Joseph Plays Ball

Joseph played t-ball this summer, and enjoyed not only the game but also going out for ice cream or buffalo wild wings with his dad after many of the games.  He not only experienced his first home run, but also his first Wendy's frosty.  One night I told Joseph that he was doing a good job at tball and I was glad he liked it and do you know what his response was?  "How do you know mom, you have never seen me play?"  Said in a very matter of fact voice and not with any ill intention.  But I of course then committed on the spot to having us all go to the next game (with the girls) which brought a huge smile to his face but mine quickly disappeared when I realized it was going to be 100 degrees that day.  Fortunately the clouds rolled in at the start of the game and the rain didn't come until well after, and Hannah and Leah were only slightly unamused, and best of all.....that was the night he hit his first home run.  And we now know that Hannah also likes wings.  Leah however, does not.  I think our list of food that all three of them enjoy is quite small - pasta, pizza, yogurt, green beans, grapes, cupcakes and goldfish. But back to baseball....Jay also took Joseph to see the Pirates play for the Brewers at Miller Park and that was another crazy hot day...but they had a very good time and even got a few autographs and watched the sausage race up close.  Joseph is learning more about the sport, and Jay is learning that it is ok for Joseph to like more than one team!

Summer Vacation

We drove out to Ohio and West Virginia for a fun family vacation over fourth of July week.  The kids were super excited and we all had a great time with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and great grandpap!  Everyone did great in the car...we watched movies, played the I'm thinking of game with animals and halloween characters (yes, we love halloween that much that we'd talk about it in July!), practiced ABCs and spelling, took naps, enjoyed a delicious lunch at Wendy's on the way down (seriously, the food actually is as good as the picture) and a not so great lunch at a Burger King off I-80 in Indiana (we will never stop at one of the rest areas off that highway again, all I can say is, dirty and slow).  Running around in sprinklers, playing in pools, golfing, visiting the zoo, taking tractor rides, picking raspberries, playing angry birds, and spending time with family was of course much more fun than the car ride, and it was really nice to have a break away from work and school.  And we met the latest addition to the family, Thomas Matthew Gould, for the first time!  On the way home we did a quick stop in Cleveland to visit our friends the Smiths and the girls were in princess paradise with costumes and dress up shoes.  This week we have been adjusting back to life as usual, and are trying to keep everything outside alive despite this never ending heat wave and no rain situation!  (I actually referred to 80 degrees as nice and cool the other day)

Another Fun Morning at the Zoo

We spent a morning at the zoo a few weeks ago, and were pleased to find the dinosaurs had returned!  Leah was a little frightened (recently she has become quite scared around dogs and apparently large extinct animals) but she kept it together for our walk through the exhibit.  Once we came upon the T-Rex she hopped into the stroller and chose the seat farthest away from the carnivores.  Hannah was very happy to ride the train (as was Joseph, after all it was his idea), and we all had fun seeing the bears play in the water (Jay and I could set up lawn chairs and stare at those bears all day long!).  After 2 hours we usually hit our limit as we approach lunch & nap time (though Joseph would prefer to call it quiet time and boast of how he doesn't need naps anymore...HAH!  He takes them on the weekend even though he doesn't at daycare. I am actually preparing to go convince him to take one now).  If only the zoo were open at 8am.  Then it would be even better!  Surely we aren't the only crazy people looking for something to do at that time?