taking the kids down memory lane - part 1

Part of Memorial Day weekend we spent in Independence, KS, my grandparents' home town.

A place that I spent lots of time visiting - weekends, holidays, and WHOLE weeks away from home in the summer time! 

I think it was the first time I have been back there without having my grandparents there, other than Grandpa's funeral last November.

Grandma has moved to Missouri to be close to my parents.

But their house is still there, most of their stuff is still there, and amidst all the stuff, in that empty house...

I realized how many memories are there too.

A HUGE memory that I have of visiting my grandparents is the countless trips we had to the park and zoo.

So that's exactly where I wanted to take Taylor and Mason.

I have lots of sentimental pictures to share.

But I'll start with my most favorite part of this trip down memory lane.

At the back of the park, you'll find this cute little ticket booth.

I remember standing here with Grandpa, to get our ticket.

I remember being small enough that I'd stand on my tippy toes to peek in at the ticket lady.

I remember Grandpa reaching into his pockets and pulling out his rubber coin pouch that opened when you squeezed it.  He'd pull out all his nickels for my sister and I.

More than 20 years later - it's still a nickel.

We'd buy our ticket and stand in line, anxiously awaiting our turn.

I remember Grandpa standing beside our horses.

But he was a FUN grandpa, so of course he got his ride on the horses many times too!

I don't think we EVER took the bench seat like this little guy ended up deciding to do.

The ride was just as fun as I remember it.

Same exact carousel, same exact music.

And even more fun with my little girl beside me - grinning from ear to ear!

Honestly I was shocked the carousel was still there, let alone still costing 5 cents to ride.

But I am SOOO happy it was.

And the carousel isn't the only thing my sister and I begged Grandpa to let us ride.

We loved this train ride too.

And sure enough...still only 25 cents to ride.

2 whole times around the park.

Around the mini golf course,

and by the pool.

Grandpa always rode with us, even when it was hard for him to bend his knees and squeeze into the seat.

He always let us pick if we wanted the back or the front.

This time we chose the middle.

This day was so special to me and I can't wait to share more.

Although we made the trip to Independence for a SPECIAL reason that I'll share later,

I am SO glad we squeezed in a trip to one of my favorite childhood places.

Lovely memories of special times with Grandpa.

friends + zoo trips + water = summer

We're almost half way through June and our summer has been packed with lots of fun already.

Here's some of what we've been up to, before I share our fun weekend trips...

Playing in the sprinkler at Ollie and Lily's house

It's so fun to have close friends with kiddos the same size as ours.

These two are the same age - Taylor likes to write letters to Ollie and mail them (we don't ever actually put them in the mail but she doesn't know that)

Dave came home from work early one day because of rain (LOVE those days!), so we packed a picnic lunch and headed to the zoo.

And guess who picked up sticks the whole time?

We are getting good use our our zoo pass already.

A few days later, we got to go back with some of the moms from my bible study and their kiddos...

The highlight of this zoo trip was feeding the giraffes. $1 gets you a handful of branches full of leaves.

Taylor tried to make hers last as long as she could by trying to feed the giraffe a leaf at a time.

I think the giraffe was getting a little frustrated.

Mason just wanted to keep his branch, not feed it to the giraffe - go figure.

Part of me would really really like to post a picture of one of the gorillas right here.

But I'm resisting.

She was posed quite inappropriately, RIGHT by the window, directly in front of a crowd of kids.

 I know it would make you laugh, Dave laughed pretty hard.

Ok fine. So he was probably laughing because of the fact that I modeled it for him because I wasn't explaining it very well.

Hey, I was a teacher. I know how to pull out visual aides when neccessary.

So anyway, I'll spare you the visual.

Just go see the gorillas yourself - I'm sure they'll do something inappropriate - they always do.

some things we learned

We just got back from spending a weekend at our friends' lake house on Council Grove Lake.

Dave and I both mentioned several times how relaxing it was - as relaxing at it can get with 2 toddlers.

I love making memories with our family. From the little things we do, to the big things - every new place we go, new adventure we have, every new thing we expose the kids too - they are all memories that I hope our kids will hold onto for a long long time (if they have a memory like mine they will, if they get their dad's memory, they may not remember past next year)

So as I sort through pictures and catch up on the house and laundry, I wanted to record some things we learned this weekend.

Taylor is our little daredevil.

She loves the water - has no fear.

Yes, I know, kind of scary.

But it was pure joy watching her in her element - having a blast, loving every second of the lake.

Except the seconds that she had to be OUT of the water to eat or sleep.

Mason is little more reserved.

Maybe a lot.

He's not scared, he just doesn't want to try much.

He likes to play it safe.

He gets really close to trying something - and then changes his mind.

Lake life is fabulous.

The only decisions that need to be made on what to wear is what time should we get out of our pjs and into our swimsuits?

Food tastes unbelievably good after being in the sun and water.

Especially when you have wonderful hosts preparing it for you and feeding you like kings and queens every meal.

And naps are absolutely heavenly.

Boating, swimming, jet skiing, jumping off docks,

Refreshing drinks on evening boat rides.

And then to bed to do it all over again the next day.

Now on the wish list...

lake house

boat

(ha ha, just kidding!)

I can at least dream.

And then just be thankful for friends (and FAMILY!) who are nice enough to invite us to enjoy all of their amenities.

a favorite spot

Man, as soon as we get more active, with places to go, things to do...

I get behind on pictures. 

But I guess it's better than being bored.

So because summer seems to be in full swing here, I'll just recap some of the things we've been up to...

We've hit the park hard...an absolute favorite summer spot of ours.

And this little guy is getting awfully brave and causing me to be quite nervous.

Seriously, he's 2.  He should be on the kiddy part. Not this big kid part.

Climbing this thing that is SOOO high.

Doing just fine like a big kid himself.

Enough already.

We took the cousins to the park too...

.

The kids love having BIG cousins...who can push them on the swing.

I like this too - because that means I get a break from pushing.

But of course he had to get in some time for himself too!

Back at home it was bathtime  x  5!!!

I found the girls doing this before bed...

while the boys did this...

Can't believe summer is pretty much in full swing.

More catch-up pictures coming soon.  May got away from me. And June is quickly getting away too.

a hike

We enjoy many things about our neighborhood and about living so close to Dave's parents.

This is just ONE of them...

To get from our house to theirs, you can take the road.

OR, you can take the water route.

The kids LOVE going on a "nature hike" to Papa and Nana's house.

We walk a block or so down to the water, and then leave the wagon parked so we can venture the rest of the way on foot.  We walk all along one side of the water to the very end, where Papa and Nana's house is. And then we walk back along the other side.

We all enjoy this route, but I think the 5th member of the family enjoys it the most...

Anni swims the whole way.

Not the whole way in a straight path.

But she fetches her ball and swims back and forth to us the whole way while we're walking.

So lots of zig zags.

Someone else likes to stay busy the entire way too..

If I was to list some of his favorite things to do right now - picking up sticks would be HIGH on the list.

He picks up sticks on our walks, at the park, at the zoo - everywhere he possibly can.

A nature walk that should take 15 minutes, takes 45 minutes or longer because of this little guy.

He lags behind the entire time.

Picking up sticks until he can't hold anymore - and then still tries to pick up more.

But then he spots Papa's house - and picks up the speed, just a little bit.

Dave and his dad built that dock so the grandkids could all get in and out of the paddle boat easily.

That red chair was Dave's grandma's.  We had it at our first house (which was her house) when we first got married and I had Dave paint it red.  I LOVE it - especially sitting right where it is.  Even thought it's not at my house anymore.

Our route brings us out to the street and over the bridge, right to Papa's house - the half way mark.

The cotton has been CRAZY - this particular day it covered the water (all the white in the water), covered the grass and filled the air everywhere you looked.

I guess since dogs can't read, and the picture on the sign is only a human - Anni must be exempt from this rule.  Although we do have to be careful about beaver traps!

After a visit with Papa and Nana, we make our return trip on the other side.

Right back to where our wagon waits patiently for us.

It's only a matter of time, and these kiddos who are growing WAY too fast, will be going back and forth from our house to Papa and Nana's....without us.