We kicked off June with a vacation home with Daddy. I'd seen lots of people doing Stay-cations…where you take in the sights right in your own neighborhood. While St. Louis isn't exactly our neighborhood, I'd say anything within 40 minutes drive is pretty much our own backyard. So I set about making a list. Between some Grouponing (I'm an addict) and some web research we took off for a few awesome destinations…and also did some serious relaxing. I wouldn't change a thing about the way it all came together. My heart was so full and happy after this time spent enjoying each others company…I can't wait to do this again!
Day 1…we took off for the zoo. When we got there the pay parking lots were full and we were unable to find a spot in the free spaces as well. Since we are members and go very often…we scraped this plan and went with a quickly made up plan B. We snagged a picnic table at Forest Park and ate lunch. Then took off for the Museum of Transporation.
At lunch the boys felt compelled to jump down and throw cheezits at the birds to feed them. My favorite was Cooper picking some of the cheezits back up and eating them even though they'd been on the ground. Such a boy…and such a goofball.
We discovered one of our first STL birthday cakes. While we didn't go around finding all of them…we had fun finding others at the rest of our destinations on vacation!
Pulling the whistle at the Museum.
Team work!
And this was the last pic I got at the museum. Navigating this place with 3 kids…one who is a baby and needed a bottle break…and who was an absolute champ I might add…was a little tricky!! This summer's adventures are going to be little less cumbersome and structured now that we've said bye bye to bottles and 5 month old nap schedules!! ANyway, we rode the miniature train, explored all the trains we could climb in and saw lots of cool cars and trucks like this one. The boys had so much fun it was hard to leave. And everyone took a good little nap on the ride home. Mom might have too!
We made a stop for ice cream when we got back in town...
Greyson was a HUGE fan!!
He may have been covered head to toe, but it was a fun day getting out with our crew, capped off with a favorite tradition. Staycation Day 1…success!!
The next morning we got up and joined Aunt Jackie on an adventure to our local Farmer's Market.
After exploring that, I took off and Cooper, Greyson and I planted flowers at Gigi's house.
Cooper may or may not have wandered into the neighbors house to see her dog…and I may or may not have realized that my Grandma has zero stopping power when one of my kids says they want to do something…but we got back on track. And he jumped in to help me water and clean up!
The next day we celebrated Father's Day. We gifted this to my Dad and paid him a visit at work Saturday night before hand.
Then on Father's Day we stopped by and saw Grandpa Mike.
After that, Jeremy asked for a day to assemble his long overdue basketball hoop. So we spent a beautiful day outdoors. We played while he worked and enjoyed some awesome weather!
One of my favorites.
That hair. Will Ferrell anyone??
It got hot that afternoon…I spent it teaching Cooper how to blast his big brother back with these foam, pump style quirt guns. It was a blast!!
At some point…they managed to take the water buckets to a patch of dirt in the backyard and make a puddle...
Meet the mud brothers…this happened more than once this summer…and I have to admit…I loved it. WAs it a mess? Hell yes. Did I have to clean my bathroom afterwards? Um…yes. But I hope the boys do this type of thing for years to come in the summer and remember exactly how much fun they had. We spend so much time listening to rules and having to behave all our lives…I want our summers to be filled with freedom and fun and memories the boys will take with them always. Like making mud puddles in the backyard and splashing around in them!
That night we ended by celebrating a couple of the other father figures in our life and grabbing ice cream with our Linley crew. It was a blast watching the kids enjoy each others company…and everyone at the ice cream place watching us with wide eyes as we fed 5 kiddos sugar at 8pm at night!
