Summer days....

Oh yes...summer days.  For us summertime is almost half over, as Simone starts school in August, and we seem to be finally getting into our groove.  We keep busy during the day with lots of activities and both the kids and I sleep pretty well at night.  We've even taken to sleeping in some days until 7:30 or so...once or twice until 8!

So here's a bit of last week, starting with a trip to the zoo on a day that was a bit cooler than we'd seen for a while!

We decided to watch the bird show, something Simone and I have seen a few times but a first for Sammy Wei.  He was not too sure why we were just sitting on logs at the zoo.  I mean it was lunch time and all....

Simone on the other hand was very excited to see the birds in motion!

Look at that face...full of anticipation at the owl swooping, the parrot talking...

And then there is this face...he was not too happy about this.  I could hear his brain saying "lunch? lunch?  hungry here"  But once the birds came out he warmed a bit.  But he was still hungry.

Oh to be just a foot taller, then I could climb like Simone!

Poor boy wants to be right where his sis is but is just a tad too short still! Simone did help him up on the ledge so he could look out at the gorillas with her! Sweet girl...

And Sammy follows his sis wherever she goes!  If she thinks something cool is in the cage then he does as well!

Well.....almost always.  He spotted this jeep from quite a distance and bee-lined to it while Simone looked at the giraffes.  He was all about "driving" it and making Brrrrrroooommm noises!

Simone decided to join him for a quick spin.    She's so silly, I just love her expression here...

Our zoo has a really cool exhibit called "Wee Zoo" and it's an indoor play area with all sorts of hands on places.  There's a vet clinic, an area where you make the right foods for the animals, some live chicks and bunnies and lot's more!  Below is one of Simone's favorite areas...the pizza shop.  Full of "Melissa &Doug" pizza's and ice cream - plus a cash register, oven and fridge.  She had a blast! 

Sammy liked all of the cars and tractors that are housed in the exhibit, and Simone was always close by him making sure he was safe!

See my girl up in the chicken coop!  This is actually a big ramp behind the walls, sort of like a box, leading up to this window and one leading down.  After watching Simone do it Sammy just had to go as well.  Needless to say...Mama got to enjoy the close quarters of the tunnel too.  We had the pleasure of going through not once...or twice..but three times.  Oh well, the kids enjoyed it!

And Sammy found a table with a tractor.  He got to say bbbrooomgh while pushing it on any surface he could reach!

And what marks the passage into summer more than berry picking?  This time we had Sammy to bring along.  We went last year on the same holiday weekend, with me feeling the guilt of doing a family event while one member was still so far away.  The feelings of happiness of having all of us here...well it's sort of indescribable!   And sometimes I like to hang back a bit and watch my family in action.  This is what it looks like- smiles here and cuddles there....

Yet...sometimes I have to stop them to catch a glimpse of the happiness on their faces!

Sammy didn't pick too many berries, mostly just ran up and down the rows!

Taking a break in the shade.  Who's idea was it to go in the heat of the afternoon?  Oh...mine huh! 

Sammy found a nice cart to practice his driving skills on.

And the berry picking is on a farm with the cutest brown cows.  Both kids loved seeing them and I did too! 

 

Summer days... I couldn't ask for anything more!

J