Running, Football, and Tuscaloosa

Those are a few of his favorite things.  Husband, that is.  

A few weeks ago when it looked like we were on the cusp of spring, we drove to Tuscaloosa, ran around campus for an hour (that double stroller is getting heavier and heavier), then played football on the quad, then enjoyed the river walk, then had lunch at Pepitos.  (holy run on sentence, Batman.)  

It was pretty much Husband's dream day.   And he deserved it.

My mini football team

DINOSAURS at the Birmingham Zoo

Seriously, Birmingham area friends, go.  And gripe about how you have to pay $3 a person to see these dinosaurs ($5 for nonmembers)  grrr.   

But really, that's my only beef.  And I know, I know.  It's probably expensive to have these things here, plus the zoo has to feed lots of actual real animals.  But it'll limit the number of times I take my kids to the zoo because I don't want to hear them complain about how I won't shell out $9 every time they want to see them.  ($12 if Husband comes).  But I'm a softy so we'll probably go a couple of more times.

Anyway.  back to the awesome part of the post:  the dinosaurs really are super cool.  All four of us REALLY enjoyed it.

The kids were hesitant at first, like we assumed they would be.  So in the car we talked a lot about how we all know dinosaurs are extinct and these are robots that can't chase you or even move anything except their heads or tails.  (some spit water, but that really is a fun surprise.  even better in a hot day)

Daughter and Son really like dinosaurs and thanks to many, many library books, Dino Dan and Dinosaur Train, they already knew the names of over half of the dinosaurs just by sight. seriously.  They were telling us if they were carnivores or herbivores and imparting all kinds of knowledge. They had a lot of fun. I had a lot of fun.  Husband, who isn't a zoo lover, had a lot of fun too.

it took a little coaxing to get this first picture

full on dino love

Son kept looking over his shoulder at his carnivore.  

t-rex

this one was intense.  like, had a fish in his mouth with blood AND spit water  AND was pretty close. 

The last dinosaur and also a spitter.  Her babies were close by.

waiting for the train

she's always my seat partner on the train.  Notice my glasses.  My last pair of contacts were a casualty of pink eye.  And I've been more than lazy about scheduling an eye exam.

A Glimpse at August 2012

If you remember, I lost my camera and months worth of pictures this summer in the Tidal Basin.  Luckily, Tena felt sufficiently bad for me in August and replaced my camera.  So, I'll briefly catch you up on the last few months of what we've been up to. Here is just a little tiny bit of the fun we had in August,

Son at the zoo. 

I thought he was going to pee his pants with excitement when this butterfly landed on his hand! 

with Daughter at McWane

resting during a family hike

climbing

pool fun

Daughter's first day Pre-K.

after a bama soccer game, Husband wanted to walk around the quad. The sprinklers were on. The rest is a soaking wet memory,

Washington DC trip

WAY back in JUNE, we had an opportunity to spend 4 days in Washington DC.  I cannot even express to you how amazing and life changing it was for me.  seriously.  Guys, I want to move to our nation's Capital -- or is is Capitol.  ;-)  Anyway, I want to live there.  I want to ride the metro and walk everywhere I need/want to go.  I want to spend hours and hours and hours everyday getting to know this city.

seriously.

We left at 11pm at night and drove.  yes, it wasn't bad.  We actually enjoyed it.  Anyway, we got to town about lunch time the next day.  We stopped at the American History Museum first before we even went to check into our hotel. amazing.  Son loved all the trains, ships and automobile exhibits.  Daughter LOVED the gigantic doll house.  I loved everything.

 The next day, I wrangled the kids from our hotel to the metro, and all the way to the zoo, and met up with my dear friend, Jason and we spent the entire day at the National Zoo.  the entire day - like 6 hours.  We saw everything.  Husband met us for lunch and then was off again.  I was so grateful to Jason.  not only did I really enjoy getting to see him and catch up but there's no way I could have managed the kids alone.  He held hands, took pictures and was just so fun to be with.  We went our separate ways to change clothes before all meeting again for a great Mexican meal.  Jason & Brad - my favorite DC people.

Day Three, Husband was free most of the day and we enjoyed a day of family fun.  We went to the Natural History Museum and I got to see the Hope Diamond and wow, thousands of other amazing things.  the kids, of course, loved all the dinosaur fossils.  and then Husband wanted to walk around the Mall.  The Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, etc.  Well, when we got close to the Jefferson Memorial and the Tidal Basin, Husband saw paddle boats for rent.  I was anti renting paddle a paddle boat.  

I figured we both needed to paddle and that would leave the kids in the back to, ya know, fall out.  But, Husband convinced me.  So for $20 we got 1 hour of paddling around the tidal basin.  It was fun.  There were ducks swimming around and I had unsalted pretzels in my backpack, so I got those out for the kids to feed the ducks.  I was taking pictures, the weather was great.  hurray for life.  UNTIL, my camera slipped out of my pocket and into the water.  slow mo.  sigh.  All the family pictures I'd taken since January, EVERY picture from the trip so far, including a few great family photos -- gone.  sinking to the bottom of the Tidal Basin.  To say I had an ugly cry about it, is a GROSS understatement.  GROSS.  Finally when I realized how upset I was making the kids, I calmed myself down to at least silent tears or angst and remorse.  sigh.  It was a low point. Luckily, Husband had taken a few pictures with his phone (literally just a few, all the ones below)  so I feel like the trip was at least paralytically documented. and Jason took a lot of pictures at the zoo with his camera.  Plus, all the good pictures from the previous 6 months, I'd already posted on the blog.  So all was not lost.  mostly.

Anyway, aside from that horrible, completely my fault, mistake, the trip was amazing.  I spent some time by myself at the Jefferson Memorial and pulled myself back together.  We ended our museum tour with the Air and Space Museum.  both kids really dug that.  Late night swimming in the roof pool and great food made the trip even better.

On out last day, we visited Arlington National Cemetery.  I can't even describe what I felt except to say it was a "bonding" feeling.  Like I was connected to everyone else that was there.  My kids were a little less than reverent at the eternal flame, but what did I expect?

If we would've had more time and energy, I'd loved to walk through the botanical gardens and see the Lincoln Memorial up close.  

sigh.  what a great trip. 

Daughter drawing a rainbow at the American History Museum

walking, walking, walking.  I logged so many miles in though shoes.  and MAN they were comfortable.  This was on the way to the Jefferson Memorial

this was after I dropped my camera in the Tidal Basin and we were still in the paddle boat.  I think I said something like this to Husband, "take a picture.  I lost my camera."

Son posing at the Capitol.  I really was so proud of both kids.  They kept up and walked and walked and walked all without naps.  Hardly complaining at all.  Of course, they did fall asleep on the Metro anytime we were on for longer than three stops.  They did great and still talk about it the trip all the time.

this was at dinner our last night.  It was probably my favorite place we ate the whole trip, even though we did eat at some really great places.  Ted's Bulletin. Son is hiding and Daughter looks miserable and I love this picture.

(I can't promise much, but hopefully there will be more blogs to come soon)

Mother's Day in a Cave

Our original Mother's Day plan was to go swimming somewhere.  But as it got closer to Sunday and the weather got cooler and wetter, Husband came up with a new plan.  We headed north for a cave tour at Cathedral Caverns.

Our tour group was a small laid back group of 6 adults and 7 kids (counting our guide). And it was a pretty great way to spend a cold wet day outside -- in a cold and also wet cave!

family photo

the cave has one of the largest "commercial" cave openings

 Unlike Mammoth Cave, this cave doesn't have a "good roof" and stalactites and stalagmites are still forming.  It makes for more interesting pictures.  But I won't bore you with the 20 I took ... just a few.

underground family photo

It was a fun Mother's Day that also included those great cupcakes Husband made for my birthday and post cave Mexican food.  It was a great day with my favorite people.

Our Sunday in Kentucky

Sunday we started our morning early.  Packed up, checked out, and headed north.  

First we visited Mammoth Cave National Park. fun.

Second we visited with BBWP and her family.  DOUBLE fun.

seriously.  sigh. two perfect days in a row.  rarely happens so I have to enjoy it while it lasts.

The park was offering free Mammoth Passage tours on Sunday morning.  We were there.

the kids liked the hiking in the cave part but not so much the stopping to hear interesting historical facts about the cave.
btw, you weren't actually supposed to touch the cave, DAUGHTER.  sigh.

Husband and I really enjoyed it.  We wished the hour long tour was longer  and the kids weren't with us.  (truth)

 The tour was fun but rather serious and we were in a group of over 40 people.  We did learn about the cave's sturdy roof and some of its really amazing history.

posing in front.

We weren't in Park City long before Son made it known that he had a new best friend.

Husband and the kids played hide and go seek and sweet sweet Son always tried to hide in the dogs' houses.

Until his new best friend showed him a great spot behind a tree.  It worked until he gave himself away!

Next we visited the cows.

and the tractor.

and had a great family picture made in the field.

Son's three favorite things: strawberries, chocolate, and BBWP. check, check, and check.

It's always such a fantastic time when you can get together with a dear friend (and her family) that you haven't seen in 3 years and it feels like you never left at all.

Our Saturday in Tennessee

A few Saturdays ago we set sail (or car) for a whirlwind 24 super fun time in Tennessee (on our way to our Sunday destination, KY)

First, we stopped in Pulaski, TN. Home of the Old Graveyard Memorial Park.  It's a place Husband and I found by accident on a day we were adventuring.  While there, we found Daughter's name ... even though we didn't even know she was a daughter yet.  It was a week before our gender ultrasound/anatomy scan.  Sigh, poor girl.  She came pretty close to being name Voltaire.  ;-)

We stopped for lunch in downtown Nashville, Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant.  It was fantastic.  We all enjoyed it.  Great turkey burger and sweet potato fries.

Next we stopped by Adventure Science Center in Nashville. Thanks to our McWane membership we enjoyed free admissions.  The kids played and played for about two hours. We were really impressed.  It was fantastic.

Our final stop was our hotel.  We stayed at the Opryland Hotel.  Swimming, Dinner, an indoor boat ride, we did it all before crashing in our room.

Daughter's name

Posing by her name.  I love how Son's head is randomly in my elbow crook!

The park was also a great place for the kids to get out and run off some energy.

This is the first of MANY turkey statues we stopped to take pictures with. Pulaski = the wild turkey capital of the world.

lunch buddies

lunch buddies

the view from the top of the play area at the Adventure Science Center

seriously, he needs longer shorts.

"being a hero and saving the peoples."  

climbing the spine

kiddie pools are favorite pools.

Son and Husband in the indoor pool

Daughter made friends with the 

lifeguard

the indoor pool, the outdoor pool, the kiddie pool.  We went back and forth for two hours. Fun was had by all.

Son was shocked and angered when he learned he had to share his queen sized bed.  He was able to sneak in a little rest before we headed back out for dinner.

I love that this kid loves having her picture made with statues.

boarding our boat ride in the Delta. She told the tour guide she was looking for land.

fantastic view of the delta

One of Daughter's favorite things to do is ride escalators up and down. again and again.  We obliged.  Son and Husband took a sit down break after about the 17th trip. 

We stopped to watch the fountain show on our way back to our room.

It was a super fun day. Made even better by the kids' amazement of all the fun they were getting to have ... next stop, KENTUCKY.