Grace Learns to Ride a Tricycle

David is so patient with Grace. He took the time to show her where to put her feet and how to pedal and move around on her new tricycle.

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Then he pushed her around to get her going.

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And stopped again to help her with her feet.

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And pushed her some more.
. .Grace had lots of fun with her new ride and she really enjoyed her "Diddy's" undivided attention.
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What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon together.

Slip'n'Slide Saturday

David bought a slip and slide for Grace while he was in town and we had a blast!

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She never really figured out how to slide on it, but she was really cute sitting and scooting down it.

.She really liked the built-in sprinklers, too.

And watching David slip down the slide was fun, too. Especially when he'd grab Grace at the bottom.

.We kept getting grass in the pool area each time we'd slide down.

But Grace, being the neat little girl she is, took the time to pick each blade of grass out so it stayed nice and clean all afternoon.

Successful Garage Sale Shopping

Grace and I went garage sale shopping early this morning and look at all we found. For $25 I was able to buy all of these clothes with name brands like Gymboree, Children's Place, and Baby Gap. I was very excited. We found a total of 32 items ranging from cute capri outfits to a hot pink summer jacket. Expect future pictures of Grace wearing these fabulous yet inexpensive outfits.

But, our best find was only $10!

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How cute is this RadioFlyer tricycle! I love that it has handle bars so I can control where she goes, plus a cupholder and mini-storage compartment! The handle bars are removable so once she's a little older she can ride without me steering her along.

Now she doesn't have to ride a plant stand and pretend that it is a tricycle.

It even has this adorable little bell on the handle bars so we can let people know to watch out for us!

All in all, it was $35 well spent and a great day for garage sale shopping.

A Day at the Zoo

Today we went to the zoo. Of course, we didn't get far before we had a pitstop for a minor injury.
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David stubbed his toe while checking out the orangutans.

I think we provided a couple of laughs for this little guy, although he doesn't seem to have our sense of humor - he's still trying to decide if we're funny enough to laugh at.

He used the sprinklers to wash off the blood.

Toe semi-cared for. Check.

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Sunscreen. Check.

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Sunglasses. Check.

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Hat. Check.

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And we were back on our way to see and discover more exotic animals like this peacock.

Isn't he gorgeous!

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He was hungry so we fed him some goldfish. Birds eat goldfish right?

. Then he opened up and shook his tail feathers.

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Incredible. Amazing. We were so close I could have plucked one of his feathers. I should have. Except up close they have really sharp beaks. We probably would have had another injury - this one probably not so minor.

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One of the best things we did was ride the Skyfari. It's a new attraction - sorta like a ski lift but it takes you over the animals. VERY COOL.

Grace seemed to really like it. She scared us a few times though when she tried to stand up, but David had a good grip on her.

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The views were incredible. This is of the Desert Dome - it's the largest in the world.

We saw rhinos for the first time. Rhinos at this zoo, not the first time ever. Actually this was the first time Grace saw rhinos. These were the size of cars. Biggest rhinos I've ever seen.

We also got to see the giraffes. I love giraffes and their spots. They remind me of freckles.

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We were very glad we decided to try this out when we did - look at the line when we got back! And this was on Friday morning - imagine the lines on a weekend! I shiver just thinking about it. I abhor lines.

After the Skyfari, we walked by tthe Butterfly House on our way to see the penguin feeding. As I took this picture I walked into a pole. Oops. David and a few strangers got quite a laugh. Glad I was able to provide them entertainment.



Inside the aquarium they had the Touch and Feel display set up. Grace refused to touch any of it. Apparently, she doesn't like the look of stingrays or urchins. Can't blame her there.


Off to the penguin feeding. Boy, those penguins were LOUD!

Then we were off to the petting zoo.
Grace made a new friend.
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She's a loyal friend - she stayed by his side for more than 30 minutes. We practically had to drag her away.

And she fed him, and fed him, and fed him. Then she followed him when he tried to get away.

If we ever live on a farm, we'll have to get her a little African pygmy goat like this one.
We finally got her to leave when we let her play on the spiderweb play area.

Then we had a little water break - you have to stay hydrated in 90 degree weather. It was hot, so hot. How are we ever going to survive in Alabama?

After our little break, we took a quick peek at the bears.

And then Grace had a mini-meltdown.

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She decided to try and hide from us so she could take a little nap - under a park bench.

So we decided to leave for the day but before we left we made a quick run through the Kingdoms of the Night. It's a fascinating exhibit. It's the largest nocturnal exhibit in the world and housed 70 feet below the Desert Dome. You can walk through caves with bats flying around (behind nets, of course) and through a place that reminds me of a Louisiana bayou. The coolest thing is that the day-night cycles are reversed so you can see the animals in their natural dark environments. But it's so dark inside, you can't take pictures...

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Finally we left the zoo and as soon as we put Grace in the car she crashed.

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She even slept all the way through lunch.

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Of course, after an exciting day discovering and seeing all those extraordinary animals, I can see why she konked out. I was pooped, too, but we had a lot of fun and made some wonderful memories that we'll always treasure at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo.

Happy Memorial Day

When most people think of Memorial Day, they think of backyard barbecues and an extra day off for work. And I agree, Memorial Day is a lot of fun, but I think that we should remember to teach our children the reason we have this extra special holiday.

It is a day we should pause and honor all those men and women who have fought and sacrificed for the freedoms that we have and we take for granted each day. There are so many who have given the ultimate price, their lives, so that we can enjoy simple liberties like the freedom to say what we want about anything and everything.

There is a lot of room for improvement in our country, but in my opinion, it's still the best country in the world. So thank you to all those brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for us. And thank you to all those courageous soldiers who continue to sacrifice each day and protect us as a nation ensuring that we continue to enjoy these precious liberties.

I promise as a mother to future generations to do my part in helping my children learn, respect, and appreciate the sacrifices that have been made on our behalf so that we never take for granted all the wonderful freedoms we enjoy.

As we decorate with red, white, and blue, please take a moment to remember and honor all those brave men and women and their sacrifices and be sure to thank anyone who serves in our military. They are the reason we are and continue to be the greatest country on earth.

Grace wants a scooter

We were in TJ Maxx the other day and look what Grace found... A plant stand - I mean SCOOTER!
She had the best time scooting around the store going "Bbbbnnnnn" and bumping into shelves and riding down each of the aisles.

Funny how having a child for almost 2 years changes you. Several clerks and customers gave us the look, you know, the "I can't believe she's letting her kid run completely out of control and all over the store like that!" look, but we just smiled and kept on going. As long as she wasn't lying on the floor kicking her feet and screaming at the top of her lungs, there's nothing wrong with her having a little fun while I shop.

Grace's New Tooth

I have a new tooth! Do you see it?
It's right here.


That's number 13 for me.