Summer vacation: Week 5

Monday
We were supposed to meet our friends Angie, Mylen & Mykai at the Y to swim, but it was pouring rain.  They came over to play for a while instead!

Our afternoon swimming date was also cancelled because of the rain so we made some new plans to go play with Kyla, Laila, and Gavin at their house.  It was nice to get the kids together again since they are going to be moving to California in just a couple of weeks :(

Tuesday
This was one busy day!  We started off going to visit Anna so we could look through some things she needed to get rid of before they move (why is everyone moving away?!?!  We have FOUR friends leaving all the same week.).  The kids loved looking through the miscellaneous kids' items and each chose several things for themselves.  Anna also baked a delicious chocolate chip banana bread for us to eat with some yummy fresh fruit - the watermelon may have been the best one I've had this summer!

Anna then came with us over to HEB story time.

Then the kids and I moved on to story time at the Bellaire Library.

And then, what did we do?  Went to our THIRD story time of the day!  We drove out to IKEA for lunch and their story time.  Children's meals are free on Tuesdays at our IKEA from 11-close this summer - nice!  The story time wasn't fantastic, sadly.  Great potential, not great execution.  Oh well, the kids had fun and then we had some ice cream on the way out, so there were no complaints!!

Our last stop was at a store to get 2 more stools for our kitchen table.  This was my second attempt. And it was just as frustrating as the first.  I still do not have the stools.  Ugh!

Wednesday
After a fun trip to Trader Joe's (Leighton had been keen to come with us since we usually go when he's in school!), we went to one of Riley's play dates in the morning.  The kids both played so nicely and had fun.  I was thinking of our friends Therese and Cian the whole time and was missing them a lot because the kids were playing with two toys that Cian had and we played with for countless hours in the Bronx when we lived there.  We really, really miss them (Therese, Luis, Cian, Jess & Joe - not the toys!).

In the afternoon, the kids were tired, and I was a bit hesitant to drive to the zoo to search for parking to meet up with our play group at the splash pad.  I gave Leighton the choice, and he chose to stay home to swim here.  Nice!  And I later heard the zoo was a zoo, so I was glad we didn't go.  Hot + busy = no fun!

Thursday
In the morning we went to swim and have lunch with Douniazed and the kids.  I didn't even take my camera!

In the afternoon, we tried out a new story time at the Fish Gallery.  We had been for Laila's birthday party and Leighton had asked to go back, so I was happy to find out they were holding story times this summer.  It was busy, but great.  The kids got to do a craft, touch some of the sea life, and were given a snack (including Goldfish, of course!!).

We looked around at lots of other fish in the tanks and found ANOTHER fish eating a fish!  Riley was very distraught and kept saying she no wanted the fish to eat the fish, but then they decided maybe the fish were just kissing!  Leighton went and asked one of the guys working there if it was common, and he explained that sometimes there are too many fish all together so they can die and when one does, it's natural for the others to try to eat it.  Lovely.  Leighton showed him where it was and he took it out.

We also saw a sad fish that had brain damage.  His tank had broken and he was left without water for about 25 minutes.  Poor Dirt.

Happier fish viewing experiences were had with a tank full of the friendliest fish you've ever seen!

And then the kids saw fish that looked exactly like Nemo!  We can't wait to go back to this story time.

Friday
We started the day off at Memorial City Mall with Lindsey and the kids.  We played in the play area, rode the train, ate lunch, and then rode the carousel.

You'd think that would have been enough to tire out Riley so she'd sleep in the car, but nope.  No nap for her!  It's the newest thing, and sadly, I think it's our new reality!  But she did brush her hair on the way home.  Isn't it lovely?!?!

Kyla and the kids came to swim in the afternoon.

Another busy week done and dusted ...