Field trip with Jacob

Jacob's field trip to Crystal Springs.

For some reason this water does not look so crystal clear to me.  

Maybe it had some thing to do with all the 5th graders stomping around in the water.

He was supposed to catch a living thing.

Easier said than done.

Instead he found a nice comfy spot to sit and enjoy his crystal clear water.

The grossest part of the trip was in the nature center where they had lots of preserved animals, one of the snakes had 80 eggs when it died.  Gross, 80 snake babies, sort of makes me want to puke.

A visit to the Lowry Park Zoo

We had a 2-day adventure and went to the Lowry Park Zoo.

The first day we just took Adam and Eliza because the other kids were in school.

 

 I don't mean to alarm you Adam but there is a giraffe about to lick your fluffy hair.

Ah, lettuce is so much more delicious than hair.

Adam was a little bored without the other kids.

 

 Sibling rivalry, something he can relate too.

Eliza was not to sure about the goats,

 

or the train,

 

but she loved the carousel.

 

Adam loved the carousel too.

The second day we took these wild hooligans too.

 

The water is always the most popular attraction.

 

This might be my favorite series.

Merry talked Grace into going on the water log ride.

Grace didn't notice the big drop off at the end until after she got on the ride.

Her look pretty much sums up how she feels. 

Notice the look of sheer terror on Grace's face.

It must have not been too bad because she rode it again with Brian and the boys.

The after getting drenched picture.

We also looked at some animals while we were there.

The meerkats or meek rats as I like to call them, were my favorite.

Labor Day Weekend

We spent the weekend swimming in the lake.

The girls taking a break from swimming.

Brian helping Adam with his flying skills

Miss Eliza is a water baby.  She can float hopefully she learns to swim pretty soon.

Merry and her canoe diving board.

Merry relaxing in the water.

Jacob showing off his rowing skills.

 All in all a great 2 days of swimming.

Afterwards, Eliza discovered the flour bucket and promptly proceeded to empty it.

What 20 months looks like

Eliza at 20 months, full of spit and fire and lots of opinions. 

I wonder which parent she got that from

I wasn't really planning on taking pictures of her, hence the Pancho Villa's salsa spilled on the front of her dress.

She is a lover of pretty things, like glitter, jewelry and bows.

Her favorite toy is the plastic horses which she calls her "neighs."

 She is a little copy cat and mimics everything.  I think she is trying to blow a kiss.

Cute, cute Eliza Jane.

Back to school

The kids headed back to school today.  You can tell from Jacob's face how excited he is, he took a book just in case he got bored in class.  Adam is off to preschool this year, hard to believe he is that old already.  Merry and Grace were excited to head back to school, just not so excited to have their hair fixed in the morning.

One more addition

 We had to get a replacement kitty for the one of the Christmas kittens.

We thought she had got lost while we were one vacation, but it turns out that Merry's kitty must not like the abuse and moved into the orange groves next to us to be a wild and free kitty.

She will come close to the porch but will not come and eat anymore.

 Any who, we go a kitty named Chester as the replacement. 

Eliza loves him, I am not sure he loves Eliza, but he is extremely mellow and tolerates her.

Poor Chester.

 Lest Olaf should feel left out, Eliza gave him some attention too.

Merry comforting Olaf after the torture.  

He still loves to be carried like a baby.

Living at the lake

Happy lake life pictures, celebrating summer.

 First a canoe ride.

Then a dip in the lake.

 Cousin Tara is here to play nanny to the kids while have to work.

 Eliza pretty much thinks she rocks.

 Jacob's mad ninja skills.  At least that is my interpretation of the photo.

 Merry trying to get him back for all the splashing. 

Check out the tan lines on Merry and Tara's backs, that is how you judge if the summer has been well spent.

 This means warrrrr!

Ahh, Jacob is out numbered and out maneuvered by the girls.