He also got a chance to feed the parakeets - and one landed right on Aidan's stick!
During the last week of school for Aidan, Daddy took Esme to the Children's Museum to see the Bob the Builder exhibit. She got to dress up as Bob's colleague, Wendy!
While they were at the zoo, Esme petted a less renegade goat, one that is almost always content to not only stay in the pen, but also to stay on the petting side of the red line. The zoo staff put in the red line so that animals who need a rest can get away from the frantic kids on the other side!
We visited Meijer Gardens and stood in front of the water wall.
When we got home from the Gardens, Aidan took his shoes off and then I think he was trying to get a running start to go play, when he hit the corner of the wall. Hard. This was the egg that resulted. OUCH.
Hmmmm...these pictures are a little out of order! This is the macaw that said "Hello there!" to the children on their zoo trip last week.
Jim always takes good pictures. This is at the Meijer Gardens.
As is this. Looks like driftwood, right? It's actually metal. Pretty cool, huh?
The title of this sculpture is "Eve leaving the Garden" or something like that. The sculpture park is full of beautiful setups like this.
They're celebrating Monet's art at the Gardens right now, so they have planted water lilies in the pond. It looks just like a painting.
Those three little spruce trees are supposed to be over 350 years old. They're from a mountainous climate.
This arch sculpture was built from red sandstone, completely without mortar, pins, etc. It's totally held up by gravity.
The kids always love it when they put water back in the Great Lakes in the Children's Garden.
Aidan's particularly fond of sinking boats in the whirlpool.
The kids always get soaked playing in the Great Lakes, but it's great fun and it was a warm day anyway.
I don't know why they have a horse saddle here, but every kid that passes by wants to sit on it.
The Children's Garden also has a Five Senses Garden, with things to see, smell, taste, hear and touch. Through the periscope you can see lots of other things all over the Gardens.
Is she saddlesore, or just tired?
Aidan and Esme LOVE the Banana Boat song that Harry Belafonte sings. (You know, Day-O?) Aidan created his very own Banana Boat lego set - banana trees, a black tarantula, and the banana boat itself, along with Harry Belafonte (he's bald, you see) in the boat.
Dad's retirement party was a good time for everyone. This is his excellent friend Mark Ellis, who emceed the event. Dad and Mark have been taking care of each other for almost 40 years.
Dad and some pals.
Aidan, what is this look for?
Megan had her hair up for Papa's party.
I think she was yawning.
The kids were loath to sit and listen to speeches, so they all got filthy playing in the dirt - well, there wasn't anything else to play with!
Dad's friend Becky knows how great a phone talker he is, so she got him his own "phone" - a tin can with a loooonnngg antenna.
We had a storm pass through to the south of us the other night. We were able to watch the thunderheads form around the sunset. Cool.
We went to the zoo again on Wednesday this week with our friends the Fortunas. It was really fun. Here's a wallaby joey poking out of his mama's pouch.
And here you can see both the joey and the mommy.
Aidan was really helpful with Megan, who LOVED seeing all the animals.
Here are all the kids posing in front of the back of the macaw: Brooklyn, Shea, Aidan, Esme, Mason and Megan.
Jim, ziplining!
Mason, ziplining!
Aidan, ziplining! Notice how Jim is waving, but the boys are hanging on as tight as they can.
This is how Esme felt when she learned that she isn't big enough to go ziplining.
We ALL loved the stingray tank, which now also has sharks and hermit crabs in it, too. Megan had a nice time splashing in the water, but I'm not sure she noticed the critters swimming in it!
Mason is trying really hard to stay dry, and Aidan is getting really wet in an effort to feed a stingray!
Aidan, Mason, Shea and Esme in front of the brand-new lion exhibit!
What a successful trip to the zoo! Thank you Mr. John Ball!
This is Aidan with his 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Schmuker. She's great!
Aidan, Esme and Dad rode the camel on their trip to the zoo last week. Even the camel smiled.
