Summer Adventures // the local places we visit most

Personal opinion: Labor Day marks the official end of summer... so I guess there's only a bit over a week of summer left! I'm telling myself that I can't decorate for fall until I have my house super deep-cleaned, though. Hooray for incentives!

Perhaps I will live for "those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" once my kids are in school, but right now I have a pleasantly tolerable relationship with the hot months. Nicole and I are both not fans of heat (Austin seems to tolerate it better), and so mornings are our prime time to do our outdoor activities. We save indoor activities for the hotter parts of the day. In case you Utah locals want inspiration for your own future summer adventures, our most frequent haunts this summer have included:

• Discovery Playground (deserted in the morning, and shown in this post's pictures)
• The All-Together Playground (also deserted in the morning)
• Walking up to Bridal Veil Falls
• Checking out various parks in our neighborhood to see if any of them are hidden gems
• The kids chill in the stroller while I jog/power-walk on the trail near our house. Depending on when we get out the door and how far I go, we also make a slight detour to say hello to some horses and chickens at a home near the trail.
• Going through Costco for all the samples
• Exploring the mall
• The new Orem splash pad
• The splash pad at Riverwoods, or hanging out at Provo Beach at Riverwoods. Mainly for the Carousel, of course. Dole Whip is a plus too.
• Occasional trips to pay-to-enter facilities like the Lindon Aquatic Center or Kangaroo Zoo
• Going up in Provo Canyon for a picnic or to play/explore. On a good day it can be 5-8 degrees cooler up there, not to mention there's usually a breeze going.

No matter the activity, though, one of my top priorities is keeping cool and feeling comfortable. Ya feel me, fellow mamas?!! Dresses and skirts are summer staples for me. It's hard to stay cool when I have an extra layer of clothing (Mormon garments) and so it's important that whatever items I DO wear are not only appropriate for my personal modest clothing standards, but are also breathable and light without being completely sheer. I'm always on the lookout for great sources of cute modest clothes, such as those found at Cleo Madison. I have all the heart eyes for this dress, as well as this shirt (hello, pumpkin!!!!!). Some of the dresses even have pockets. Pockets, ladies!

I'm loving this floral piece that I picked from their inventory. It can be worn casually as I am wearing it in these pictures (great for errands and running after kids) or dressed up if you throw on some heels, jewelry and perhaps a belt. Aside from being a great piece for warm weather, the rusted shade of the floral makes it a perfect transition piece for--drum roll, please--fall!!!! Yes yes yes, I'm talking about FALL again! Just add boots and layers!

Ooooooo. Boots. Layers. It's coming, folks.