William's First Day

After an extra two weeks of one on one time with Mom, William was super excited to start school this past Monday.

He was all smiles about heading off on a new adventure at a new school.  He loves that he has a locker and gets to switch classes.  Mom and Dad love that he is going to get exactly what he needs!  We can't wait to watch our man in the middle and all the progress he will make!  Great things are in store for our William and it is an honor to watch it happen!

Summer Make Up Days

William started a new school this year and he got an extra two weeks of summer vacation.  Since he missed two days of Camp Nonna we improvised and used his last couple days of summer as make ups. 

First up the arch.  It was nice with just one kid - we actually were able to check out some of the great new exhibits in the museum.

We watched a tugboat push a barge up the river - it was slow going!  William still insists that he was able to see our house :)

Nonna's back was bothering her Friday, so it was just me and William for a trip to Grant's Farm.  The weather was beautiful and there were lots of animials out when we rode the tram. 

 The goats are always a huge favorite and they did not disappoint!  I'm embarrassed to admit how many bottles I bought.  William was just having so much fun feeding those hungry little beggers!

 We did save a couple quarters to feed the camels.  They are pretty cute too!

William enjoyed his extra two weeks of break, but by the end, he couldn't wait for school to start!

Jack's First Day

Watch out first grade - here comes Jack!
He wasn't too thrilled about heading back to school.   He loves his momma like no other and really wants to just stay home with me forever.  I was glad that when the big day arrived he was at least a little bit excited.

We dropped off supplies the Friday before and he got to see his classroom and meet his teacher.  I think that put his little nerves at ease a bit.  Tuesday, August 12th was his first day!

He hopped in the van with a huge smile and said it was a great day!  Now if we can just keep that momentum going . . .

Max's First Day

The first days of school were staggered a bit this year.  Up first was our middle schooler!

He started on Monday, August 11th.  The sixth graders were the only ones there for the day and they had a slightly shortened schedule.  It was a nice way to ease into things. 

He was all smiles when he came home and he couldn't wait to go back for the real first day on Tuesday!

Camp Nonna - World Bird Sanctuary and the Pool

We were all so glad that William was feeling better and we could join in on the last day of Camp Nonna.

The kids learned all about lots of different birds that morning at the World Bird Sanctuary.

The boys tried their best to get the owls to hoot back at us.  Jack and I also practiced our stork pose just like the real life strok behind us.  

 Jack continued his stork pose at the pool that afternoon.  William showed off his diving board skills and Nonna showed him a video of himself.  He thought that was pretty great.

We are already making a list of possible Camp Nonna outings next year!

Camp Nonna - The Science Center

William was still sick so it was Nonna, Karen, Jack and Max for day four.  They headed down to the science museum - Nonna's least favorite place on earth :)

Jack loved the discovery room as usual.

Max enjoyed solving puzzles and playing video games.

Camp Nonna - The Arch

Poor William woke up with a fever and couldn't join in the fun.  I stayed home with him while Nonna, Nonno, Karen, Max, and Jack headed downtown. 

They explored the new museum a bit before heading up in the arch.

This guy wasn't fazed at all by how small the elevator is.  Everyone enjoyed the views at the top before heading back into the elevator for the ride down.  

Jack and Nonna had a great time cooling off afterwards in the fountain outside.  

Camp Nonna - The Zoo

Day two included a trip to the zoo with Nonna.  A trip to the zoo is always a good one.  We started at the stingrays. The kids had fun petting and feeding them. 

This guy actually got a little over eager and bit Max.  He had to pull his hand away and actually had a bruise on the end of this finger.  An ice pack helped - and he was even given a stingray tooth as a badge of honor. 

 After the stingrays we waited in line for the train - I have to say I have never had to wait that long before.  The kids were getting a little restless. 

 Eventually we were able to board the train and enjoy the ride.

After the train we checked out the penguins - Jack's very favorite animals.

William climbed up on Phil the gorilla but he was too hot to sit on. 

 We wrapped up our visit by exploring the reptile building.  The kids had a great time seeking out all of the snakes and other animals hiding in their habitats. 

Camp Nonna - Meramec Caverns

 One of my very favorite summer traditions is Camp Nonna.  The week before school starts she takes the week off and we make plans for fun outings.  First up this year was Meramec Caverns!  Last time I was there was for my 10th birthday - I got a pink and white striped beach towel and we had Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch :)  I remember counting signs on the drive.  It was so fun to watch my boys do the same thing as we drove to the cave. 

 It was just as great as I remembered!  The boys were great and we had so much fun learning about the cave and the different formations.

We were so glad to have Nonno and our good friend Karen join us for this outing. The end of the tour was slightly less cheesy than I remember. 

 After the tour we had a quick snack before boarding a boat for a cruise along the Meramec River.  I will admit I was slightly panicked.  The boat looked so low in that water!  It was actually really a nice little tour!

The kids loved looking for different animals - we saw so many cute little turtles!

After lunch and ice cream we headed home.  It was a perfect outing to start off our week!