Day Three

Isn't this the most exciting travelog you've ever read? (No extra charge for the sarcasm.)

Yesterday was a mom and kid day. We played at this new park (new since I last visited in 2006). It was awesome.

I wish I were a kid and could play there! It would be nice to walk through the doorways without having to turn sideways. One of the tube slides had a little window in it so you could peek out at everything.

Another slide turned 720 degrees. So cool. (Yup, the one above.) I even slid down that one but I kept hearing voices of a small child and father at the end. I didn't want to slam my large adult female self into the tiny child body so I slid so slowly I got stuck and had to start scooting myself down the rest of the slide. What a lark!

My niece would climb somewhere or pose for a photo and then yell my name over and over again until I came to take her photo.

We went swimming at the public pool ($11?!?!). And then shopping (at Costco and Fred Meyer - Costco dogs yum!). We visited Mandy, my other SIL, and her kids and then went home.

The exciting part of the day? I know you're wondering. (And perhaps it will explain the non-excitingness of this post) The boys stayed up until midnight watching movies and then we woke up Lulu. We strolled to the edge of the harbor (maybe100 yards) and watched the city light off fireworks. Lulu and I sat in the cab of my dad's truck. I watched, trying to create some excitement in my daughter by exclaiming over the fireworks (Ooh! Aah! Hey that one sparkles! Look, that one looks like a heart! Wow, look at all those colors! Can you hear the thunder sounds?) but no dice. She pretty much slept through the whole thing and was more then happy to crawl back into her bed when we got back to the house. (You try to create memories and all they want to do is sleep. All I want to do is sleep, and they are hungry. Why can't the needs of parents and children mesh better? Ah, an eternal secret. I'm sure God is still wondering.)

The boys weren't even all that thrilled. They were so tired by this point (why fireworks at midnight? It's that whole bright-as-day-at-10-pm thing. Midnight is the earliest, darkest point of night and hey, apparently we're the first in the nation to celebrate the 4th.) and cold (they had crawled out of the pickup bed and into the cab with me) that they really just snuggled up next to me and would occasionally peek out at the fireworks. I was so tired when I trudged home with all three in tow that I don't think I even really tucked them into bed.

This morning, they were all up bright-eyed and bushy tailed at 7:30am. Help! I put on cartoons and tried to go back to sleep but the interruptions of "Mom!" were more frustrating that any alarm clock.

So here I sit, bleary eyed at 9am, dumping my camera and blogging and wondering why it is that Mormons don't drink coffee? Just a sip. Or two....*sigh* I'll wake up in a bit and then everything will be fine. Afterall, we have a parade to go to! Sights to see! Hot dogs to roast! Naps to take! I'm down with that last one.

Happy Fourth.