Bushkill Falls-2

 See the rainbow?????

 More of rainbow!

 Looking from the very top of the main waterfall

 It looks sooooo powerful!

Going up. We are on red/blue trail now

 Yes, no way without a monkey :)

 A tree growing outside of the tree!

 That how "boring" trail started looking after climbing up

 We found a "hidden" waterfall

 Pennell Fall. Again, water looks so powerful!

No, I do not think Brandon was yelling at Kyra :)

 Brandon took a pic way before I was ready. Am I looking like I am falling right in???

 Yes, that is the color water it was. Brandon said it looked like tea :)

 Pretty!

 A tree with a belly button :)

This big log looked like a beaver. And we also had fun looking at the map on those letter, placed alphabetically and meaning certain location.

Den tree - I never knew what they were. Den trees are huge standing trees used by animals for nesting and cover.

They said the walk we took over blue trail was long. Hmmmm, I did not notice that. Brandon either. Kyra was whining tiny bit until we started walking along the water and she got distracted :)

I know, looking odd, does not it? No, Bushkills do not have goats :) On the way there we saw the sign Snake and Animal Farm. We stopped there on the way home. They had snakes, alligators, bob cats, monkeys, emu, turtles, bunnies and guinea pigs. Most that kids remembered from there was not many snakes  shedding their skins, but petting the bunny and feeding the goats. Yeah... Sigh..

Good times! :)

Day Trip - Bushkill Falls

Since Mondays are my only days off from both days, they are going to be spent for day trips during summer.
Bushkills were for today! Last (and only) time I was there - was with Jimmy 9 years ago, I am pretty sure it was before we got married. Long time ago!

So, first, I did not realize the one way trip would take 2h15m. I am not sure what I was thinking but sure not that long. By the end of the drive kids started whining the usual "Are we there yet?". Second, we started out little bit later than I wished we did.

It was lunch time and first thing kids wanted to do was to play on the playground for a few minutes. We had lunch on a bank of one of the twin lakes.

And then headed to rent a paddle boat. I was not sure if I can do it with three people but yes, we could. Kyra got in the middle and did her best in steering. Brandon and I paddled back and forth. Water was so clean, we could see the bottom of the lake!

 View from the far side of the lake. We came all the way from that house on the left.

No, we did not go straight to the waterfalls :) After lunch, it was time for ice-cream (for me and Kyra) and funnel cake (for Brandon).

God forbid Brandon would stay next to Kyra who would try to hug him. He is trying to look sort of tough here. Does he?
P.S. Nice walking stick, by the way!

 Next stop - Native American Exhibit.

 House, what it looked like before. Unbelivable how we take our homes for granted!

We hit 2 of the gift shops, got couple postcards and fridge magnet (don't I always) and then we each dug for "gold" gems which later they tried to trade with each other and me.

After that.. It was time fro hiking. We decided to go with the one of the shortest trails - yellow and then if we wanted to go further (we did). Yellow trail covers the main waterfall. First, vast majority of this trail is a looooooot of wooden steps. Second, when you get to the part where blue/red trail fits in, it is mostly rocks in the ground, right in the woods, no wooden steps. 

I have to say, I took quite a few pictures but had to delete them for not good quality. It is funny, because I even was able to catch rainbow on a couple of them. But they just do not reflect the WOW feeling. 

I really like this one. It is a good shot of us AND and the main waterfall. 

 Caught in walking :)

 Brandon climbed on the wall of the picture above

 Even from the place I took a picture I could feel the mist from the waterfall :)

Epic

Since I started working at casino, I do not work Friday nights anymore and it feels AAAAWESOME! So this past Friday we went to see Epic, the movie. It was quite long one but very good. Jimmy and Kyra gave it 5-6, me and Brandon 8-9. I think Kyra just lost the interest in it because she did not get the main idea of what was going on.

I have to say graphics nowadays is absolutely amazing!
Don't ask. Brandon just wanted to wear his cub scout uniform :)

Cat Is Away, Mice Have Fun

So, Elise and Brian are getting married in September. This past Sunday was her last day at work and her usual Sunday shift is closing. Nobody would close for her this time :) We all finished earlier and drove to her and Brian's house.Cat is out, mice are playing :)

Chelsea and Drew decorated the house and got a cake. Elise thought we would be at the Dog, so there was a certain plan to direct her to the house (pretend there was something wrong with alarm). So, Drew was upstairs peeking out of the window and we turned everything off and were waiting on her. When we heard the garage door opened, we all stood in her kitchen, facing the front door waiting for her to come in. Nobody said anything, we just stood there.

We scared her so much, I almost felt bad for her :) It was well worth waiting for her :) I felt so alive being among people but not at actual work. It was so fun!

You Know Summer Is Here, When...

You go to Jigger shop!!! We went to Mt. Gretna one day last week. Kids played on the playground and then me and Brandon did a round of Two Square. Ice cream to finish the night? OF COURSE! That was also the first time I rememebered about butter pecan. Not sure how I could forget it. Great stuff!

Feeling of Being Loved

Yes, I love feeling loved. It makes me feel soooo special and remembered and simply needed. I appreciate to be thought of in the midst of our busy days.. I love you, Lisa, so much!
I got Russian food first, then bottle another week and a ruler the following week. I am loved :)

This is not a simple bottle. It infuses you drink with all the possible fruit you want. Cucumber is still my fav! Love the bottle!

 No need to explain :)

Smallest Moose Lost Another Tooth

Kyra just lost first top tooth and she had one on the bottom that was wiggling and wiggling. She pushed it out and here it went! Tooth Fairy brought Kyra a dollar and she got sort of little upset that there was no note - just a dollar. Tooth Fairy must have been too busy!

Simple Pleasures Of Summer

Nothing too fancy.. We played four square for like forever. All for of us. Can't believe how well Kyra does comparing to last summer. When Maisy and Oreo came outside, oh boy! Dogs started running like mad dogs, kids were around them, all on the ground.. Lot of giggles and running around.
Loving summer!

Late Blog - 100th Day Of School

Not sure how I missed these papers. Possibly because I did not have them at that time.

First Activity in Summer - Brookside Park

Not sure why but Brandon really wanted a frog. Kids looked for one for a long time in Brookside park. None found. Lots of small fish, but not a single frog. Brandon threw a fit because he really wanted one from a petstore. I can imagine what we would have if we bought them everything they wanted. 

 Love, love this pic of Kyra.

 Search is being conducted

 Park and no swing? We tried every single swing there :)

Melting Pot With The Crew

Kids kept asking when we can go to the Melting Pot and I told them I would treat them after school is over. They asked if they could brings friends too, yes. Number changed a few times but here we were - adults with couple of drinks and kids with lots of messy faces and not caring for cheesecakes :)

From Kyra and to her right: 

Victoria, Kathryn, William, Brandon, Carly, Shannon, Emma

It Is About THAT Age

All that kids are talking about are tooting, pooping, butt and stinky.. That is all they are talking about in addition to making all those sounds..Kyra was funny the other day - when kids were roughhousing, Kyra said Brandon hit her in her peanut. Brandon said girls do not have peanuts. What do they have? Mittens. Kyra said her mitten looks like her butt!
I can not believe I am writing this in the blog. But that is what is talked about in the house of ours!

Yoga Ninja

1st and 3rd Graders In the House! And Reports Cards

Since Friday was the last day (5th and not even day) of the week and.. since I love my kids.. I told them I would get Brandon by car, Kyra on the bus to school and I would do the same on the way home. How awesome am I?? :)

I came to pick Brandon up and oh boy! Wish I had camera with me but I did not. Kids were splashed and squatted with water by teachers and Mr. Gnall. They had soooo much fun! :)

When they came home, that is what they found on the door:

Kyra - all writing, reading and math - all advanced!

  Brandon went between advanced and proficient on writing and reading but strongly advanced in math.

 So proud of the hard work!
At night we told them they could pick any place to eat as long as they agree. What do you think they picked??? McD!!!! Yes!!! It was strange for me to be off this week. With new job I am not off Fridays so we went to Kmart to get them end of the year reward. Brandon picked fast - Lego set (big surprise!) and Kyra was going back and forth between this and that. This and that.. In the end she picked DS game and thank goodness, after 1.5 hours in the store... we were done..

BIG-HEARTED

This came as surprise from school. I often wonder how much sinks in our children. This is another example how much it does. I love him to pieces! My big hearted, kind, thoughtful and caring boy!

It says: "A time I was big-hearted was when me and my mom helped an 80-year old man with his groceires. Brandon". (I have not changed the grammar). 

Who Is It?

Yes, seriously. My 8-year old did it. He drew a pic of himself and painted it. They guy on his left ear is a pet picking on his ear. Now joke. Task was draw yourself and a pet. 

Love the details, there are a LOT of them!

First Top Out

Oh, my goodness, she worked so hard to get this guy out. She wiggled it and I tried to pull it out just a day before and couldn't. When we were having supper I noticed this tooth was practically hanging - lower than other teeth. I mentioned it to her, she touched it and it was OUT! :)

Tooth Fairy paid a dollar for it. She keeps all those teeth money separate with all her teeth :)

Are They 3 Years Old Again? :)

Yip, just got stuff out, built a track and started playing together. Pricess :)

Softball

Softball was all right. Kyra hit without T half of the time. She had some good hits but by the end of the season she was ready to be done. Good trying a new sport. (t-ball was close enough but this one is "girls only club")