Dancing Queen

 We haven't been to the zoo here in Grand Rapids all summer!  Years past we bought memberships and went all the time, so it was fun to get to see all our old animal friends and we brought Grandma along with us! This time we found out you can actually pet the wallaby if they come out from behind the fence...who knew?!?!?  Sure enough this one came right out and Laney and Carson were right there ready to pet it!

 Since Carson was three and we starting going to the John Ball Zoo, he has been asking, begging, pleading to go on the ropes course.  You have to be at least 48 inches tall to participate so at three I rememeber thinking that he had such a long time to wait.  Last year we checked his height again and of course too short...I really thought it would be a couple more years but on this trip he measured himself on the stick cleared it by an inch!  So off he went onto the ropes course.  Grandma was with us and her legs were hurting just watching him.  He spent a good 20 minutes out there but he only went up one bridge.  He realized it was pretty high and pretty scary!  He did really good though, he didn't panic and he attempted several different courses and just came back when he got uncomfortable.

 Ugh....the birds...my favorite.  This time we walked in the bird cage with our feeding sticks and Laney got pooped on first thing.  Right down her shoulder.  Disgusting, just so gross.

 Laney and the tiger!

 Carson took a short tickle break with Grandma :-)

 We took this picture of the kids petting a snake just for Dad!

 Grizzly Bear!

 Carson enjoyed seeing the river otters...relatives of our friend the sea otter at Aunt Roxie's aquarium in Maryland!

 Carson got to go with Max the the Lowell Fair last week!  So much fun!  Madison even brought back a stuffed animal monkey that she won for Laney, who was sad she didn't get to go.

 What do you do when your 3 year old doesn't want to leave her crib?  Bribe her with candy.  Done.  (She's holding that monkey from the fair)

 Carson and his buddy Carson making a Laney sandwich!

 Yeah she climbed up there on her own, of course!

 Ponytail!

 Carson tried out his new roller blades that Auntie got him for his birthday as soon as he opened them!

 Family Beach Day!  Again!

 We can't get enough of the beach this summer.  This time Daddy came along with Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie.  Whew it was a hot one!

 Carson the mermaid.

 My little pancake maker :-)

 Carson took this box from the trash at my parents house and turned it into a robot costume!

 Laney with Gigi and the stunning Great Aunt Kate!

 Carson and Laney were two of eight flower girl and ring bearers in Aunt Kate's wedding.

 Carson with his hands in his pockets as usual!

 Laney is NOT easy to keep up with...but Uncle Blake sure did try!

 The night wouldn't be complete without some magic from Uncle Bill!

 Needless to say Laney OWNED that dance floor for most of the night.  ThePolka band and Irish music was right up her alley.

 This was my favorite thing ever...these two dancing together...ahhhhh.

 After the wedding we made an afternoon stop at Uncle Tom's cottage!  I'm glad Aunt Sarah came along to do some swimming with the kids because it was way too chilly for this Mom!

 Happy 5th birthday Max! Saturday was Aunt Kate's wedding, Sunday we went to Uncle Tom's cottage, and then as we pulled back in to our house at 5 on Sunday we picked up our gift and got right back in the car and headed to Max's birthday party!  It was quite a busy weekend for us all!