Outings.

Today I got to go with four grandchildren, a son, and a daughter-in-law all over the valley in search of fun and delights, and let me say that, with regards to this search, we were entirely successful.

We began by backtracking--my son had forgotten something he needed, so we drove all the way from the east bench to West Valley City. Fortuitously, they knew about the West Valley City Recreation Center, which is a grand affair that has a climbing wall, a fitness room, an awesome indoor swimming pool, racquetball courts, and a fantastic feature called "Edutainment" (not a great name, admittedly)--a play area with stuff and built-ins that's wonderful for all sorts of imaginative play, including a Star Wars themed 'Dark Slide' (get it? get it!?) that's, as my daughter says, 'like a MacDonald's Play Place but without the gross MacDonald's.'

The kids had a blast. After that, we went to In 'n Out, also very good, before going to the dollar movie.

A Brief Note In Praise of the Dollar Movie:  
I love the dollar movie, for it is, as advertised, all about movies for a dollar, or somewhere in the vicinity of a dollar. On a summer day, when you're taking kids hither and yon in search of fun and delights, the dollar movie has (a) movies, and (b) air conditioning, and sometimes (c) you are the only people in the theater, which means that everyone can just r e l a x. 

at the movies.

Which we did. We chilled at the dollar theater. We had with us one child, two and a half years old, who had never seen a movie in a theater. She was enthralled. She sat on my son's lap and watched with rapt attention for most of the movie, including clapping and cheering at the best parts, which made the movie--Big Hero 6, one of my favorites of recent mainstream animated films--even better.

Tomorrow, we go to the park and the library and somewhere for lunch. We will, I predict, have a great, great time.