Memorial Day Weekend

My goal, while recovering from strep, is to write up all the blog posts that are hanging out in my memory queue.  Aren't you excited?  Let's go back a few weeks to Memorial Day weekend...

Chad had to work on Saturday - per usual - so, as soon as he was off, we got in the car and drove to Fresno to visit the Fresno Crew.

We arrived in time for dinner. Danielle served a pork tenderloin, grilled asparagus, salad and baked potatoes.  I think I've mentioned it before, but I've somehow lucked into friendships with amazing cooks.  I didn't even know what a pork tenderloin looked like!  Suffice to say, my family hammered through this non-pasta, non-casserole, totally delicious meal with gusto.

The next morning, after a breakfast of bacon and eggs - yes, bacon - we loaded everyone up and headed to Roeding Park, home of Chaffee Zoo, Playland and Storyland.  Deciding to save the zoo for Monday, we took the kids to Playland.

Playland is a little gem of an amusement park.  Geared towards the under 7 crowd, it's filled with a selection of rides, a train, paddle boats and even a splash zone.  Joseph and Lane went from ride to ride, loving every moment. I took Joseph on the paddle boats.  We tried to get Elizabeth on them as well, but she screamed her displeasure when we put her in a life jacket.  I don't blame to poor girl.  Comfortable, they were not.

Just before lunchtime, we rode the train to Storyland.  Storyland is an adorable 1950's park.  A bit worn around the edges, it feels vintage and quaint rather than run down.  It's filled with scenes from stories.  For $3, you can buy a "magic" key that unlocks the story teller.  You could spend hours there, sitting in front of each story box, listening to classic tales of pigs and wolves and bears and princesses.  Of course, Joseph, being his father's son, is more of a "blink and you'll miss it" type of explorer.  Fortunately, for him there were playgrounds scattered along the paths.

After an exhausting morning, it was back to the house to eat lunch and go swimming.  The kids dozed off on the way home, just enough to help them power through the rest of the day.

Elizabeth donned her bathing suit and joined us in the water.  She wasn't too happy with the chill, but after a bit, relaxed enough to happily splash around.

While the adults started a game of Regulation Ring Toss, the boys tortured played with the tiny frogs swimming around the edge of the pool.

First off...Regulation Ring Toss.  One of the perks to being married to a Rec guy is that Chad can make a game, complete with "official" rules using as little as a handful of diving rings and a floating mat.  We played, passing Elizabeth around, until the kids started turning blue from cold.

The adults weren't hungry, so we decided to set up a croquet course in the front yard while the boys had a picnic.  I sat with Elizabeth on a blanket, feeding her watermelon.  The icy cold fruit was perfect for a teething baby.  Danielle sat with her while I ran inside to get more.  When I came out, she swore Elizabeth had crawled a whole two paces.  Of course, my stubborn Miss refused to repeat the performance.

While Joseph and Laners ate and Elizabeth played with boccie balls, the adults competed in a vicious game of croquet.  Sending opponents balls flying off course accompanied smack talk and playful jibes.  Chad placed first, sending his ball into the wicket with a decisive whack.  I came from behind to place second, with Adam and then Danielle following.  I sense a re-match the next time we visit.

Tired from a long and busy day, we gave the kids baths, put them to bed and then relaxed to watch "Valentine's Day".

Monday was an early morning.  We woke up ready to hit the zoo.  While Joseph has visited our local zoo on a number of occasions, this was the first time he got to see giraffes and elephants, live and up close.

After seeing the elephants, we were able to line up to feed the giraffes.  Joseph was excited to feed them until the sweet-looking giraffe lowered his head on it's long neck and stuck out his prehensile tongue to nibble on the leaves clutched in his hand.  He backed up until he hit the rail and decided he didn't want to feed them after all.  I stuck a leaf in Elizabeth's hand and held her up to the giraffe.  Oh, stop giving me that look.  Giraffes are herbivores.  They're not going to take off her hand.  Elizabeth started to bring the leaf to her own mouth, when the giraffe reached out with is tongue and tore it out of her grip.  Shocked, she screwed up her face and let out a screech that nearly sent all the wild animals running for cover.

We spent the rest of the morning at the zoo, looking at the animals.  One funny moment...

We stopped in a round grassy area that used to house hippos to get a snack for the boys.  I sat down with Elizabeth and started nursing her, only to start giggling about being an exhibit:  Mother Nursing Young.  I don't know why it struck me as so funny.  Maybe in was because we were in a ring of grass, partly surrounded by a fence.  Maybe it was because Elizabeth was making her guttural starving-to-death noises.  Maybe it was the reminder that we're mammals too, just like the monkeys, the giraffes and the elephants.  Whatever the reason, I sat there smirking and giggling like a loon.

After the zoo, we went back to the house for lunch and a quick dip in the pool before heading home, amazingly unsunburned, understandably exhausted, unbelievably relaxed and happy.