Birthday Fun

This past Sunday, the 28th, my parents and siblings came over to have a small celebration for Caleb's 6th birthday. We will be at the beach with Omi and Opa on his actual birthday, but my family wanted to get together to give him gifts and eat some cake. So, we obliged. Hey...we all like cake, right?

Caleb got lots of goodies...Star Wars action figures, Star Wars legos (notice a theme yet), some money, and some Scanopedia Animal sets. Micah even got a few goodies as well...some balls and some cars to take to the beach.

Here are some pictures, so enjoy...

Caleb is all excited about his Star Wars action figures.

Micah digging into his bag of goodies.

Micah with his new basketball (or ba in his language).

Caleb was so happy to get more Star Wars legos.

Money, money, money...he got $16.

Unwrapping more gifts...Uncle Daniel helping put the trash away.

One of the scanopedia animal sets.

Ice cream cake from Dairy Queen...yeah, I know...the candles don't match. Oh well, it's all I had.

Listening to all of us sing "Happy Birthday".

Blowing out his 6 candles...I cannot believe our oldest is soon to be SIX!!!!

Cake...yummy, yummy.

Micah still doesn't want anything to do with birthday cake...LOL!

I LOVE Ice Cream cake.

Yes, mommy, I much prefer my little crunchies over cake.

Swim Lessons

Caleb took swim lessons this past week. He took with a lady that teaches private and semi-private lessons here in town. We opted for the semi-private, so he had 3 other boys in his class.

The teacher, Miss Sunshine as she likes to be called, was a very good teacher. She was firm but in a loving way. She didn't take any crap from those kids, and they knew she meant business when she talked. Caleb quickly learned she wasn't playing around when he got in trouble a few times. :)

He already had the swimming basics down, but I think these lessons helped him learn how to breathe and build up his endurance. We look forward to watching him practice his skills when we go to the beach on Saturday. The teacher takes underwater pictures on the last day. I think it's a neat idea, and they kids loved it! Here are some pictures of our little fish in the water.

Caleb diving for rings and a squid.

Caleb swimming through the shark.

Gone Fishin'

So, I've been a bit negligent when it comes to updating my blog. I was doing so good, and now I'm all behind. Oh well...life happens, and when it does...we just roll with it! :) So, without further ado...let me play catch-up.

Caleb, Brian, and my dad (Granddaddy) all got up early on Saturday, the 20th, to go fishing. Caleb has been bugging Granddaddy to take him fishing for some time now, so this was the day. They had to get up at 5am in order to get ready and be at my parent's house at 6am. You see...my dad wanted to go in the afternoon. But smart in the arse sweet little Caleb informed Granddaddy that the best time to go fishing is first thing in the morning when the fish are hungry. So, off they went!

Well, lo and behold...they were super sucessful. Caleb caught the first fish...a catfish. It happened to also be the biggest catch of the day. In total they caught 12 fish...1 catfish and a bunch of brim. But -- considering they were only out there 2-2.5 hours they did GREAT! Granddaddy was impressed with both Caleb and Brian. You see...city slicker Brian actually got his hands dirty and handled the chicken liver (bait) and the fish. This impressed my dad...LOL!

Once they were done, they took the fish back to my parent's house. Caleb wanted to keep them, but my dad convinced him that he'd just plant them as fertilizer. Since Caleb was a tad bit upset that he couldn't eat his catfish, Granddaddy was nice enough to bring us all a nice lunch of catfish, fries, and hushpuppies from a Captain Jack's Crab Shack. This excited Caleb to no end, and he LOVED the catfish. Brian enjoyed it, too. Me...not so much...not much of a fish eater.

Here are some pics from the fishing trip. Caleb is eager to go again!

Sorry this is blurry...Caleb busy eating breakfast.

See the time...5:24am

Caleb reeling in the first catch.

He is so proud...he caught a catfish.

Caleb with another fish.

Caleb hanging out on the dock.

Caleb with all the fish that they caught.

12 fish total.

Work It Out Wednesday -- Week 6

Wow...6 weeks. Can you believe we've been doing WIOW for 6 weeks? I can't. It seems like just yesterday...LOL! Maybe that's because I'm not seeing the results I want, and I wish it were only week 1. Oh well. I hope you all are doing well on this journey!
Brian and I have had a tough week work-out wise. I think we just got in a rut. I think mine has a lot to do with the lack of high results. I always get disappointed when I'm working so hard and not seeing the results I think I should see. So, on Sunday, I started journaling every single thing I eat. I'm also making sure I keep up with a certain amount of calories, fat, protein, carbs, and fiber. So far...so good. While I think I'm capable of staying within my calories if not written down...well, I don't think I've been doing as well as I thought I was. So, the accountability now is nice...maybe it will help with my results. We shall see...
Fitness Tip #5

Beginning a Running ProgramRunning is perhaps one of the best, albeit most challenging ways, to burn calories and condition your heart. There are a few secrets to starting and developing a safe and effective running program.

Equip Yourself
Your running shoes are the most important piece of athletic equipment you can buy. In fact, choosing the right ones can make or break you as a runner. For example, if you have flat feet, you should look for a shoe with motion control, pronation control and stability. In contrast, if you have high arches, look for a shoe that is described as “flexible.” If you have normal feet, your choices will be greater. However, the old adage, “don’t fix what ain’t broken” applies. Resist the temptation to add stability controls that are unnecessary. Make sure that you find a shoe that is appropriate for the width of your foot. Choose a store that has a reputation for knowledgeable sales help. Runners World has an excellent shoe finder.
Progress with Caution
Most people start with a walking program, and gradually build up to a run. For example, you might start with 15 minutes of brisk walking and five minutes of running. Your other option is to alternate five minute intervals of running and walking. If you decide to begin your running program in inclement weather, you might want to consider an indoor treadmill training program.
Well, let's get on with the results... This week: -0.5lbs Total: -7.5lbs Body Fat: no change
So, I'm still not happy with my results. Again, I think I look skinnier on some days, then there are days where I don't. So, it's just a crazy thing. I know that weight loss is not easy, and it's not fun. And I wish it were faster. But -- I also know that the longer it takes to come off, the more likely I am to keep it off. I don't want a quick fix...so I have to WORK for it.
How did you do? Are you hanging in there? Are you getting as frustrated as I am?

Here are the rules for participating:

1. Post your own Work It Out Wednesday post on your blog. Then, come back here and sign Mr. Linky below linking to yourWIOWpost...don't link directly to your blog please.
2. Add the WIOW button to your blog. This will increase participation by spreading the word throughout bloggy land. :)**This isnotmandatory, but I'd appreciate it if you'd do this.**
3. Stop by and drop some comment love and encouragement to at least 2 fellowWIOWparticipants. Weight loss is a hard battle, and we can all use a little extra encouragement.
4. Be sure to include your weekly weight loss and total weight loss in your post. You do NOT have to include your weight. I, for one, will NOT share my weight with the blogosphere, and I will NOT ask you to do so either.

I look forward to reading all about your results this week. So, come on and share how it's going.

***Oh, and I'm so sorry that I have been negligent in commenting. I promise I'm reading...it's just been a crazy few weeks for us with all the summer activities. Not to mention trying to get ready for our beach trip on the 4th...so much to do...not enough time!***

Work It Out Wednesday -- Week 5

Well, it's week five for WIOW. I hope that all of you are continuing to see results from all of your hard work and effort. And -- a genuine thank you to those who are faithfully commenting and participating. I'll admit...I've thought about just canning the Meme because participation isn't all that great, but I won't. If anything...I need to do this for ME! So, I will continue to post each week. :)
Brian and I are still doing our cardio and weight training. We have good days and bad days. There are days when we don't fee like doing anything, and I'll admit...sometimes we don't. But -- we try to pick ourselves back up and do something the next day.
I'm really trying to push myself in the area of cardio. I started out doing 30 minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes on the treadmill. This week, I've mainly done it all on the elliptical. The first day I did 3 miles on the elliptical nearly killed me. But -- I got right back on the next time and I even improved. I was able to do 3 miles in 47.5 minutes. That took a lot of effort on my part, but I did it! I'm really hoping to start pushing myself on the elliptical...I'm hoping to get 4 miles in soon. The elliptical is better for me because I've been having some issues with my left ankle. Brian teases me because he says that I need a brace for every joint in my body. LOL! He's partly right though...I've got a few wrist splints and a knee brace that I'll wear from time to time. LOL! So, adding an ankle brace may not be a bad idea. :) But -- I'm still going...that's what counts, right?!!?
Fitness Tip #4

Stick to Your New Beginner Fitness ProgramNow that you have made the commitment to start a new fitness program, you will want to make sure that you can stick with it. Since statistics show that close to 50% of people who start an exercise program are likely to drop out after six months, countless studies have been performed about exercise adherence. Here are some of the findings:

Have Fun! -- At the risk of stating the obvious, choosing an enjoyable activity has a strong influence on exercise adherence. Many people embark on a particular type of fitness program because they have heard that “it’s the best.” However, the best exercise routine is the one that you personally will enjoy doing.
Love the Location -- Choose a fitness center that is near your favorite bookstore, clothing store or healthy restaurant. Avoid locations in neighborhoods that you think are either unsafe or depressing. Some studies show that a facilities proximity to your home or workplace has a strong influence on exercise adherence.
It’s all in the Timing -- While experts may argue about the best time of the day to exercise, everyone’s biorhythms tend to differ. Choose the time of the day whenyou have the most energy, and choose the time that you will least likely feel that you need to rush through your routine.
Buddy Up -- Some people find that exercising with a friend helps them stick to their routine. However, it works best if you and your friend are at similar levels of fitness.
Read Up -- You can get excited about exercise by reading women’s fitness magazines as well as beginner fitness books such as Fitness for Dummies.
Set Your Goals Beyond Weight Loss and Appearance -- Not that these aren’t admirable goals. However, they are subjective. Why not take up a new sport, and plan a training program that will improve your athletic skill?
This tip and others can be found HERE!
Okay, now on to the results of all of the effort I've put in this week... This week: -0.5lbs TOTAL: -7lbs Body Fat: +1%
So, how did you do? How close are you to reaching your goal? What are you finding the hardest about the whole weight loss challenge? I'll admit...I'm really ticked at the scale. They should just be outlawed. LOL! I hate getting on the thing expecting to see a HUGE drop and then being disappointed. It's even harder to come here and post the results when they don't meet MY expectations. But -- I have to keep going. I know I'm losing inches because I can see it. The scale just isn't cooperating. :(

Here are the rules for participating:

1. Post your own Work It Out Wednesday post on your blog. Then, come back here and sign Mr. Linky below linking to yourWIOWpost...don't link directly to your blog please.
2. Add the WIOW button to your blog. This will increase participation by spreading the word throughout bloggy land. :) **This isnotmandatory, but I'd appreciate it if you'd do this.**
3. Stop by and drop some comment love and encouragement to at least 2 fellowWIOWparticipants. Weight loss is a hard battle, and we can all use a little extra encouragement.
4. Be sure to include your weekly weight loss and total weight loss in your post. You do NOT have to include your weight. I, for one, will NOT share my weight with the blogosphere, and I will NOT ask you to do so either.

I look forward to reading all about your results this week. So, come on and share how it's going.

First Grade Week 2 in Review

We completed another week of First Grade. Wow...only 43 more to go. LOL! :) Here's how this week panned out:

Bible: Our Bible story was about "the coming of the Holy Spirit." The Bible verse for the week was Acts 1:8a.

Phonics & English: We continued to review colors...yellow, red, orange, and brown. Our service words for the week were "the", "come", and "this". The word families for the week were "-id", "-is", "-ed", "-et", "-en".

Handwriting: The letters W, H, D, and E were reviewed.

Spelling: Caleb completed his first ever spelling test, and I must say...the boys seems to enjoy tests. LOL! He was all excited and eager to see how well he did. He did really well. He also started a new set of words this week.

Reading: We were finally able to delve into our first reading book this week. Caleb read 3 stories, and he did a super job. Right now, he thinks they are easy, and they are. I'm sure he'll re-think that as the stories get longer in a few months. :)

Math: We finished up the first chapter and had our first Math test. Again, Caleb was all excited about the test. LOL! We started a new chapter and started revieweing 11, 12, 13, and 14. We're also reviewing ordinal position through tenth place.

Heritage Studies: This is the term BJUP uses for Social Studies. This week we talked about water and land. Caleb learned about the compass rose and directions as well.

Science: We completed our chapter on the Five Senses by learning about smelling, taste, and hearing. We even had a little taste-testing party where Caleb had to taste the four different tastes (sweet, salty, bitter, and sour). This was a fun experiment, and I think he enjoyed it.

Art: Our lesson this week focused on Imagination. Caleb had to imagine what he would draw, and then he drew it. He decided to use his Wild Animal Safari adventure as his drawing lesson. So, he drew him feeding some of the animals.

Extra Stuff: We joined some friends for a little playtime this week. We also ventured to the new Art By U. Caleb painted a special project for Brian for Father's Day.

Thanks for following us in our homeschooling adventures. Join us next week as we continue to further our minds at Childress Academy!

Pool Fun

So, I broke down and bought a little baby pool today. Yeah, yeah, yeah...I'd love to have a "real" pool, but that ain't happening any time soon. LOL! And -- our yard is not even close to being level enough for one of those above ground pools. So, until the
money tree in the back yard starts bloomingboys start fussing, this will do.

And of course we had to fill it up with water immediately upon putting it in the back yard. So, here are some pictures of the boys enjoying their new pool. It will surely help cool
methem off after playing outside.

Micah doing what he does best when he's in water...splashing. No, Caleb is NOT holding his nose...lol.

Micah trying to drink the water...oh well, it will build up his immunities.

Caleb pouring water on Micah...such a mean big brother. :)

Micah kept dropping this little red cup only to pick it right back up. I think he thought it was a game. LOL!

Our goofy Caleb...love his cheesiness. :)

Followers Widget

Okay, I have re-installed the Followers Widget. And -- much to my happiness, you are all still with me! :) I was so worried that I would lose my followers by deleting the darn thing, but it didn't happen. So, YEAH!

Now, I do not know if Blogger has resolved the issue. But -- since it said "new" beside the gadget, then I'm assuming they either fixed it or are resolving it.

With all of that said, if you experience and issue with my blog, please let me know. If it is the culprit, then I will regretfully take it down again. I'd rather you all have no issues loading my blog than have the darn thing on there. So, please let me know if you experience ANY issues with my blog.

Thanks friends!

Scratch That...

Well, much to my surprise, Brian is now back HOME! After talking to his folks and his brother (who flew up there this morning), they convinced him that it wasn't necessary for him to make the 20 hour round trip to visit. So, he walked through the door about 10 minutes ago.

We are all VERY HAPPY that Daddy is now home! YEAH! So, maybe I won't post an insanity post after all. LOL! Or will I???!!!???

Flying Solo for a Few Days...

Well, it's just me and the two little guys for a few days. Brian left earlier this afternoon to head to Virginia. Opa had to have emergency surgery yesterday for a strangulated umbilical hernia. So, Brian is going to go up there to help out for a few days. He'll be coming back home Monday or Tuesday.

I'm not one who adjusts easily to my hubby being gone at night. It's just not something that has ever come easy to me. I always have a hard time sleeping when Brian is gone. Now, I can go away (for a girl's w-end or with the kiddos), and I'm fine. But -- when Brian is gone...well, I don't like it. LOL! But -- I'll manage.

So, if you see me passed out from one too many Smirnoffs some posts about me being stressed or about to pull my hair out...well, you'll now know it's because I've had it with two little guys. LOL! No...it should be fine, and we should manage A-okay. Besides...Caleb starts camp on Monday, so I'll get a little bit of a break each morning. :)

Hope you all enjoy your weekend. I'll be spending mine having fun with the kiddos and trying to get some cleaning done!

We're SOOOO Not Ready for This...

So, while I was out painting pottery with Caleb yesterday...Micah decided he'd show his daddy a thing or two. :) Brian was on the phone with one of his merchants, and he stepped out of the living room for just a minute. When he came back, Micah was just chillin' on the chair and a half. Brian said he was just sitting there watching TV. LOL! So, we did our best to catch the act on video last night, and we succeeded.

And -- let me just tell you...we're not ready for this. As soon as we realized how he was getting up on the chair, we took it upon ourselves to rearrange the living room furniture. LOL! I don't know how we managed with Caleb and his climbing. I'm sure we were
nervous ninniesthe typical first parents who did everything by the book. But with Micah...I'm so darn scared. I'm so scared that he is going to fall off backwards or sideways and break a limb. I couldn't handle that...nope, not at all. I think I might just make a bubble and stick him in it. Anyone got any bubble making recipes? :)

Speaking of painting pottery...it was so much fun. I think the moms had more fun than the kids, so we've decided that we must plan a mom's night out so we can go paint something sans kiddos. LOL! We went here, and we will definitely show this business our support. It was such fun, and I'll have to wait to post the pictures. Caleb decided to paint something for Brian for Father's Day, so once Brian has seen it, I'll post the pictures.

***Opa -- we hope this little video of Micah Monkey cheers you up after your surgery today. We pray for a speedy and fast recovery. Get well soon so you can be up for all the fun at the beach. :) We love you!***

Work It Out Wednesday -- Week 4

Hello fellow WIOW participants. I hope you all had a good and productive weight loss week. Remember -- it's all about putting forth some effort. And a big thank you to those who are regularly participating. Continue to spread the word...maybe our participation will pick up as the word gets out there. :)
Brian and I have been doing really well this past week. Well, the cardio portion was better. We took a few days off of weight training due to Brian's work schedule, but we still did the cardio. I'm trying to get in at least 3 miles per day. I hope to eventually work up to 5+ miles. So, wish me luck on that. :) And -- believe it or not, I'm starting to enjoy it just a tad. Now, that doesn't mean I'm eagerly jumping out of bed overjoyed... but it is getting better. I think once I start seeing some results, then I'll really start kicking it up a notch. There are days where I feel that I look slimmer, and then there are days where I feel as big as the side of a barn huge. But -- I think we all have those days, right?
Fitness Tip #3 Convince Yourself

It can be hard to get in the mindset of a new health and fitness routine. Here are some tips on how to get your mind in tune with your body:

• Find something that motivates your workouts. It could be to improve your overall health, to run a 10k, to fit into a new dress, to be a good role model for your kids and so on. If you are not motivated, then your women's fitness plan will inevitably fail.
• Set realistic expectations. Work towards overall health and fitness improvement. Do not overwhelm yourself or get frustrated if you do not see immediate improvement. Over time you will begin to see your body and health transform. Staying fit is a life long commitment that takes determination and hard work.
• Work out even if you don’t feel like it. One of the benefits to working out is that it releases endorphins, which are hormones that create a euphoric state. Recent studies have shown that there is such a thing as a “runner’s high,” which is created by the endorphins released during and immediately after working out. Exercise also gives you more energy in the long run. After you sink into a workout routine, exercise will seem less tedious and more like something you look forward to.

Don’t give up on your fitness goals. If you fall into an exercise slump, check out a women’s fitness magazine to get some inspiration and new exercise ideas.
This tip, and others, can be found here.
Okay, on to the results: This week: -0.5lbs TOTAL: -6.5lbs Body Fat: -2%
How did you do? Are you noticing any change in the way your clothes are fitting? I'm starting to see a little bit of change but not nearly enough. It'll come though...slow and steady is the BEST way for ME to lose weight.

Here are the rules for participating:

1. Post your own Work It Out Wednesday post on your blog. Then, come back here and sign Mr. Linky below linking to yourWIOWpost...don't link directly to your blog please.
2. Add the WIOW button to your blog. This will increase participation by spreading the word throughout bloggy land. :) **This isnotmandatory, but I'd appreciate it if you'd do this.**
3. Stop by and drop some comment love and encouragement to at least 2 fellowWIOWparticipants. Weight loss is a hard battle, and we can all use a little extra encouragement.
4. Be sure to include your weekly weight loss and total weight loss in your post. You do NOT have to include your weight. I, for one, will NOT share my weight with the blogosphere, and I will NOT ask you to do so either.

I look forward to reading all about your results this week. So, come on and share how it's going.

Total Randomness

It's time for another post of just random crap stuff. :) Let's see...where do I start?!!?

Micah had his 15 month check-up today. Little boo-boo weighed in at 22lbs, 5oz. He's 30.5 inches tall. I thought for sure that he would weigh more with all the carbs he eats. LOL! He's a boy after my own heart with his love of carbs. Everything checked out good, but he did have to have two shots. :( Oh well...it's all a part of growing up I guess.

I'm trying to get stuff in gear for our trip to Myrtle Beach. Yeah...we don't leave until the 4th of July, but I feel like there's so many things I have to do and get in order to be ready. So I spent today running around town trying to find the boys some more swim trunks and swim shirts. I'm loving the ones with the extra sunscreen protection as we're a pretty fair family. Add the nice reflecting powers of the sand on the beach, and well...you gotta be careful. So, I got them each another pair of trunks and a shirt. I can check that off of my list. I picked them both up some sandals (flip-flops for Caleb) as well. Now, I just have to make sure I pick up all the other stuff we need (paper products, sodas, etc).

For those of you who pray, please keep my nephew, Jesse, in your prayers. Last week he suffered from a seizure and was hospitalized. Evidently he dislocated his left shoulder during the seizure. Don't bother to ask because I have NO idea how it happened. Anyway, he had to be rushed to the ER last Tuesday (the 2nd) in the ambulance, and they eventually admitted him for testing. He'd never had a seizure, and to be honest...we think it was caused from his video games. Yep -- I'm being serious! You see...there are some games on the market that come with warnings that they can cause seizures. Evidently, he's "into" those type games, and he happened to be playing one when it all happened. Now, I don't think we can ever prove that's why he had the seizure, but needless to say...his video gaming will now have restrictions. Keep in mind -- he's 19 years old -- so it's hard to tell him what to do, but I think maybe he'll listen this time.

Anyway, once he was admitted to the hospital, they were taking him down for some testing. In the process, his right shoulder became dislocated as well. Upon further testing, they realized that his left shoulder had a small fracture. He was released from the hospital on Friday. Well, today (the 9th) my mom had to drive him to his classes (he's taking classes at the local tech school). Somehow he managed to hurt his left shoulder again, so my mom took him back to the ER. They decided to do surgery this afternoon. He's now recovering and snoring sleeping. My mom thinks he'll be released tomorrow, but of course he has to take it easy. They put a screw in so hopefully this will help. And they will check out his right shoulder again once he's healed a little bit more from the surgery. So, please pray for him AND my mom.

Caleb and I are going to visit a new pottery painting place tomorrow with some friends. Neither of us have ever done this, so we're super excited. We might venture to make something for Brian for Father's Day. Shhhhh...don't tell him. :) I'm sure with Caleb's artistic skills that it will turn out just fine, and I'm betting he'll have a BLAST! He told me today that he wanted a HUGE pot. My friend, Leigh, told him that the bigger the piece, the more expensive it would be. Well, I think I'll have to try to convince him to pick out something a bit cheaper. I'll keep you posted on my success. :)

Last but not least...my new bloggy friend, Sandy over at One Day at a Time has tagged me. Can I just say how much I love the Christian version (don't know if there is another version) of that song? I used to sing it all the time. I think I even played it on the piano. LOL! Anyway, here are the rules of the tag:

Here are my tag rules:
* List Six Unimportant Things That Make You Happy.
* Mention and link to the person who tagged you.
* Tag six of your favorite bloggers to play along, and comment on their blog to let them know they've been tagged.

Now, let me see if I can find 6 unimportant things about me that make me happy (these things probably ARE important, but they're random...just like this post):

1) Reality TV -- okay, I admitted it...I'm a REALITY TV junkie! We watch nearly every single Reality TV series that comes on with the exception of the ones on VH1 or MTV or some of the other channels. We mainly stick to the main networks (CBS, NBC, Fox, ABC).

2) BUNCO -- if you haven't joined in on this fun dice game, then you are missing out. I only get to play once a month with the mommy group, but I LOVE it! I like it even more when I actually win!

3) Middle Georgia Moms -- this is the mommy group that I talk about so much. It was actually started as a message board on MSN, and it has since evolved into a group of women that get together for mom's night out, Bunco, and playdates for the kiddos. We're a very diverse group of women, and we LOVE getting together to have fun. I've met some wonderful friends, and so have the boys.

4) Menu planning -- yeah...I'm a nerd. I truly LOVE to plan out our menus. I've even gone so far as to try to avoid repeating the main dish for as long as possible. This hasn't happened lately because we're on a health kick. So, we often eat the same main dish. LOL! But -- when we weren't minding the fact that the weight was piling on dieting, I could go several months before repeating.

5) Being barefoot -- I'd much rather be barefoot than have to put on shoes. But -- I have to model a good example for my boys, so I usually do the next best thing...throw on flip-flops. LOL!

6) Getting a pedicure -- I love to just sit and have my toes worked on by someone that I cannot understand. LOL! Seriously...why can't they speak MY language? If I had a dollar for everytime they were talking about MY feet or someone else's feet...I bet I'd be rich! What else do you think they're saying? Why don't you think they say it in English? They don't want us to know they're saying ugly things about our hideous looking callous infested feet.

Okay, I'm not going to TAG anyone in particular. But if you would like to participate, then please do so. And -- let me know if you do so I can read your RANDOM, unimportant, and happy things. :)

Wild Animal Safari

Like I've mentioned several times, we visited the Wild Animal Safari on Wednesday. We went with some of my mommy friends and their kiddos. I've been a member of this mommy group for almost 4 years now, and we try to do lots of stuff to keep the kiddos active and busy during the summer. This was our first outing of MANY more to come. Now, if you're a local or you live in Strafford, Missouri (there's one there, too), then I highly suggest you make a trip to the animal safari. It is well worth every penny, and I'm sure you and your family will have a blast. We're looking forward to taking another trip next year (or maybe even again this year).

Now, we opted to rent a zebra van as opposed to taking our own vehicles through the park. Yep...if you're brave enough you can drive YOUR vehicle through the animal park. But -- we were not going to be so foolish. I cannot imagine what damage would be caused to someone's personal vehicle. Geez...NEVER! And -- the stink and slobber...GROSS! Once you've driven through the animal park, you can then go and visit other animals in the walk-about. The kids LOVED this just as much!

The kids (and us mommies) had a BLAST! Granted, we got the crap scared out of us a few times, but it was still so much fun. How did we get scared? Well, those suckers will put their HUGE mouths right in the van. And -- you don't know when they'll do it...so if you aren't paying attention, you might just find one trying to get your hair or whatever else! So, be WARNED! LOL! Here are the pictures I took along the way. Now, I will warn you now...I have no idea what some of these animals are called. So, I won't even guess. LOL! Next time I will buy an animal information card so I can determine the animals. :) Enjoy and remember -- it's worth the visit!

Aiden, Caleb, Peyton, and Norah in front of the ZEBRA van

All of the kiddos eagerly awaiting the safari adventure

Ms. Leigh -- our gracious mommy driver

Peyton feeding some animals

Caleb feeding some sort of deer

Aiden feeding some sort of animal

There were sooo many deer

The huge camel

A pig and the piglets...those piglets were so stinking cute

My big boy...I cannot believe he'll be 6 next month

Look at that tongue

Caleb feeding another animal

This animal refused to get up and get some food

The "grumpy old troll" who blocked the road...LOL

These big guys wouldn't get up for food either

That's one HUUUUUGE rhino

A baby zebra

Peyton, the tiger

Caleb, the monkey

Aiden, the tiger

Norah, the monkey

A peacock and her babies...aren't they cute?!!?

Caleb feeding more animals

This is one of the ligers...so rare to see.

One of the tigers

These two tigers were so cute. The girl (on the right) wanted to get the boy in the water. Once she did, she got out. LOL! We watched them for several minutes because it was such a treat to see them interacting.

Black bear

Baby ligers...they were so darn cute

Peacock

***I don't know how this will turn out because I've yet to use Google Chrome for a post with so many pictures. I hope it turns out okay. If not, I apologize.***