What We're Into Lately

Here's a sampling of what we've been into lately:

The National Zoo :: I've never been a zoo person--the whole animals taken out of their natural habitat and put behind gates drives me batty, I literally cannot set foot in a pet store with puppies--but we had a great time a few weekends ago.  The girls loved visiting and the animals all looked happy.

Cate's favorite was, surprisingly, the monkey house.  You can't imagine the smell--it was so bad she barely walked in--but the gorillas were chasing each other right in front of where Cate was sitting and she was captivated.

Loving the zoo!

This guy was out and about when we visited.

Weekend Fairs :: Our little town had a fair recently and Cate pretty much thought she had died and gone to heaven.  She ate french fries, cotton candy, and ice cream for dinner two nights in a row.  Parents of the year, right here!  Plus, Cate rode a carousel and played a fishing game where spearing two fish earned her a pink stuffed bear.

The fishing game champ and her spoils.

Poor Charlotte watching her sister on the carousel--don't worry, I did take her on it right after this.

The girls wearing sweet little dresses we picked up at the fair.

Family Time :: We've had a blast hitting the nearby playgrounds and splash fountains lately.

Me Being Semi-Crafty :: I made the girls matching dresses--they are very basic and far from perfect--and I could not be more thrilled with myself.

Playing Alphabet Bingo :: Now that school is out it is on me to be the teacher.  To get Cate's mind working, she and I have enjoyed playing alphabet bingo at home.  I pick out a letter and she tells me the sound it makes, a word that starts with the letter, and then she finds it on her sheet.  For the most part, she is an all-star.  I can tell she gets tired though--e.g. when I read out a letter and she gives me a word like "poom."  That is when I start to wrap things up--haha.

Hmmm...where is that letter?

Found it!

Letters pulled--M was for monkey, X was for xylophone, S was for star, B was for book, and C was for--shocker--Cate. 

Gentlemen, we have winner.

Birdie's House :: My mom's house was a nice little vacation spot recently.  Cate enjoyed planting some zinnias while Charlotte explored the patio and gardens.  We also got to go to the pool where Charlotte made a real run at swimming on her own.  She kept asking to get in and once we were holding her in the shallow end she would try to push our hands off.  Cate meanwhile barely likes getting her face in ;) I know they'll both be independent swimmers soon enough.

 We love summer!