TRIP: DAY 3 THE ZOO PART 1

We got everyone up early to go to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago.  It was pretty amazing!!!  It was huge and had such beautiful landscaping and buildings for gift shops and eateries.   The highlights for me had to be the exhibits we don't have at our zoo such as, the penguins, polar bears, sting rays and dolphins.  The exhibit for the monkeys was amazing.  I don't know if the pictures will do it justice.  I also loved the children's zoo petting area.  Caroline and Carter loved the goats.  There was one goat that loved Carter (or loved all the crumbs in his stroller!!)  We were there for about 6 or 7 hours.  Then we went home and Caroline played dress up with Grabielle and Bicala and then had another delicious dinner.   This will be the first of several zoo posts!!!  We took tons of pictures and we have some of Nannie's too. 

CARTER COULD LIVE OFF OF THOSE ANIMAL CRACKERS!!!

SWEET LITTLE GUY MISSED THE MONKEYS.  WE DIDN'T TELL HIM!!

HOT AND TIRED!!!

BUT, NEVER TOO TIRED TO PLAY DRESS UP!!!

TRIP: DAY 2 - WALK & LOTS OF FAMILY!!

Day 2 started with a long walk on the bike path.  I wish I would have had a camera with because I love the bike path.  It is surrounded with corn fields on both sides and has Kite Creek.  Caroline loved the corn fields.  She said they are so beautiful!!!!  We were exhausted after our long walk.  Carter got a little bit of a sunburn on his arms and head.  After we returned to the house, Jeremiah made us omlettes  then we just hung out around the house.  Carter and I got to take a little nap together and we were awoken to a house full of cousins.  Jennifer, Rick, and their 6 kiddos had just returned from a 2 week road trip.  I don't see how they do it.  I can barely handle 2!!!!  We had fun watching all the rowdiness as all the kids played together.  Then Grandma Skaar came over and we grilled out and visited outside and watched the fireflies.  Makaela and Gabrielle got to spend the night so they could go to the zoo with us the next morning. The last time we were here, Caroline was pretty much the same age as Carter and just starting to walk too!!! 

CROWDED LIVING ROOM!!!

KRISTOFFER WITH HIS GOGGLES ON

CARTER, MAKAELA, AND JONATHAN.  THE BOYS ARE ABOUT 2 MONTHS APART.

GABRIELLE AND CARTER

CARTER IN HIS FAVORITE ROOM GETTING INTO THE RITZ AND FRUIT BARS

FUN EVENING HAVING DINNER ON THE BACK PORCH.  POOR DOGS WERE SCARED OF ALL THE FIREWORKS AND SAT ON NANNIE'S LAP. 

ZUMBA!!!!

Tonight, I decided to try something new, something that scares me because it involves dancing.   I went to a Zumba class and I'm so glad I did.  It definitely wasn't pretty, but I made it and I don't think I was the worst one in the class.  Haha!!!  It was a challenge and talk about lots of sweating!!!!  I knew a few people in the class so that was nice as long as they didn't see my lack of  latin dancing skills.  When I cheered in college they always removed me from the dance portion of the routines.  They had me tumble and do basket tosses because I really would have made the dances look bad.  Every year at tryouts, I would just freeze up when it came to the dance.  It's a wonder I ever made the squad!!!  So, this is why tonight was a big deal for me.  I grew up being so afraid to try anything new or by myself.  I don't ever want to be that way again.  I want Caroline and Carter to know that it's actually fun to try something you're afraid of and I hope they never limit themselves.  The next class is a few nights away.  Now my goal is to go relaxed so I can get better!!!
Something else......  When I walked in from the class Jeremiah was giggling.  Do you know why???  It was because he is not used to seeing me work out!!!  That's bad!!!! 
Also,  it didn't help that I was terrified to try the class and Caroline bawled like I have never seen when I left.  I guess she ran outside crying and looking for me after I left too.  I think she's pretty attached from being around me so much this summer.  It was sure hard not to cave in!!!

TRIP: DAY 1 FROM OK TO IL.......

We were planning to leave on our drive to Illinois around 5am last Thursday.  At 12:30 am, I was up blogging and Jeremiah couldn't sleep, so we just decided to load up the truck and leave right then. We were on the road by about 1:15 am.  We got them in the truck and both were sound asleep, so it all looked good.  Then as soon as we stopped for gas at around 1:25 am, Carter was wide awake.  I sat in the back and entertained him while Caroline slept until sunrise.  We just kept Carter pumped full of animal crackers and he was pretty good.  They both napped off and on throughout the day.  Finally we arrived at Nannie's around 3:30 pm.  Caroline kept telling Nannie that she loved everything in her house.  Her kitchen, bedroom, the dogs.   After we played outside and rested, we had dinner at Alfanos.  (THE BEST PIZZA EVER!!!!!)  Caroline got really grumpy once we got there.  Andy and I looked at her and she could hardly keep her eyes open and about that time, her head fell and she was asleep and did not wake up the rest of the night!!!!

CARTER DISCOVERED HIS FAVORITE ROOM OF THE HOUSE.  THE KITCHEN.  WE COULD NOT KEEP HIM OUT OF HERE!!!

Y

YUMMY ALFANOS!!!

POOR TIRED LITTLE GIRL!!!!

WE'RE BACK!!!!

We arrived home on Thursday night after 14 hours on the road.  We had a wonderful time at Nannie's.  It was tough leaving.  It felt like we were at home there for a week Caroline and Carter were really good in the truck one the way to Illinois and on the way home.  I was really proud of them.  I have tons of fun stuff and pictures to post of the 7 days we were gone.  I think I'll break it up by days.  (The zoo may take several posts because there are sooo many pictures!!!)  We got to spend lots of time with Nannie, Andy, Christian, Makaela, and Gabrielle.  Caroline called them Bicala and Grabielle.  We also got to see Grandma Skaar a few times.  Caroline refers to her as Grandma Scarf.  Haha.  

LOOK WHAT NANNIE MADE US.  ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL!!!  I LOVE IT.  

SHE IS SO TALENTED!!!

OUR FLOWERS HAVE GROWN LIKE CRAZY THANKS TO ALL THE RAIN!!!

MORE CAROLINE PHOTOS......

I NEVER KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO FIND WHEN I LOOK AT THE CAMERA!!!  SILLY GIRL!

WE HAVE A WALKER!!!

Our sweet Carter boy is walking!!!  It's been very progressive, but he's finally to the place where he will let go of something on his own and start walking.  We are so proud and just in time for our Illinois visit soon!!! 
Here are some cute pictures of him moving about after his bath. 

SWEET FACE!!!!

BUSY FUN WEEKEND

Saturday we stayed around the house most of the day, got a fun visit from the sweetest dog, Lucy, from down the street, and then had Nanno, Pops, Kelli, and Marty over for dinner.  On Sunday, Kelli came to the pool with Caroline and me and then we went to Nanno and Pops for another cookout.  That made cookouts for 3 nights in a row!!!!   Monday night, we went to a Redhawks game. It was Caroline and Carter's first baseball game!!!  On Tuesday, I had to go into work and Caroline got to spend the day at the zoo with Kelli and Marty and Carter got to spend the day with his Daddy.  Ok.  Here are all the pics. 

AW.  HER TOENAILS WERE PAINTED!!!

LOOK WHO'S WALKING IN THE BACKGROUND!!!!