Good day to the Ogden Nature Center

I love my job at the Nature Center. I feel blessed beyond words to be doing what I love, to have truly the most amazing co-workers, to learn new skills, to occasionally bring my baby to work, and to have open access to a complete gem in an industrial part of a city!  Check it out www.ogdennaturecenter.org

My main job is to do outreach so I go out into the community and give presentations with animals and birds.  I am also the one who books and sets up reservations for when we do these programs.  I also get to help with summer camps and school field trips that visit the center. I have to tell you that when I was in High School that this is the kind of job I hoped that I would have one day. This and a Girl Scout camp counselor, a nature guide in Alaska, and a ski instructor. Pretty sweet that I have been able to do those things too.

I started at the ONC in October 2012 and I can honestly say I have not had one bad day at work. I have had some challenges but compared to some of my other  experiences on the job such as being charged by a mountain goat in rut, arranging for a life flight for a young girl in cardiac distress 7 miles from a road, being stepped on by a horse, or skiing with 10 eight year olds in 2 feet of snow, I have been able to handle the challenges at this job with grace. 

Today I helped out with summer camp and did a lesson about tarantulas, played field games, and did some insect netting.  Pretty fun for me and the campers.

The next coolest thing about my job is that my husband works 1/4 mile away! I know that is too hard to believe but it is true.  He works at a call center at the industrial park that is located right next to the ONC.  Today I ended work just as he started his day. So he dropped our children off at the Nature Center and I was able to go exploring with them. We had a wonderful time walking the shady trails, checking out the raptor birds, gazing at the water birds, and playing in the grass. 

It was a perfect afternoon.  A dream in fact. Both the kids were in high spirits. They got tired at the very end of our walk but hey we live just 10 minutes away so nap time was not too far off.

oh my the playland.

It has been in the low 100's in our town the past several days. Record breaking heat and a 3 month old and a two year old  really don't mix. I have discovered  that my car does not have AC vents in the back seats. And for a baby in a rear facing car seat that is miserably uncomfortable. Before we go anywhere I make sure to breast feed him extra long so he has fluids and I also place cool wet rags on his body.   I really don't want to put my baby through these hot temps yet my toddler is literally climbing the curtains and needs to get out of the house. What is a mother on a super tight budget and an outdoor agenda to do?


  I know I must sound like a complainer and almost in every paragraph I write there is a recurring theme of "it is difficult." Well so be it. Here is my theme again.  It is difficult to manage an infant and a rambunctious  toddler

My husband works nights and I work most days.  We take turns watching the kids and have a babysitter for the few hours our work schedules overlap.  That seems to work out pretty well except it is difficult to go out on activities with out having backup.

So what have I discovered?  McDonalds play land.  It is free.  It is fun.  It has AC.  There are other moms to talk to.  It gets me out of the house. And my son LOVES it.  The play land at our nearest McDonald has a musical instrument theme. It is awesome!  A giant rubber guitar to climb on and strum. A piano slide and some life size drums.  Also there are tall slides, climbing elements, rolling elements, a swinging saucer on a rope! Did I mention it is free and has AC. So this outdoor mom has gone against all things that she once thought were holy and has ZERO issues with spending two hours at the McDonald play land.

Outdoor Concerts and films.

Going to an outdoor concert is considered an outdoor adventure, well at least I think so. An adventure is any type of outing or life event where you can not predict what might happen. And going  alone with a two year old and an infant to a concert is just that. Ogden, is a cool town where every Monday there is a free outdoor film, every Wednesday there is a free concert, and at the nearby ski area there is a free concert on Sundays.  D, my husband, works afternoons and evenings so unless it is one of his rare nights off I take the kids on my own.  On a few occasions I have brought a friend along.  However Ogden is a small enough town I find someone to share a blanket with. I am forever grateful for these friends that help me keep an eye on my child.

 

I pack up snacks, drinks, a blanket, and either the stroller or wagon and head out to the Ogden Amphitheater or up to Snowbasin.

 

 

S, my two year old, loves the concerts and runs and dances and explores all over the place.  He enjoys finding kind strangers to plop down next to and eat their snacks.  Most of the time people think it is cute and love to share with him. I don't know how I feel about this.  I love how much he trusts others and feels the world is a safe place and I want that so much to be what it is for him. But as a mother and a wise woman I know that this is not always true.  Soon he will have to learn about "stranger danger" and he will loose a piece of himself. However, I feel that he has a very keen sense of those he can trust and those he should avoid.  He can sense their energy and auras.

 

There is a playground adjacent to the amphitheater and on movie and concert night it is full of children.  S has such a great time and makes friends very quickly. It brings me joy to see him frolic around with new kids and to see how friendly and helpful other parents are to help.

 

There is also a concession  stand at the amphitheater and I have chosen this as a place where he can learn a little bit about money. I have him pay for his popcorn and he thinks that is the most magical part of the evening. He gives the nice teen girl a green piece of paper and she gives him a hot bag of one of his favorite treat.

 

At the Snowbasin concerts its harder to keep tabs on him. We spent many days there in the winter and he knows his way around the base area. One day I grabbed him just in time before he got on the gondola and whisked away to the top of the mountain. He was able to make it under the gates and past the security and ticket checkers. It is super difficult to keep up with him because he is so fast and also small so he can get through spaces and under things that I can not. Also I am chasing him with his little brother slung around my chest. Another time he made it into the lodge and a friend of mine located him as he was pushing the elevator buttons to head downstairs. Aghhh! Teaching boundaries is such a challenge especially when I really feel its important to instill a sense of wonder and exploration. 

 

On movie night, S, actually stays put in one spot! He loves watching on the big screen and he shouts out "oh no" when things are not going so well for the characters.  His other things he loves to say during movies are . "They ok?"  "Agua" "It raining"  and so on.  He gets very involved in the plot and likes to cuddle up and eat pop corn.

 

As the summer has evolved and the more concerts and movies we have been to the easier it has gotten. I am sure because I have learned what to expect and what is necessary to pack. But, also I have noticed that S has a lengthening attention span.  The first concert we went to he could not hold still for 2 minutes and he had to be up and running around and in everyone's business.  And now he will sit at the blanket and eat his snacks, dance with me a bit, play with his trucks, blow a few bubbles, and then run off.  I can keep him at home base now for about 45 minutes!  That is a huge step for all of us.