Mini Summer Vacation

I will call this a mini summer vacation because without Vic, it's not a big summer vacation. But, the day after the boys completed the fence, Atticus, Grace, Pop and I drove back to Sanger for a few days. Actually, we ended up staying 9 days! We stayed at Grandma and Pop's house for 6 nights and then Melbo, Pa & GG's for 2 nights. And our days were filled with fun! A few of the highlights:

• Trip to the Frank Buck Zoo in Gainesville where Atticus discovered flamingos, stuck his head through every fence to see every animal, and then cried his eyes out during the train ride with Pop (apparently he thought I should be on the train too....sometimes being with mama 24 hours a days makes his expectations specific). We even saw our former Ag extension agent to visit; she is in charge of part of the zoo.
• Attended the Denton Water Park where both Grace and Atticus floated the Lazy River and Atticus played on the Splash Pad with Molly and Pop. Our only downfall there was when sunscreen got into his eyes twice (Note to self: no longer using Coppertone for Kids spray sunscreen).
• More pool time with Adley, Stormy, and Tabatha plus seeing their wienie dogs. Atticus is getting better around animals and not being scared of them.
• Celebrated July Birthdays of Grandma, GG, and Molly with a family trip to our friend Jan's house and swimming pool. This is where Atticus learned to jump (aka fall forward into someone's arms into the pool). He was not scared at all (but I was!!)
• Went to Gattitown in Frisco for pizza and arcade games. Atticus loved the bowling and whack-a-shark games.
• We also visited GG's friend, Rita, where we got to see two other dogs and play in another kids playroom with ALL NEW TOYS. Atticus, however, is still learning to play and sometimes just dumps out bucket after bucket of toys.
• Atticus and Grace met their second cousin Caitlin when she came down to visit the Vickery's and Memaw.
• Grace took her traditional, special, sheepskin photos. These are photos that Mom and Dad took of us three kiddos when we were babies (on sheepskin in the saddle shop) and I have continued the tradition with Atticus and now Grace.

But, by far, the BIGGEST highlight of Atticus' trip were the "doats, dontey, palf, tows, horses, bubbatat (Bubba the Cat), Sthip dog (Sam the dog), gashoppas, bo doat (bo is a goats name), foot pass (free pass is a goats name), and yoki doat (Yoki is another goat's name). It took a couple hours the first evening, but after that Atticus was not happier than when he was convincing one of us to go out to look at the am-mulls. From the second he woke up in the morning, his first words were "doats, dontey, alf, tows" and he would immediately leave the bedroom and head into the living room to poke his head through the curtains and look out into the pasture to see the animals. Then, once we went out to the pens and pasture, he couldn't get enough of them. He would pet any that would let him and we'd walk the entire pasture to get to them. He played in the round bale of hay, looked for grasshoppers and checked the water. He'd say their names over and over and ask questions over and over. He couldn't get enough. When we would go to Melbo and Pa's throughout the week, we would have to go to the pasture or barn to see the horses and the new heifers. And, in the house, where Bubba the Cat usually curls up to sleep all day, Atticus would walk over to pet him. In the past, although Atticus was obsessed with needing to know where Bubbatat was, he would not touch him. It is by far, one of my favorite memories.

It was just a wonderful, relaxing week of family (sadly minus Vic), animals, country life, playing with old farm toys and trucks, playing on the Ipad, eating lots of fruit snacks (lots of any kid snacks actually), going in and out to the hot outside to look at animals, few naps, fun baths in new tubs, new movie (Despicable Me - pretty cute!), and new adventures.

And, while Grace was a great little girl and Atticus had so much fun with new things, and it truly was relaxing, I have to brag on myself a little. Until this trip, I don't think I have ever been so organized. It is amazing how much stuff you have to bring for two little ones plus backup everywhere you go. And we went somewhere every day! Diaper bag, extra clothes, swim clothes, towels, sunscreen, gas drops (you never know - and yes they are for the kids!), boppy, carseats, stroller, extra shoes, specific toys, cameras, etc. Sometimes it would take me 10-20 minutes just to check and double-check my stuff and load the car with stuff and kids. And, honestly, I had plenty of help around me to get it done. But, if I can handle this past week of organizing for day trips, surely I can handle any trip with kids, right?

The week in pictures (I took over 500 but here are just a few of them):