Aquarium

We took the kids down to our favorite aquarium. It was a beautiful Fall day and the kids were great! We are really starting to enjoy the freedom of being stroller-less. Both Colin and Tatum loved being able to go see what they were interested in. All the animals seemed to be out enjoying the day and it made the trip that much better. We made it to all the exhibits, had lunch and hit the gift shop.

Tatum really like the sharks. She jumped when the first one came to the glass, but then was fascinated. Colin was totally into the sting rays. He must have watched them for 20 minutes. We also saw the sea lions and seals inside. There was a touch pool and the kids looked in. Colin touched the sea star and the shells. Tatum just wanted to watch.

The beluga whale outside was a big hit as he kept doing tricks and coming over to the glass.

Inside the boat, the kids loved the underwater footage of submersibles. I think Den did too!

When everyone was toasty, we headed for home!

Apple Picking

We went apple picking with our friends Julie and Josh and their boys, Aidan and Liam. It was ab beautiful day that started out a little chilly and got warm as the day went on. We traveled for about an hour, but it was well worth it. The orchard was huge with every type of apple you could imagine! We grabbed a ladder and headed into the orchard. At first, the kids just picked the apples from the low branches. Dennis picked them up to get the good apples. They loved picking them off! Both Colin and Tatum ventured up the ladder in search of the big apples. Boy, were they juicy and sweet! We all enjoyed a few while walking the orchard. When our bag was full, we went over to the hay ride.
We sat on hay bales and got to enjoy the bumpy ride and the scenery. It dropped us off at the country store. There was a large field to sit and relax. We got some apple cider donuts! They were so delicious, we went back for more!
With full bellies and heavy eyes, we rode the hay ride back and carried the kiddos to the car. They have been enjoying their apples ever since!

King Richard's Faire

We went to King Richard's with our friends over the weekend.We go every year, but this year was the most fun because the kids are getting to the age where they really enjoy the rides and attractions.
This year we watched an acrobat show. Colin and Tatum clapped and said yay through the whole thing. All the kids were taken with the pixie dust. We had a great lunch! They have this peasant stew that is chock full of turkey, potatoes and vegetables in a bread bowl. So good!
Colin and Tatum rode the ponies for the first time this year and loved it so much that they each went twice! We also rode the boats. It is a big swing shaped like a boat. To get it to move you have to pull the ropes. We also watched the jousting show. Tatum tried to get us to buy her an overpriced flag made out of felt, but Dennis was able to distract her! He's the man!

Needless to say, the kiddos were toast when we left and slept the whole ride home. We'll miss you next year Julie, Josh, Aidan and Liam!

At The Zoo

The weather has begun to get cooler. We decided to head over to our favorite zoo and take in the sights. We again didn't take the stroller and it was so much more fun! The kids had more freedom to move around and see what they wanted. Den and I didn't have to worry about leaving sight of the stroller or getting stuck in the crowds.

We got to watch the elephants have a bath! Colin and Tatum climbed right up front to watch and laughed as they sprayed them down and gave them treats. Colin loved the giraffes and even got a little giraffe at the gift shop. He carried it around the whole day. Tatum got a stuffed elephant and still sleeps with it.

The lions were out and we even saw 2 bald eagles. The flamingos are always fun! The cow was out at the farm area and Tatum pet the sheep.

On the way back, the kids got tired and wanted to be carried. Tatum was asleep before Dennis and I made it to the car!

Later, we went over our neighbors for a cookout. The kids enjoyed hanging out with their friends and playing in the swing set.

My Birthday

For my birthday, we went into the city to go to the big children's museum with our friends Julie, Josh, Aidan and Liam. We didn't bring the stroller in with us! That's a big step for us. It was so nice not worry about where the stroller was and trying to get the kids in and out of it. They seemed to enjoy the freedom too!

We played on the giant climber and Aidan went all the way to the top. The ball roll room was a huge hit again with everyone. The bubble room was alot of fun. Dennis was great at making the big bubbles and Colin loved watching him. Tatum was able to blow a bubble out of the cone...so did mom.

We crawled under the turtle exhibit and watched them for awhile. There was a new room that had sand and water tables. That was a blast!

We had lunch outside on the water and watched the ducks.

Later that night, Dennis took me out for dinner for my birthday. The waiter was nice enough to take a picture of us. After a fantastic meal, they brought out a desert with a candle. What a wonderful way to end the day!