Same camera, when I was allowed to use it…
Times Square
Boys and Pikachu at Nintendo World Store
Dancing Jim, at top of Rockefeller Center
Colin and the trains
Silhouette of the Boys, top of Rockefeller Center
Yesterday we got to go to Longwood Gardens. The holiday decorations are still up, but it was much less crowded than when we went two weeks ago. And the sunny day afforded some good picture taking.
The boys THOROUGHLY enjoyed the children’s garden. I forgot the advice to bring a change of clothes, and they ended up wearing the liners of their coats for the rest of the day, because they were drenched.
Jim had the day off after the race, and had earlier decided he wanted to “go to the city”. We played tourist on Wednesday…
We had an ambitious plan. Patco train into the city (adding at least a half hour to the trip, but money-saving, and a bonus for Colin). Liberty Bell and then Independence Hall. In between these we had to stop and get tickets for the Independence Hall tour. The boys got Junior Park Ranger badges, and we got souveniors for the family. And before the tour we got pretzels. I wanted to get a bunch from a real pretzel store, but there weren’t any to be found in the area, so we got them from a cart. Still goooood, though.
The boys were decent for the tour, which lasted about 45 minutes. After, we had pizza at the Bourse and then started our walking tour. Chinatown, the Domino (and other toy) sculptures, and Love Park. We missed the Phillies rally, but saw everyone leaving it. Walked by my old office (a Jim request), stopped at Walgreens to see if we could print some of our pictures (we couldn’t) and ended up getting Wall-E toothbrushes to keep the boys entertained for the rest of the day. Until Jim tried to clean some brick (UGG!) with his.
Then Mommy’s part of the trip — yarn store! On the way, we walked through Rittenhouse Square. Colin had fallen asleep in the stroller. There was a bunch of guys, street musicians, with bongos, and trumpet, etc., and a young kid was dancing. Well, Jim went up and joined him (fear of strangers, not!). It was the best part of the day. Jim had such a great time, and the other guy got a kick out of him. Very, very cute.
Colin stayed asleep through the yarn store. Got stuff that I’d been wanting for a while but needed to see/touch, and got supplies for school presents.
Lastly was the train ride home again, back in time for dinner.!
First stop, the Liberty Bell
Next, Independence Hall
Colin enjoys his pretzel
William Penn (City Hall)
Jim at Love Park (fountain water dyed red for the Phillies)
Jim in Rittenhouse Square
Jim and Mom:
Lone Pumpkin:
Our haul:
Prickly:
Jim:
Soccer boys:
Colin demonstrates his slide technique:
Jim on the bouncy bridge:
Jim climbs the big slide:
Danger mom:
Colin on the swing:
Colin on the jungle gym:
Seesaw:
My boys:
Saturday we went to my parents’ friends house on Lake Greenwood, and recreated redneck style. They have a boat on which the five adults, two kids and golden retriever fit comfortably, and we took it out about two or three miles (under four bridges) to an area where there’s a sandbar. We anchored the boat and got out and swam in the waist deep water.
Jim was initially panicked because he thought the water was over his head. I forced him to realize he could touch, and after that he was unstoppable. It was like the world’s biggest pool to him. We even walked over to the area where the sandbar made a (very) small island, and picked up some shells and dug in the dirt.
Colin was equally happy. The lifevest helped him float very well, and he was just passed from adult to adult, happy as a clam. What an experience it must have been for him!
After that, we went back to the house, and hung out on the boat while Colin napped on the bench seat. So Jim and I took out their waverunner for a very short trip. After Colin woke up, we got dressed and came home for a pizza dinner.
Me and mom and big brother Jim were lying in Momma’s bed. Mom checked the weather and then told me and Jim we were going to the zoo. I don’t know what the zoo is, but Jim was excited, so I smiled and tried to act excited too.
Mom put us in the car and we drove and drove and drove. I don’t know how long it took, because I don’t know what time is yet. Plus, I fell asleep. That’s when Jim took my toys from me. He’s always doing that. I can’t wait until next year when I’m bigger than him and I can beat him up for taking my toys.
Anyway, we stopped and mom put me in the stroller. We walked and walked and walked. Then we would stop and mom would take pictures. If I laughed, she would take a picture of me. First we stopped and watched a big thing drink from a fountain. It was big, bigger than that daddy guy. We watched this thing for a while because Jim seemed to really like it.
Next we went into a building and watched little funny animals jump all around. They remind me of how Jim plays right before he gets in trouble with mom and dad. I think I heard Mom call them monkeys. Then we saw bigger ones that moved real slow. They were really hairy. Then some woman came over to Mom and Jim and started telling them all about apes and monkeys and I could see that they didn’t want to listen, so I made cute noises to distract her.
After momma changed me, we walked around some more, and mom and jim watched polar bears. I couldn’t see anything though. But then we stopped and sat in the shade, and momma gave me a wagon wheel. It was so sweet and delicious. Definitely the best part of my day. After that, I took a little rest.
Mom and Jim walked me in the sun next, which I didn’t like so much, but we got to see these tall animals that Jim called giraffes. Then I really fell asleep.
The next thing I knew Mom was putting me in the sling, and then we floated up in the air. Mom held on to me real tight, and I think she was holding on to Jim real tight. She kept saying, “Merry Christmas”, which I though was kind of funny, and then she told the other lady next to us that she doesn’t like heights. But then we stopped floating. Mom put me back in the stroller, and then we rode back home.
Mom took a bunch of pictures, but she says she left the card reader in the car, and doesn’t want to go out in her PJs to go get it, so you’ll have to wait. It’ll be worth the wait, because she took pictures of me, and I know you love them.
They call this an Indian summer, when it gets nearly hot again after being cold. I had Thursday and Friday off, so we made the best of the extra family time before the grind returns.
Thursday the boy and I got him some new shoes and shirts, and then later that night we went and got him PJs and had dinner at the mall. Pizza! Pretzels!
Friday we ordered a zoo membership on line, and took the boy to the zoo. It was a great day, and we all enjoyed it. We came home hot and tired, and then ordered out dinner (Pizza! again!) with Uncle Broward and M, and watched the debate after the went to bed. Well, they watched the debate, I fell asleep.
Saturday I woke up with a ton of energy, so I headed to Home Depot, came home and fertilized and seeded the yard. I also dug up a low spot near the sidewalk and water meter access, and seeded that. Doesn’t sound like much, but it took most of the day. Oh, I trimmed down the shrub-trees in front of the porch. They’ll probably be taken out in the spring, and we’ll replant the whole thing. The whole time, the boy stood in Dad’s office and yelled my name, so I yelled his name back.
Today we went pumpkin picking with T and her folks. Always a good time. We got a Daddy, Mommy, and Toddler pumpkin. Hopefully the sign-stealing people won’t take out their frustrations on our pumpkins. Although, we have a new record, the signs have been up for eight days and nights now.
