Fun Times At The Wading Pool

I know, I know. It's 50 degrees outside and it's not summer.

Humor me.

I have a few summertime photos left to share. Now seems like a great time.

So the park down the street from us has a wading pool.

Free, but you know--it's "public" so you never know what kind of "freebies" might be hanging around in the water.

Speaking of hanging around in the water, here are a couple of boys doing just that:

The water was always c-c-c-cold. Which is why we won't be seeing any pictures of the Suz in the water.

And the funniest part about the wading pool?

There's a "no splashing" rule.

Ha ha ha.

Yeah, I wanna see someone enforce that.

We used the wading pool five or six times this past summer.

Here's Zig, warming back up before heading back in again:

One day the boys were warming up in the sun and soon started doing a shadow dance:

Right in front of a crowd of non-splashing folks, much to their amusement.

Mine too.

So that sunshine you see in those photos?

REMEMBER IT.

You won't be seeing it for a while.

Pumpkin Triad

Pumpkin shirt, real pumpkins, and A New Pumpkin Reflector Necklace.

Ziggy bliss.

This Is The Type Of Things Kids Hate You For When They're Teens

Spidey's mama taught him well: Wear a helmet.

During "recess" one day, the boys decided to ride their bikes, i.e., humiliate their mother in front of the neighbors.

***waving the white flag***

The Zoo: Part 7

Our zoo has a new baby elephant. But we didn't see it.

Oh, ser-prize, ser-prize.

Campers and I took one look at the line (cheap day!) and both said, "WE AIN'T DOIN' THAT."

Bless his heart.

He has his mother's patience.

AND his mother's sensibility.

So we pointed and laughed at the folks in the eternally long line and went off on our merry way to see this:

Elephant butt.

From a distance.

But even though I didn't get to see the baby elephant, I did catch a glimpse of this:

All three of my own babies.

Sweeter still.

And I didn't have to wait in line or pay for a ten-buck ticket.

See This? Cheap Fun

Fun with Pa's glasses.

Goofball Zig:

Chip off the ol' block Campers:

Intelligent Suz:

Or... maybe not so much:

(She'll hate me for that picture.)

(But it's hilarious.)

Anyone Remember This?

One year ago today, we stepped on a couple of these:

(Planes! We stepped on a couple of planes! Not the kids!)

We flew the Oregon Trail. Of course, it was still a long and miserable trip, as only six hours in the air with a 5, 3, and 1-year-old could be.

And then a couple of days later--our junk caught up with us and That Was That.

We were in a new home in a new place.

This is where I remind myself that I Swore Up And Down I would never live in a city. Kinda like I said I'd never have more than two kids and I'd never stay home with said kids and I'd never give my kids sugar and I'd never go to Africa So Help Me God.

I happen to love my city, I've got three kids, I never leave home, I use and abuse my good friend "Sugar," and am keeping my eyes open for an opportunity to go to Africa.

Oh, and?

I'm never going to be a millionaire.

Choctoberfest For The Kids

It isn't every day we take the kids to the park and say, "We're going to play games and eat chocolate."

I thought all three of them were going to pass out from the shock.

They quickly recovered.

We were there to have fun...

And to eat chocolate...

But we were also doing a photo shoot for our latest article on KATU.com.

The kids didn't mind. They were having fun. And?

Chocolate covers a multitude of sins.

Hope you enjoy the article!

The Zoo: Part 6

I did all that gloating about going to the zoo for three bucks that now it's time to backtrack a little.

I paid for my kids to ride the train.

Over ten bucks.

I hate myself.

But I don't hate the kids. I mean--some days--I even like them!

Like this one:

Who was SO EXCITED to ride the train, that he even acted all gentlemanly and everything:

Look at them!

Those are my kids!

Contained!

Getcher head back in there, boy!

The train ride was infinitely boring, but they all Loved It.

Bless their ten buck hearts.

Tooth Fairy Is Gonna Have To Learn To Stock Up

Campers has learned the Sheer Thrill of having his Very Own Pack Of Gum that he can Strut Around With and Show Off to his full-teethed siblings.

Maybe the Tooth Fairy should bring Brussels sprouts next time.

Regardless, within 48 hours of the last tooth, Campers started working on the next one:

As he was pacing and wiggling, he kept asking me, "What do I get for pulling this one out, Ma?"

A HOLE IN YOUR MOUTH, BUDDY.

Bribery, schmibery.

The vampire side of the family (I am not naming which side) gets a Big Kick out of the blood and the gore, and delights in the grossness of it all:

And now Pa is teaching Campers to say, "Yeah, but you should have seen the other guy!"

Not that we teach our kids violence.

They manage that subject all on their own.

The Zoo: Part 5

Our zoo has these birds called "larakeets," which I'll just call "Larry" for short. They keep them in this cage that You Can Walk Into, which pretty much ends up being an experience a lot like "Dodgebird."

But that's not all!

They let you feed the birds too!

More Dodgebird.

The boys had a fiiiiiiine time fighting over deciding who got to hold the food first. Zig won. I imagine there might have been a bruise or two involved in that decision.

This is my bird "Larry." And my other bird, "Larry."

"Heeeeeeeeeere, Larry Larry Larry Larry Larry."

Much to our surprise, the birds missed our heads and actually got to the food instead:

Awwww, isn't that cute?

Now just imagine a round of "IT'S MY TURN WHEN'S IT GONNA BE MY TURN" followed by "GET OUT OF THE WAY I NEED TO TAKE A PICTURE SO I CAN SHOWCASE MY FINE PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLZ" going on in the background.

Nature is so peaceful.

Oh, but then here are the brothers--both sets--getting along:

Now just imagine a Little Squawker in the stroller.

I love the zoo.