Checking in

	We finally had the opportunity to get to Idlewild on a warm-but-not-scorching summer day. Daddy & I both had a day off during the week and we headed over early. When you are 2 & 4 whatever you are doing right now is the best thing ever. Sometimes tears ensue when we suggest moving on to something else, even when we know the next thing is fun too. So we didn’t rush it today, if the kids wanted to spend 20 minutes doing one thing, we let them. Nate was fearless about jumping into the balls.
	He also had a knack for finding the broken balls and wanting them “out of there”
	We spent a big chunk of time playing with the forced air pipes.
	And the slide. I lost count after 5 races
	Rope Climbing!
	After lunch we headed over to Christmas in July @ Story Book Forest. We were greeted by an ice sculpture snowman.
	Santa Claus! Nate liked him way more this year. In fact Annabelle couldn’t get a word in edgewise.
	The boy that never naps passed out in the wagon ride across the park into Kiddieland.
	A trolley ride and circus later (a little over an hour), Nate was awake and wanted to ride the Ferris Wheel.
	We finished up with our usual, a cyclone and fishing. Another fun family day at our favorite park.

Just when I think I’ve got this whole parenting thing down, one of my kids throws me a curve ball. I’m left feeling that wobbling, unsteady sense of balance as if getting up on roller skates for the first time.

Last evening was hot, freakishly hot and no one in our house wanted to cook. We headed out to a restaurant to have a relaxing dinner. Nana was out with her friends so it was just the 4 of us. All was well, we all had what we wanted, and things were calm. Tom took Nate to the bathroom leaving Annabelle & I to eat in compatible silence.

Suddenly Annabelle turns to me and says “Mommy, where am I going to go when I die?”

I paused with my omelet halfway between my plate and mouth, not knowing where this was coming from or where it needed to go.

Me – Well honey, you will go to heaven.
Annabelle – Where will I go once I get to heaven?
Me – heaven is just heaven. I’m not sure how it is broken up. If it even is.
A—and I’ll be with God & Jesus?
Me – Yes.

And at this point I wanted to scoop her up in my arms and tell her this was a good thing. She was a blessed soul from the day of her conception. That she was going to meet and be surrounded by grandparents, an uncle and even 2 sisters/brothers that never actually made it to this world. She would be at peace, all her questions would be answered and there was no suffering. I wanted to tell her this belief has gotten me through my darkest times; I wanted her to know that faith is all we have, and all we need.

But I didn’t. I paused. For as much as my little intellectual understands beyond her years I thought this might be too much for her to absorb. I waited for her next cue on where to take this conversation. Tears welled up in my sweet little girls eyes. “But Mommy, I’m going to miss you SO much”

“Oh Annabelle” I replied. “By the time you get to heaven, I’ll already be there waiting for you with open arms”

Her sorrow cleared. She gave me thumbs up and went back to eating her French Toast. The charged air between us dissipated as the cool breeze created by the air conditioning vent above our head clicked on and Nate’s loud proclamation from 3 tables away that he “peed in the potty!”

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Now back to our regularly scheduled Daily Activity posts. I just wanted to write this down; I wanted to remember the emotion. I wanted to remember my thoughtful little girl and how her brain worked at age 4.

	Aunt Karen & Kurt were married last week in a backyard ceremony. Annabelle was the only attendant as the flower girl. The twins gave her away.
	The ceremony was brief in the hot July sun, but sincere. What struck me was how happy they both were, smiling the entire time. It reminded of something I read once. Happiness is excitement that has found a settling down place. But there is always a little corner that keeps flapping around. ~E.L. Konigsburg
	There was a lovely toast.
	and a downright awesome cake.
	Everyone was relaxed and thrilled to be welcoming Kurt into our family.
	Many thanks again to Josh & Mandy (Jeremy & Bria too) for keeping the kids entertained, safe, and out of trouble.

	We attended the annual 4th of July parade with Aunt Heather. The kids preferred to sit back from the street with Nana, not liking the loud noise. They were front and center though when candy was thrown.
	There was some fun polka dancing with Jenny.
	Then we headed to a festival. There was a petting zoo.
	And fishing.
	The favorite part of the day was meeting the Statue of Liberty. She gave the kids a history lesson on her purpose, then posed for some pictures. She was super cool.

	Not sure why it is so fun but getting Mom wet is the favorite pool activity.
	Being Basket Heads is also a fun game.
	Then neighbor Avery joined us and there was much splashing.
	I’m not going to even guess what this game was all about, but everyone seemed to enjoy it.

We always seem to miss “Day Out With Thomas” by a week or so whenever we head out east so we were thrilled to find out they were opening a new venue a few hours closer. We headed out into the middle of nowhere last weekend enjoying the lovely Pennsylvania scenery along the way.

	They got to meet the man himself, Sir Topham Hatt. Nate was star struck.
	There was a music tent the kids could play, dance & (unfortunately) win a train whistle.
	What rural festival would be complete without a hay maze?
	A fun day was had by all.

My children met me one the sidewalk as I arrived home Friday before the holiday squealing “Moooooommmmmmmy!” which I usually love but this particular “Mooooommmmmy” had a different lilt, I knew they wanted something.

Annabelle – Mommy, we want to be campers.

Nate – Mommy, can we camp? (We’ll just say Nate echoed every single thing Annabelle said for the rest of the conversation)

Me – Remember guys, we don’t camp. We are not campers.

Annabelle – But Mommy, we want to camp.

Me – Annabelle, honey, you know what we do. We have friends that camp. We go visit them, eat all their smores and then go home to our lovely climate controlled, bug free, comfy beds. That’s how we roll.

Annabelle – but Mommy, we only want to pretend to camp. We want our tents set up in the living room so we can pretend camp. Nana said we had to wait until you got home.

Me –So what your saying is all I have to do is set up tents, you will play and entertain yourselves this evening.

Annabelle – Yes

Me – Can I read a magazine on the couch?

Annabelle – Yes.

Me – Deal

Later that evening Annabelle decided she was going to be a real camper and sleep in her tent, but we had to make a “Princess Bed” first. This consisted of a comforter, opened up sleeping bag, 2 soft blankets, pillows, favorite stuffed animals and 2 Princess dolls. As you can see, there wasn’t much room for her but it was fun to be a camper on a holiday weekend, our style.