenagers wear their hair like this during the past year, and it's so cute, but I could never figure it out.  Until today!

horrible picture, I know, but you get the idea. It held pretty well throughout the day. 

Day 263 - Saw Poison Ivy

I still don't know if I could identify poison ivy if it was not marked and taped off.  There is a great hike by our house, that is roped off by caution tape and marked with signs that say POISON IVY.   Of course I avoided the area, but to see the plants up close was really amazing.  They are taller than I thought.

Day 262 - Fish Tacos at Sonora Grill

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” 
― J.R.R. Tolkien

I have never had fish tacos before.  So Yummy!

Day 261 - Ogden Temple

"A temple is a place in which those whom He has chosen are endowed with power from on high—a power which enables us to use our gifts and capabilities—to bring to pass our Heavenly Father's purposes in our own lives and the lives of those we love."

—David B. Haight

I've never seen the Ogden Temple before.  They just redid it, and it's beautiful!

Day 260 - See a Camouflaged Animal

“Think about Praying Mantis. The deadliest ninja predator."

Saw this little guy on a walk today.  Most praying mantises I've seen are green.  But the area we were in had a lot of yellow.  Very interesting that the coloring of the mantis matched the coloring of the area around it. Like a chameleon.

Day 259 - Try Rootbeer Milk

“After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relations.” 
― Oscar Wilde

I'd rather have a root beer float.  But that's just me.

Day 258 - Visit Utah Olympic Park

“No one will ever blame you for trying to get it right.” 
― Lorii Myers

Went up to see the Utah Olympic Park.  People were practicing jumps, which looked like a blast and holy cow can some people flip in the air!

The museum was really cool.  They have a bobsled you can get in, the real one you can actually ride down the course on would be fun!  I remember watching these big animals during the opening ceremony.  Cool to see how huge they are up close.

Day 257 - Try a Protein Shake

I don't think I like them very much.  But with 36g of protein it sure fills you up!

Day 256 - Go Stargazing

It's been years since I went stargazing.  The night sky really is beautiful!  Planets emit a constant glow.  Stars pulse, and satellites move across the sky.

Day 255 - Aroma Indian Food

Not really my favorite...

Day 254 - Hot Air Balloon Festival

"In between goals is a thing called life, that has to be lived and enjoyed."
-Sid Caesar

Woke up this morning at 6 to watch the balloons.  So amazing.

Day 253 - Watched the Psicobloc Wall Climbing Competition

"Do a little more each day than you think you possibly can."

-Lowell Thomas

Seriously, you have to check this video out!  http://utaholympiclegacy.com/activity/psicobloc-masters-series/

The competition last night was awesome!  The wall is 55 feet tall and leans out over the water.  For the competition all those little hand holds you see, they aren't there  And the big diamond shape handholds, they are right above the water!  These competitors are seriously strong!

I would be so scared to jump from the top!!!!

Day 252 - Hidden Valley Park

"You have achieved success if you have lived well, laughed often and loved much."

I don't know how many times I've driven past this park and didn't even realize it was there.  It has paved paths.  Dirt paths.  Benches under trees.  Cool pavilion.  Nice playground.  Bathrooms….and Rattlesnakes.  Yea, not even kidding about the last part.  There were signs up everywhere around the grassy area, nothing up in the woody area!

Day 251 - Celebrate National Root Beer Float Day with a free Root Beer Float

"It is true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed."
-Napoleon Hill

Today was National Root Beer Float Day!  YEA!  A&W offered free root beer floats and accepted donations to help soldiers.  Two good things in one!

Day 250 - Ogden Nature Center

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore.  Dream.  Discover."
-Mark Twain

This place was really fun.  We loved the birdhouses as you walk to the visitor center.  The birds of prey were cool because you could actually see them up close and the eagle's nest-AWESOME!  Six feet across looks huge!

Day 249 - Visit Saltair

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."
-Robert Collier

Saltair is a really fun place to play.  The gate is locked, but you can go around it down to the beach.  The boys especially loved drawing in the sand.

Day 248 - Peanut Butter Fudge

All I can say to that is YUM!

Day 247 - Clark Planetarium

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other."
-Abraham Lincoln

Clark Planetarium was super fun! I especially loved the moon exhibit.  The free exhibits were really amazing!

Day 246 - Sandpaper T-Shirts

"People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."
-Apple Computers

 This is such a fun activity.  Color a picture on some sandpaper.  Color over it again.  Then put a piece of cardboard inside the shirt (so the wax doesn't melt through on the back).  Place the sandpaper, color side down on your shirt, with the cardboard behind your shirt.  Using a heated iron run it over the sandpaper a couple of times.

Super fun.  Note:  White does not show up on white shirts and if you want to write anything, write it backwards or it will come out backwards on your shirt.

Day 245 - Watch the Sun Set on the Great Salt Lake

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing."
-Dale Carnegie

Utah has the most amazing landscape.  Mountains.  Lakes.  Sandstone.  Dessert.  Salt Flats.

Day 244 - Horseback Riding

"We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already.  We have the power to imagine better."
-J.K. Rowling

My friend has found her passion.  She says it only took her 30 years to get it, but she got it.  Her passion is horses and today she shared her passion with me.  It was so much fun, and so scary for me, which is odd because as a girl my favorite movie was "Man from Snowy River" and I wished every birthday and every wishbone that my sisters and I broke, that I could have horses of my own.  Now I'm just plain terrified of them.  They are huge, and I don't feel like I have control when I am on them, which I'm sure they sense.

Since I'm such a coward my friend walked me around, which was super nice!  And yes, she looks beautiful while I look like a sweaty mess.  I am not photogenic!

Day 243 - Bear Scat???

"The elevator to success is out of order.  You'll have to use the stairs one step at a time."

-Joe Girard

Saw this today in the woods.  Bear scat???

8 Month Recap

Eight months down, four to go!  I was eating a yogurt that I've never tried before, thinking about how fast the summer has gone and trying to see if I had done a new first every day.  Since seriously, the summer has been going so fast I'm just trying to enjoy each day.  It dawned on me that I haven't had to think or plan a 'first', but I have done 'firsts' every day.

You know the saying that what you think and put out into the universe comes back to you.  I believe it now.  The effort and thought of not saying no and trying new things now is just second nature.  In the brain, when you do something new or learn something new neurons form in a different pattern, creating new patterns all over in the brain.  So when you think positively you literally create a positive brain, and release endorphins which creates a positive life.  The brain is fascinating!

All in all, this month was a food month.  There were some fear firsts too!  And some really fun new firsts that I want to try again.

Park City Parade

Banana Split Galore

Robin's Nest

Archery

Natural History Museum

Hawk's Nest