Father's Day Weekend

It's time to celebrate those special men in our lives, DADS! Of course, BBQ's are a go-to way to spend Father's Day, but there are a ton of awesome events going on in Ogden this weekend that dads and grandpas will love.

Here we go:

Friday, June 17
The Ogden Nature Center will be having a special Daddy and Me Nature Quest where you get to go on a scavenger hunt and build a bird house together. Spots are limited and you have to RSVP by TODAY, June 16. Cost is $10 Father/child pair for members or $12 Father/child pair for non-members. Call Stefanie Miller at 801.621.7595 for more info.

Saturday, June 18
There will be a free car show sponsered by a local church at Jefferson Park on 3333 Grant Ave. They will also have hot dogs, drinks and a bounce house for kids. The event starts at 12pm, but be there by 11:30 if you want to enter your car in the show.

The Treehouse will offer free admission for all dads all day long. Haven't been to the Treehouse? Learn more here.

Sunday, June 19
Dinosaur Park will offer free admission for dads all day.

Don't miss Ogden's Juneteenth celebration on Saturday and Sunday. Juneteenth is the oldest celebration in commemoration of slavery abolition. The celebration at Ogden Amphitheater will feature ethnic food, live music, a kids zone and local community organizations.

You can find more info on my calendar. Have fun and celebrate Dad this weekend!

Hiking in Ogden

There is no better way to wear out a toddler than a beautiful hike up Taylor's Canyon. We made sure to snatch up the opportunity to actually enjoy the outdoors yesterday. It is so beautiful up there right now. It's really, really green and the creek is overflowing. Eleanor loved hearing the birds sing and looking at the wildflowers and butterflies. We parked at 29th St and took the Bonneville Shoreline Trail until we reached the Taylor's Canyon Trail. I am thinking we went about a mile each way.

There are so many trails in the Ogden area perfect for hiking, running or biking. I love the east bench trails, because they are so close to my house and you have a lot of options once you get up there. There's Waterfall Canyon, Taylor's Canyon and Indian Trail to name a few. I, also, like going up the canyon to hike Wheeler Creek, because the first section is wide and not too difficult for young children.

If you want to go hiking in Ogden, you should check out Weber Pathways. Weber Pathways is a great organization dedicated to promoting and taking care of trails in the area. On their website, you can search trails by length or difficulty and print off maps. If you are new to the area or unfamiliar with our trails, you can join Weber Pathways on guided hikes throughout the area.

Here is a list of this summer's guided hikes:

For All Ages:

Geo-Hikes
Geology students from Weber State University will be leading hikes and conducting geology discussions of local the terrain and surrounding Earth materials. Topics that will be discussed are geomorphology (how the land was formed) and lithology (what the land is made of). These hikes are for everyone (kid and dog friendly) that want to know more about our mountains. Hikes start at 9:00am
May 28- Birdsong Trail, led by Amanda Gentry and Sara Yearsley. For more info, please call Sara at 801-682-5545 June 11 Waterfall Canyon, led by Amanda Gentry and Sara Yearsley. For more info, please call Sara at 801-682-5545.
August 16- Indian Trail, meet at the Smokey the Bear Trailhead in Ogden Canyon. Led by Kristina Bishop and Sara Yearsley. For more info, please call Sara at 801-682-5545.
August 27- Beus Canyon, led by Josh Poulsen. For more info, please call Josh at 801-231-5850.

Family Hikes
These hikes are intended for families with children. We most likely will not be hiking the entire duration, but only to where the children feel comfortable. These hikes are to get parents and children outside and exploring together in our mountains. We will be looking for bugs, animals, and plants. Bring a bag or jar so the children can collect little treasures. There will lots of stops along the way and it will be slow hiking. Anyone welcome (with or without kids), dogs welcome. Outings start at 9:00am.
June 8- Burch Creek
August 18- Wheeler Creek
For more information, please call Sara at (801) 682-5545.

For Adults and Older Kids:

Up N’ Over!
May 28th
Please be physically prepared...these hikes are tough! We will meet at the designated trail-head, leave 1/2 of our vehicles, then carpool to corresponding trail-head to hike. Hikes start at 7:00am. May 28th. We will be hiking the Indian Trail. Meet at the 22nd St trail-head for this 4.3 mile hike “up-and-over” to Ogden Canyon. July 9th. Meet at the North Ogden Divide trail-head, hikeing the South Skyline Trail. Expect to be hiking for at least 5 hours. Bring a lunch! September 10th. Meet at the North Ogden Divide trail-head. Expect to be hiking for at least 5 hours. Bring a lunch! We may summit Ben Lomond Peak! Call Casey for more information 801-540-5698.

Moonlight Hikes!
Join us on these beautiful FULL MOON hikes all summer long! All outings start at 9:00pm, meet at the 29th Street Trailhead.
June 15
August 13
September 12
October 12
For more information, call Anika at (801) 792-3398.

Wild Edibles of Northern Utah
Dozens of wild, edible plants grow in the region of Northern Utah. Several almost certainly live in your own backyard! Join us for a walk to learn what edibles grow in our area and how to use them. This is an informational hike only, not an actual foraging excursion, so please bring your own snacks and drinks. Children ages 10+ and well-behaived dogs are welcome. Recommended texts: “Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West” by Gregory L. Tilford or “Plants of the Rocky Mountains “by Kershaw, Mackinnon, and Pojar. All hikes start at 9:00am on Saturdays.
May 28
June 25
July 30
August 27
September 24
Please contact James Magruder at (801) 755-9274 for trailhead info, or check Weber Pathways’ Facebook page!

Wild Flower Hikes
We’ll hike for about 3 hours with frequent stops to look at/look up wild flowers. Hikes will be at various locations in and around Ogden Valley. Bring flower guide book if you have one. Outings are weekly on Wednesday’s at 9am.
June 1
June 8
June 15
Call Helene for specific trail-head and more info 801-745-1799.

Peak Bagging
We will be hiking various peaks in and around Weber County, including Lewis Peak, Ben Lomond, Mt. Ogden, James Peak, and others. Bring lunch. These hikes are strenuous! Please be in adequate physical condition. Outings are on Fridays at 7:30am.
June 17
July 1
July 15
July 29
For trailhead info, please call Helene at (801) 745-1799.

Wasatch Hikers Wednesday Evening Hiking Group
Wasatch Hikers can be found every Wednesday night at 6:30 PM hiking a different trail in the Ogden area. Our creed is exercise is good for the body, mind and soul! The trails in the area are better than the gym. So if you want a group to hang with, or just have time for just one hike , we look forward to meeting a new friend. For information on our next outing visit: http://www.meetup.com/webercountyoutdoors/ and check the calendar under the meetups tab.

For Adults Only:

Singles Mingles 45 and older Hikes
If you’re 45 years old or older, single, and want to mingle…come join Polly on a wonderful series of trail outings! These outings are on MOST Thursdays at 6:00pm and won’t last longer than 2 hours. Outings will run from April 7th to September 29th. This is a great way to meet other singles in the area and enjoy nature together. To register and for location, please call Polly at 801-645-3236.

Hiking in Ogden is such a great way to appreciate your surroundings and enjoy a beautiful and free outing with your family. I encourage you to get out on the trails as soon as possible!

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Guest Bloggers

Click here to getImages &
Hopscotch Pictures - Pictures

It's almost summertime and I am hoping the sun is finally going to decide to stick around. I hope to make the best of this summer, since we've been waiting so patiently for it. There is going to be a tons of things to do in Ogden this summer and I will keep you posted on all the fun. Because I'm an O-Town Mama, I keep my scope limited to Ogden City and on some occasions the rest of Weber County. Plus, I only have a toddler and that further limits the activities I attend. I would love to hear from other O-Town mamas about things they like to do with their kids of all ages. I know that there are Clearfield mamas, Brigham City mamas, Salt Lake City mamas and mamas from all over the state that know about all the fun things going on in their towns. I would love to hear about your fun, summer games or crafts that can be done anywhere and special spots anywhere in Utah that your family loves to visit in the summer. I hope to take a lot of field trips and staycations this year and I (and my readers, I think) would love to hear about other family-friendly places. You can write a little blurb about your ideas, send a few pics or both would be great. I would like to highlight a guest mama or daddy blogger each week, if possible. If you would like to share your family fun on O-Town Mama, please email me at otownmama01@gmail.com or write me a comment on Facebook or Twitter.
Thanks for reading!

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LeVeque Photography

For Eleanor's birthday a couple of months ago, I started looking for a local photographer to take her pictures. Most of the photographers I found were waaaay out of my price range or didn't appeal to me. Some never returned my inquires, so I was lucky when my friend, Brooke, introduced me to LeVeque Photography. I booked a mini session, which is super affordable, and met owner and photographer, Chelsey Westbroek.

Chelsy has been doing photography for a while now, but just opened her own studio downtown at the Borrowed Earth Emporium. It's a super cute space that totally caters to kids and has the surrounding building, with all of its character-rich brick walls, for use. She offers many services, from individual portraits to large-group family photos, and takes pics in-studio and on-site.

The hardest part about taking a toddler's picture is that they CANNOT sit still for one second. Chelsy was great about not making Elle pose too much and she snapped a great shot as soon as she had the opportunity. I think she captured Eleanor's bursting personality in each shot. I am sharing my favs from the session.

If you are looking for a new photographer, I recommend LeVeque Photography for its great prices and service. She's got a great special going on for Father's Day: Get 25% off your on-site or off-site photo session. You can check LeVeque Photography out online on her website or on Facebook. If you like her on Facebook, you will find out about even more great specials.

LeVeque Photography
801-209-4881
2242 Washington Blvd.
Ogden, UT 84403

Thanks for reading!

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Swimming Lessons

*Post updated at 7pm on Monday, May 23*

"I've been coming here every summer of my adult life, and every summer there she is oiling and lotioning, lotioning and oiling... smiling. I can't take this no more!" --Squints
Photo from Andrew's Idea.

I am not a swimmer. My husband is not a swimmer. I almost drown two times as a kid until I finally learned how to doggy-paddle well enough to keep my head afloat. I can swim now, just not very gracefully. Therefore, it seems like Elle may be doomed to water phobia. But, I am determined to make sure Eleanor becomes a good swimmer. I think it is an important life skill and a confidence booster. Last year, I took Elle to the Parent/Child lessons at Roy City Complex. Each lesson consisted of the same routine of blowing bubbles, playing motor boat, kicking in the water and just becoming familiar with the water in general. Children as young as 6 months old can enroll in Parent/Child classes and it's really a good idea to get your child in lessons as soon as possible. The lifeguard told us that the reason why many babies and toddlers drown when they fall in water is because they don’t know what to do and just sink to the bottom of the pool unnoticed. By learning to splash and kick in the water, young children are able to draw attention to themselves if they get into trouble. As your child gets older, they are going to want more freedom at the pool, so it's a good idea to teach them how to swim properly. Arm floaties and life-jackets only provide so much protection.

This year I wanted to find lessons closer to my home, because Roy is just too far for me to drive. I was surprised to find that there are many options in the Ogden area.

The lessons are listed by price point, least expensive to most expensive.

Marshall White Pool
222 28th St. Ogden
801-629-8347
$25- Lessons are about 45 minutes, except Parent/Child classes are 30 minutes, and are held on Mondays, Tuesdays,Wednesdays and Thursdays for 2 weeks. Classes are held between 8:30am-1pm. The heated pool is a bonus! You can call for more info, but you must go to the pool in-person to register.

Lorin Farr Pool
1691 Gramercy Ave. Ogden
801-629-0696
$30- Lessons are 45 minutes long and last for 2 weeks. Lessons are held at 10am, 11am or 6pm depending on the lesson.You can get the registration form here and register online at ogdencity.com or in person at Ogden City Recreation Office, 1875 Monroe Blvd. P.S. Can someone please tell me when they got rid of the Rampage? That thing was epic!

Ben Lomond Community Pool
1049 7th St. Ogden
801-625-1100
$35- Lessons are 40 minutes long and are held Monday-Thursday for 2 weeks. Children must be at least 4 years old. You can call for more information, but you must register in-person at the pool.

Weber State University
Stromberg/Swenson Gym
3848 Harrison Blvd.
801-626-7184 or 801-626-7967
$40- Lessons are 40 minutes long and are held Monday-Thursday for 2 weeks. Click here to register. Thanks for the info Evan's family!

North Shore Aquatic Center
245 E. 2550 N. North Ogden
801-737-0587
801-782-9712 (May 28th - September 5th)
$45 (non-North Ogden resident)/ $30 (North Ogden resident)- Lessons are held for six weeks. You can get more information and register here.

Ogden Athletic Club
1221 E. 5800 S. South Ogden
801-479-6500
$45 (non-members)/$36 (members)- All lessons, except level 1 which are 30 minutes, are 40 minute sessions held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for two weeks. Click here for the summer schedule. You must register in-person.

All lessons begin June 6. Many pools began registration 1-2 months ago, so you may want to hurry up and register before the classes fill up. Thanks for reading and Happy Swimming!

Check back tomorrow when I unveil my awesome family pics by LeVeque Photography.

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Biking to Work

So I have really been looking forward to this post for some time. As I snuggled up to my computer to start my research, I found out that National Bike to Work Day had already passed. For some reason, I thought it was this week, but it was actually last week. Bummer! But, then I found out that Ogden City will be hosting a bike to work day this Friday. If you are interested, meet at 7:30am at the A-1 parking lot just west of the social science building at Weber State University. The group will be riding through neighborhoods into downtown Ogden arriving at the Municipal Building at 2549 Washington Blvd. Ogden Bicycle Collective will provide a FREE pancake breakfast for all riders beginning at 7:30am. I think any day can be bike to work day! If you can't make this event, try organizing a bike to work day of your own.

From bicycle enthusiasm to penny-pinching, there are so many reasons to consider using human power to get to and from work. With gas prices potentially hitting $5/gallon this summer, anyone who is able should giving bicycle commuting a chance. You’ll save money, get fit and help the environment. If you live less than 10 miles from work, you should be able to get to work in a timely enough manner. If you live further than that, you might consider riding Front Runner, Trax or the bus to a stop closer to your work and riding or walking the rest of the way. You can bring your bike on any of these transportation modes. Just be sure to plan ahead and give yourself a little extra time. If you cannot ride to work or don’t work, try riding your bike on an errand to the library or a friend’s house.

If you have never ridden a bike on the road, there are some things you should know. Whether you are a cyclist or a motorist, it is important to realize that roads are meant to be shared. Bicyclists are subject to the same laws and rights as motorists. I know there has been a lot of negativity lately about cyclists not obeying traffic laws and SLC Government website recommends that if cyclists want the support of motorists, they must follow all traffic laws. Although I do agree that cyclists should obey traffic laws for safety reasons, I don’t think that bicyclists should have to prove themselves on the road. Most motorists break traffic laws regularly, whether on purpose or by accident. Just because a cyclist sees that the intersection is clear and doesn’t come to a complete stop does that mean they don’t deserve support? I don’t think so. Everyone deserves respect on the road. Car and bike accidents can be deadly and by being on the road we should respect other people’s lives by "supporting" each other. Bicyclists are supposed to ride ON THE ROAD with traffic. Although many people opt to ride on the sidewalk, it is technically illegal. Furthermore, cyclists should never ride on the road against traffic. Many people feel like this is safer, because you can see oncoming cars, but it is the most unsafe way to travel on a bike. It decreases both the cyclist's and motorist's stopping time if collision is a threat and makes turning left or right more dangerous because you are cutting off unsuspecting drivers. Ogden City is making an effort to make the city more biker friendly. They have painted bike lanes on many roads and installed bike lane signs.

Here is a somewhat condensed version of the State of Utah’s Bicyclist Laws-

If you are riding at a pace under the speed limit, you must ride as close to the right-hand side of the road as is safe. This doesn’t mean you have to ride in the gutter. You can avoid potholes, parked cars and other obstructions by giving yourself enough room on each side of you: Just avoid taking up an entire lane.
You may move out of this area if:

1. You are passing another cyclist.
2. You are making a left turn. This means that if you need to turn left, you will cross traffic safely (I will talk about this later) and wait in the left turning lane until you have the right of way.
3. You are traveling straight and blocking a right turn lane.
4. The lane is too narrow for both a bike and car to ride side by side.
5. You are dogding unsafe conditions (i.e. potholes, broken glass, animals.

Because bicycles are treated like automobiles on the road, a cyclist must:

1. Yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian.
2. Give an audible signal before overtaking and passing a pedestrian.
3. Not ride bicycles on sidewalks and paths or across driveways and crosswalks.
4. Not ride negligently (this, I'm sure, includes riding while under the influence).
5. Stop at the request of a police officer.

In order to ride safely in traffic, cyclists must use hand signals to indicate turning and braking.

To indicate you are turning left you should extend your left hand and arm horizontally before and as your cross traffic.

To turn right you should extend your left hand and arm upward.

To indicate that your are slowing down or stopping, extend your left hand and arm downward.

If you are riding any time between one half an hour after sunset and one half an hour before sunrise, you must have:

1. A lamp that emits a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front.
2. A red reflector visible for 500 feet from the rear.
3. A red taillight, either flashing or non-flashing, that is also visible at least 500 feet from the rear.

Other safety tips include wearing a helmet and riding in a straight line. I like to make eye contact with any driver coming towards me, especially when I am turning, to make sure that they see me and acknowledge that I am there. I also don’t recommend starting fights with people. As a cyclist, you WILL encounter berating, road rage and disrespect in general from motorists. Don’t reciprocate this anger, it doesn’t usually end well. I have lost my temper with drivers and was actually almost attacked by some guy who was just pissed off that I was on the road. Luckily, I had two other guys with me.

For motorists:
You may not knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly drive within in 3 feet of a moving bicycle. Motorists should also watch for bicyclists, they are even less noticeable than motorcyclists. Make sure you give cyclists enough room and realize that there are many hazards on the road that they must avoid. Don’t honk your horn at cyclists (or shout at, ridicule, throw things at, threaten, etc. bicyclists either!) Make sure you don’t try to pass them if the lane is too narrow and there is on-coming traffic and never make a right turn in front of a biker.

You can find the complete list of Utah's bicycle laws here.
Also, check out Share the Road for more safety tips.

In conclusion, riding your bike, either for fun or to commute, is rewarding. So hop on your old ten-speed, your fixed gear or your high-end road bike--share the road and RIDE!

Do you commute to work on your bike? Share your tips, stories and experiences by leaving a comment.

Scavenger Hunt: The Final Days

We resorted to driving around the city for the last few days of our hunt. After finding 5 houses in one day, we gave up about 1 ½ hours before the deadline on Tuesday. We still had 4 more buildings left, but just couldn’t find them. When I turned in our form, the secretary told me it was the 63rd entry. So, I think we’ve got pretty good odds for the prize drawing. I’m feeling good about it. To conclude this year’s hunt, the Weber County Heritage Foundation will be hosting an event at Ogden High School this Thursday at 5:30pm. The event will feature a slideshow presentation of all of the historic buildings featured in this year’s hunt. Chuck James, an artisan and lead decorative painter, will speak about techniques being used to restore Ogden High School. I am really glad I participated in this year’s hunt. I had a lot of fun exploring the town and learning more about its history. If you didn’t participate this year, don’t worry it will be back next year!

Be sure to check back Friday when I count down Ogden's Top Ten Landmarks.

Deal of the Day

Tomorrow is National Train Day and you can celebrate by giving your family a membership to Ogden's one and only Union Station. Groupon is offering memberships at the discounted rate of only $20 for a whole year. With a membership you get admission to all 3 Union Station Museums for 4 children and 2 adults, 10% off all your purchases at the gift store, and free admission to the Ogden Nature Center and Eccles Dinosaur Park on the weekdays. Click here to buy.

Scavenger Hunt: Days 2 & 3

After two days and at least 10 miles of biking and walking around Ogden, we have only found one more house (one with no visible address, no less)! This hunt is turning out to be a lot harder than I expected.

Despite our hard luck, we are thoroughly enjoy our Ogden adventures. From stopping at Bangkok Garden for lunch or Ventana's for fried ice cream, I love being caught in Ogden's eclectic mix of residential and urban neighborhoods.

From the weed-ridden yards...

To the tree-lined streets...

Abandoned buildings

And historic properties

These are the things I LOVE about Ogden!

The deadline for scavenger hunt forms is Tuesday, May 17th. Are you out there searching for Ogden's historic buildings? Share your experiences by leaving a comment!

Cinco de Mayo

Celebrations for Cinco de Mayo start tomorrow. I know, I know, Cinco de Mayo is a waaaaay bigger deal in America than it is in Mexico. Many people think that it is Mexico's equivalent to the USA's 4th of July, but it actually is commemoration of a battle won by Mexico over France. Mexico's independence day is known as Grito de Dolores and celebrated on September 16.

Cinco de Mayo may not be the most important Mexican holiday, but it is a great opportunity to celebrate diversity in Ogden and nationwide.

The Weber County Library will celebrate on Thursday, May 5 (of course) at the Main Branch and on Saturday, May 7 at the Pleasant Valley Branch. The event will boast a presentation of Mexican dances by Utah-based Mexican folk dances, arts and crafts and refreshments. Additional details are available on my calendar.

On Wednesday, May 4, the Marshall White Center will celebrate with a car show, music, dancers and activities for kids. Javier's will provide the food.

Do you know of any other Cinco de Mayo celebrations? Are you attending any of these events? Leave a comment to share!

A day in Ogden

Took some time to go out and enjoy some sun, bikes and O-town. Started at the at the Treehouse for On Track to Reading. On Track to Reading is all about preparing kids to learn to read and for school. The goal is to have them interact with the songs and then sit through a group story time for about 15 minutes. Unfortunately my daughter's not quite on track, more like derailed. She will not sit down for one second. It's OK though, she's a free spirit.

Next, we headed down Washington Blvd. to check out all the newish businesses downtown. We stopped at the BEE for coffee, then did some shopping at Urban Chic, Ogden Rox and Recreation Outlet. Elle was digging the hats at Urban.

We attempted to ride the parkway, but it happens to be about 8 feet under water!

Lastly, we stopped at the library for Children's Book Week. It was really neat. They had a volunteer from the Dinosaur Park who brought bones and fossils. Then we read a dinosaur picture book and made dinosaur masks. At the end, they passed out some treats and every kid got to pick out a free book. If you missed this, I highly suggest you check out it out tomorrow at the Pleasant Valley and North branches. You can get more info from my calendar.