A busy weekend

We created a busy weekend for ourselves.....and we loved every minute of it.  On Saturday, we took Cal to the Tanganyika Wildlife Park.  It was amazing!  Cal got to feed a giraffe, a rhino, Koi fish, ducks, a lemur, and some goats.  Sometimes I'm cynical of zoos because I feel sad for the animals that have to live in their tiny, artificial environments.  I know, I know....I have a downer's perspective, huh?!?  Anyway, the facility has nice big exhibits for the animals so these emotions were pushed to the back of my mind.

He was pretty excited about these BIG pumpkins at the entrance.

We could pet the giraffe after feeding him.  His hair....fur???.....hair felt like horse's hair to me.  He got tired of us pretty quickly and started swinging his head, as though he were trying to shoo us away, when he realized we were out of grub to give him.

 

 

  

While waiting to feed the lemurs, Cal fed some Koi fish.  They were battling the ducks for food and most often the Koi won.

 

Once we got into the lemur exhibit, we were told that we can't grab or pet them so I was focused on keeping Cal's hands in his lap. It was at that point that a lemur jumped on my arm and I screeched like a scared little girl.....but I didn't grab it.  Cal got one pet in before the handler told him to stop.  Whoopsie.

 

Cal fed him a raisin.  That silly little lemur sat on his lap for several minutes afterwards in hopes of getting another one. 

 

These funny little creatures sat down like they were in chairs.  Adorable!

 Next we made our way to the rhino exhibit where Cal and I threw pellets into ol' Henry's giant, slimy mouth.  We even got to pet him after we were done.

By far, my favorite part of the zoo was the kangaroo/tortoise exhibit.  We could pet them all we wanted and they were the sweetest little things!  The kangaroos were so soft and their fur felt like a kitten's.  We gave this mama some good pets while her joey slept in her pouch.  Look at his legs poking out!

 

Cal really likes turtles and he was extremely excited about the tortoises! 

 

The next day, we took Cal to Cross Timbers Lake.  Mitch has been wanting to explore the countryside and had heard that this lake had nice walking trails.  Off we went! 

 

Cal fell asleep with his hand in the Cheeto bowl.

They each had to use a walking stick while we perused the shoreline for shells.

These shells, all twelve of them, are now located in a bowl in our garage.  Cal likes to get them out and count them, crush them, and count them again.  Cheap entertainment. 

These so called "walking trails" were not on the clearest of paths as I had hoped.  (Yes, I'm admitting that I prefer a cleaner trail.....one with less chances of ticks falling off of low tree limbs, snakes hiding under piles of leaves and/or fallen logs, spiders building giant webs for you to walk through, etc.  I'll be a self proclaimed sissy in this area.) Anyway, we had a nice cruise through the woods and Cal loved pointing out everything he saw and heard. 

At one point, I found a box turtle!   Cal was pretty darn excited, as you might have guessed!

Mitch promised me Cal that we could get ice cream on the way back.  I wasn't the only one excited! 

 

That night we gave Cal a bath and then he wanted to "go shopping".  I love a good shopping partner, but would prefer one that is clothed.  I love that cute little rump!  

 

 

 

 

 

New vids

It was a long day full of the zoo, no naps (plural because both Cal and I usually get in a good snooze on the weekends), and chocolate milkshakes.  This mama is wiped out, so here are some recent videos to fill a post.  I'll post recent pictures soon, namely the ones taken today at the zoo.  Cal had the best time!!!  Mitch and I are so blessed with such a bright and silly little boy.

Cal and I have been catching grasshoppers each afternoon.  He's getting braver and will now let me put them in his hand when we catch them.

 

Olga, one of Cal's daycare teachers, loves to teach Spanish to Cal.  Sometimes when I ask him what he did at school, he'll say, "I play with Olga.  I speak Spanish with Olga." 

 

 

Silly kid.  He loves our dogs and really enjoys discussing how they "potty outside, not in the toilet".  I guess he wanted to replicate their bathroom habits today. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life lately: KSU games, work, KSU games, repeat.

The weather heated up with a vengeance these past few weeks.  After a rainy summer, we had two solid weeks of 90-100 degree temps.   It was just brutal, unapologetic heat.....but I'm hopeful in saying that the heat has broken. 

I started the sprinklers one Saturday morning before heading to the KSU game in Manhattan.  Cal couldn't pass up the opportunity to be a "nakey bear" and streak through the sprinklers.

"Too cold, Mama!!!"

 

It wasn't too cold later that day when we were sweating our buns off at the game!  Cal loves the games and follows all the hand motions and chants.

 

"Good for a Wildcat Touchdown!"

 

The next morning he woke up at 6am so he and I went down to eat some breakfast and wait for everyone else to wake up (at a normal, non-"up before the rooster crows" time).   I made him take a shower afterwards and he wasn't too happy with me.

Fine....a small smirk.

 

Here's a pic of Cal, baby brother, and I at 29 weeks pregnant.  

 

 "Where's Cal?!?"  Oh....he's hidden behind that big belly!

 

I made this so we can hang Cal's school artwork.  He's so proud of everything he makes and was really excited to see his masterpieces hung up!  I had all the items to make this, except for the clips and then I bought the decal on Etsy.  Pretty cheap project!

 

This Saturday's game plans were interrupted by a nasty fever.  Cal has been fighting a temp of 100 or higher for a few days so he and I stayed home and rested, cuddled, and watched every children's program known to man. 

I loved the cuddle time, but it was painful watching him burn up and feel so awful.  :( 

 

Happy Birthday to Mitch!  I will post some bday pics of the 32 year old later, but I didn't get any on his actual birthday because he was in Manhattan!  He got to play golf with Paul and then went to the game that night.  Not a bad way to spend your special day!!

 

 

 

 

 

Quite the jabberbox

Last night while we were reading at bedtime, I put Cal's hand on my stomach and said, "Did you feel that?  The baby is kicking!"  He got very excited and said he felt it.  A few moments later he lifted his own shirt, placed his hand on his tummy and said, "Ohhhh!  Feel that???"  Mitch and I laughed so hard.  We asked what he felt and he said "baby's moving!"   :) 

 

One of Cal's school teachers, Olga, taught Cal how to count to 10 in Spanish.   I love how he says, "quatro".

 

Close, Cal, close.  You forgot the 'S', which is pretty integral in this chant. 

 

 

 

Whenever we ask Cal if he's a jabberbox, a parrot, a monkey, etc......he always says, "No!  I'm Tal!" 

 

 

A Happy 60th and a Sad Football Game

Dad's 60th birthday was spent the way a man should spend his big day.....playing golf!  Well, for this man at least.  ha!  We BBQ'ed as a family on Saturday night and then he wrapped up his golf tournament on Sunday.  Cal wanted to go say bye to his Papa before we drove home, which led to him "driving" the golf cart. 

 

There were a few days afterwards that we thought we might have to buy a golf cart because Cal wouldn't stop talking about it. 

Now it's time for the saddest day of the football season (thus far?!?).  I picked Cal up at lunch time on Friday so we could leave for the KSU game.  He was so excited and decked out in purple from head to toe.  When we drove to Manhattan, he napped for about an hour and when he woke up he groggily said, "I go a football game".  He definitely had football on the brain.

 

We arrived to the parking lot on the hottest day of the year, the decade,  my life. 

 

It was well over 100 degrees and standing on the blacktop for a few hours didn't help us cool down.  In fact, it was so hot that the new asphalt in the lot was melting back to a pliable form.  Not a good sign.  Cal became shirtless and we were dousing him in water every half hour while trying to persuade him into staying in the shade. 

 

 Self portrait!

When we finally got inside, he was mesmerized.  He loved watching the band and the game, but he oddly enough followed the cheerleaders quite well.  :)  He watched them so intently that he could do a few of their simple arm movements during the chants.  ha!!

 

KSU got beat by NDSU.......it was devastatingly sad, but we're looking up from here.  We hope.  Win or lose.......GO CATS!!!!