This weekend was our annual trip to the CK Scrapbook Convention and, as usual, we had a blast, spent to much money, and walked till our feet hurt.

My sister's friend, Lisa, made the trip with her this year and deserves a shout out. Anyone who can spend 16 hours with my sister in the car over the course of four days is truly amazing. LOL


There's tons of shopping and classes offered at the convention and this year we took two classes both of them SUCKED. I may actually vlog about just how bad they sucked when I get back from class.

I will show you what we got for $25 and I will explain to you how this class was called Scrappin on a Budget. If you are going to a future convention and that class is on your list...DROP IT, DROP IT, DROP IT. I told you three times, what are you waiting for?

Can you believe it? I actually got the shot I wanted to get yesterday. See....her tongue is hanging out! How cool is that? The zoo has this new giraffe section that allows you to go in and feed the giraffe. How awesome is that? My son was soooo excited. He was screaming "Look a giraffe, a giraffe!" and then he was saying "I love your birthday mom!" It was really funny because their was a HUGE sign saying "shhhh, please be quiet while the giraffes are on exhibit."



I know this doesn't look like much, but this is Samson--the baby elephant. He's only on display for a few hours a day and even though he was already in the back with his mama, he came out to say hello.









To read more Friday High Five posts or to play along, click on the button below.

Today is my birthday and I'm going to visit this polar bear.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I. Love. The. Zoo! When we lived in Ohio we were members of the Toledo Zoo and we went there multiple times a week. I miss it.


Now the Maryland Zoo of Baltimore is the closest Zoo to me and it really isn't all that close. So today we are off on an adventure. Cross your fingers that I don't get lost. Seriously. I hate being lost. Especially in Baltimore.

A child needs a grandparent to grow a little more securely into an unfamiliar world. ~Charles and Ann Morse

What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies. ~Rudolph Giuliani

There is no grandfather who doesn't adore his grandson. - Victor Hugo

I love this photo because even though my father-in-law is somewhat afraid to go into the pool he is willing to sit there, facing his fear, with his grandson.

The things we will do for the ones that we love.

Happy Wordful Wednesday. To read more posts click on Angie's button below.

My son has decided a few things over the last two weeks. These include:

~ The dark is a very scary, unpredictable thing.

~ Fire is terrifying and happens to houses when people are sleeping.

~ Sleeping alone is the scariest thing anyone could ever ask you to do.

~ If someone agrees to lay down with you, cling to them so they can not escape when you fall asleep.

Today's tribute is all about sleep. Glorious, undisturbed sleep. I miss you and I long to have you visit again.

I am so tired.

I feel like I cannot function today and I need to clean up this house and take the kids to swim lessons. I don't want to.

I want to go back to bed.

Sleeping with my son is like sleeping with an octopus. He never stops moving and always has parts of his body flinging towards yours.

I can't seem to reason with him about these fears of his.

About a month ago, he saw a barn fire and now he is convinced that our house is going to burn down. If you listen to him long enough, his argument is so convincing and so sincere, that it cause you to check the smoke alarms.

Through tears, he says things like, "It's too scarwee to sleep by myself, mommy. Sleeping with you or daddy is better cause all the scarwees disappear."

"How do the firemen know how to get to our house?"

"What if the fire alarm doesn't wake everyone up?"

"Are you scarwed of smoke?"

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I'm literally running on empty and starting to develop a fear of fire too.


To read more Tuesday's Tributes or to play along click on the button.

Our friends from Ohio came to visit for a night on their way to Connecticut. It was so great to see them. It has been too long. We went to the park and took the kids bike riding. That was fun, but sooo hot. It finally felt like July



Here's oldest sporting her new ride from her birthday in February. She is still a little nervous about these big new wheels. Once she forgets about the fact that she is riding her new bike she is fine, but still a little wobbly.



Here's little G on the playground. He, too, was riding his bike, but since he is the only one with training wheels he can't keep up and this makes him highly irritated. I think it may be time for him to try a little two wheelin'..