Run for the roses

Yesterday I decided to take the kids to see the Park of Roses in Columbus. Besides Inniswood it's my other favorite park in town, especially this time of year when the roses are almost at their peak. The kids didn't really want to go and complained the whole way there, but then later they said they asked me when we could come back. We started by having a little picnic on a bench in the shade. A few people were walking dogs and the kids liked watching them while we ate. Then we walked around to look at some flowers.

They thought this staircase gazebo was pretty cool.

All was going well and we were headed towards the bathroom when Jordis tripped and fell on a gravel path, cutting both of her knees. I typically have a first aid kit in my purse, but I had switched purses, so all I had to give her was a few napkins and an ice pack from our picnic.

Here is our four-year-old tending to her injuries after I tried to clean her off and get the gravel out.

Here is her 34-year-old mother lying in the grass so she didn't pass out after seeing the blood. (If you can't make fun of yourself you're taking life way too seriously, right???)

Last week I got lucky when Xander hurt himself, as my neighbor, Lisa, had been taking a walk right before and stopped to chat. I threw a Band-Aid at her and said "Here, put this on my kid." She still had to witness my lying-in-the-grass phenomenon, but yesterday I had no help. Thankfully we didn't need any Band-Aids after a bit and Jordis was happy to continue on her way. In fact, she was so fine that she didn't care until bath time that she had immersed her cuts in sand at the playground. Then she screamed in horror at the bath and follow-up peroxide I used to try and get the dirt out. Anyway, we finally made it to the restroom and then off to the pond and playground where the kids made a friend.

We were hot and exhausted by the time we left, but the kids had fun which was my only goal for the day, so it was worth the adventure.

Hoover Dam

It rained a lot last week, so when the sun came out on Saturday afternoon we decided to take the kids out to Hoover Dam for the evening. As a kid, we used to come here quite a bit. I never realized it wasn't the only Hoover Dam until after high school when my dad and step-mom took me here a few weeks after my high school graduation. Who knew?

We decided to grab some dinner and eat by the water. Apparently the geese were too much for the kids to handle though, so we let them eat ON the table so they'd stop freaking out.

After eating we walked up over the dam to show the kids where the water goes.

It was a nice night to get out of the house.

Sleeping Beauty

Jordis does not like to go to bed.

EVER

She used to go right to bed when she was a little younger. Now, she finds a myriad of reasons to come out and ask random questions and we often find her asleep with the lights on after she's played until she just can't stay awake any longer. We gave up trying to make her stay in bed with the lights off because she just gets up and turns them on anyway. So we're just happy if she stays in her room and if we see the light on when we come up we go in and turn it off. This is what Jason found a few nights ago.

Can you tell we've been teaching her all about gracefulness?

(And yes, I'm painfully aware that she needs a bed skirt. I just haven't found one I like.)

A visitor

Last night the tooth fairy came for Xander. He's had a loose tooth for about two weeks now and wouldn't let us pull it, so Jason "helped" him brush his teeth and it fell out shortly after.

He was pretty excited about the tooth fairy coming, even though he grilled Jason about how real she is. Hopefully we can hold off on the Santa and Easter Bunny questions for a while longer.

Touch-A-Truck

On Friday, my mom and I took the kids to the annual Touch-A-Truck event in the city where Jason works. I haven't attempted going in about three years, as last time I was there Xander decided to hop onto a bus and I had to leave one-year-old Jordis in our wagon next to a police officer while I ran to retrieve him. But they can both walk a good distance now and I had help from my mom, so I thought we'd try again. Okay, that's only partly true. Jason is on first shift now and I think he looks hot in his uniform, so Touch-A-Truck is really an excuse for me to go see him at work. There, I said it.

After seeing Dad we moved on to the fire truck. Jordis wouldn't get on it though because she didn't want anyone to help her on or off.

The big favorite was the pink limousine from the Sweet and Sassy store. Before getting in Jordis got a star on her cheek and glitter in her hair.


They also tried out a zamboni, snow plow, dump truck, tractor and trash truck.

After saying goodbye to Jason we went to spend some time at the park, then my mom treated us to some Rita's Italian Ice. It was so hard to choose a flavor. Luckily they let you taste them first.

Xander had cookies n' cream, Jordis had Swedish Fish, I had Florida Orange and my mom had strawberry and lemonade (they'll let you pick two flavors in one serving if you want). It was such a great way to cool off on a hot day.

A day at the zoo

Last Thursday the kids and I went to the zoo. My mom is between jobs and had the week off so she went with us as well, and my friend Amy met us there with her two boys. Before we even got in the gate we had to stop and take pictures of the little ducklings we saw in the grass. They were so cute and fluffy.

Then the very first thing we had to do was go see the snakes.

For Jordis.

My girl.

The reptile building has a desk where a zoo employee will usually sit holding a snake and you can go pet it. Jordis loves to pet the snake and the past few times we've been to the zoo no one has been there with it, so I promised we could go to the reptile building on this visit. Xander actually pet it this time as well, so I was really proud of him. I think it might be the first time he was willing to touch it. Then they wanted their picture taken here:

And here:

Then of course all the kids wanted to see the penguins, one of the stinkiest animals at the zoo. They were pretty active though so we enjoyed watching them. Then the kids wanted more pictures.

Wes, Garrett, Jordis and Xander

And of course you can't forget the petting zoo.