Stone Zoo

Last Friday we went to the zoo with Nana and Sophia. It was the last "free friday" of the summer and I wasn't too happy to find out that there ever were "free fridays" until the last one.

Out of nowhere Jackson decided to be a robot.

NOT a double stroller and I'm sure against all manufacturer recommendations but whatev. They're all still alive.

This monkey was just hanging like that watching everyone.

We had gone to the playground there too. Right away Maddie was hysterically crying saying that someone hit her. I figured a group of kids bumped into her or something. She went back to play and this time I watched her. Sure enough a boy about her age but MUCH bigger hauled off and hit her in the chest for absolutely no reason. I was FURIOUS! Eileen and I were trying to figure out who the boy belonged to because we saw him hit another kid and then ANOTHER. He was just walking by people and hitting them. Much later we saw him with someone that was probably his grandfather. We still don't know if the grandfather even knew what he had been doing.

Salem Willows

Salem Willows is a REALLY old amusement park pretty close to us. I do a lot of photo sessions there because it's a really beautiful place with amazing ocean views and the shade of trees. At this point there is one building that has a few old fashioned rides in it. You have to buy tickets to ride so it could get expensive if you don't limit it.

A couple of months ago the kids and I were in a small grocery store that we never go to. It's famous for their meats and it was on the way home from where ever we happened to be that day so I decided to stop in. While in there we saw a little girl the same age as M&J in a cart with her mother. We ended up seeing them again in an aisle and we happened to park our carts next to each other. Next thing I know Jackson is telling his life story to the little girl and she's giving it right back. They were seriously talking like adults that hadn't seen each other in years. Her mom and I were cracking up so she and I ended up talking for a long time too. The kids were just so cute together that we agreed that we had to get them together to play. I didn't have any business cards on me and no pen or paper. She managed to scrounge up a scrap of paper and a pen to give me her name and number. I thought about calling her every day after that but never got around to it. I'd bring the number to the car with me and say I'd call while we were driving where ever we were going that day. After a while I lost track of the piece of paper and I was crushed. I kept looking and looking with no luck. Then one day I reached into a pocket in my bag and there it was! I immediately stored the number in my cell phone so I didn't have to go through that again.

Anyway I ended up calling her and we made plans to get together. She suggested the Willows and since i hadn't taken the kids there yet and had been meaning to I thought it was perfect.

They were already there when we pulled in so when I got Maddie out of her seat and told her to go to the sidewalk where they were waiting for us, Sabine (the little girls name) ran up to Maddie and hugged her. This girl is SO friendly.

The kids had a ball together.

We spent a lot of time in an arcade which was great because they're too young to know that you need money to make the games go. They're just happy watching the preview movies. My new friend and I were able to learn all about each other. We all had a fabulous time and we'll definitely be seeing more of them.

Sabine and her mom left around 3 so Sabine could go home and take a nap so the kids and I stayed and went to the little beach that is there. Jackson had some major meltdown over something and kept screaming that he wanted to go home the entire time we were walking to the beach. The minute he saw rocks to throw in the water he was all better. We stayed there until 5:30. We all swam in the ocean because it was SO hot that day. I just couldn't wait to jump in.

This a funny face that Maddie makes when she is saying something unhappy, like, "I don't like that."

Just a random picture...

Meet the Revs

I talked last year about a special even that the Revolution put on for season ticket holders. They open up the stadium just for us and have all kind of different things to do. Last year we didn't take the kids because we went on the way back from Connecticut. We knew they would really enjoy it and couldn't wait to take them this year.

They got their faces painted...




Jackson got a chance to kick a ball into the goal. He's been waiting to do that all season!

We had a great free lunch, drinks, and cotton candy before heading back down to the field.

there were bouncy houses including this one that was an obstacle course.

Everyone was loving Maddie's skirt. They kept stopping and looking and saying "AWWW!"

These are the lines to get autographs from the players. We got a few and had the poster framed for Raffe. He has gone to a few games with Chris this year.

They were so cooperative with picture taking that day!

When we first got in the gate one of the "Revs Girls" (kind of like a cheer leader but they don't do any cheering or dancing)(pictured below) knelt down and put her arms out for Jackson to run to her. He had never seen her before but ran full speed into her arms. She thought he was the cutest thing and was so excited when we ran into her again later. He remembered her name and everything.

Again with a trophy that I know nothing about.

At the end of the day these players were making their way back across the field to the locker room. They were all commenting on how cute M&J were and waving at them.

Canobie Lake Park

For those that don't live around here Canobie Lake Park is a great local amusement park. I spent a ton of time there when I was a kid. I believe it was with field trips through school. I'm pretty sure I haven't been there in over 20 years which just seems crazy to me because I remembered the place like the back of my hand. I knew exactly where all the rides were and where I saw new rides I remembered what had been there over 20 years ago. They have a crazy scary wooden roller coaster that was always our favorite ride as kids. Then they built the Corkscrew. I had never been on a roller coaster that went upside down and it was so exciting. My friends and I would ride it, get off, and get right back in line.

I remember a recording studio where you could sing karaoke style and take a tape home of you and your friends singing. I remember going there with my best friend and our first boyfriends at the end of 8th grade (she's married to hers now). I remember hating the log flume and almost falling out of the pirate ship.

My dad won tickets for 5 to Canobie last fall. He really wanted to take the kids with him so my parents and I took the kids up last week. I do remember my mom being grumpy because it was really crowded and we waited in line for a long time for some rides. And I remember Jackson being really grumpy at times but all I can remember is having a ball. Great, great memories. Nothing makes me happier than to see my parents enjoying my children.

The kiddie rides didn't have too terrible lines so we mostly stayed on those.

Jackson fell down and skinned his knee pretty well. You might have thought he had his knee replaced by the way he was treating it. He wouldn't put any weight on it and only wanted to be carried after that. Luckily there were three of us to trade off.

Oddly enough after it got dark the kids seemed to perk up and the park cleared out especially the kiddie rides. They basically ended having all the rides to themselves.






After this picture my dad and I snuck off to ride the corkscrew while my mom stayed with the kids. I was so giddy waiting in line...nervous and excited. We got in the cue for the front seat and it was worth it. The first climb is always the worst for me. I just hate the feeling that you might not make it up and the clicking noise. ugh. Then it's all downhill. It's just the best feeling ever.

We made our way back to the kids and took them on one last car driving ride. We didn't leave until 10pm! It was a great day!

Pictures

Jackson's hair was getting really long and once again I wasn't sure what to do with it. I know I want something different but not too out there. I thought taking him to a salon I'd get some fresh, stylish ideas but he got nothing but horrific haircuts. They were so uneven that everyone commented on it. I finally decided to just bring him back to our family barber where I had been taking him. He ended up with two haircuts in a week because the first one at the salon was just so bad. I learned my lesson, boys need to go to a barber. Plus he loves it there :-)

And he gets to wear a poker cape. What's cooler than that?

After the haircut we went to a local hospital to pick something up. They have this beautiful "healing garden" in the back with pretty paths and a winding river with a coy fish pond at the end of the river, bridges, and beautiful plants and flowers. The kids love to go there and run around and look at the fish.

Showing off his new haircut.