52 Week Project - Week 30 - Fun

On our way back from Atlantic City after July 4th, we decided to keep the FUN going so we took the boys to Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags Great Adventure.  We didn't tell the kids what we were doing until we pulled in to the parking lot and when they saw the rides, they went totally crazy! (too bad they were too little to go on a lot of them).

Clearly, nobody wanted to stop for pictures because they were all too excited to go inside the park and check things out. 

Having never been there before, we weren't quite sure what the kids could do and after about 20 minutes of roaming around, sweating, and getting roped in to renting rafts we didn't need (and which we promptly returned), we finally found the kids area and the rest of the day was wonderful.

The best part of the theme park for little ones is Discovery Bay.   It is a huge water play area, filled with buckets that dump on the kids, water slides that are age appropriate, waterfalls, a pirate ship and more.
As soon as he saw the pirate ship, Dylan took off and was on the slide before Ryan even made it to the back of the ship (Dylan is in the white shirt)

Behind the pirate ship, was the activity lagoon - in the lagoon there where were water jets and sprayers to shoot people down below, a huge bucket that dumped on passing people and some larger slides. Adults are not allowed on the slides so I went with the kids on the line and Jay met them at the bottom.  The line was really long (goes all the way past the orange slide on the left) but the boys quickly realized that if they climbed the net on the opposite side, they could cut the whole line, and neither boy had a problem sneaking themselves in. (Dylan is on the left top of the net, Ryan is on the right both wearing white shirts)




The boys were terrific at sticking together and Ryan made sure that nobody cut Dylan. (although i am pretty sure that Dylan held his own because he went on a few times without Ryan and got through the line really fast)
The next 2 make me laugh so hard.  The first is Ryan yelling at a boy to stop trying to cut the line even though Ryan just cut the boy, and the next is Dylan laughing about it.  HAHAHAHA!

Both slides empty in to very shallow water, and while we were nervous to let Dylan go the first time, he declared that the slide was awesome and ran right back up the net.   I would guess that they went on the slide at least 20 times in the first hour.

Not far from Discovery Bay was the Blue Lagoon Wave Pool.   The kids were dying to go in and it was the first time this summer that they really tried to swim without swimmies, mainly because we didn't have any with us. The water would be calm for 10 minutes and then the horns would blare and for 10 minutes, there would be rolling waves that reached all the way to the shallow end.  I was so proud of both of them because even though the waves were close to knocking them over, they kept swimming

 

(i seem to be having an issue with the videos)

As the day went on, Dylan started to get sleepy and we discovered there was one big slide that Ryan was tall enough to go on, so while I walked around with Dylan, Ryan and Jay went on!


While they were on the ride, I met a supervisor and asked if it would be possible to do a parent swap so Ryan would get 2 chances to go on, once with Jay and once with me.  The manager agreed and he even escorted us almost to the front of the line so we did not have to wait too long.  Ryan was so happy that he finally got to go on one of the big kid watersides.

I thought that we would only go for a few hours but we ended up staying until the park closed and Ryan was so disappointed when we had to go.


Everyone agreed that we had a REALLY fun day and we all said that we hope to go back again next year - by then, there will definitely be way more rides for the boys to go on.

52 Week Project - Week 29 - Barbecue

Neil and Eric invited us out to their house in Sag Harbor back on July 21st for a Barbecue and we were very happy to go out, especially since Aunt MaryAnn and Uncle Kenneth were up for a visit and Marteze was heading out also.   Ryan and Dylan were so excited when we got out there and they couldn't wait to go swimming and show off their much improved from last summer swimming skills.  I am pretty sure Dylan striped his clothes off before we even made it to the backyard.

 Not sure how much time the boys really spent swimming but they sure had fun in the pool, shooting their guns, jumping on the raft and doing cannonballs.  At one point after everyone dried off and changed out of their suits, Dylan jumped on the raft, fully clothed and with no swimmies.  When we got him out and he got in trouble for going in the water with no swimmies, he declared "I didn't go in the water, I was on the raft" oy

 I really love family get-togethers although there were a bunch of people that couldn't make this one and they were definitely missed! Chef Eric made a wonderful lunch for everyone and we all sat around and talked, laughed, enjoyed the wonderful weather and just hung out.

One of the highlights of the day was playing Catch Phrase.  For as long as I can remember, my family played games when we got together - board games, guessing games, games in the car etc.  Neil mentioned that he didn't have any games so Jay and I brought one out.   I remember being a kid at Uncle Kenneth and Aunt MaryAnn's house and playing Pictionary.  They even head a full size easel and pad and I don't think anyone in the family will forget the "nuts on a half-shell" debacle between Grandma and Uncle Ken.   For this group, Catch Phrase was perfect and most people quickly got the hang of it...

We were all quickly cracking up and it was decided that Grandma and Neil are not allowed to ever be on the same team since all they do is crack up laughing.

 
We had such a wonderful time spending the day with the family and some of us didn't want the fun to end so we headed in to town to see what was going on....to be continued....

UPDATED with a picture: The Zoo.....again

I have often written about how much the kids enjoy going to the Bronx Zoo and Jay laughs because I still take pictures each time we go (the kids have probably been there 5 times a year since they were born).   It is just so much fun to watch the kids run around and do all of the things that I remember doing as a kid.   The boys love the animals, climbing the rocks and hanging out in the Children's zoo and ask to go often.   Last week, Jay took the boys to the zoo while I was at work and even took some pictures for me.

 

The boys always beg to go on the monorail and we go on almost every time - they always promise to be patient while we wait (they almost never are although Ryan has gotten much better) and they swear they are going to pay attention to the animals (they rarely do and spend most of the time moving their seats around).   When our turn finally comes though and the doors open for us, you can always feel their excitement. 

We usually try to get to the zoo on the early side before it gets too crowded and often head to the monorail first.   Right outside of the monorail are the camel rides.    The boys have been on before, always with an adult and they got to go on alone for the first time.   They were so excited!!!

I

Thankfully, they both held on tight, nobody tried to jump off mid-ride and nobody pushed the other one off.   Both boys told me that was their favorite part of the day.  (I am pretty sure Jay gave them a lengthy lecture on their behavior before they went on - glad it worked.)

During our recent move, I came across a bunch of old pictures (which I will return to Papa when he asks how I got them - I think I took them when Jay and I got married for our collage) and it is funny that my boys are doing so many of the things I did when I was younger

 

Next up was the children's zoo which always provides hours of entertainment. For three years, I have been trying to get the kids to sit in the same "nest" for a picture because I think there is one somewhere of Me, Erika and Michael.   To date, these are the best ones we have haha

 

 Climbing through the prairie dog holes is usually a big hit too.  I am not sure why but the boys always pop up in the same hole instead of each going in their own.  (I am pretty sure Ryan makes Dylan go with him haha - sounds like someone else I know)

By the end of the day, the kids are usually wiped out and sweaty messes and they never want to leave. Like last year, they have a special Lego Safari exhibit this year where the kids can build things as well as make bricks that fit in to a large mystery mural that will be created over the summer.  Due to this attraction alone, I am sure we will be back to the zoo a few more times this summer.

They crack me up

I LOVE THESE BOYS!!!

Ryan and Dylan really crack me up lately - they are so smart and funny and sometimes the things that come out of their mouths make me bend over laughing.   Yesterday, both kids had come to my room by 8 am and we decided to hang out in the bed for a while: I was reading the kindle, Ryan was playing the ipad and Dylan was on the iPhone.   For some reason, Dylan wanted to lie perpendicular to Ryan and I so he had his head on my belly and his feet on Ryan.   It didn't take long for Ryan to be annoyed by that and he started tickling Dylan's feet.   Finally, Dylan told him to stop.  

Dylan: "Ryan, stop touching my feet"

Ryan:  "Why?  Do you think that I am a vampire that will suck your blood?"

Dylan:  "No, I think you are a couch to put my legs on" 

LOL

Later that day, we took the bus crosstown to one of my favorite parks in the city and the kids had a blast. The park is right on the river so you get a nice breeze, there is a sprinkler and plenty of other things to do. The kids were having such a great time that before I knew it, 4 hours had gone by.   

I am really enjoying this summer so far - we have done a lot of fun stuff but sadly, the summer seems to be flying by.  There is still plenty of time this summer though for me to go on more adventures with these funny kids and no doubt, there will be many more funny memories made.

52 Week Project - week 22 - Children

My children are my life - this blog is a chronicle of them and their adventures and all of the great memories I have of them.   Considering this week's topic is Children, it should come as no surprise that this post will also be about my 2 favorite little boys.  Both recently ended school and each event deserves its own acknowledgment.

 DYLAN

Dylan went to school 2 days a week this year at NY Kids Club and last month, Jay and I went to Dylan's graduation from the 2/3's club program.  Before the graduation ceremony, we were invited to observe the class for a bit and I loved watching Dylan play with his friends, run around and enjoy the gym.  

After observation time, we were all invited to the classroom where the kids sat down and had snacks.   The coaches told me the Dylan always wants to sit at the head of the table, always wants to help the others get their drinks and always is the first to help clean up. (he does need to work on sitting down until everyone is finished though lol)  After a few snacks, it was time for the graduation ceremony.   Most of the kids were very shy and didnt want to go up on the stage or made their parents go up with them - Not our Dylan....

I am sure that more than any of the other parents there, attending this ceremony was very meaningful and important for Jay and I.  Three months ago, Dylan was in a very different place than he is now.  While Dylan was in the hospital, he missed school and the coaches were so nice - they called often to check on him and even hand-delivered to the hospital a huge "get well banner" that all the kids helped make.  Two weeks after getting out of the hospital, Dylan was not 100% physically but we decided it might be good for him to go back to school and see his friends.  For a while, we really limited what he could do - no trampoline, crazy jumping etc. he even had stomach pains when he bent down sometimes.  Watching him the day of the graduation, you would NEVER know what he had been through - he was by far the most active (and wild) one in the class!  I was reminded once again how lucky we are and I am so thankful that Dylan is back to 100%. 

Ryan 

June 27th was Ryan's last day of school .  This school year flew by and it seems like yesterday was the first day of Kindergarten (see here to reminisce). 

The above picture was taken on the last day of school in the same spot as the picture of his first day in the frame was taken  - what a difference!

Ryan has changed and learned so much this year - One thing that has not changed though:   he still complains about walking the 1 block to school lol (unless he sees a friend and then he is fine).  He was excited for the last day of school though because he got to bring in a game to play and couldnt wait to show it to his friends.

As soon as Ryan got to school, he saw his friend Jack outside - next year, the boys will not be in the same class but they have become very good friends and I know they will stay that way no matter what class they are in next year.  

Ryan excelled in many areas at school this year, but needs to make improvement in some other areas - luckily for me, Ryan loves playing school so that will be a great way for us to practice things over the summer so he can be extra-prepared by September.  The biggest area Ryan needs work on is his writing so if any of you are looking for a pen pal, Ryan would love to be yours!  It will be great for Ryan to practice his writing and he LOVES getting mail.

Congratulations Ryan on completing Kindergarten - on to First Grade!!!  We are very proud of you xoxoxoxo
We are not sure yet who Ryan's teacher will be but we do know that he is in the "orange class".   We already know a bunch of the kids in the class and we are really looking forward to seeing what the next year will bring.