Summer Break--Week 1

Our first week of summer break was pretty busy.  Actually, our first three weeks have been busy.  It's been hard to get into a routine like we had last year.  I'm hoping in a couple of weeks that will change and we will be able to get settled into a schedule a routine.  But anyway, that first week was a lot about baseball, being with friends, and trying to figure out why we were on summer break when the weather was still very much not summery.

Saturday May 21st we went to House of Bounce to celebrate our friend Jude's birthday.  He was turning 5.  His mom, Shannon, has become a good friend.  We are both from the northern Virginia area and have a lot in common.  Jude and her older son, Sawyer, were both born at the same hospital as Kai (Prince William Hospital).  Sawyer has been on Kai's baseball team for the last 3 seasons and that's how we met.  Sawyer and Kai love to play and Finn and Jude enjoy each other a lot.  Anyway, Bree discovered she could climb the big bouncers and slide down all by herself.  She had a blast!

Shannon and Jude came to the walk/Kai's birthday but were still looking for a present for Kai.  Shannon wanted to get him a book as she also loves reading.  Kai dove right into it!

While out playing on Tuesday we saw something dart across our driveway.  At first I thought it was a chipmunk or squirrel, even though we don't see those often out here.  But it was too low to the ground and too long.  I was on the phone with Kristi and she suggested ferret, but that didn't seem right either.  Kai chased it with my phone to try to get a picture but was unsuccessful.  We later google searched and discovered it had been a weasel.  Yes, we are 100% sure we saw a weasel in our yard.  There is a bunny family living nearby and I'm sure that's why the weasel was around.  We haven't seen it since.

Also on Tuesday Kai had a baseball game.  Little League this year was rained out, snowed out, or frozen out several times but that day we had a game.

On Wednesday it was Jude's actual birthday so we went to the zoo to celebrate.  Shannon invited a lot of people and we had a large group.  I started by trying to keep track of everyone and make sure no one was left out, but my kids really just wanted to be with Sawyer and Jude and by trying to make sure everyone was included we were losing them.  So, I gave up and let the other moms worry about themselves.  Ultimately, it ended up just us and Shannon, Sawyer, and Jude for most of the day, with occasional spottings of the other families.  I felt bad, but also felt that if they wanted to hang with us we weren't excluding them, they just weren't keeping up or wanting to do the same things.  Also, all of the other moms had kids that needed naps.  Shannon and I were the only ones nap free.  For my first time in 9 summers, we are NAP-FREE.  It is amazing to have an entire day to play!

Kai and Sawyer

Momma lion

Finn and Jude went into the tornado simulator.  They LOVED it!

Finn BEGGED to feed the elephant.  It's quite expensive and so I said no for the first 30 minutes.  I got out my wallet to show him I didn't have the money and wouldn't you know there was money in there?  I had no idea there was money in there.  So, off to feed the elephant we went.  He got to be the last person of the day.

The kids goofing around at the grizzly exhibit.  One little guy, Linden, had kept up with our group of crazies.  Linden (far right) and Jude (far left) were in Pre-K together this year.

This little girl BEGGED to ride the carousel.  She refused to eat or do anything once the carousel was in site.  This one is determined and very strong willed.  She was happy when it was finally carousel time.

This gorilla was just plain gross.  You will have to ask Kai as I can't even type what he did it was so gross!

Wednesday we came home and spent a couple of hours dog-sitting Ruby.  Her family was going out of town that weekend for Memorial Day and we agreed to keep her for the weekend, so this was a test of sorts to see how it would go.  My kids adored having her around.  

And on Friday when she came to stay for a full 4 days she was greeted with open arms.  Even Finn was a fan and would rub and play with her.

Friday afternoon we went ice skating with friends.  Finn invited Keene from his Pre-K and Kindergarten class and Kai invited his friend Nathan.  Bree got to the rink and the week had gotten to her.  She was so tired that she cried and didn't want to skate.  Thankfully, Keene's little sister Evie showed up and as soon as she saw Evie skating she stopped crying and was ready to go.

Finn and Keene

Ms. Donna came over to work with Bree for a couple of minutes and told us about their skating lessons.  It was so cute to see Bree skate that I was suckered in.  We signed up for 12 classes for $60.  Not bad at all for a summer of lessons.

On Saturday we took a walk to Monument Rock.  We took Ruby with us.  It was 2.5 miles round trip and we wore her out.  Yay!  I couldn't believe I had lived her 8 years and had no idea there was a Monument Rock or that that was the source of  the name of our little town.  

On the road to the rock

Monument rock off in the distance

We made it!

Behind the rock was this pool of water.  The kids wanted to play in it.  We (the parents) said "Yuck!  No way!"