Daddy Vacation Fun Day #4 - The Great New York State Fair

We had a lot of fun going to the Fair this year. Even though we were there for over 6 hours, we didn't do everything that I know the kids would like. There will still be lots to do when we go back with Pop-pop and Grandma next week.
Here we go, off to ride rides, play games, pet smelly farm animals, sanitize our hands 500 times, see way too many adults inappropriately dressed, eat candy, whine through a Sea Lion show, see a diver, view sharks, wrangle a toddler into a stroller, and take three steps and stop, over and over. (Despite my sarcasm, it really was a fun day)

Moo Moo! Then Poo Poo! Ewww!

Even though Sissy couldn't go on very many rides, she was a great cheerleader for her big brother.

Pat did the swings and liked it....much to our surprise.
In supporting the local Boy Scouts, Patrick helped Daddy to build a birdhouse. Notice I didn't say Daddy helped Patrick. I should say the scout master helped Pat and Dad. Anyway, Pat was very proud of his creation. I wasn't too impressed. Pop-pop's birdhouses are WAY better!

Double fisted - nice!

And of course, every day at the Fair has to end with ice cream. It was delicious!

Daddy Vacation Fun Day #3 - Bummin' at Home

Mommy had a dentist appointment and desperately needed to go grocery shopping (we were out of everything!), and it was golf league night, we decided to stay at home. Brian and the kids went for a good hike and went to the park so it was a fun day, even if there are no pictures and we were just at home.

Daddy Vacation Fun Day #2 - Strong Museum of Play

So fun day #2 began with the long ride to Strong Museum of Play in Rochester. We had to ride on the "interstate" - if you call the highway a highway Patrick freaks out. However, he seems to be okay with interstate, thruway, freeway, and expressway. All I can say is that he is his father's child!"Sunny days, chasin' the clouds away, on my way to where the air is clean....." The pictures on the steps get much funnier once the kids discovered they could see themselves on a TV.
Even though Patrick isn't into Sesame Street as he once was, he still gets very excited when he sees Snuffy.
The kids both had a ton of fun fitting as many bones as they could into Clifford's dish.
Elizabeth became an expert at sliding down Clifford's tail. The Clifford stuff was so cool. Last year there was a different, not so exciting, exhibit in this room.
To our surprise, Patrick did great in Wegman's, even without Kelly and the playroom! He pushed his cart all over and picked up a pizza (that ended up needing a price check), Scooby Doo snacks, apple juice, brownie mix, and salad dressing ????? French at that! He didn't even pitch a fit about putting the items away!
Elizabeth loved playing on the stage, although she only dressed in a costume after she saw Pat do it. Playing with the curtain and the piano was very entertaining.
After seeing all the great exhibits we headed home, only after we stopped for a late lunch/early supper at P.F.Changs. Patrick insisted on using his chop sticks and modified accordingly.

It was a long day, but a fun day!

Daddy Vaction Fun Day #1 - The Zoo and Orangemen Open Practice

Today began the fun-filled week of Daddy on vacation. We started off with our very favorite thing to do - Go to the ZOO! I think it might be the tenth time we have been there this summer and no one, even Mom and Dad, ever tire of it. After a good nap and a snack it was off to SU for Open Football practice. Daddy and Patrick were pretty excited. Mom and Sissy were out to enjoy the sunshine and snag so good pictures.
Of course, Patrick spent a large amount of our time there in the Batman Bouncey House. Sissy made it into the little bouncey house also. Patrick did great in the big bouncey.....good considering he got trampled by "big guys" last year.
Here's dude giving high-fives to the players and coaches that acknowledged him (many didn't). It was cute enough for someone to capture on video but we didn't manage to find out who. If you saw my kid on T.V., let me know :)
Patrick also had quite a night of "picking up chicks"! He got lots of Ooohs and Aaahs from the cheerleaders. We went to Faegans for dinner and when our meal was finishing a young college student sat down in the booth next to us with a book. Obviously dining by herself. Patrick moved in for "the kill" by slyly playing peek-a-boo behind the back of the booth. Before we knew it, he had climbed up in the empty side of the booth and was talking up a storm. He even wowwed his girl with his newly acquired (that same night) bread buttering skills - she just had to open the packet. Are we in trouble??

Oswego Flashback

Saturday was a great day for a quick road trip to Oswego. Patrick was very interested to see our college and the place where Mommy and Daddy fell in love - we didn't fall in love at Rudy's - I mean Oswego :)We ate a windy meal at Rudy's. Delicious burgers and dogs. Then, it was over the retaining wall to throw rocks in the lake.
For Patrick, the point/highlight of the trip quickly went from finding out more about Mom and Dad to throwing as many rocks as possible in the lake.
Even after an ice cream cone Patrick still kept asking to go back to Rudy's to throw rocks in the water. I have a feeling a trip back up north is in the near future!

Doing chores is fun!

Patrick has his first household chore, and he has kind of given it to himself. Every morning and night Patrick feeds Rusty. He knows just how much food to give him and does a very neat job. Sissy seems to be envious. Patrick even takes Rusty out on the lease for pee and poop sometimes.

Visiting with Davis

We brought dinner over the the Gallauresi's tonight....any excuse to see Davis. Patrick was eager to hold him and did a great job! He truly is a big brother.


The girls got a little quality story time with their god-dudes. Not that big of a deal, except, out of frame is the final minutes of the PGA Championship on the TV. What dedication from the god-dudes. If only those stories were Bible stories!

Stunning sunflowers

Saturday we went to a sunflower maze.....similar to a corn maze. There were three huge fields growing sunflowers. It was beautiful. Things like this are one of the reasons that I really do love living in Central New York. Hanging out amongst thousands of sunflowers makes up for all the snow. The kids loved it and even Brian was impressed. It happen to be our 5 year wedding anniversary. I couldn't have picked a better way to spend it!

Once you shake off the bees, they smell great.

Patrick was fascinated by the bees. He stood for the longest time watching them and wanting to know where the honey was. He didn't quite get the process of making honey even though we explained it to him a bunch of times.
After the sunflower maze we walked around the pond, played on the playground, watched a boy catch a bunch of fish, and had dinner at our favorite spot, well at least Mommy's favorite, Boom Boom Mex Mex. It was a wonderful evening.

A visit from old friends

Today our old friend Kate came to visit. She and her family were in town from Virginia. Kate's girls, Meagan and Molly had a great time playing with Patrick and Elizabeth. We played Mr. Potatohead, went on the swing set, and headed out for a "bear hunt".
Kate, Meagan and Molly thought it was pretty cool to have a nature trail in our backyard. We didn't see any bears on our hunt but did find a big turkey feather, saw a baby deer running across the field, and found lots of grasshoppers in the grass.
Jumping like grasshoppers turned into a great game of leap frog. What great jumpers we are raising!
Here are all the kids, in age order: Meagan 4 1/2, Patrick 3 1/2, Molly 2 1/2, and Elizabeth 20 months.

See you soon PAL (this is my attempt to get two little ones to re-enact the world's cutest hug. Of course I didn't have the camera ready when the original hug occurred)

I'M AN EXCELLENT DRIVER

Mommy took the keys out of the ignition. Miss Elizabeth put them back in! Correctly!!

Rogue Bunnies

Last year it was frogs, this year bunnies........
On Monday night Rusty managed to unearth a nest of bunnies. Patrick and Matthew are here checking them up. Then again on Tuesday he dug them up. Twice the bunnies were covered up. One was lost.....found outside the nest. Another made its way into the grass when we found it. The kids thought it was the coolest thing. We haven't spotted Mama bunny, but our neighbor Tom said he had seen her about.
Elizabeth is checking out the escapee. She kept pointing and asking "What's that?" Then she said "bunny" which is huge for Elizabeth. Of course, she has not repeated it since :)
Patrick is pointing out the nest and "the hurt one" to Daddy and Matthew (our neighbor).

The head rogue bunny...daredevil to make it out of the nest during the day. Poor things eyes were still shut.
We are happy (we think) to report that as of 8:00 a.m. today the bunnies are gone. Our happy thoughts are that last night Mama bunny managed to move her five scoundrals to a safer location. We care not to think about the alternative reason for their disappearance.

Welcome Davis Anthony!

Tonight we went up to Crouse Hospital to meet Cathy's new godson! Our good friends John and Heather just welcomed a baby boy to their family. Leah is a very proud big sister! He slept the whole time we were there, despite three rug rats running around the room. Signs of good to come :)

Patrick and Elizabeth were very loving. Pat started out on the floor but eventually climbed up Mommy. He will forever be my baby! Elizabeth gave Davis very sweet pets to the head and great soft kisses.

By the time we left, both kids had thoroughly explored the hospital room, mainly by CRAWLING on the floor! I was totally grossed out but kept it together quite well. They have since been completely de-germed.