Friday, July 31, 2009

Why today was a good day... a list...

  • I took my shower last night so I got to sleep in.
  • Thanks to a larger bed, I got to sleep without extra blankets touching me and didn't wake up hot and have to take a shower again.
  • I got praise at work
  • I needed to pitch in $10 at work for a birthday present for 2 people, I found $10 in my pocket which had been washed with my jeans when I got dressed this morning.
  • There were cookies
  • My mom left the anti-christ and moved in with Pop's and we went for a visit and no one left offended
  • Jon got to sleep in until 8
  • Layla ate some of her dinner and it wasn't yogurt
  • Tomorrow is the fair and my company picnic which will have free BBQ
  • I had a good "god related" dream last night
  • It's almost time for Jen's baby shower and I am excited to soon meet Miss Mia
  • I have a new book to read
  • There is enough pepsi, ice and sunflower seeds to get me through an entire new book tonight
  • The fan feels good
  • I got to wear trendy jewelry this afternoon
  • An old friend popped back up and made me smile
  • There was a bible verse on my car when I left work today
  • I've started following some new cool blogs
  • Tomorrow there will be brownies & entourage while the baby naps

And in case you were wondering...because the internet always wonders... today's car windshield bible verse was Psalm 27

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Oh Dear God, She's Almost 2


There comes that moment. That moment when your blackberry calendar sends you *the warning*.

The warning that says...hey... you've only got 2 months till she turns 2... start planning slacker.
And you think, NO NOT MY BABY GO AWAY!
And then you look at her... and she's not a baby anymore. She's a big girl, with big ideas, big plans and big eye lashes to bat at you when she really wants something.
Try as you might... there is no way to prepare for the warning.
No matter who has warned you... you will ignore them.
But, some things can't be ignored. They grow up while you aren't looking.
Suddenly they just aren't a baby anymore.
And then you cry.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Oh for the love of... Balloons

Who wants to plan a party today? Would you like to plan a baby shower, a adult man's birthday weekend or a bash at the park for a 2 year old girl?

Can't decide?

Well let's do them in date order.

Jen's baby shower:

Food plan *giggle* she wants hot dogs and fruit, also I am thinking sandwich stuff and a salad. There will be iced tea and ice water to drink. Joy has the decorations and the cake. Games are all planned. Prizes have already been picked up. So now I just need to run over the plan with Jen and Joy tomorrow and figure out what favors we're doing for sure. I vote cookie favors.

Jon's birthday weekend:

He says he doesn't care about his actual birthday but we both have it off so probably a short family road trip. Ocean? Then I work Friday but Friday night I am thinking dinner and drinks with friends and the baby can stay at my mom's new digs with her over night for the first time ever. We can sleep in Saturday and then on Sunday breakfast with the family like we did on my birthday, because everyone loves pancakes... Except Jon he likes french toast.

Layla's 2nd birthday:

I need to get her 2 year old pictures booked and then get them into shutterfly to make invites. Then I need to send said invites and book the park and pay the recreation dept. We need table clothes, balloons and to order a cake. Then for food... I'm totally at a pause. What does one eat at a princess party at the park?
Oh, and I need to book a hotel room for October once all my shopping lists are done.

While I am busy being the party coordinator *which I love by the way* it's Q & A time. Ask a question in the comments and I'll answer it later this week. Anonymous questions are fine. Math questions and general trivia is punishable by death. Thanks!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Whoops

Well my first Saturday off took a turn for the interesting and I spent part of the afternoon on pins and needles waiting to see if baby M was making her appearance very early. Turns out it was not meant to be but at least now I know that I can swing child care pretty fast thanks to this weekends test run. I feel a little bad for her mommy though with all that laboring only to have to wait.

Then Saturday night Jon and I stayed up much too late watching Entourage season 3 on DVD which we had borrowed from a friend. I love Jeremy Piven. So Sunday morning yet as I may I couldn't pry myself out of bed and Jon was kind enough to get up with the baby. I woke up what felt like 30 minutes later but was actually 3 hours later very rested.

The baby and I have spent our day in our pajamas. I made lunch and dinner and I got some dishes done only to make more dirty dishes. Eventually we took a bath only to slip into new pajamas.

So on Sunday I did what I thought I would do all day Saturday instead of going to the worship service at church and running to the local park to play in the water play area with Layla. I'm ok with that.

Today my mom canceled a girls weekend that was planned for later this month so one of my weekends suddenly freed itself up.

Jon forgot to ask for next Saturday off so he'll have to free up his schedule for the company picnic at the county fair.

I've got a baby shower to plan. I've got Layla's birthday to get started on. I have another round of dishes to do.

Would I be a bad person if I put it off another day and watched a movie in my pajamas while making brownies instead?

Don't answer that... I don't want your opinion to effect my decision.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Dorkus Maximus


Ahh weekends off. The rest of the weekends off this round are booked solid. So I am very glad that today I opted out of going to the Garlic Festival or making a playdate and instead did the things I needed to do.
I needed to go to bed at 9 pm and sleep in until 8 am. I needed to cuddle with my daughter, eat waffles and watch Sesame Street. I needed her to decide to nap at 10 even though she just got up so I could clean out the toy box, purge some clothes that are too small for her and finally find my other camera battery.
I needed to "finally" change out of my PJ's at 11:30 only to slip into my favorite bra, a comfortable pair of yoga pants and a hot pink tank top you'll never see in public. I needed to sort through pictures from earlier this month (like the one above) and work on Layla's birthday party invites.
I needed to be a dork and dance to Kat Kountry Radio while I found a snack. I needed to blog. I needed to enjoy my air conditioning too much and go outside 3 times to find my newspaper is missing.
I needed a dork day, a pj day, a day with no agenda or shopping list. And, so I'm going to go back to doing that now.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Away (writing prompt)

I sit in my favorite chair with a drink and a book in my hand and as I am rocking the ice clinks like a rhythmic folk band. I flip to the first page and it draws me inside with the scent of old paper that's yellowed with time. And there in black ink across lines single spaced is a carefree adventure that sweeps me away. The voice of each character seems so alive with the thousands of accents my heads stored inside. The people I can picture seem more real then the actors that will probably play them when the movie is cast for TV. The places I've been with their sights and their smells draw out like old memories when a book sends me somewhere. The next thing I know, I feel when they're in love, or when their hearts breaking sometimes their all fired up and my hands will start shaking. And by the last sentence on the very last page I've outwitted villians and of course saved the day. I rise from my chair with a smile on my face and put away the cup from which the ice melted away. I lost track of time and I found a new world all before chapter 24.

Chill-axin'


This week my schedule rotates at work. This is my rotate on to weekends off (for four weeks). So as it happens I'll have today off and then work two days and have a two day weekend. It's nice. It would be nicer if the opposite didn't happen in 5 weeks (where I have a 6 day work week).
Knowing you're working a short week makes a person eager to plan some stuff to do. I'll take the baby swimming. I'll finally make that trip I've been putting off to visit some great grandparents. I'll get the grocery shopping done. I'll do dishes and laundry for the baby. I'll finish that book. I'll finally blog.
It's a nice plan.
But usually I sleep in a little, I get half the stuff on my list done and I watch some movies with the baby. Sometimes we do manage to go swimming (like last week) or to run a few errands (planned for later today) but I try not to force us to have an agenda on our day together and we usually thrive on taking a little time to chill out.
Right now, I'm blogging and writing back to random text messages while next to me the baby plays in our bed. She's not really a baby anymore though. I know because up until a few minutes ago she was downstairs watching a movie by herself while I picked up the floor upstairs. We've entered the age of independent play, imagination, and story telling.

It really is a much better way to spend a day than just checking off my to-do list don't you think?

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Look a baby!

This is Ethan, my new nephew in case you can't tell from the picture he's a perfect almost 10 lb little miracle and just as cute as his two older brothers.

Good job Eric and Jenette, he's wonderful!

Sorry about the fuzzy picture, I ran to the hospital on my lunch break and snapped this with the camera in my phone. I'll get a better one to post later with my actual camera when I take him his gift.

I wasn't going to post this one but I couldn't resist!

Friday, July 17, 2009

I feel it coming

The hot weather of August in the California Central Valley has arrived. Suddenly the hundred degree weather is making everyone grimace on the short walk to the air conditioned house from their car. Of course, that means that summer is in full swing and that the busy season...oh it's a-comin'.

August proudly boasts the arrival of several new babies in our families/friends group (speaking of which hop over to Trisha's blog and see how cute her new baby is when you have time). It's also my company picnic, the county fair, my god-son's birthday, my niece's birthday, my step-mom-in-law's birthday, and the hubby's birthday. Throw into that crazy mix a girls weekend to Fort Bragg that my mom is trying to put together and a baby shower and I am going to be very hot and very tired before September.

Least you think I can rest in September...that's the month of Layla's birthday, my mom's birthday, my anniversary, Terri's birthday, my sister-in-law's birthday, labor day weekend (which means the Fall Festival) and the expected arrival of another baby. Plus we're going to try and swing a road trip to the local Renaissance Faire that month.

So maybe in October after the trip to Disneyland, someone's 30th birthday, my other niece's birthday, and my other god-son's birthday I'll have some time to drop into a coma before I try to take the baby trick or treating past all the grandparents in one day. At least this year it will be a little easier as some of the grandparents/great-grandparents will all be in the same place at the same time.

Oh my sweet November how I do look forward to seeing you again. I miss your Autumn leaves, warm colors and the fact that you only have 2 birthday's and some paid time off from work to eat turkey on your vast calender of little empty boxes.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Swimming


I was a fish in the summers when I was little. I spent every day at the community pool with my friends lathering on the coconut scented dark tanning oil, chewing watermelon bubble yum and floating around on tropical colored inflatable tubes. It was good times.

I am not at all suprised that my child is a fish. Yesterday we went swimming, she never cried until we had to leave. She held her breath, she kicked, she floated around in a little yellow boat until Mommy's shoulders turned pink and it was time to go.
She loved it.
And then my adult wishes list grew one item longer.
I wish I had my own pool.
Maybe someday when I'm all grown up and I own my own home I can make that happen. Because it would be totally awesome to spend every day in the summer outside on a pink tube chewing watermelon bubble yum and watching my kid run around with a sun protective hat and SPF 45 sun tan lotion until that turns into her favorite summer memory too.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Too Many Circles

I made it to day 3 of the 7 days challenge. It's a good thing I didn't sign up for that long term. I just don't have time to take a self portrait AND post it in the same day. I've got stuff to do.

Today I deleted my twitter account. I like facebook better. In fact I like facebook enough I might be deleting my myspace soon. I mean how many social networking circles does one girl need? I have 5 friends that don't have facebook and follow me on myspace. That seems like a silly small number to be worth all the extra effort.

As it is I've got blog stuff to maintain, friends I actually talk to almost every day, a family to spend time with, clean up after and cook for. I've got playdates, swimming plans, library story times and all sorts of toddler circles I'm starting to be pulled into.

I work a full time job and I do a couple hobbies part time at best. I've got vacations to plan in August and October as well as a renaissance faire trip in September and the upcoming local county fair and company picnic (those last 2 are one event- welcome to small town life).

Not to mention I have a very good friend and 2 sister-in-laws about to have new babies any second now. Not that I talk to Jon's family a whole heck of a lot but I still plan on escaping to see new babies when they come if I can...well at least the one that's local. And the friend has asked me to be in the labor room (for now if she keeps the plan she had) which I am very honored to do.

I'd rather be focusing my time, energy and money on things I actually enjoy. Like planning trips, making big meals for the people I love and capturing as much of Layla's youth as possible on film.

Speaking of Layla's youth on film... someone pointed out to me yesterday that they couldn't log into Layla's blog for the last month. I did some site changes back when I was home bored recovering from the miscarriage. If you can't log on, let me know. I didn't delete anyone but it looks like it reset some permissions or something.

Plus Layla's second birthday is coming. Anyone who knows me knows I'm going to be planning that any minute now even though it's not until the end of September.

A letter

Dear day off,

Thank you. Thank you for little tiny people who stumble into my room at 5 am and then go back to sleep in their room until 7:30 when daddy takes them back there. Thank you for a husband who takes the baby back to bed after I mumble "oh no much to early she needs to go back to her bed" and then returns to set her free from her room at 7:30 when she wakes up. Thank you for a child so fascinated with markers that she will play quietly until 8 am when mommy stumbles out of bed after dozing on and off for awhile. Thank you for itsy bitsy spider during diaper changes, kisses while we mix pancakes that are "mmm". Thank you for a morning full of a toddler who used her words, dancing on tip toes to under the sea and nap times that go down easy and last longer than expected. Thanks for time with the hubby to visit and watch burn notice on DVD and plans later to go swimming on a day planned to be 105. But mostly, thanks for going off like a real day off so far instead of a day filled with chores, money, and adult responsibilities. It almost felt like summer vacation. All I need now is some watermelon bubble gum and some coconut scented tan oil.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

7 days: 1

I've always wanted to do the 7 days project where you take a picture of yourself each day and blog about it for 7 days. Every year something comes up and I don't do it. Last year we were moving, before that I was in a high risk pregnancy.

So this year i'm doing it without linking up. Just to see if I can last 7 days. Next year i'll link up.

I will provide the link once tomorrow in case you want to try it.

And for day 1 a picture of me sick in bed taken with my phone which says a lot about how crummy I feel today.
Tomorrow's pic will be much better, I hope.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Once Upon a Time


I used to do Renaissance Faires. By "do", I mean that I was active in one every single weekend of the year almost. It was my full time job, my entire source of entertainment, and where most of my friends could be found most of the time.

The thing about a Faire life is that while you're in it, it is all consuming. Suddenly life becomes about new bodices, better mead, more authentic accents and knowing the right people. And you're totally won over by it because it's good fun, and good people.

And then if you're like me, you take a little break.

I didn't mean to take a 5 year break. I just didn't know how to go back once I quit. Who I was before, well I couldn't be that anymore...for many reasons. And, who I was at the time, well that wasn't very into the concept of working at becoming someone else.

But, sometimes I remember it fondly and I wish I could go back and spend a weekend or two camping out in the woods, being an ENORMOUS dork and dressing funny.
Because, I really do miss some of the people, some of the atmosphere, and some of the mead.

Thursday, July 09, 2009

5 Years Ago

Once upon a time I lost a lot of weight. I died my hair and got new makeup. I bought clothes that fit. I went out to have drinks and dance with my friends and I went to work so tired that I had a hard time walking up the stairs at work in my high and flirty single girl high heels.

The thing is... I thought I was fat, ugly and uncool.

It's just part of my wiring. I'm never really happy with what I've got going on in the "looks" department. So now I'm more than five years older. My hair is dyed from a box because I no longer have the free-wheeling income to get it done right. My make-up is about to run out and I am in desperate need of both a pedicure and an eyebrow wax. And I feel just as fat, ugly and uncool as I did back then.

But now I'm married and I have a husband who loves me. I've got a daughter who tells me I'm "pretties" and pats the sides of my face with her little hands and gives me sticky kisses.

And there is something beautiful about that.

Now if only I could focus on it now, instead of looking back 5 years in the future and thinking...damn I was so awesome back then.

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Dancing Queen


Those of you who know Layla well know she's really into anything with music. She's especially fond of Disney movies and musicals of all kinds. She can normally be found dancing around like a little spaz all over my house. Dancing can be inspired from songs, other people, sparkly shoes, spinning dresses and sometimes just her own imagination.
Did you know it's genetic?
I was well known in my family for occupying the space between my grandfather's rocker/recliner and the TV to dance along with whatever happened to be on the TV at the time. And when they put me in dance lessons I just had to test out my new tap steps on the tile in the kitchen while people were cooking. And ballet twirls by the ocean or in the park to the sounds of the winds in breezing through the trees... oh I was helpless to avoid it.
So, needless to say this one trait of my daughters usually amuses the spit out of me. I see a long line of tutu's, tap shoes and tacky stage make-up in my near future. Don't you?

Monday, July 06, 2009

Spunk


There are things I worry about as a mother. Stupid things that won't matter in 40 years... things like does she use her pacifier too much, do I let her climb into our bed too often to snuggle, am I too relaxed about the junk snacking...and then I look at her...
She's so full of life and joy. She knows what she wants and is more independent then half the kids I know her age. She's smart and she's funny.
And I remind myself... a little spunk will go a lot further in life than a little bit of following the rules.

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Our 4th of July


Jon had to work yesterday for the middle part of the day so in the morning I got up with Layla and we had breakfast and played on the floor. Before her bath she went pee pee in the potty for the first time ever. Then she went down for a nap and Jon went to work and when she got up we went and bought a few fireworks, a watermelon and some McDonald's for Layla for lunch.

While Layla ate lunch I started cooking. Eventually Jen came by to visit and drop off some stuff and then Nana came over to hang out/babysit. Layla tried a fudge pop which she hated and had a cookie. Then Nana took her outside to play in the sprinkler while I hung out with Jen.
When Jon came home I made dinner and Jen left. Then we sat down to tri-tip, brocolli salad, macaroni salad with tuna, sourdough bread with warm garlic butter, and watermelon.
After dinner, Nana played with Layla and I recovered. We thought some friends were going to hang out so we sort of waited for them to call so we could go hang out but they didn't. So after awhile the baby went to bed and we waited for it to be dark enough for fireworks.

Then I woke Layla up and we went outside to light our fireworks (Layla was not impressed) and as I put her back to bed those friends finally called. Nana had just left so Jon went without me (plus it was almost 10 and the baby gets up early).
I went to our room to upload pictures to blog and about 45 minutes later Layla came in scared from all the fireworks booming in our neighborhood. So I decided to wait until today to blog and crawled into our bed with her and snuggled her to sleep. At 2 am she rolled off the bed (first time ever). Traumatic crying ended when she stole my pillow and snuggled back in.
When Jon came home ( I think it was around 3) he moved her back to her bed where she slept until this morning around 7. Then she played in our room/bed until I could drag myself downstairs to make pancakes.
Right about the time I got all the way awake, she put herself down for a nap. And that is why I am blogging now.
It was a lovely 4th... good times, good times.

Saturday, July 04, 2009

Indepence

This picture was taken at the CSU Stanislaus Firework show in 2005, which was canceled for the first time this year due to the economy.

Early in the morning I would awake to the sound of pots and pans clanging out the simple symphony of a holiday morning at the ranch. My grandmother woke with the sun and was already on the other side of the spare room's door mastering the perfect blend of 2 parts mayo, 1 part yellow mustard, equal parts onion and relish for the potato salad. A pot of beans bubbling on the nearby stove smelled of sweet tomatoes and warm spices but my breakfast plate was filled with Eggos and Karo Syrup because she was busy.

As the morning progressed my help was issued off and on between the women folk fluttering through the kitchen in a nervous jumble and the men outside clearing the shop and sweeping the concrete where they would place long wooden tables with long wooden benches and serving tables covered with red and white checkered plastic for serving food. The side doors of the big metal shop would be cranked open by lunch time letting the country breeze flow through the open space and out the opposite side.

Sometimes the wind would change and the location of the big BBQ made of cast iron would have to be rethought. It took two grown men to move the pit of coal with the large metal crank for moving the rack closer and farther from the frame to the opposite side of the shop and sometimes they did it more than once to keep the smoke out of the shop.

In the shop next to the steady hum of the antique refrigerator we stole soda's from when we were hot a circle of ice chests would be begin to form. Each one overflowing with white ice chunks and cans of soda and beer. The counter nearby would slowly fill with little plastic high ball glasses, big red Dixie cups and bottles of adult beverages that never interested us kids at all.

Instead the kids could be found dividing our time between the shady front yard with it's lush green grass playing games that only came out for holidays like boccie ball and polo, the concrete driveway on bikes or with chalk, in the fields bothering the horses and jumping from the hay bails and intermittently at the buffet table sampling the assorted appetizers that made their way outside.

When we got really hot we'd wander into the shop and drink ice cold Pepsi from little plastic high ball glasses and feel very adult while we played games of Blitz with real quarters for betting that we talked some unsuspecting adult into giving us. And every once and a great while they'd humor us with sprinklers or plastic pools filled with water to keep us out of the way.

Mid afternoon the relatives came. They came in big trucks & shiny town cars with the windows rolled down filled with sweaty kids to play with and woman with big hair and bright red shirts. The men would gather at one table and the women at the other and they would talk about things adults like to talk about and laugh. They would shoo us kids outside over and over until it was time for dinner then they would spend just as much time begging us to come back in to eat.

We'd eat from grandma's famous platters of southern food and a large selection of covered dishes brought by the relatives, friends and relatives/friends of our friends and relatives. We sampled a little of everything until we were too full. And then the quite hum of visiting would wash through the echoing big shop while people had that one last slice of the type of desserts that kept Cool Whip in business.

When the darkness came we would flow out the big doors like lines of ants and a semi-circle of lawn chairs with orange and yellow slats would form on the concrete while the kids rushed to put the bikes away. Then the fireworks would come out in boxes, bags and buckets to be placed for the men to light.

They'd stand around with their beer in once hand and a lighter in the other laughing and making dares while one by one we oohed and awed at the magical sparkling and whistling and popping. Some of the things were small and they would be lite in big groups to make them compare to the fireworks that my grandparents had brought home from their vacations back to Oklahoma to see family.

Eventually the oh and aw feeling would be replaced by shock and awe as one man always managed to catch his shirt on fire or accidentally send a flower firecracker under a little old woman's chair. The more meek children would watch through the big picture window from the house and the others would beg for sparklers and dance around in their open toed sandals spelling names in the sky and trying not to burn themselves (back when sparklers actually had sparks).

When the fireworks were done we'd look to the horizon and watch the big show from town popping over the sky to our left or right. And then suddenly tired and hot we'd gather back into the big shop and the women would start a parade of half platters of food and the last of the deviled eggs back into the kitchen to be tucked away until tomorrow. And the men would stack the big tables and the big benches until next year.

One by one the families would pile into their big trucks and the sound of country music would fade away as their lights dimmed into the night sky. They drove away with their covered dishes and they sauce stained bright red shirts, with their dirty children falling asleep in the bed of the truck.

And right about the time everyone fun had wandered off I'd hear my dad whistle out back by the big metal American made car that had sat in the sun all day... and I'd crawl into one of it's hot fabric seats and click my seat belt and let the vibration of the road lull me into sleep while the breeze through the open window tickled the hair falling out of my braids against my dusty skin and I'd start dreaming about next year.

~~**~~**
Happy 4th of July! May you have the sort of Indepence Day that your kids will still remember 25 years later. May you be thankful for the freedom you have and pray for the people who gave it to you every day.


Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Layla's First Zoo Trip @ Chaffee Zoo, Fresno CA

This is Layla, she's waiting (not so patiently) for Nana to come because we're going to the Chaffee Zoo in Fresno for our FIRST VISIT TO THE ZOO!

After an hour and 20 minute drive to Fresno we hopped into the stroller, paid our $7 admission fee and took off to see some animals (like the birds Layla is pointing to)...

Oh by the way...if you're hoping to see animal pictures you should try google...this post is about LAYLA and the ZOO not some silly animals...

Layla and Mommy checked out the hind end of some elephants, they never turned around the whole time we stood there.

This is Layla and Nana at the monkey cages. Layla really liked the monkeys and one King Louie looking creature took a liking to her and followed her from one side of the exhibit to the other.

Then Mommy got brave and let her walk on her own. Eventually she chased a squirrel because paying to go to the zoo and chasing an animal you can find at home for free is totally a (almost) 2 year old thing to do.

We also ALMOST went to a petting zoo but it was mostly goats and sheep and we have those at home for free so we skipped it.
After the squirrel chasing we were hot and tired and we had a little fit about being put back into the stroller so Mommy decided it was lunch time. The chicken and chips at the zoo is dark meat, Layla thought they were yummy. Then Layla got her first ICEE thanks to Nana...
Then we paid $2.00 to feed Giraffes. Layla LOVED this part and I wish I had done it more than once.
We did not attempt to see all the animals, just ones we thought she would enjoy or recognise because she's only 2 and it's July in the Central Valley so it was 101 degrees today.
If I had it to do again... more giraffe's...skip the birds...
They have a new stingray exhibit where you can touch sting rays. It was lovely and cool. The sting rays are VERY friendly and even popped there little heads out of the water right next to you after awhile. It was VERY cool. Layla liked the water. Once a sting ray made eye contact she was done with it. She wanted to leave.

On the way out we checked out a few more animals, bears, camels, lemur island, reptiles and the what not. I never thought we'd see every animal and was very content with the time we did spend there.
We had intended on going to Storyland next door but Layla was pretty hot and tired by 12:30 so we came home instead. She slept in the car for awhile and then she played with Nana in the back seat singing silly songs, playing with alphabet beads, refusing water because she had 2 gallons of ICEE and enjoying the new animals that Nana bought her at the gift shop.

It was a lovely trip and I can't wait to do it again when it's cooler.