Thursday

 I love this picture. Confusion on Colby's face & pure joy on Tyler's. I love the way Tyler loves Colby...

 The excitement builds early in the morning. We rush around gathering clothes, finding shoes, packing snacks and lunch. I threaten too many times that the plan will be aborted if they don't follow directions. As we pull away from the takeout window with a hot steamy coffee and a couple of bagels, the radio goes up and we settle in. This is our adventure day, Thursday.

A weekly day off from school (a bonus of afternoon kindergarten) falls perfectly after Wednesday, the day I work and arrive home well after they fall asleep. The more I am away, the more I crave everything about them. Their hair, their laughs, their smiles, their hugs. I don't invite anyone to join us - unusual for me, but oh so needed. I need them to myself. And as we zoom down the highway to the next destination, I am so content. All my babies with me, an adventure in itself.

I am so lucky.

Need

Sometimes I need them all to myself.  

I had the car packed when I picked them up from school - my tires may have squeeled as I pulled out of the parking lot. We pulled up to the bottom of the trail and chose a route going straight to the top. In three steps I knew this was exactly what I needed. I took over a hundred photos, because I knew that my own eyes and memory wouldn't do this day justice. And that a few pictures flipped through in the coming months and years could bring me right back.

Her braids.

The pine needle carpet.

His sticky fingers on my neck. 

The bubbly brook so cold on our fingers.

The way he warned me about the slippery rocks.

The yellows, oranges, and occasional reds. 

 How he sticks close to chat about school. 

When the days get crazy and filled up, I need to remember to steal my kids away. 

Sometimes all I need is them.

New Adventures

We went adventuring a few weeks ago. An old friend invited us to one of their favorite places and it very quickly became one of our new favorites. The Heritage Museum is huge consisting of beautifully manicured grounds, art installations, a carousel, antique cars....and so much more that we haven't explored yet. 

We spent most of our time in the Hidden Hollow, why wouldn't we? Designed as a family exploration center we found larger than life instruments, an enormous tree house, a working well with sinks and buckets, a craft center, sand box, puppet theaters, dress up....and more! 

Stay tuned for more from the Heritage Museum...we will be adventuring there often!

Happy Place

I know I've written about our little zoo many times before...but I just can't help it. A few miles from home. One loop around to see all the animals. Rarely more than a few families there on a weekday. A train. A carousel. A playground. Really, what more could we ask for?
I love how comfortable the crew is when we are here. It is as if it is our own backyard. They know all the animals from Coatis to Tapirs. They have seen them awake, asleep and eating. But, they never tire of visiting them, they always want to come back, and always want to stay just a little longer.
I love it here too. I've always loved animals and it is fun to share that interest with my monkeys. And a little fresh air never hurt.

Ahh, it is our happy place.

Torture Ride

Ella and Drew have lots of fears. They can't verbalize them yet, but we can tell by the screaming and crying. We used to comfort them and would never push them to do something they didn't want to do. But now we know better. I just can't let them miss any more fun stuff. So, I forced them on the carousel, now they love it. I made them hold the little stick for the birds to eat at the zoo. "Daddy, I freaked out!" they reported that day. This week we tortured them by planning a hay ride. They started crying while approaching the menacing tractor pulling that frightening hay. By the time we climbed onto the hay they both were screaming with snot and tears all over their faces. They were clutching Mike and I as if we were about to throw them from a cliff. The people already seated were looking at us as with a mix of humor, annoyance, and disbelief. After a solid five minutes of waiting, screaming, begging, and choking the tractor finally started up. We hadn't moved 10 feet when Drew exclaimed, "It's like a train ride! I like it mommy!" Ella soon followed with an "I LOVE it!" Little pains in the A^&%%es!