Z-O-O

I told Nathan last night we were going to the "Z." I didn't want to say what it was because if something came up they would never know we were planning on going. Lucas said to Nathan "I love the Zoo, I want to go!" We both look at each other and say what? He said "you know Z-O-O" (gotta love those catchy commericals)

It wasn't a free day, but I wanted to go before Lucas turned 3 and I had to pay for him. I couldn't believe that it was $12.00 to go to the zoo! It must have gone up in price, because that seems like it is WAY more than it used to be. Any who, here we are. Having a fun time. The last time we went it was for our annual zoo lights trip and we didn't really get to see any animals. Lucas and Noah were very into checking the map and Bridget was so excited to see "man-ee-mals." We also made sure we checked off the map, and Lucas really wanted to bring his field journal (diego) Maybe I will make him one for Christmas!

Here is the Mandrill. It was so close to the glass Lucas looks like he is trying to kiss it!

Ah, yes the drums.


We can't go to the zoo and NOT ride the train. I almost stayed back and sat with Scarlett but, I am glad I didn't.



I almost ALWAYS seem to get great shots of everyone else's kids, but never my of my own. So, if you want nice pictures of your kids invite me somewhere! Haha. Here is a great one of Elijah. I think he liked the train the best.

Bridget was very happy to see her favorite Elephant and 'Raffs.

Scarlett was happy as a clam the ENTIRE time.

She didn't even need her binky!
The polar bears were out swimming again. It looked so nice in there!

It is so nice to have cousins so close together because we swapped seats in the stroller several times. It was nice to play in someone else's stroller I think.

While we were loading in the car I told Lucas we would see Noah again next Friday. He looked puzzled and said "how come?" I said your party is next Friday and he said, "really?"
"I am so happy to have a party" After we passed them on Colorado Blvd. Lucas says "you know those cool Sea Turtles mom?" Yes.

Lucas: "I think I need one of those for my birthday."
I said: Grandma Horn already got you one.
Lucas: "But I want one that swims in the sea."
I said: We can't fit one in the house.
Lucas: "When I am 15 I will move out of your house and get one for my house."
I said: Let's talk about it later.
Lucas: "Yea! When I am 15!"

*Note to self*
Do not mention Sea Turtles in 2021!

Rogers Fun

After setting up a play date with Desi, I decided I would bring our art project to her house. Emily and Mordecai would like to paint. So this week we did Plexiglas Smush Painting. Don't you like the technical terms?

You need Plexiglas
Drawing Paper
Paint
Paint Brushes
Willingness to paint

There are two ways to do this, thanks to Emily and Lucas we figured out which way was better.

You can apply the paint with a brush, and then lift it off with the paper, or put the paint directly on the plexiglas and smush it with the paper. Peel it off and there you go.

I took the finished products home so I could cut and laminate them and make magnets out of them. See this is how I get to go back to Desi's, to bring her the magnets! :)

After the paint fun we let the kids go wild in the back. Desi and I sat on some chairs and watched all of the fun. On the way home Lucas told me how happy he was to see Emily again, and how he likes her house better than ours. Haha.

Then I fought a hail/rain storm on the way home and went straight to the RS Visiting Teaching Conference.

After our dramatic start of the afternoon (see Lucas's head) it ended nicely with fun, friends, and popsicles. :)

Fadders Day

We usually don't do anything spectacular for Father's Day. I make a special meal with a special dessert, the kids give Nathan a book, and we watch a movie. Last year we did something out that was special, but this year because the weather has been so wet and rainy we decided to stay in. When I mean in, I mean camping in the backyard! Nathan and Lucas couldn't go to the father's and son's outing because it was like 2.5 hours away and because he was in West Virginia, but we improvised and it worked out swimmingly!

So we ate BLT's for dinner and then straight outside to set up the tent...

After everyone was ready (8:30pm) I put Scarlett down for the night in her crib and brought everyone a special treat...

I opted not to do a campfire in my backyard on my baby grass and we did popcorn instead.

Nathan read them a few books and then it was lights out.
In the morning we decided to do cereal in the tent.

We love to camp. It is one of Nathan's favorite things to do actually. We have gone camping while I was pregnant several times and we took Lucas camping with the Youth when he was 4 weeks old. This is something that we just do, but Scarlett might have woken the kids up with the dumb neighborhood dogs or something, so we let her sleep inside...it wasn't a big deal since we have a monitor and she sleeps through the night in her own crib. We had fun hanging out in the tent and in the morning we brought her down and let her chill in the baby sleeping bag that Lucas and Bridget have both used in the past...

While Lucas was searching outside for bugs we just layed in the tent and relaxed.

We made funny faces with the flash light and then Bridget went outside to hunt with Lucas.

While Nathan and I were in the tent we observed Lucas and Bridget experience the best thing about camping...


"peeing in the nature" (as Lucas calls it)
I think it's funny Bridget thinks she is the same as Lucas...even when her diaper is still on!
So far we've had a great Fadders Day how about you?

Witte-Ker?

Lucas finally got to have his buddy Robert over. For most of you who read this blog know that Robert is Lucas's bestest friend. They have such a fun little time together and luckily Robert doesn't mind Bridget tagging along.

Lucas asks me almost daily if we are going to see Robert on our daily errands and such. I always tell him no, and he says that it is okay because on Sunday he gets to see Robert. Did I mention that Sunday is Lucas's favorite day? It used to be Thursday but now, for the summer it is Sunday. :)

Robert brought his basketball like he usually does and this time Lucas noticed that on his ball was his name. I told him it was his last name Whitaker. Lucas said no, Witte. I said Robert's last name is Whitaker. Both of them laughed and said Witte-ker? I showed them that they have a lot of letters the same. They thought that was cool, and kept saying it Witte-ker.

We went out front and played a new game I made up. I am currently working out the rules and name of this game but here is how it looked...

I am so glad we have great grass and a nice big established Cottonwood tree in the front of our house, it is so nice and shady on hot days like today!

Bridget was just trying to be involved. It was so funny.

This game is a cross between hopscotch and running crazy while catching the ball. They loved it. They threw the ball in and then hopped through the hoops to catch it. They tried kicking it in and rolling it in, running over them and then rolling through them. I wish I was 3 so I could have has much fun as they seemed to be having.

Thanks Robert for coming over and having a few good laughs!
I am sure I will be hearing about this day for the next few days...well at least until Sunday!
Poor Gwen (their Nursery teacher)

THIS JUST IN...
My kids begged me to watch Super Why before nap, so I took that as I have 22 minutes to blog, well...I came up and this is what I found...

Snoring away...lets take a closer look shall we?

Lucas strewn across the arm of the unslipcovered couch with his fresh Diego band aid and a leaf in his hand to remember the day he had...

and the Bridge firmly pressed into the crease of the couch and never without that stinkin fleece tie blanket. Tomorrow's post will be about what fleece means to me... a poem by yours truly. This my friends is what I like to call a deep sleep! :)