we love fridays

i hadn't planned for friday to be a full day, but it just worked out that way. my plan was to go to the library for a bit and then head over to the zoo for some time outside before i started work that afternoon.

we were at the library waiting for it to open and were the first ones up in the kids area. madelyn got right on the computer games (she plays computer reading games while i work most days now) and mason and i went in search of a few books. once i had made a few selections i let mason out of the stroller to play in the kids area. he was frozen in place with excitement most of the time but was pointing and 'talking' so loudly that an older girl kept telling him to "shhh". on our way out we ran into one of madelyn's favorite friends from school and two neighbors which made it that much harder for her to leave but we had to get going if we were going to see any animals at the zoo before lunch.

the zoo was a little crowded but not too bad. it was also overcast which made it very comfortable to be outside. mason was exhausted but it only showed in his eyes. he was very happy and excited to be at the zoo. i tried to get a picture of them together but mason walked away by the time madelyn got situated (her pose, not mine. i just asked her to stand next to him.) it is funny because as much as mason just seems to wander away when we let him walk around home and our yard he does not like to stray away from the stroller when we are in public places.













after lunch we packed up and headed out. mason fell asleep before we left the zoo's parking lot. madelyn ended up not napping and came downstairs with me when we got home so that i could get to work.

after work we went to the grocery store to pick up a few things for dinner. and much to madelyn's delight we were greeted at the door with a melon sample and they didn't stop there. she had more little plastic cups than she could carry. about a month ago we had been and they were giving out little ice cream samples so she kept saying that she hoped there were going to be ice cream samples too. but, alas, it was not meant to be.

once we got home i played with the kids while we waited for daddy to get home from work. we were all having fun playing mr. potatohead.

while i was prepping for dinner madelyn went to the bathroom and mason followed. the water was running for longer than usual and i heard her say, "is it a little too hot, buddy?" so i called to madelyn to see what was going on. "i'm just getting mason all cleaned up for dinner." ummm... i think i better bring the camera. mason had gotten up on the stool next to her and she was washing his hands for him. and he was loving it! he did not want to get off the stool when she was helping him down. the stool even flipped over because he was trying to hold on to it with his toes as she pulled him away trying to get him to step down. surprisingly, they did not make a mess.

after dinner we went for a walk. this is becoming a regular family outing that we all enjoy. madelyn likes that we stop at the park if anyone is out once we have done a 'loop' around the neighborhood. she also talks almost the entire time we are walking. last night she told me that she wanted to talk to God. i said okay - she often asks me if it is okay for her to talk to people before talking to them. and this is some of what she had to say: "God, the lions scared me today at the zoo, and i cried for my daddy. i didn't know what to do. we went to the library and i saw my friends." and on and on for about 15 minutes. the "i didn't know what to do." must be a new favorite phrase because she said it many, many times yesterday and quite often in her discussion with God.

it was cool and there were a few sprinkles. i didn't think that the mosquitoes were bad but when i saw mason this morning he was covered in bites! most of them were on his face too! i think you can see three in this picture of him eating a snack this morning. he also had one on his left ear and one on his right eyelid. there were more on his arms and legs, but i had never before seen so many bites on some one's face. at least they don't seem to bother him at all.

our favorite part of fridays is that tomorrow is saturday and daddy gets to stay home with us! love.