The Zoo, the Pumpkin Patch, and Other Happenings...

We had a FUN weekend! As I'm writing this I'm wondering how on earth it's already over! Time flies!

On Friday night after Eddie got home from work we went to a high school football game. This was James' first. Thankfully, there were LOTS and LOTS of kids there and plenty of room to run. We went with some friends who have a little boy who is four and James enjoyed chasing "Weid!" (Reid). We stood by the bleachers the whole time and I don't think we even watched a bit of the game. :)

Saturday morning we got up bright and early so that we could hit the road for a day-trip with some friends of ours. Lauren, Comer, and their precious baby girl, Anne Margaret, were brave souls and piled in my bus with us to drive to Albany for a trip to Chehaw (a zoo) and Mark's Melon Patch. We had a FUN time!

The trip over was about an hour and a half and we left just before nine in an effort to see the cheetah run at 10:30. We rushed through when we got there and then discovered that it's only seasonal. They'll start it back in November. :( Boo!

The rest of the zoo was fun! James was a little bit of an ill-pill, but I think he enjoyed it! (Excuse the pictures of the animals...I know all you grandparents come for the pictures of James, but at the zoo he wasn't my best model.)

(I "borrowed" some of these pictures from Lauren. She needs credit, too!)

Sidenote: James was WAY sweet with AM. He tried several times to hold her hand and she brushed him off. Her daddy was thrilled and we told James he probably ought to get used to it. I'm just glad he was gentle!

See what I mean about not being my best model? Yes, that is a monkey leash he's wearing. That's why he's angry. Later, when he darted out into the ROAD at the pumpkin patch I realized what a good idea it was. He RUNS as fast as he can to get away from us in public when he's loose and turns around and looks and laughs at us trying to catch him. The leash was so that we could avoid multiple spankings because he just doesn't understand yet.

We got a little nervous because these signs were honestly about five yards apart ALL over the park.

And then we saw this...

Lauren's eagle eyes spotted this and it totally freaked us out. I didn't think we'd actually come across any!

I think the alligators were my favorites! I could've sat out on the boardwalk and watched them for a while!

After leaving the zoo, we managed to get both babies into their carseats without waking them. We drove around a bit in search of a place for lunch and they wound up taking about 45 minute naps! Perfect!

Mark's Melon Patch is just outside of Albany and we'd never been before. Aside from the gazillions of people that were there and the gazillions of gnats, it was great! Plenty of pumpkins for photo opportunities, a playground, fields of sunflowers and cotton, a hayride, and lots more!

Isn't she beautiful? Her mama took this one!

Please excuse "Linus" and his messy hair. James took a GOOD nap on the way home. He finally learned a lesson that will carry him through life. Women (even the littlest ones) will talk and talk LOUDLY and you just have to learn to tune them out. Anne Margaret, unfortunately, wasn't pleased that James slept and she tried to wake him up the majority of the trip home. Lauren and I must've looked CA-RAZY in the backseat throwing things to her, singing (Lauren, not me), shaking water bottles, etc. She was exhausted but wouldn't give in!

Sunday morning we skipped church (I know...) but a little boy was WIDE awake by 6:30. When he climbed out of our bed at 7 we heard him in the kitchen but didn't know what he was up to. Eddie called me in to see when he discovered our sneaky little thing had been on our counters!

We spent the day playing and doing lots and lots of laundry. I feel like we didn't touch half of what needed to be done at home but we spent a lot of time together. (We also did a little work on clearing off the DVR. I won't tell you what nonsense we watched.)

James yelled for Daddy to give him a "WIDE!" late in the afternoon and Eddie discovered him sitting in a laundry basket. Then they made me pull both of them. (Eddie helped by pushing with his hands.) (It was like pulling teeth to get them to pose for this picture. And when I say "them" I mean Eddie.)

Monday we were back to our old routine! James requested we go to "Bobby OBBY OBBY!" (Hobby Lobby - he really does ask to go!) so we went and picked up three things for Halloween treats for his class next week. We also went back in to town (that makes me sound like I live out in the boonies...I don't) later for a Target run. Eddie had Methodist Men tonight so we were on our own. James was pretty well-behaved all day. I wasn't calling Eddie crying to PLEASE COME HOME NOW like I did last Friday. (Sad but true.)

We have a busy BIRTHDAY week this week. I cannot believe The Boy is about to be TWO. He says "I ma'am two!" I'm in full birthday party mode and I will turn into full Halloween mode next week. Whew! Busy!