Last Thursday

Last Thursday the temps, blissfully, started going downward. It was still in the upper 90's but at least we didn't break the 100 mark and for that I'm grateful.

I got the happy camper off to his next to last day camp day and then Kaylen and I headed to a park in Everett called Forest Park. The park not only has the regular (great) play area but it also has a petting farm and a spray park. It was just after 8AM when we arrived and, except for the crew washing everything down and getting the park ready for another busy day, we were the first people there. As it turned out, the spray park and the petting farm wouldn't open until 10AM which means we had two hours to waste away. That's a lot of time. A lot. But that didn't stop us. Kaylen had run of the place and she worked it for all she was worth. About 40 minutes later people started arriving for the day camps that are held in the park as well as people who were waiting for the spray park to open. It was warm but not as hot as it had been in recent days.

And wouldn't you know it. I have three cameras and yet none of them found their way to the park with us. Darn it.

Finally the spray park was turned on and Kaylen ran around like a wild woman. She had so much fun running in and out the water, sitting on some of the sprayers and making friends with other kids. After about 25 minutes she was done so we walked back over to the car to change back into dry clothes and then we walked down the hill to the petting farm. It was early so the animals were just getting their food which meant some of them, like several baby goats and the baby cow, were in their shelters. It was a bummer to miss out on petting the cow but we enjoyed watching him/her eat. We were able to pet a few of the other goats, the pigs and the bunnies so by the time we left (about 20 minutes later) we were happy enough.

All the way back to the car and, indeed, all the way home, Kaylen kept saying "Thank you SO much for taking me to the park and the water park and the petting farm! This was the best day ever - I got to do to THREE things! Kelton only got to do one. He only got to go to camp but *I* did three things." She was cracking me up.

We got back to my sister's house and I did a few chores (like laundry since it was finally cool enough to run the dryer) and then it started.....the whine of a 4 year old girl who wants to play dolls.

Ugh.

My niece, Mikayla, has dolls that are very similar to the American Girl dolls and Kaylen very quickly started calling them "American Dolls" which we thought was adorable. Trust me when I say that by the time you hear "Mom! Play American Dolls with me!" about 400 times it is no longer adorable. I started thinking that I should get some term life insurance advice because these dolls where sure to be the death of me. And guess what she is already saying she will be asking for from Santa? Oh yeah. My sister actually bought her one as a Christmas gift already but she seems determined to get one from Santa.

So - play American Dolls I did. For a long, long time.

Finally it was time to go pick up my dad and then get Kelton from camp. No bus ride for him today as we were going to James and Cara's house for a pre-wedding BBQ/Open House. And again, I didn't have my camera. *sigh*

It was a fun evening and before long it was time to head back so I could get my dad home and then the kids home, in the bath and to bed. But before bath and bed it was time for our nightly root beer float under the peach tree. I have to say, it was a nice way to end each day.

Stay tuned for Friday's arrival of Dakota!