This really is the Place!

Yesterday was such a perfect day I couldn't stand to keep the kids at home and let it go to waste. I guess I'm getting a little bit antsy knowing that winter is around the corner and if this winter is going to be anything like the last, I want to spend as much time outside as humanly possible until the first snow. (regardless if there is laundry or cleaning to be done, because there's always tomorrow or the next day.... or the next..right?)Bailey had two of her friends from school

over and we all jumped into the car and headed up to the

THIS IS THE PLACE state park. I have never been there but have always heard great things about it so we decided to give it a try. For $5 a child you get a wrist band with three punches on it that allows one pony ride, one pioneer craft, and one train ride. Well worth the money, if you ask me! We enjoyed ourselves so much, it has become one of my favorite outings with the kids. Enjoying the perfect weather with our friends Riley and Saydi

Playing in the fountain
Part of the fun was being able to see the way the Pioneer children lived and the chores that they were expected to do. We were lucky enough to get in on the action and help a real life Pioneer family pick apples for a pie. The kids couldn't get enough, I was suprised that they got such a kick out of it! Who would have thought that helping out with chores would be such a hit? They begged to see if we could find any more pioneers working in their gardens so we could be of some assistance. But unfortunately some other helpers beat us to it......maybe next time.

Pioneer Crafts

I was impressed to see that Elmer's Glue and Crayola Markers were around back then

I can't imagine having to make Pinwheels with out them. Those pioneers thought of everything!

Saydi and Bug getting a little bit Creative
Showcasing our finished Pinwheels

Pioneer Batman Boy's Firehouse
One of the highlights was playing in the Children's Village. Everything was just their size and they spent over an hour just running around and exploring.
My little Engineer
Crazy Indians
Sitting "Indian" Style in a Tee Pee

Luke could not figure out this puzzle........ it's a Pioneer Parking Spot!

The "pony ride" just happened to be Big Horses which made it more exciting for the children.

Riley was quite the natural, she looked like a pro when the horses changed direction.
Giddy UP Luke!

Lukie on "Lucky", he misunderstood the lady when she was telling us the names of the horses and thought he was riding his name-twin "Lukie the Horse".

Saydi riding "Lucky"

I'm willing to bet that she's been on a horse before
Bailey riding "Banjo", who by the way was the fastest horse in town!

This is "Jack" the billy goat. He is part of the petting zoo and fast became one of our BFF's. I have never seen such a friendly petting zoo in all my life, you didn't need to walk up to any of the animals because they are all so tame they just walk on over to you. However, Jack was mildly intimidated by Lukie

(I think it was the batman shirt)

and took some coaxing to get him out into the open.
Riley re-named every animal in the petting zoo.

I believe the new name she gave Jack was "Boo the billy goat."

Jack was a character and wanted to come home with us. The clever little fellow kept following us through the gate. When we finally slipped out with out him he stood at the gate and cried for us to come back and play.

He was sooo adorable! It about broke all our hearts to leave him.

We finished off the Day with a Train Ride and Tour around the Village.

The park was such a hands on experience for the kids. All in all they went to pioneer school class, visited the cabinet maker, did chores, visited the shaving parlor, danced the Virginia Reel, visited the blacksmith, and they even got to pull a hand cart. It was fun, educational and entertaining! It was a treat to actually experience pioneer life and compare it to our lives today. There was so much to do and see that we weren't able to fit it all in and so we are going back very soon. I hear Halloween is full of new activities...

Anyone that is up for the adventure let me know!

Phenomenon

Hero spotting is a new phenomenon around here

while Bailey is obsessed Princess’s,

Luke is equally obsessed with all the Super Hero’s and it has become quite the "norm" at our place to spot famous faces flying ,crawling or just hanging around.
It is not unusual for 3 or 4 different Hero’s to drop by our home in a single daySometimes they are ones we recognize, like The Batman
Superman
or Mighty Spidy

Other times the Hero is an entirely new breed, an unusual mixture of every member of "The Justice League of Hero’s" all wrapped in one with phenomenal super powers that can accomplish absolutely anything! Luke has such an active imagination and surprises me everyday what he comes up with - like the "Indivisible Snake Boy", an invisible, silent emissary who does good and leaves gifts for those in need, one of my personal favorites.
In fact Lukie reminds me a bit of a Super Hero he's got the intelligence, brute strength, advanced athletic ability, massive size (OK, so just his feet are considered above average right now) and an amazing heart of gold.
Of course this is all fun and games but I'm trying to teach my little Super Hero
that while costumes and capes are fantastic,
if he continues to do good then
"Every man can become a Superman."

"Beauty Mark"

I took Bailey to see my brother-in-law Dr. Mark Rada to have a mole removed from the back of her leg. He had looked at it a few months ago and warned me that it was extremely dark and uneven around the edges, suspicious for someone her age and that it was important to get it removed before it could do her any harm. It's always better to be safe than sorry and who needs a Beauty Mark on the back of their leg anyway. We are lucky to have a Dr in the family to keep tabs on all this stuff because I wouldn't have thought much about it, since she's a child. You only really hear about older people getting these things removed. So, Thank you Dr. Mark.
I was nervous about how she would do, besides a broken Tibia last year she's never had anything done like this before. She cried and screamed a little bit, mostly out of fear of the unknown I'm sure because Mark was extremely gentle with her. Over all she surprised her mom and was very brave little girl. (Of course the M&M's from the staff and bribery of a new Doll of her choice also helped.) Mark gave her a love and some final instructions about how she needs to take it easy, no swimming and rough housing because she has stitches in the back of her leg. As we were walking out to the car she stops me in the middle of the parking lot and says, "But mom, you forgot to ask Dr. Mark if I can still dance." Yep, that's my girl!

First Day of School

My Bug has been waiting for this day all summer long! She's really missed her cute friends from class last year and has been looking forward to seeing them again. She loves going to "Rocket School" which is really Children's Discovery, they just have a Rocket ship on the play ground hence - "Rocket School". Her teachers are just darling and as Bailey told me when she got home, "Mom, they have really great hair." (because at 4, that's her way of determining if they are "good" teachers. or not) I let her pick out her own school clothes so as you can imagine everything is P I N K , P I N K, P I N K , from head to toe. I have to admit I am grateful to have my girl home with me one more year and that she's not heading off for grade school just yet. (she barley missed the cut off date with an October B-day - next year she will be one of the oldest in her grade) I'm not ready for a kindergartner and I would desperately miss my good helper, not to mention her little brother would be totally lost with out his best friend and playmate. Never the less she's growing up on me and there's nothing I can do about it other than enjoy every little moment.

First Visit to the Library

We visited our local Library

Trying to get the kiddies excited for back to school (Pre-school) Great Experience! However, Lukie needs to work a little on his Library Voice before we can go back.....

Bailey picked out a Fairy Princess chapter book

and Luke, "Curious George"

We love reading!

Some essentials in our Library are:

"Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" William Steg

"King Bidgood's in the Bathtub" Audrey Wood

"Little Turtle and the Song of the Sea" Sheridan Cain

"Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain" Verna Aardema

"Frank was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance" Keith Graves

"I Ain't Gonna Paint No More" Karen Beaumont

"Pinkalicious" Victoria & Elizabeth Kann

"Fancy Nancy" Jane O'connor

"How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?" Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

"Parts" Tedd Arnold

"I Love you Forever" Robert N. Munsch and Sheila McGraw

Hogle Zoo

We love spending time with our little cousin Dylan! We were lucky to have him sleep over Saturday night. The next day we went to the Hogle Zoo. It was absolutely perfect weather but, note to self, don't try going over Labor Day weekend next year - way too many people!!!Riding the Choo Choo
Looking at Salamanders - Luke thought he saw Barbies Daddy
Our favorite part was the Albino Alligator - we walked through the exhibit 3 times - I'm convinced he's made of plastic because he never moved.
Gator Boy - its a new Exhibit
Monkey
Riding the new Carousel
Luke on a Sea Otter
Cutie Pie Dylan playing in the water

Goodbye to Summer

Gateway/Discovery Museum Best Buddies Bailey the Bug and Reagie the Roo
Luke the Hungry Police Man

Luke had gone over to the pretend Grocery store and made himself a fake sandwich, with cheese and tomato,

that he is carting around in the back of the Police car just in case he gets hungry while he is saving people.The kids put on a cute play at the Discovery Museum

When I asked Bailey about it she said it was called, "The Frog (Bailey), the Mermaid (Reagan) and the Angry Eskimo (Luke) not sure if this one is going to make it to Broadway

Singing "Bringing home a Baby Bumble Bee"

Bubble class

Playing out in the water one last time before school starts

Busy Cole

I've never seen anything hold his attention for so long - he loved the fountains!

Warming up in the sunshine

It seems like every post ends with a Bailey dance so I guess it is appropriate that this is the last picture of the summer - goodbye to Swimming suits, AC, bare feet and warm weather. Hello to Pre-school, library visits, falling leaves and pumpkins. Looking forward to getting on a better schedule and heading into my favorite time of year - AUTUMN.