Climbing+Cookies+Carnival=Fun!

On a lovely Saturday afternoon -September 18th, to be specific- the kids and I went to Veterans Park to burn some energy. They played on the slides for a few minutes, then I suggested we walk the path to the river. Jane wasn't at all excited about walking. Lazy bum. I told her what an awesome place we were going to, and how much she would love it. She was skeptical, but of course we went anyway.

There is a canal near the tree-shrouded river area we were wandering to. Near the canal is a great climbing tree. I pointed it out and the girls didn't waste any time latching onto it. They are such monkeys... After a few minutes, Jane said the unthinkable. "Mom, this really is awesome!"

That was a rare moment indeed. Usually, Jane makes it her quest to trash talk all of my ideas.


It really is a neat tree.


Oliver opted for his usual activity. No, not dancing. Rock-throwing.


Both Cora and Jane wore Beatles shirts that day, probably to impress me. It did warm my heart a little. :)






The girls helped him up there. Nothing like a little sibling teamwork.




After the first tree we crossed the bridge over the canal and saw a much bigger tree in a field off the path.


Next time maybe they'll wear some shoes appropriate for climbing.



They loved this tree.

Synchronized scooting. :) My kids are so talented.

Easy does it...



After the tree climbing, we traipsed over another bridge to find some "off-road" paths along the river. There are a bunch of beaten down trails that are fun to follow. Soon it was time to get home for Oliver's nap. I can tell it's that time when he starts wanting me to carry him everywhere.


On September 23rd, I made sugar cookies. My mom had agreed to watch the kids so I could go to my sister's Chicks and Giggles show later that night, and when I asked what I could do to make it up to her, she suggested I pay her in cookies. Piece of cake. Er, cookie...

When I got home that night, my mom reported that she had gone into the other room for a minute and Oliver pushed a chair up to the counter, climbed up, and helped himself to the cookies, taking a bite or two out of several of them. I let my mom take the unmolested ones. I just had to smile and shake my head. He puts Cookie Monster to shame.






The girls' school carnival was on Friday, September 24th. I was kind of looking forward to it, kind of not. One of Cora's friends inadvertently decided to schedule her birthday party for the same evening, so that meant we could only stay for about an hour of the carnival. I have no idea why they had a carnival the first month of school when they just had one in May. And they don't even have much to get excited over- no cotton candy, no bake sale, no dunk tank. As a substitute for cotton candy they had "snow cones"; crunchy, flavorless, poor excuses for snow cones. As I sampled some of Jane's, I longed for Judy's Summer Snow Shack... now that is ice well worth consuming!

I guess the highlight of the carnival was the kids getting face painted. Oliver got a guitar, but it turned out looking more like a violin. Oh well. He wasn't picky.

I took pictures of them after we got home and they were getting in bed.



Jane and Cora saw a girl with an ice cream cone on her face, so they both wanted one too.


No, I did not pressure them into choosing that design.




"While visions of (ice cream cones) danced in their heads...."

Sweet dreams, girls.