Fun Times In the Summer

A couple weekends ago our family checked out the nearby canal, we've been down to the canal many, many times and it is one of our favorite spots here, but hadn't been to this particular area. We rented a canoe and a kayak to accommodate all of us. As Big J is the stronger one he got to handle the canoe for the majority of the time but we switched off for a bit. The kids LOVED this experience and it is probably will rank high on one of their favorite things for the summer. They loved for us to steer them under the branch 'tunnels' and while I had the two older ones on the canoe we found some ripe blackberries along the edge and were able to slide over and grab some for everyone. It was my first time on a kayak and I really liked it. Big J's trying to convince me to splurge and buy a few, but I think we'll hold off for a while. It would, however, be a hard choice whether to get those and a truck or a bigger house......

Michael's had these foam hats on sale 3/$1 so I decided they would make a great affordable summer activity. I wasn't sure how they would go over, but they have been wearing them everywhere. Love it! Fun and functional is hard to beat and it being super cheap makes it all the cooler. Fun times in Philly! The orangutans were at the Philadelphia Zoo. We got to see the new baby, Batu. The parents really liked to stay cool under the sheets. After the zoo we went to a playground that we'd heard about, Smith Playground, which is practically right next door to the zoo. They had a huge slide that you slid down on potato sacks with and the kids and us went down numerous times.

Other than that and our vacation this summer we've spent lots of time with friends, lots of time outside and on bikes, lots of time reading and at the library and farmer's market and lots and lots of time at the pool. We got discounted pool membership and the kids have had lessons the past three weeks. This is our last week of lessons but we still plan to go a couple times a week. B's swim strokes are really improving, little A loves having a class and little J, well, he's doing better than last year. We also recently went to the airport to check out the planes with some friends. The kids loved watching the planes take off and land and sitting in the pilot seat of this Cessna. Our summer is going by so fast!!!!! Only a month left!