Will and I went to Circleville Park in State College this morning.  I took his scooter because I thought he would enjoy riding it on the paved trails there.  Instead he spotted the basketball court and found the lines to be perfect "scooter trails." 

He liked for me to call out which direction he should turn at each intersection.

And of course he had fun in the sand.

Afterward we went to Spring Creek Park to eat lunch.  I wasn't sure what that park had to offer, so we ended up being ill prepared for the creek.  Next time water shoes and swim trunks are a must!


Brrrrrr!!  The creek water was quite chilly!

Will waded out to the "waterfall" near the rocks and came
rushing back so, as he put it, "the waterfall won't wash me away!"



Growling

We had spaghetti and meatballs tonight for dinner and Will got offended because he found a vegetable in his.  When I told him my usual response "if you don't like it you don't have to eat it but this is all we are having," he put on his mad face and started making this noise that sounded like he was clearing his throat.  I looked over and asked him if he was ok and he said "Yes, I'm growling at you Mommy!"  It was all I could do to contain my laughter!!  I tried to catch it on video but I don't think the audio picked up the sound very well - for the most part the face says it all though. 

 

To the Park with Caleb

It was such a nice day outside today (especially compared to the humid 100+ degree days we have been having)!  We packed a picnic lunch and went with some friends, Monica and Caleb, to Trough Creek State Park.  We made the short hike to Balanced Rock where we had a picnic lunch and then we stopped to play in the creek.  The kids threw rocks for a LONG time and then we walked on the rocks a little way down the creek since the water level was low.  Will had fun balancing on the stones and even more fun slipping off into the water to get his feet wet!

Our First "Son"

Every now and then Napoleon has to make sure he isn't
outdone by Will in the cuteness factor!

I've just got to love him - no matter how many times he climbs up on the table to steal left-overs!  He had never done that until I put him on a diet a few months ago.  Now he can't help himself to stay off the table if I have left food behind (even if I'm standing right there with my back turned!!!)  So far he has stolen at least 4 BIG meals of leftovers for himself.  Most recently he ate well over a cup of Will's leftover spaghetti right after he had just eaten his own dinner!!  I though his sides were really bulged out when I picked him up and then I spotted the empty bowl!!  He sure is doing a good job of making me feel bad for putting him on a diet even though I know it's for his own good!  : (

My Daisy

While we were on a walk yesterday evening Will stopped and picked a daisy for me.  He was so proud of himself so I made sure I kept it and put it in some water when we got home.  I'm glad I did because he has reminded me countless times of the flower he gave me.  While I was fixing lunch he sat the flower on the table and said it was a "table decoration for you and me to enjoy while we eat lunch."  He brought it to me after our bike ride this evening and said I could hold it while we sat outside. 

Today was the first day in such a long time that the temperature outside was comfortable.  We got ready for a bike ride this morning but then it started thundering.  We were so disappointed but instead we came in and played Chutes and Ladders then Will helped me make the meatballs for dinner.  He actually did a really good job rolling them out since I was making small size ones.  After lunch the rain had stopped so we went for a bike ride around the neighborhood.  Will had a great time riding through the mud puddles.  He had so much fun that the back of his shirt and shorts were soaked from the splashing and he had to change clothes before nap!

Jenny and Craig Came to Visit

Jenny and Craig came up to visit this weekend.  Brittney didn't get to come since she was in Rhode Island.  : (  We met them at the Meadows Friday night for ice cream and then went to Indian Caverns on Saturday.  It was still too hot to do anything outside so we decided we would take advantage of the natural air conditioning.  The caverns were really nice - we saw a baby brown bat, which was very small and cute.  I was much less excited about the cave crickets (camel crickets) in there.

 

It was still pretty humid on Sunday so we went to the basement to let Will expend some energy since we didn't spend much time outside.  Friday night we had blown up the air mattress to let Will jump so this time Jerry held the mattress up on the sofa and let Will use it as a climbing wall.  

It's HOT Outside!

Will and I rode to Belleville this morning to buy corn for the picnic at the plant today.  We also got some VERY delicious blueberries while we were there.  It has been too hot to do much outside so I set Will's wading pool up on the deck out back (I'm pretty sure that's tacky but whatever!).  We get more shade there so that was nice, but it didn't end up being any quieter back there!  : )

I had to laugh at Napoleon.  He decided that the floating dragon car slide that Kristen got Will for his birthday is his new nemesis.  It was hilarious watching him chase that thing as it floated around the pool.  He is too short to see over the edge so every few steps he'd have to stop and try to stand up and see over before he could resume barking.  He eventually gave up when he figured out that he got soaked every time he put too much weight on the edge of the pool!

 

Jerry left for Wisconsin today so Will and I are trying to find
some fun things to do while he's gone. 



Playing at the River

After dinner at the Main Street Cafe in Alexandria we stopped by Riverside park to let Will ride his scooter along the paved paths.  We walked down to the river to let him throw some rocks but it turned into wading instead.

Natalee's Birthday Party

We were invited to a party for Natalee's 4th birthday today.  It was very hot but all the kids had fun in the bounce house anyway!  Will was soaked in sweat by the time we left.

A Giant Popsicle

Will chose a giant popsicle when the ice cream truck came by today.

Lunch with Daddy

Will and I went to Alexandria to have lunch with Jerry in the park.  Afterward Will and I stayed and played for a while since it was so pleasant outside.

I got my workout pushing Will on the seesaw!

Fishing for Cars

Sometimes I worry that Will isn't very interested in anything except cars.  I realized today that my worries are unfounded.  I was under the impression that the HUGE tote in my living room was filled with nothing but cars but apparently those "cars" are fish today (and Friday they were butterflies)!

Will invented this fishing game while I was planning dinner for the week.  We wanted me to play with me but wouldn't give me one of the bungee cords to fish with.  He said that one was his fishing line and the other was the bait - a long piece of corn!

Sunday Bike Ride

It was so hot today!!  After church we stayed inside and watched a movie to stay out of the heat.  After the movie it seemed to be cooling down a bit in the shade so we decided to take a bike ride on the Lower Trail.  It was still very hot but it was bearable in the shade by the river.  We had a nice leisurely four mile ride.  Will rode his bike the whole way and had a really fun time. 

"Chase me Mommy!"

We picked some raspberries for Will that we found along the trail.

Will's Voice

I recorded and uploaded this simply to capture Will's voice.  I know I will miss that sweet little voice years from now.  Some days he talks non-stop and my ears are desperately in need of a reprieve, but when I've been away, even for a short time, his voice is music to my ears when I hear him!

A New Recipe

William will not eat any foods with strange or mixed textures, will seldom try any new food, and wouldn't even eat a smores because the chocolate, marshmallow and graham crackers were put together BUT... today for a snack he was putting raspberries on cheese nips!!! 

GROSSSS!!!!!

A Few of My Favorite Things

Will's favorite thing has always been easy to point out:  CARS!  From the time he has been old enough to make a conscious choice about what he played with he has preferred cars.  Within the genre of cars, he has preferred different types at times.  He went from monster trucks, briefly to motorcycles, then tow trucks, then race cars.  Race cars are still very popular, but tractor trailers are gaining favoritism.

Well behind cars there are other things that capture his attention:

• Thomas the Train (These are his favorite DVDs right now.  He has watched them so many times in the car that I have memorized them!)
• His bike and scooter (seldom does he want to do anything else when we're outside)
• Catching birds, butterflies, and frogs (in that order)
• Peanut butter and jelly (it's about the only food I can think of that he will usually always eat, though now he won't eat them together on the same sandwich!  I have to fix him one piece of bread with jelly and one with peanut butter then fodl each in half.)
• Jerry's Wii has been popular since Christmas.  First he loved baseball and tennis, then Mario Kart was his favorite for a long time after we got that game.  Recently his favorite has been a boring little tank game that he can't even really play well (but he likes watching Daddy).  Of course you can see the car theme again in his game preferences!
• Music is still popular too, and he loves singing (but not dancing)
• Reading books (especially ones about cars!)

Things that are NOT his favorite include Wal-Mart (he takes that after his mother!), vegetables, shots at the doctor's office, and going to preschool and Sunday school (because I can't stay there with him).  What a blessing that his list of favorites is longer than his list of dislikes!  : )

I included this video because it is so typical of how Will likes to spend his time inside.  It's been rainy all day so we haven't gotten to go out.  It made for a long afternoon of playing "worm."  I should add that to his list of favorites - my finger as a talking worm can entertain him for quite some time.  Normally he grabs my finger as the "worm" is trying to escape from him.  Today he had a birthday party for the worm.  Butterflies were in attendance (which to the casual observer would have looked like a line of cars!)  He baked various types of puddings and cakes and only burned a few of them.  That game filled a large portion of our afternoon!

Enjoying Summer

Will and I had a lazy day Tuesday.  It was too warm to enjoy playing outside so we went to the pool for a few hours after lunch.  He really enjoyed swimming in his little tube.  I signed him up for swimming lessons during August so hopefully he will have fun with that. 

Today we met Jerry for lunch at the park.  It was still hot outside but it was tolerable in the shade.  Will found a butterfly net while we were there so after we ate he had fun trying to catch fish and crawdads in the little stream.  He was better at catching the butterflies along the bank.

After dinner we turned on Will's sprinkler and several kids came over to play.  They were having a great time spitting water at each other.  What typical boys!

July 4th

We left Friday afternoon to go to Covington for the weekend.  The trip was a little long because of traffic, but Will did good.  He and the dogs both recognize the exit for grandma's house because as we approached, Will started bouncing in his seat squealing "Yay! Yay! We're almost there!  This is my favorite part!"  and the dogs got wiggly and started whining.  : )

Saturday we did some visiting - Will was excited to see Jenny and Craig and had fun bouncing in the trampoline with Brittney.

There's nothing better on a hot day -
a wading pool and watermelon!

On Sunday Kristen took Will hiking at Roaring Run to gather some sticks for a fire to make smores.  That afternoon we had a picnic for July 4th, but we forgot to roast marshmallows!  We were having too much fun visiting with family!

I didn't realize how much watermelon Will ate this weekend until I
looked back through these photos!

On Monday mom helped me pick raspberries from our patch.  I was soooo excited that they were ripe while we were in.  Aside from my family and my house, my raspberries are one of the things I miss most from Covington!  Despite the weeds and bugs we were able to pick a huge bowl full - enough for eating and making some jelly!  : )  After we picked berries we went to visit Grandma Margie before we left.  Jerry was anxious to play with his potato gun at grandma's house.  I think he left Uncle Greg with a new project idea - and even grandma took a turn shooting it (while wearing Uncle Greg's hat)! 

After we returned home Sunday we made smores in the back yard.  Mom sent us home with all the supplies since we had forgotten to make them Sunday.  Will didn't want to try one since everything was "touching."  Despite my best efforts at instilling normal eating behaviors he is becoming quite the "food separatist."  It boggles my mind - what kid doesn't like smores!!!