catching up

whew
busy long weekend

friday's festival
was fun for the kids
bbq sandwiches
and a hot dog

games
rock climbing
and puffy air
jumpy things
all free

saw a guy
i went to school with
kindergarten
to 12th grade
looked the same
only heavier
like all of us
didn't talk to him
nothing to say
but neat to see him
proves life moves on
for everyone

am saturday
picked up the herd
and headed to the parade
saw the mom of one
of the herd
sitting in the grass
turns out she
stepped on glass
and cut her foot
calling for help
on her cell phone
(where were we
without them?)
as the ambulance
and fire truck inch by
on the road
in front of us
she ended up with stitches
and crutches and
a big crimp in her day

i have no idea how the parade was
the girls really liked it
and had a ton of candy to share

crisis over
we headed to the zoo
hot, hot, hot
saw the gorillas
and sumatran rhinos
and cuddly koalas
(who spend 90% of their day
resting and sleeping -
my kind of animal....)
and bats
and cats
and manatees
and polar bears
and peacocks
and lorikeets
and kangaroos
and goats
and an emu

the girls had fun
and i survived
although did i mention
it was really hot?

ended up going to
the y for the free
swimming
the lion loved it
his purple lips as
he said he didn't
want to get out
of the water

fireworks capped off
the evening

canoeing on sunday
with family and friends
eleven of us in all
i think
good exercise and
wonderful company

the look on my husband's
face when he surfaced
from tipping his kayak
was priceless
surprise mixed with wounded pride
oh well
you needed to cool off anyway
mr. hottie ;)

i had company
with the full circus
on monday
the day went so much faster
with someone to share it with

makes today seem lonely

slow start to the fourth
which is the way i like it
cleaned the house
makes me happy today
mom and big little bro
had dinner with us
and then we were joined
by my sister-in-law-to-be
and her mom and sister
and sister's boyfriend
and muscles from moving day
for a private fireworks show
by our very own boys

it was nice to have everyone here
i'm easing into this entertaining thing
i think i like it

i've always wanted a big family
and even though they weren't
all family i can claim
it was great

okay that brings us up to date

watching these boys interact
is a trip -
a trip to the zoo!
(haven't i been there recently?)

back in the swing of things...