Junkedness

Apologies for the formatting again. This thing is determined to strip away any sort of formatting that I attempt to add.
We've smidged to the zoo a few times this summer. Wesley's favorite part is the train ride but he still likes other things, like whatever this picture is supposed to be:

His second favorite part is feeding the goats. It's hilarious that animals eat food out of your fingers, apparently, since he was laughing the whole time for twenty minutes.

For Independence Day, we decided to celebrate our freedom from aliens who use happen to use Macs susceptible to viruses by having a picnic at the park. Amanda recently moved from Chase to Wells Fargo since they don't charge her money just so they can use her money. Part of her joining the party present was a portable grill, so we had to aproveitar, if you know why I mean.

Wesley liked his first fireworks, at least at first. Once it burnt out he touched the tip and burned his finger. Then he didn't like it so much. That must be why our family never went anywhere near fireworks until I was 23 or so, except for that one time with those Arizona cousins in Utah. Too scary.

Wesley needed to cool off, and his sisters had to try swimming for the first time. Wesley's favorite part was the water jets, or "waterfalls" as he calls them. The twins' favorite part was taking a nap. The other guy, no one cares about, so he's been blocked out.

Holding balls is fun to do when you're stuck laying around in chairs at the mercy of big people all the time. Whoever identifies the babies correctly first wins a free kiss from Amanda.

Sometime before July 17 and after January 1, we went to Little Amerricka. That's not Little America where you get 50 cent ice cream cones, by the way. Wesley enjoyed the rides much more than last year in California. Here he is on a helicopter that went up and down. The guy was explaining to him how to use it, but he didn't pay any attention. I couldn't get any good pictures while he was in the air because Amanda kept blocking him from view.

This was his favorite go-in-circles ride because it was fast and there was a bell to tug. He also got to ride it before all the other kids arrived, which is good because around other kids he tends to be either a wimp or a bully.

He wasn't so sure about this Mini Ferris Wheel even though the lady in blue told him he was enjoying it.

More going in circles, with water this time.

This was easily Wesley's favorite part of the amusement park. This train ran every half hour and went all through the park and surrounding area where we passed farms, zebras, ostriches and other random animals you probably never knew where found in the wild in Wisconsin. He liked riding it, but the best part was crossing the roads and the "ding-ding signs." He was very good at pointing them out as we approached. We forgot to take the camera on the train, so all you get is this picture afterwards.

Poor kid. People humiliate her and there's nothing she can do about it.

Riding a real train wasn't enough, so these two decided to make their own makeshift train car. If you still can't tell them apart, Kate's the one who likes to part her hair to the side.

Wesley was kind enough to give them a ride:


Then he had to join in the fun:


Can't have enough trains around here. That's all he plays with all day long. After obsessing over ding-ding signs for weeks, we got him one. It makes ding-ding sounds and lights. It also cost more than all his tracks combined. Oh, that Thomas industry. What might be more exciting about this picture is the kid playing next to him. This is Katelyn's first documented time sitting on her own. Her toy wasn't quite as exciting.

Wesley likes to play with Kate as long as she doesn't touch his trains. His favorites are Thomas, Percy and Koko, even though Koko is supposed to be their bitter rival.

Heh heh, Wesley's asleep. It's our turn! At 7:30 sharp he stands up from his toys and announces, "Night time." Then he gets a bed-night snack, pajamas, his blankie and sippy cup, and climbs on his bed and says "Later." Too bad his sisters don't follow that example, but they're getting better. This is the first picture of Kairi sitting.

Amanda's been working on some projects in her spare time. First she made these train stations for Wesley. One of them has a helicopter pad for Harold the Helicopter.

Her next was scavenging these tables from the curbside store. She would make Mom proud. Or, it might've been a rummage sale. Anyway, the one on the left is before her handiwork and the right is after, maybe.

Here's a successful harvest from her first garden: more peas and green beans than anyone knows what to do with. There are still more growing, and the carrots haven't stooped on the window yet or wound the ball.

Wesley's been learning some Nursery songs. Here's his favorite, though he was a little distracted.



Bye now.