Family Picture

I have been holding back on posting this picture from our trip to St. Lucia. I felt like it needed its own post because it is a very nice family picture. Sometimes when you get people on vacation to take your pictures for you, they don't always turn out so great, but this one did. And thanks to my friend (you know who you are E!), it looks even better!!

Wolcott Mill ~ A Field Trip

As I am sure you all know, I love to drag my boys on field trips around town. If it sounds even remotely interesting / fun, we are there! So I had heard a little about this place and I had forgotten all about it until the other day when I drove by a sign for it (Maybe I was driving to a far away Kmart to look for more toys. Maybe not.). So yesterday, we headed out there to check things out. Wolcott Mill is actually two separate areas, at two separate locations. One is a Historic Grist Mill and the other is a Farm.

We went to the mill first and I think we were the only people there. Lucas enjoyed the mill and liked all the hands on displays they had. But the best part was the free Dum Dum! Oh man, did he love that thing. He was so good with it and did not try and bite it at all.

After the mill, we headed out to the farm. Lucas was all over this place. He petted all of the dairy cows and just went back and forth, taking turns petting them. He tried so hard to get in the pens with the sheep and the goats and chickens and I think he was actually a little annoyed he couldn't get closer to hug them. But he did get to pet them all and he did love that. Bryan is a total farmboy at heart and he won the pigs over. At first, there was only one and he did not want to be petted. After he started liking it, the other pig ran over to get in on the action too. I think they were sad when Bryan left. And that last picture, well that is the famous Michigan cow that was saved from, well being someone's dinner, because of the Michigan mitten shaped spot! We loved this farm and will for sure be going back!

I love Kmart!

I know you are all thinking really? Why does she love Kmart? I think Kmart gets a bad wrap because of well, many things. I don't go there often, but I when I heard they had 50% off of their toys which were already on clearance, I got there as fast as I could. I had been reading online about people who were scoring Cozy Coupes for less than $30, but "my" Kmart didn't have any. So I dragged Bryan and Lucas one night to another Kmart who I heard may have them (thanks again Linda!!) and found one. My heart skipped a beat when I saw it sitting there on the shelf and I threw that giant box in my cart so fast so no one else could snatch it away. Here is a list of everything I got, with prices. I have no idea what I will do with the Barbie Cruise Ship. Hopefully I get invited to a birthday party or something!
-Cozy Coupe II $28.00
-My First Craftsman Power Drill $5.00 (Actually it was free since I realized after I had already left that they didn't charge me).
-My First Craftsman Circular Saw $5.00
-My First Craftsman Grinder Saw $2.50
-Elmo's Giggle Farm $5.50

-Fisher Price Fun-2-Learn 2-in-1 Cash Register

-Fisher Price Little Superstar Sing Along Stage $15.00

-Just Kidz Learning Bus $7.50

-Sesame Street Puzzle $1.25

-Little People Play N' Go School $5.00

-Play-Doh 50th Birthday Rainbow Pack of 50 Colors $5.50

-Play-Doh Keepable Picture Frame $1.75

-Play-Doh Diego / Backyardigans $1.00 (each)

-Barbie Party Ship $24.50

And Kmart's registers print coupons ($5 off $25, $5 off $50), so I went back another day and combined their current double coupon promotion (they were doubling up to $2.00 coupons) and got some essentials and totally scored. I think I am going to head back there today before the promotion ends. Who knows, maybe there will be a blue light special while I am there?? LOL.

No swimming this time.

We set up L's new pool for him to test out over the holiday weekend, but he was feeling a bit under the weather that day and wanted no part of going in. We did dip our feet in it a little bit and Lucas actually walked around in it, but he wasn't too excited about swimming. But that's okay, we'll have plenty of chanced this summer to swim in it! After Lucas decided he wasn't going to swim, Baxter and Buddy took a few walks thru the pool. Baxter enjoyed cooling off and I think Buddy did too. Even though he ran around acting like water has never touched his fur after he got out! Buddy kept standing on the side of the pool and I SO wanted to push him in, but Bryan wouldn't let me since he had his electric fence collar on! Buddy was lucky!

A boy after my own heart!

I think most of you know about my love for the casino. I am hoping one day that Lucas and I can go to Vegas together and win big. When he is old enough anyways. For now, we will have to settle for the slot machine potty that he got for his birthday from his Aunt and Uncle. The Jack Potty is a fabulous invention and I wish I would have thought of it myself! Lucas does not use the potty for its intended purpose, but he sure does love dragging that thing out of the bathroom and playing with it. He sits backwards on it and just pulls the handle over and over again and laughs at the lights and the sounds. The only difference between his slot machine and the ones I play is that his comes up a winner every time. We won't even talk about what happens when I gamble here.

Another Camping Trip. Sort of.

Last September, Bryan and I "camped" in my parents backyard. Now that we have our own backyard, I suggested that Bryan set up the tent over the weekend so Lucas could play in it. I also thought Bryan might like to sleep out there in it. He liked my idea, so he set it up and Lucas went to town in it. I can see many father and son camping trips in the future. Lucas love the doggy doors in the tent and must have gone in and out of them like 20 times. Lucas tried to talk me into letting him sleep out in the tent, but I had to say no because it would have been too chilly for him.

The three B's (Bryan, Baxter ad Buddy) went out in the tent at bedtime, armed with a few pillows and a two very thin blankets. I asked Bryan several times if he needed another blanket and offered to gather some up for him. But he said no, that they would be fine. About 3am, they all came back to bed. Bryan claimed that he had to use the bathroom and that it was getting wet in the tent. Oh yeah, and him and the dogs were cold! Baxter is actually a fabulous camper, which probably comes as a shock to anyone that knows him. I think his laziness makes him such a great camper. He can pretty much curl up and sleep anywhere. I will admit, I liked having the big bed all to myself, but it is just not the same unless all my boys are there and Buddy and Baxter are taking up more than their share of the bed and are pushing us out!

Bike Riding with L

A few years back, Bryan and I bought bikes. We used to ride them all the time and we loved it! Then we got Baxter and we didn't ride so much anymore. And then we got Buddy and we rode even less. And then we had Lucas and we never went! But now, Lucas is old enough to go bike riding so we have finally started to go again. I do not think Lucas would to ride in a seat on the back on of one of our rides, so we got a bike trailer. Bryan is the lucky one that gets to tow Lucas around. He has better coordination than I do (by far) and his bike has a kickstand. For some reason, the bikes we bought did not come with them. Bryan's bike was like a return or something and someone had added a kickstand. Sadly, I was not so lucky. I have to lay my bike on the ground, BMX style.

On our first trip out, we explored the neighborhood and tested out the trailer. Lucas loved it and happily road along with a drink and some snacks. The next day we headed out to Stoney Creek and had a great bike ride around the lake. Lucas actually ended up falling asleep! We plan to go take lots of bike rides this summer and maybe we'll even take Baxter and Buddy along. We just need to figure out how to get Buddy to sit still in the trailer!

Oh, and yes, Lucas did pick out his shirt just for bike riding. He does not have a t-shirt with a bike on it, so this was the next best thing.