the wedding

The bride and groom, so sweet.

Preparations ahead:

Leaving! The rain stopped in time, thank goodness--and the rain made it likely that there would be actual water in Minnehaha Falls.

The whole evening was perfection.

Congratulations!

Love, Mom and Dad and Everybody

tim is twenty

Tonight we had a good old-fashioned pre-pandemic birthday party.

It was a little hot in the house, but not too much.

Cake time!

Here are a few pictures from the past, just because they are fun. 

My pretty baby, warmly dressed because the living room floor is drafty in the winter, and because that's a thing I do, bundle babies.

Happy Birthday, Tim!

We love you like crazy.

Love, Mom and Dad and Everybody

wilderness walk once again

Here we are at the entrance, arrived early.

First we went to Tremblay's, the candy store in Hayward.  Got there at 9 am. They each took a basket and had it filled in one minute and seven seconds.   I suggested they look around, make careful choices.  One kid showed me his basket was full of nothing but Jawbreakers.

Jawbreakers.

I don't allow those. They're a choking hazard and a dental risk. How much do you want to pay your dentist for crap like this?

I texted John. He said it was fine.

The kid did not choke, that I know of.   Parents were warned he has dozens in his possession.

Then we drove around a little while and made it to here.   Maria said it sounded horrible. Many bugs.

True.

There were no bugs.  It was cloudy and 75 degrees, the perfect conditions for this adventure.

He's crawled in there to pet a fawn.

So this little creature, cute and all, turned around and put her BUTT up against the screen.  I was appalled. The kids thought it was hilarious.

Let's not.  I've seen enough.  Way too much, in fact.

This tree is something.

The camel was so sweet, huge brown eyes and curly eyelashes.  Along the way are food dispensers, and so my purse is much lighter tonight, all the quarters spent on treats for the animals.  I save the quarters to put in the gas station vacuum for the car.  But that takes like $2 per year.   This was a great way to lighten the quarter load.

Not sure this is a good picture, but the peacock showed off his fan and the kids were impressed.

That's just a porcupine, taking a nap.

Some of the reviews of this place were, "It's horrible! Animals in cages! Terrible!"

Well, I don't disagree.

They all looked healthy and well fed, biggest problem, guessing is boredom.

Not sure where I stand on all this.  

Hedgehogs:

This is a picture from the Mystery House, kind of like a haunted house. They went through this house at least five times.

We ate lunch at their food hall, got the job done. Jay got them each $1 worth of quarters to spend in the arcade while we waited for the food.

As we were leaving? The goats. 

They are so tricky and hilarious.

So the 50 cents of corn is placed in the coffee can and the pulley brings it to the goat on the platform. The goats are well aware and happy to participate.

But then there was this goat, and the can kept going back and forth and the kids were laughing hysterically.   I was worried they were teasing a poor goat on a high platform.

First thing on the door is No Harassing the Animals.

I ran over there.

No. It wasn't them. It was another goat standing by the fence, tugging the can back down.

Goats!

And now we're all back home, and tomorrow is Tim's birthday.

Onward. 

The cake is baked, awaiting frosting. The potato salad Jay made has been thoroughly taste-tested, and is in the downstairs fridge.

Ahhh.

August, you fine devil.

Good night.  Love, Val