The kids have been back to school for a few days now but I wanted to make sure I documented our 2020 Summer fun. Sure, this summer wasn’t like most summers but I feel like we made the best of it and created some great memories. Back in 2009 when I started this blog I wanted to document all of the family memories…kind of like a scrapbook. Obviously this space has turned into more than a scrapbook but today I am going back to my roots and sharing some fun with the kids! Disclosure…be prepared for picture overload!
2020 Summer Recap and Experiences!
Lots Of Park Visits
When summer break first hit, there wasn’t much to do so we visited a lot of parks. At least once a week we went to one of our favorite parks that also has a lake and enjoyed lunch by the lake followed by a nice walk. We also did a lot of walks, scooter rides and bike trips to the parks close to the house. I tried to do this once a day just so we had some outside and active time.
Once the parks and playgrounds started opening the kids were able to play on the playgrounds which was a nice change until we hit the almost 100 degree weather days. One thing I noticed this summer was that a simple thing like heading to the park became a favorite for both kids.
Dance Recital For My Tiny Dancer
Even though Teagan’s dance recital looked really different this summer her company director still made the best of it. The recital took place outside and we still got to see her dance her Hip Hop and Ballet routines. Her favorite part, no surprise here, is getting to wear lots of make up and fun costumes!
Once again, she did great, even with the last 3 months of practice being via ZOOM meetings. I was really impressed with the kids, they still put on a great performance.
Splash Pad/Pool At Home
Oh man, those summer days can be long and hot. At least once a week we got out our pool or splash pad out in our backyard. It was a great afternoon distraction for those lockdown days. And lucky for the kids, the neighbors invited them over a few times to use their BIG pool. Lucky kiddos!
Even though the two of them do fight some, they are lucky that they have each other to play with through this crazy summer. Especially when we got the water balloons out!
Jude, like many of the kiddos in the world, experienced a birthday while on lockdown. We still enjoyed this day and celebrated big time! A family tradition of a donut tower and a special message in the yard to wake up too! Celebrating a birthday this way is not fun but I think it is a birthday he will remember forever!
Celebrating With A Mommy and Jude Date
Before the lockdown happened I was introduced to a seafood restaurant that I knew I had to surprise Jude with since he loves seafood. Because his birthday was so different I decided to drop Teagan off with my parents and take Jude out for a patio lunch date for his favorite food.
He got swordfish and a Turks and Caicos Chowder! What a treat!
Teagan Lost A Tooth
Now this may seem silly but this was Teagan’s first tooth she lost at home. Her first teeth were pulled at the dentist, so this was a pretty big deal and something she was so excited about. The tooth fairy may have even brought her something even extra special.
4th of July
Well, 4th of July looked and sounded a lot different. No big firework shows planned but we did get to go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for a fun 4th of July parade put on by the city. And, lucky for us most of our neighbors decided to spend their stimulus checks on giant fireworks so we still had a show in the evening that actually went well into the early morning hours. (only half kidding…)
Our First Field Trip – Butterfly Pavilion
Once things slowly started to open up we decided to go on a few field trips to some of the places we had been missing. Our first stop was to the Butterfly Pavilion. Even though the pandemic has brought a lot of bad, some of the good is the less crowds at places that are usually annoying to be at.
We were able to enjoy our time at the Butterfly Pavilion and not feel crowded. Yes, masks are a must but it wasn’t that big of a deal. All of us ended up with at least one butterfly sitting on us too! So fun!
Yoga and Bikes Out Front
There was a lot of front yard fun this summer with the neighbors. Riding bikes, scooters and skate boards. Play dolls in the yard, yoga and chalk art on the driveway. No matter what was on the agenda it seemed that we always had time to go out to the front yard in the evening to play.
Dinner On The Deck
With being inside for months it became a good break to have dinner on the deck for some fresh air. Again, these simple things became more and more special which in a way, I kind of have enjoyed! Yes the spring and summer seemed long but these moments are ones that I know I will hold forever and I hope the kids do too!
YMCA – Snow Mountain Ranch
We still were able to enjoy our summer trip to the YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch even during the pandemic. They were following all of the regulations and we felt so safe and enjoyed our time in the mountains. Hikes, archery, bike riding, mini golf, crafts, and playgrounds all in the fresh air in a really nice cabin. Exactly what we needed.
The Show MUST Go On: Newsies
Back in January I shared that Jude really stepped out of his comfort zone and auditioned for the All School musical The Newsies. He got a named part and was a part of the ensemble. Well, the rehearsals and the performance was canceled due to the pandemic and lockdown. SO BUMMED!!
Because our school is so invested, a few weeks before the beginning of school they decided to do a mini version of the musical and recorded the scenes. The performing arts director is now going through over 30 hours of tape to put together a video for us to watch and enjoy! Jude got to say his favorite lines and really did great. I am excited to see if he tries out for this years musical!
A Staycation We All Needed
I was invited to bring my family to experience the new Gaylord Rockies Resort and I was thrilled. I had heard amazing things about the pool and lazy river and goodness knows we needed a pool day!! The two days we at the resort it felt like a true vacation. Sun, swimming, frozen drinks and so much fun!
Mini Golf In The Heat
One thing the kids had been asking me to do is to go mini golfing. Once the 90 degree heat hit I was searching for things to do so we decided to do a late afternoon visit to the mini golf course. It was a good idea. Sure it was hot but it was not busy and we got to do two courses. Once we were done we headed to a yummy dinner on the patio at my favorite pizza joint.
Denver Zoo Visits
We decided to take a few trips with Grandma and Grandpa to visit the animals at the zoo we had been missing. There were timed entry tickets and less people. Again, it was hot especially with masks but it is so worth it. The animals were active and the lack of crowds made for a great day. It was so nice to get out and enjoy the zoo again. I feel like the kids really missed it.
Museum Visit – LEGO Exhibit
We also took advantage of the LEGO exhibit at the Denver Museum. Again, you had to wear masks but the lack of crowds was awesome! Not having to worry about parking was so great. The colorful and amazing LEGO sculptures were really fun to look at too. We had a good time in our favorite exhibits as well – the Mummies and the hall of health!
Bike Rodeo
Our local police department and city put on a bike rodeo one Saturday afternoon. This was a free event and with the kids both really enjoying bike rides I decided it was a perfect activity for a weekend. We struggled through the heat but it was worth it. The event coordinators created a fun bike obstacle course for the kids to ride through and there was Popsicles and music. The kids did the course at least 5 times and got better and better at it each time. It was a great to see some community involvement.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
We went for an extra long car ride down to Colorado Springs to visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. It was worth the drive and we had so much fun. Our favorites – feeding the giraffes and hanging out with the Wallaby families. We do love the Denver Zoo but the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is pretty magical!
S’mores and Fire Pit
We had a few fire pit gatherings with family and neighbors through out the summer. It was a good way to be social but socially distance ourselves. As the summer comes to an end I think we will have more and more of these moments in the backyard, especially since it is getting darker earlier already!
And before we knew it the First Day of School was here!! What a great summer, even though it was lockdown style. Memories made and many laughs had! I cannot wait to see how the school year goes and I am thankful for every moment I have with these growing kiddos…even on the hard days.
PS…if you made it through this whole post you get a gold star and a drink!! HA!
How did you make the best of your crazy 2020 summer??
