cramming

i am beginning to realize that summer is slipping away ...

ours days of going random places
at random times
are numbered
and
i am actually not liking it.

of course there are times
when i am MORE than ready to have the boys in school
and back in a routine
like yesterday with all 3 and a friend at the dentist together
but for the most part i love days like these
and hate to see them end

SO ...
i have now decided that the next few weeks
will consist of cramming in all of the last minute fun we can!

yesterday we decided to bring our cars of fun to stillwater ;)

we went to the teddy bear park



where they all had a lot of fun playing

even alex and his many moods ...

we had lunch at grand pizza
and successfully cleared the place out!
funny what 6 boys can do ;)

then today we decided to try como zoo for the first time this summer
because of the new polar bear exhibit the place has been nuts!
so we held off as long as we can and FINALLY decided to brave it out today.
it was still SO much busier than it ever used to be -
but we got to see all of the important things ...

my favorite ...
the orangutans!!
if i had all day with no kids ready to move on -
this is where i'd sit

how can you not love an orangutan in happy baby pose!

we also spent a lot of time in the butterfly tent

i told the boys that the butterflies might land on them if they stood still
and WOW ...
thinking i need a butterfly tent in my backyard
i have never seen them so still and quiet!

ben got my favorite butterfly to land on him ...

and drew had a butterfly that would not leave his foot/flip flop ...
something about the dirt that attracted it perhaps?!

we ended our afternoon in the japanese garden
where we practiced a little zen -
barnett style

a good way to lead into a busy weekend ...
AND for sure into 2 more weeks of cramming ;)