Sunday, August 26, 2012


 

With summer drawing to a close it's time to review our bucket list.
We visited Living Treasures Animal Park where we were able to feed a variety of animals, all on exhibit except the lion and tigers.
The first stop were the kangaroos above.  Elizabeth is squealing after they licked the food pellet of her hand.


Andrew and Michael liked when there was a tube into which they could drop the food.

Andrew often threw the pellets if a group of animals approached.

There were plenty of hungry llamas.


Only Elizabeth was brave enough to feed this water buffalo.  Those were some serious horns!



Elizabeth and Michael took a pony ride around the duck pond.


If the animals got too aggressive Andrew would get frightened.  Many would bang into the fence or push the weaker animals out of the way.
It was a fun day trip.




We have to attend one Pirate's game as a family each summer.  The kids stayed for the entire game - I couldn't believe it.  The six children may not have watched a lot of baseball but it was a fun evening.


We attended Pittsburgh Ballet Theater's Ballet Under the Stars
Elizabeth posed with two ballerinas.  All three took a group lesson before the show began.


The most impressive balloon artist was one of many children's activities.



We packed a picnic dinner.  Andrew said, "I like eating cucumbers and hummus in the grass."


 Everyone did a wonderful job watching the ballet.  We stayed for the entire program, getting home at 10pm!  It was a truly beautiful, memorable night.





I mentioned that Michael opted to get a bouncy house instead of having a birthday party.  We did enjoy it with friends and yet another cake.








Laurel Caverns


We took a family tour of Pennsylvania's largest caverns.

Coming back up after going down fourteen stories underground.


I wore Andrew in a carrier for most of the trip, so when I let him out he wanted to play Ring Around the Rosie and wrestle.  Michael kept telling him that he could fall off a cliff.

The children did very well.  At one stop the guide turned out all of the lights and you couldn't even see the hand in front of you.  Andrew held on tight but they didn't get too frightened.


Michael was happy when we emerged above ground.

Admiring the view of Laurel Highlands.



Family dinner at Hibachi
It was Andrew and Elizabeth's first time.  They were tickled with the show, though Andrew did not like the big fire. Our tablemates were impressed that the children ordered scallops.



An evening stroll with our seven children.



The Cloud Arbour is a new installation at the Children's Museum.  Such fun!
We made MANY visits to our city's museums this summer.  The last free day we had I let Michael choose our destination:  Carnegie History and Art.  It was the first time we went through every exhibit in both museums.  Andrew wanted to know why we had to be quiet while looking at art. 





On the eve of first grade we had one final treat today.  Delicious gelato!  Tiramisu, Amaretto Cherry, and Caffe' - nothing but the best for Michael.
I enjoyed all of our summer fun and will miss having my babies with me all day, every day.




Wednesday, August 08, 2012



 Beach Trip 2012



 We had a wonderful drive down to the beach which was a precursor for our week.  We stopped only once at a rest area, neither filling gas nor picking up food.  The children even helped carry beach supplies each day.  As soon as we settled in everyday Michael set about digging a hole.  One day it was big enough for the three kids to lie in.


 Walking around a lotus pond in the Back Bay.



 On an evening walk they were thrilled to sit in the lifeguard's chair.




Elizabeth and I made a sand cake for Michael's birthday.  When we showed him he said that I should stick to baking cakes.


The pool was Andrew's favorite.  It was zero-depth entry and had plenty of built-in benches.  He refused to wear floaties or a vest and insisted that we just teach him how to swim.  He did improve, but his lack of fear of the water is  unnerving.

  

Elizabeth pretending she as in the Lazy River


 On this day seven years ago I became a mother.  
With my babies.


Michael and James waded deep out into the waves.  Andrew would yell Don't get swallowed up by a whale!


 Michael had quite a feast on his birthday:  calamari, rare tuna, lamb lollipops, she crab soup, salad and onion rings.  We all went out to lunch, then James took him to a nice dinner.


I'm so lucky I get to have my birthday on the beach again!


Mmm triple chocolate ice cream cake from Coldstone.


 The night of his birthday I took he and Elizabeth out at night looking for crabs.  They loved it, but Elizabeth wanted me to catch the soft-shelled crabs and cook them up.


The beach bum

Andrew would ask if we could go in the car on the way to the beach everyday.  He is used to being on-the-go.  He would say Let's go to Carnegie History, Children's Museum, Child Watch at the Y, Target or the zoo.  Although he has been to the beach a few times I loved watching him discover it all over again.  Probably the last year for that excitement.  The first day he ran over to me and said He is bothering me!  I asked who and he said that wave, no the other one going back in the ocean.  If he went in the water past his waist he would worry that a shark would eat him up for a snack.