Miami Whitewater Splash Park

Well summer break may be over but technically it's still summer! So we are still working on our summer bucket list and the splash park at Miami Whitewater Park was the next to be crossed off! What a nice little place this was, perfect for little ones. Plus the weather was perfect for water fun: HOT! The boys loved the slides and running through the water. Here are some pictures from our day!

Day 76: Hot Wheels at Indy Children's Museum

Day two in Indy was spent at the Children's Museum.  We specifically picked Indianapolis so we could go here and see the Hot Wheels Exhibit...and boy was it AWESOME!  We spent at least an hour and a half playing cars but it felt like five minutes. The boys loved all of the ramps, the variety of cars, and the life size models of real Hot Wheels!  It would definitely be worth seeing again!  JT loved the actual car that could be climbed into and driven around.  He said, "I'm going to get coffee!"  I think I might have something to do with that!  Grant loved to collect the cars and put them down the ramp, one at a time!

Day 75: Third Annual End of Summer Hurrah

It's that time of year again when we really acknowledge that our summer fun is over: School starts on Monday :(  So, since we're in denial or we're just trying to extend our time together, we plan a trip for the weekend before.  This is the third year we have done this and the second in a row that we headed to Indianapolis for the Caribbean Cove Water Park and Children's Museum.  As you can see below, the boys had a blast at the water park!  What a difference a year makes...they were way more independent on the slides, water play features, and in the pool.  This place is very family friendly and we really enjoyed our second visit.

Day 74: Jess' Black Car

There really aren't many words needed for this, so I'll just share a picture.  This is their VERY FAVORITE thing to do when Jess is here!

Day 73: LAST Movers and Shakers, Gigi visits

Today was our last time this summer at Movers and Shakers at Covedale.  It was so bittersweet because the boys are just learning all the wonderful and free things that the library has to offer.  However, a bit of good news is that once or so a month Miss Colleen does a family night on Monday evenings to accommodate those who work full time.  I'm super excited that we'll be able to take Peter with us when we go, too!
Of course, this is also our last lunch and playtime with Gigi, at least during the day.  We'll have to see her on the weekends now!  Summer is almost over...

Day 72: Home Depot

Tonight we took a little trip to the boys' favorite place...Home Depot.  I needed some plywood for the crate seats I was making for school and we needed to order a new garage door.  Every time we go there the boys want to play on the tractors.  But today we didn't have time or patience for that so we avoided that entrance.  Of course, the boys found a new favorite thing...the doors!  And they loved getting a ride under the plywood!

Day 71: West Park (Grammy's Work)

No picture for today but Aunt Nin Nin and baby Cami came down with Grammy, who has been staying in Beavercreek at the new house with Kristen while Dan is gone in GA.  We went to visit Grammy's work people at West Park.  The boys were a little overwhelmed at first but quickly made themselves at home playing with all of the fun equipment.  Their favorite part was getting a balloon, which kept them busy for quite some time at home!
After our visit, we went to lunch at Applebees.  All I can say is at least we were even 3 kids to 3 adults because it was past everyone's regular lunch and nap time and it was a bit chaotic.  Luckily the place wasn't too busy.

Day 70: Embshoff Park

It's my last week off with the boys for the summer (sniffle).  I'm going to miss spending my days with them having silly fun and I'll even miss the arguments and toddler tantrums.  Every year I think it's going to get easier to go back to work and it never does.  In fact, I think this year might just be my most difficult year.  They are just so much fun right now and they always make me smile and laugh.  We have so much fun together, and today was no exception.  We went to Embshoff Park today, one of our favorite spots to play from last summer.  Again this year, we had the park almost to ourselves.  We played on the playground equipment then went for a walk and played "soccer" on the fields.  Then we had a picnic lunch and played some more.  We caught a few spotty sprinkles but it didn't last long.  It was a great way to start our last week of summer together!

Day 69: Sleepy Heads

The boys decided to sleep in for the first time in a LONG time. They woke up at 9:30 a.m!!! Thank you sleeping gods!  Since this doesn't happen very often, it kind of threw the rest of our day off.  We didn't eat breakfast until 10:15 a.m.  We spent the rest of the day hanging around the house just being lazy and playing together as a family.  Somehow, the boys actually took a little nap and then went to bed at 9:30 p.m.

Day 68: Visiting Aunt Nin Nin and Baby Cami

We headed up to Kristen and Dan's new house in Beavercreek today to help them unpack and clean.  Dan was actually not there, he headed back to Georgia Friday to wrap things up down there.  But, Grammy was there.  She's staying for the next week to help out Kristen with watching Cami and unpacking.  Peter also had a chance to see the house for the first time.  It was pretty much a crazy day! We unpacked several boxes, cleaned, and tried to help Kristen get some type of order!  Not easy with three babies running around!  The boys loved playing with Cami's toys despite the bag of toys I brought for them from home. Cami enjoyed some quality time with her Uncle Peter.  He definitely needs a girl, look how sweet he is with her!

Day 67: The New and Improved Cheviot Park

After an endless morning of asking the boys if they wanted to take a ride in their wagon and take Belle for a walk, it finally happened at noon!  The weather was perfect-cool, cloudy, with a slight wind.  We walked towards the library to return a few books and then stopped by the new Cheviot Park to check out the playground equipment.  Not only did P & G and the Red's Community Fund give the ball fields a makeover, they also did some awesome work around the entire grounds of the park and fieldhouse.  It looks fantastic! Check out the new big slide:

Day 66: Movers and Shakers, Bicentennial Park

Thursdays = Movers and Shakers at Covedale Library with Miss Colleen in case you missed our weekly pattern!  We had a little incident which the boys handled well but Mommy did not.  One of the regular little boys at story time had one of the car puzzles first and JT wanted it.  I told him he had to wait his turn and he did very well with hearing that message and waiting.  The little boy left the table so I told JT it was his turn. No sooner had JT walked up to the table to sit in the chair did that little boy take notice and come back. He pushed JT out of the way and started playing again.  I was less than happy that his mom was nowhere nearby to intervene and JT was frustrated.  It happened one more time a few minutes later only this time when he got up he also knocked over the puzzle and Laura was there to take it and give it to the boys.  Glad someone else witnessed this little brat's sneaky ways!
After the library we went to pick up Gigi.  We took her to the new Bicentennial Park and we played for a bit before eating lunch and playing some more.  Gigi proved that you are never too old for fun!

Day 65: Fort Fun

Well what I thought would be a morning spent outside turned into fort fun inside.  The boys lasted a whopping 15 minutes outside before they wanted to go in.  I think they were still tired from our trip to Dayton yesterday and not getting a real regular nap.  So, in an effort to do something fun and different, we made a fort.  I actually saw a really cute gift idea on Pinterest, a super hero fort kit.  So it inspired me to be creative and use what I had to make a fort for the boys.  They really enjoyed going in and out, pretending to sleep, and eating with their play food.  It was good fun for an hour or so until lunch!

Day 64: Uncle Dan and Aunt Nin Nin's new house

Today we finally made our way up to Dayton to see Kristen, Dan, and baby Cami!  They've only been up there for almost a week and it's been killing me that they are finally so close and I can't see them!  And, today we were the first to see their new rental home!  It's perfect for them and the yard was very big.  We plan to go up again over the weekend to help get them moved in.  After seeing the house we went to the nearby (and awesome) shopping and dining experience at The Greene.  We ate at Noodles and Company, which the boys LOVE! Then we went to the bookstore and goofed around with there fun selection of hats!

Day 63: Marble Run, Fishing Fun

Today I had every intention of getting the boys outside early due to rising afternoon temperatures.  But instead I spent the better part of the morning building this:

 Whatever makes them happy!  But, I got smart-since we got this from a yard sale, it didn't have directions.  So, I found some online and printed them out for future reference.

Grant also tried out the felt fishing game that I made for our busy bag exchange.  Looks like it's a success and will be a hit with the other toddlers!

Day 62: HBD Nana!

Today we went to Nana's house to celebrate her birthday.  We were supposed to swim but the weather wasn't fantastic so instead we played in the breezy way with the bazillion cars from Peter's childhood.  They have more toys at Nana's house then they know what to do with!  When it came time for nap, the boys slept in Nana's BIG bed with their new blankets made by Nana (the boys picked out the material).  When they woke we ate dinner outside and finally had a chance to swim for a bit.  And no birthday would be complete without a little ice cream cake!

Day 61: Donuts and Symmes Park

Today we woke up to the boys telling us that they wanted to go to Grammy's house.  So, after a busy morning making donuts, that's what they did while we ran errands and went to a toddler free lunch (thanks, mom).

Later that day we went to a graduation party at Symmes Park.  The boys liked playing on this car below, but JT was not happy that Grant kept going "too fast!"  He wanted to go slower and refused to ride in it with Grant after this picture was taken.

Day 60: Delhi Splash Park

Just like last Friday, today I had XC practice at Delhi Park, followed by breakfast and team building at the yellow M.  The boys came along again this week.  After breakfast, we met my friend Laura and her two boys, Jackson (the boys' age) and Benjamin, at the Delhi! Splash Park.  It's small but perfect for the little guys.  We went there once last year as well but this year was better because there were fewer kids and the boys can turn the water on all by themselves.  They had a great time playing with Jackson!