Friday, October 19, 2012

Akron Part 3

Monday was our last full day at Beth's.  We made use of the whole day too!  First we headed to the Akron zoo.  Luckily our Brevard zoo passes get us in free at the Akron zoo.  We had a great time.
Alice and I in the penguins

Penguins!  It's fun to see the animals we don't have at our zoo.

Alice has developed an interesting "cheese" smile

Kevin, Kate, and the llama.  It was closer when I started to take the picture.

A condor.  Pretty ugly bird, but massive.

Kate taking her turn as photographer.  Not bad.  Kevin had to keep reminding her to hold the camera up.

She forgot!

Kate and Jane in a little play area

Kate looks like everyone left her

Crossing the rope bridge.  She stopped midway and I had to help her the rest of the way.

Alice cruising across

A bat.  Who knew they ate upside down too?  The bat is near the yellow stuff in the middle of the picture.

Kate got ahold of the camera again

A little ride on the carousel for all of us, minus Beth who became the photographer.
Morgan and Jane on the tigers

Pepper, Kevin, and a very scared Kate

Morgan, Alice, Hazel, and I.  Hazel was so cute.  She hung right on like a pro and when it was time to get off, she did not want to let go.  Beth said it was her first time.  She loved it.
 
We packed a picnic lunch and enjoyed it despite the bees and the kids not wanting to sit near us!

A photo op with the lion.  Kate wouldn't sit on this one either.  She didn't want anything to do with the carousel stuff.

Inside they have an awesome display of jellyfish and all other sorts of sea life.  I think the jellyfish are amazing.  So did the kids.

Just look at them

Some more posing.  They are good at it.

That is an octopus.  I love Morgan's thumb's up.  Jane looks like a cheerleader.

Just a funny picture

Kate inspecting the eel

Such cute statues

Too adorable

No idea what she is trying to do.  (sorry, I'm watching Lord of the Rings while I type this up, just a bit distracted).

A praying mantis Alice found

Trying to touch it

Kate walked out into the crosswalk and then stopped and said, "Statue".  And expected Kevin to take a picture.  She is a little girl who knows what she wants.
 
After the zoo we let the little ones take naps.  Once they got up we headed to an apple orchard.  I told Beth that would be a fun thing to do for the girls because we can't do that in Florida.

Playing before the tour

The kids' favorite part was the haybale maze

The maze

At the end was a slide

Kate wandering through on her own

Jane and Morgan running through.  The first time through was pretty slow going.  Alice was the first one to find her way through.  Then it took Jane about 5 times till she knew exactly which way to go.

The little ones still wandered a bit, but loved it.

After the maze we took a hayride through the orchards

We each got to pick an apple.  Alice looking oh so excited.

Alice didn't like hers so she traded with me.  They were all really good.  Kate loved the cider sample we were given in the cute little apple container.  It was delicious.

Too cute.  That's her new "cheese" face.

Pepper enjoying the maze again.

After we left the orchard we picked up some pizza and headed back to Beth's house.  We got the kids to bed and finished up packing.  The next morning we said goodbye to Beth and the kids and headed off to the airport.  We had had a great time.

The girls teasing each other on the way to the airport, nice and cozy in the rental car.  Kate was looking at a book.

We had another layover in Atlanta, but all in all our flights were pretty good.  Kate had fun running through the airport.

Jane on the plane with her new McDonald's toy.
 
Thanks again Beth and Cody for letting us come and stay.  We had a wonderful time.  We love you guys!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Akron part 2

After church on Sunday we took naps and then headed to the Nature Realm.  It is free and a gorgeous place to walk around and enjoy "nature".  They also have a little indoor fun too.  With dress up stuff and coloring pages.
 
The kids had a blast.  I liked watching all of them and the birds and chipmunks.  We also were able to collect some fall leaves to show both Jane and Alice's classes back home.  Palm trees just don't change colors!
 
Pepper, random girl, Jane, and Morgan checking out the snakes

Cody, Alice, and a ladybug Pepper discovering about bugs

Alice and Kevin, with Beth walking out of the picture next to the huge bug exhibit

Kate wanted a picture too

The group all coloring

After exploring inside, we headed outdoors to enjoy the gorgeous weather.
Alice looking so lovely

So pretty

I just have to laugh

The trees were just starting to change

Walking through the woods

A fun tree to climb

So I had a hard time choosing pictures.  They were all awesome for different reasons.  I love Kevin's pictures of him and the girls where he is holding the camera.

Jane and Morgan in the tree

We don't have hills in Florida or real grass, so it was awesome

Even learned how to roll down them

Kate of course had to do it all too!

Jane even tried somersaults.  Not bad!

Katie found another bush to explore

There's got to be a way through

Ah yes, here it is

Running through the fields

Like I mentioned in the previous post.  The kids became great statues.  Enjoy their poses.
Pepper, Jane, and Morgan



Each one a classic

Kate is saying, "Hold you!"

However, the photo shoot was not over.  Archer, Morgan needed to protect the fair maiden.

And then explain what happened.

Jane

Jane and Pepper.  And even though Pepper is drinking, she still posed.

Work it!

Alice on one foot


He just needs his cape

Kate's statue pose

Alice loves to watch bugs.  This is a bee.

And she insisted on taking a picture of the tiny mushrooms at her feet.

Kate being a statue in the car

After the nature realm, Beth and Cody set to work on dinner, while Kevin and I hung out with the kids outside.
Hazel pleading with Alice to save her from the grass

So we put her in a car.  Morgan is explaining all the tricks to driving a car to Hazel.

And she's off

What a great big brother

After the car ride, Hazel decided she needed to relax.  Kate wanted to read her a book.

"Wait Hazel, this is the best part!"

"Ok, but it better be good."

"Sorry, I'm outta here!"

And that's the end!  Kevin enjoyed taking a few shots of my behind, but I only posted one!
 
I still have a few more pictures from our trip.  I'll try and get them posted.  I have more fun pictures of life around here now too.  Oh, the days go by so quickly!   Christmas is only 2 months away.  I'm so not ready.  Life is great though.