Summer Daddy Kid Dates

This is another Dad post. I just wanted to write about one of my favorite things about summer...Daddy-Daughter and Father-Son dates!!! Every year when school gets out this is something that both me and the kids really look forward to. The kids all drew pictures of the options they were considering and then decided on their favorite activities.

Zoey kicked things off with our traditional evening at the PG Strawberry Days Carnival. We had a blast! She knows how to have a great time and she knows just what to say to get me to buy her a stuffed animal and cotton candy.

Jackson was super adventurous this year and decided that he wanted me to take him on a full-moon 25 mile bike ride on June 3rd/4th at Antelope Island State Park. It was glow in the dark theme and we decked out our bikes and our selves with glow in the dark sticks and lights. There were probably 1,500 -2,000 riders which made for a crowded 10PM start time. It was a lot of fun seeing the train of glow in the dark riders making their way around the island. Jackson and I had three goals: 1) don't get hurt, 2) no walking up the hills, and 3) have fun. I'm happy to report that we accomplished all three. Jackson continues to amaze me with how strong a rider he is at such a young age. For the second year in a row I think he was the youngest rider in the event we've participated in. And despite being so young he is a really aggressive rider and he would respond to any comments of encouragement or praise from other riders with an extra burst of energy. He got tired, especially towards the end, but I think he gained a lot of confidence as we rode passed hundreds and hundreds of adults that were walking their bikes up the hills. I hope we can do bigger and bigger adventures each year.

Both Eli and Calvin wanted to kayak down the Provo River. Calvin reminded me of Eli last year when he fell asleep on the river. I think it must be something about the rocking and the sound of the water. Eli had a blast and enjoyed doing his fair share of paddling. Eli in in a fun phase where he likes to pick up rocks to collect so we brought home a couple pockets full or river rock (aka treasures). It was a great time and none of us fell in the river this year - success!!

I love the great memories that I have of these dates with the kids. There is something super special about spending one-on-one time together. I'm already looking forward to seeing what they choose to do next.