Summer in Wisconsin

Spending time in the pool is about the only way to keep cool in 90% humidity and temps in the upper 80's.  Luckily we get free water (thanks to our neighbors who let us fill our pool up from their well) and the girls like to swim (especially Lydia).  If only the pool and slide were big enough for mommy and daddy!

Final Pictures from Swim Lesson's

The last day of swim lessons finally arrived this Thursday. Bill aka "Grampy" helped the girls so I could snap some photos.

The girls race to see who will be first...and of course, Bill sporting the farmers tan.

Felicity working on her "Kickers" with Grampy.

Lydia getting practice blowing bubbles with mom and the instructor.

The Zoo...Part Deux...

Today the girls, myself, and Megan re-visited Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison. This time around the Zoo was PACKED with people. It was difficult to see most of the animals since there was no space to get to the front. The girls had a good time though with the animals they were able to see.

We rode the bronze tortoise outside the Herpatorium (Reptile House).

We visited the piggy today...

Lydia was in high gear while watching the prairie dogs run around!
During our trip, I stopped to look closely at the Scientific name of the Badger...if you live in Wisconsin and especially Dane County...the state animal was appropriately chosen by its Scientific name not because it was indigenous.

Goats, Goats, and more Goats

Isaiah took the girls to Peck's Farm Market this morning so that I could finish up some homework I have due today.  They have a game farm where the girls could feed goats corn (and even pet them too), look at deer, talk to the ducks, and jump with the Wallaby's.  The best part about it is that it is FREE (except for the small amount of food you buy to feed them).

A great day for a train ride!

Mazomanie was having a Bluegrass festival today and along with music and food they had free train rides on the hour.  Both Felicity and Lydia love trains (Liddy calls it a 'too-too-tain') so we snagged Grammy and Grampy and hitched a ride on the train!  It was a great way to spend an hour of the day!

And these were our results when we asked them to pose on the fire truck...

Notice Lydia's reward for being a good poser (ha ha ha)!

Butterflies and humidity

Once a week we send one kiddo to daycare and take the other one out to do something "fun" with mommy and daddy.  Today was Felicity's fun day.  Olbrich Gardens puts on a month-long butterfly display in their conservatory once a year and we thought it might be fun to see that.  Well...I think every.single.person in Madison also had that idea.  It was PACKED!  I'm not sure if Felicity really enjoyed it all that much, although I have to admit that I wasn't overly impressed either.

Maybe some of that was due to the fact that it's hot and HUMID today and the conservatory felt like it was 95F!  

Livin' in the Outdoors

On Friday we set out for Governor Dodge State Park  for a weekend of camping with Grammy, Grampy, Chris, Teri, and Teri's 4.5 year old niece Abby.  It was Felicity and Lydia's first time swimming in a lake (and they enjoyed it despite the wind making it a bit chilly at times), first time seeing the moon and Jupiter (and it's four moons) through a big telescope (they had an astronomy program on Saturday night), and first time sleeping in the same bed.  It took them a bit to get to sleep but eventually they both conked out and all was well...until 1:30a when Lydia woke up and screamed like a banshee.  Isaiah ended up taking her home (a 40 minute drive) at 2:00a because she wouldn't calm down...we think now it might have been too dark for her and she wasn't fully awake.  

Overall though, it was a great trip!  The kids hunted for lightening bugs and drew chalk outlines of each other on the road and blew lots of bubbles with Uncle Chris.  Here are a few favorite pictures from our trip.

Plum Tree

Guess we aren't going anywhere for a bit....the plum tree next to the driveway snapped off right at the ground early this morning during some nasty storms we were having.  I have to say...I'm not sad to see it go.  Imagine what it is like when all those little green plums are ripe and falling on the ground...lots and lots of bees.  And a LOT of mushy plum mess.  

Smiles for Suckers.

In an effort to get a good picture we have resorted to some bribes...I must say though, a simple "Dum Dum" sucker gets great results!

Petition ABC

I'm really hoping to see a petition to ABC for Jason Mesnick to be the next Bachelor....after Bachelorette DeAnna Pappas turned him down.

Aunts, uncles, and pigtails!

Last weekend we had the annual extended family "Christmas" at my parents house.  The girls had a great time playing with their cousins and Uncle Chris and Aunt Teri.  The girls love seeing Chris and Teri and they are so good with them.  I can't wait until their baby comes (in January)!

Can you tell they'll make great parents?

And Lydia can finally wear pigtails...although it's not the easiest getting them in.  But both of my girls look darn cute with their hair up if I must say so myself.