July 29th -4-H Fair!


So the season of 4-H and county fairs has begun. We went to the Peach Festival and 4-H fair in Mullica Hill. It was a little over an hour away on a very hot day. Ernest enjoyed looking at the animals, some closer then others.
I brought our lunch which we ate while watching the horse show. After lunch we toured the Peach booth, were everything and anything you can think to do with peaches was there to be purchased. Peach cider, peach pie, pastries, peach butter (which is very good), and even ice cream. To cool us off we split a cup of homemade peach and blueberry ice cream. MMMM.
Our peachy goods safely packed in the cooler, we ventured off to the carnival like rides, were Ernest kept cool by moving.

July 28th

Our family friend Ruth (Aunt Ruthy) invited us to take a swim in her pool. We brought lunch, life jackets, swim goggles, and noodles. We jumped, I pulled them around, they swam non-stop for an hour and a half. Ruth and I pulled them out for lunch and potty break -before going back in.
Both boys did very well swimming, with or without the life jackets. With the goggles, they spent a lot of time swimming under water holding their breath till I started to get worried. They even took turns riding on my back while I swam the length of the pool. Around 1 pm we pulled them out and after changing them into dry clothing let them play on the playground before it was time to go home with a nice nap in the car.

July 22nd: Sleepover!
Ernest had been begging me for a slumber party for months, so Stephany and I finally set up a date. Let's just say Ernest was sooo excited that he couldn't wait for Saturday to arrive. We met Stephany and Stephen at the movie theater to watch "Monster House". Ernest being the loudest kid in the theater -as usual. From there we took Stephen back to our house. Grandma and Grandpa were waiting on the front steps for the troops to arrive. Ernest couldn't wait to show them that Stephen came home with us. I brought all of his stuff inside (one filled backpack) while Ernest wanted to show Stephen the flashlights Grandpa had attached to his tractor for night driving. I made them have dinner, 1/2 a Peter-Pan sandwich each, before they could unleash themselves to the fun of driving through the woods in the dark. They took turns chasing each other with the tractor. Jumping on and off while it was going its lightning quick speed of five miles per hour. I don't know if Ernest was showing off or just being a boy, but after the third crash into a tree I had to pull them off the tractor. Ernest, naturally, wasn't happy about the ordeal, mainly because they never really made it into the woods. I convinced them that it was cool down time. Especially since a very large and noisy cumulus nimbus threatened not far off. So the boys cooled off on the back deck to popsicles and sparklers.
Finally cooled off and emotions in check, we all came inside. I washed the boys off and convinced them to change into their pj's. They did so willingly as I promised them a movie. Ernest is really into "Star Wars" (the original ones) or more accurately into outerspace so I put in number 5, forgetting that we had watched it only the week before. Well there was a slight outburst about the movie from Ernest and we finely got underway with number 6. They watched an hour of it because it was getting late and they're only 4 after all. After taking turns brushing teeth they finally collapsed into bed. I turned on Ernest's star light and let them talk. Of course that talking only turned into an argument about sleeping arrangements. Apparently Ernest wanted to sleep on the air mattress and Stephen wouldn't give it up. I had to explain to Ernest that Stephen was his guest and that he needed to cater to his guest, even if it meant giving up a chance to sleep on an air mattress. Finally by 11pm both boys were sound asleep. Meaning that it was my turn to collapse into the pillow.
Despite his late bed time, Ernest stuck to his early rise time of 10 to 6. He came into my room telling me that Stephen was still asleep and wanted to wake him up. I told him to let Stephen sleep for a little bit longer and we went out to the couch, were I fell back to sleep and Ernest quietly watched "Lasie." Stephen was able to sleep in an extra 2 hours, thanks to my coaxing. But when Ernest finally pounced, both boys were ready to go full force. Somehow we managed to wrangle them to the breakfast table for eggs and toast. After breakfast I used the mattresses and sheets to build a fort in the bedroom. Which became there safe zone when they asked me to play monster and chase them around the house for an hour before switching to doing something that Stephen wanted -playing with cars.
The rain finally started to quit and so dressing the boys in raincoats we all went outside. First we went to the vegetable garden so the boys could pick some fresh green beans and tomatoes. After which, they piled into Ernest's tractor and went for their ride in the woods, minus the flashlights and the dark. Stephany came to pick up Stephen around 11 am. Shortly after lunch Ernest asked to lie down on the couch and within 10 minutes of watching SpongeBob fell asleep. After all the excitement Ernest slept an amazing 11 hours Sunday night, something he hasn't done since he was a newborn.

July 15th
WET and WILD in WILDWOOD

Our second weekend trying to go to Moreys Pier in North Wildwood. Of course the first thing the boys saw were all of the fabulous rides. We had to convince them that we were there for the waterpark first and the rides last. We dragged them into the nearest pizza parlor for bathrooms and a quick lunch before making our plunge. I know that Ernest certainly was excited. Stephany and I grabbed the first double innertubes we could and hauled them up the flight of stairs for the test flight or should I say slide. I used all of my fun noises. OHhh and awe and weeeeee. It wasn't until our raft entered the first tunnel till Ernest decided that this was a fun activity. And with squeals of delight we zoomed off the slide and across the pool to the stairs. Ernest hopped out and exclaimed the need to do it again!
We told the boys that we should see what else was available for fun activities. They played in the kiddie water park for awhile. Going down the rather slow water slides that were there. We dragged them over to the other water activities, but not before Stephany and I went down the drop slides into a 9' deep pool. (I had to do it twice because I forgot to show Stephany how to use the waterproof camera)


Both boys swam around the big activity pool, climbed the waterfall steps and slid down the waterfall slide. They would have stayed there all day if we hadn't pulled them out to see what other fun things could be found. We did the lazy river twice, though the second time we ditched the tubes and the boys swam with the current. We did the double tube slide again and I convinced Ernest to go down the biggest slide in a single tube. He was so excited he was shaking as I put him in his innertube and sent him on his way. Stephany told me that when she saw him shoot out the bottom all she could see was his little head sticking out the top of the tube. I followed and when he saw me he called for me, a huge grin stretched from ear to ear. Our last water ride was the double log flume. Its a five minuet ride with two free-falls. I wasn't prepared for the first and slid right into Ernest. It didn't faze him one bit. He just laughed and bounced on the seat waiting for the second one, which happened to be taller and faster. We each bought the picture that the company takes of people going down that last hill. I have to say it has been a while since I rode the one at Valley Fair and my idea of thrill rides certainly has changed since Ernest. Even though the picture shows a look of pure fear on the faces of the boys, Ernest didn't want to get out, he wanted to go again.
After the water park, dried off and in fresh clothing, the boys finally were able to go on the real rides. It was a lot nicer with the unlimited wrist bands. I didn't have to count tickets to limit the rides to those that Ernest could go on alone. There was a big difference from last year. Ernest was more darring, we went on two roller coasters -the small ones, the kind that whip you about but don't have the long drops- the kiddie version of the free-fall ride, and even the haunted house ride. I preped him for it. Telling him that everything inside the ride was real and nothing could actually get him. That if he go scared he could cover his eyes. The ride's cars only hold two people so Ernest and I went first, Stephany and Steven were behind us. Ernest kept telling me that he was alright. At the top of the ride the track takes you out of the dark and into the outside, briefly, a worker was there to scare the riders, but I guess he saw Ernest so he only touched me on the shoulder rather than jumping out at us. Ernest flinched but only asked me what that man was doing there. Unfortunetly, Steven didn't have as easy time of it. Stephany said that he spent the entire ride with his eyes covered and when they got to the part with the real person, he must not have seen him because he scared Stephany and she screamed, which of course only scared Stephen even more to the point where he was doubled over in his seat.
All in all, we had a very fun and exciting time...
6pm rolled around and we had to convince the boys that my car would be towed if we didn't leave. Mainly because Stephany and I only had $1.00 to our names by that point -spent on food- and couldn't aford to pay the overtime in the parking lot.
We promised the boys we would come back on a Friday night to do the rides again and watch the fireworks that they shoot off at 10pm every Friday. And as only natural after such a long and eventful day, they both fell asleep before we made it on the parkway on the ride home.

July 14th


We started the morning at the park, racing across the cool dew covered grass. I of course became the monster who had to catch the boys. After our romp on the grass and playground and since the temperatures are starting to increase along with the humidity I took the boys into town to the local bookstore for story time. We stopped at a little coffee shop on our walk to the bookstore for some cool drinks and a morning snack.
The rest of the day we hung around my house keeping cool, playing with trains and cars. The boys even crashed during
the quiet time movie in the cool basement.

Friday July 07th

So after such an exciting week, the boys and I took it easy. .We packed up lunch, shoved Ernest's wagon into the back of my car and headed to the train station
We, well I should say I, walked for several hours enjoying the sights of Atlantic City. It was quiet since the casinos were closed. We ate lunch on the boardwalk, and visited one of my friends shops before heading back.

We stopped at the WALK, an outdoor shopping mall to have a treat. The boys played with some new cars in the cool fountain before we hiked back to the train station for the ride home. Afterward we headed to Stephen's grandma's house for some swim time in her pool. But they fell asleep before we arrived.

Stephany took a surprise picture of me after looking at the days pictures on my camera. Hence no smile.

JULY 04th!!!!

Back out on the boat. This time with Stephen and his mom Stephany. Not much to write about so I'll just post the pictures.

July 04th Weekend!!! -Sunday

Whew! A day off from all of the excitement. Kind of. Ernest decided to try out his new rollerskates.

July 04th weekend!!!! -Saturday



We spent the majority of the day on the boat. Swimming in the Egg Harbor River. Ernest's spring time swimming lessons really paid off.
During snack time, we had a visit from a very friendly duck. Ernest took to feeding it chips, while it made a home on one of our floats. I tried to get Ernest to show me how well he fishes from the end of the boat, but he wanted another dip. Leaving me with a hooked worm. So I gave it a go (only my second time fishing -ever) and caught a perch.

After about five hours of fun in the sun, we finaly went home and all of us took naps. After dinner, Ernest and I took his wagon and went to the lake to watch the fireworks. (The town decided not to have them on the fourth because its in the middle of the work week). While grandma and grandpa went back to the boat for some quality time.

At the Lenape beach we found Friday night's band playing, and one of the girls from Ernest's gymnastics class. The two played while waiting for the fireworks. It was a decent show for a small town, lasting about thirty minuets. Afterward, I pulled Ernest in his wagon, loaded down with glow-in-the-dark necklaces and other trinkets, back to the car.

July 04th Weekend!!!! -Friday

What can I say? This has been an extremely busy weekend. Friday I took the boys to the Cape May Zoo in the morning.









Had a wonderful lunch in one of the Zoo's picnic gazebos before heading off to the Zoo's playground for a quick game of tag then back to the car for nap time and home. We didn't stay long before heading to Lake Lenape for some swim time.
We spent about two hours there before Stephen's mom came to pick him up. We drove back to my house so she could collect his things, showered the lake water off them both and said our good byes. You would think that our day would be over. No! We spent the evening at the Tuckahoe Inn listening to live music by the Might Parrot Band, hunting for crabs on the beach, walking along the closed route 9 bridge, and doing the limbo. Which by the way I won.