Summer, Family, Zoo....oh My!

The summer sun is hot.  The days are long.  The hours within them are ours.  We spend these days together, finding joy and adventure in the simple things:  long walks, play in the backyard, fires, snacks, naps, movies, swimming, taekwando, zoo, and catching fireflies.

Last weekend we enjoyed hosting Kim's sisters, their families, and mom and Ann at our house to celebrate birthdays and just being family.  The next day my father spent the night and enjoyed some time around the grandchildren and bring some artwork from his Alaska home back to his place in the city.  

Today we spent the majority of our waking hours at the zoo with our good friends, the Grill Family.  While I don't enjoy seeing apes and dolphins in captivity, it is still amazing to watch animals operate and move inside their confines.  It was also a wonderful day that was not too and a great opportunity for kids to run around and get some ya-ya's out (as I like to say).  

The day is winding down as we enjoy some pizza and old reruns of Jeopardy.  Showers and an early bed await us and tomorrow brings Grandpa Ted and Lisa to Chicago!  What adventures and memories await?  

-a

Selfie at the zoo!

Sam holding an old photograph of me around the age of three!  

Walking around Plainfield.

Violet's basement dojo!  

The family gathering at our house!  (FYI-It is hard to get kids to all look at the camera at the same time.)

Looking up in our back yard as the sun sets.  Nature is amazing.

Audrey made strawberry shortcake.  I ate a lot of it.

Zayde and Sam playing Mickey water soccer game just before the Women's World Cup on Sunday!

Quick snack outside of Australia House.  

Kids watching the giraffes.  

Audrey watching bison.  They are big.

Violet is an eagle.  The other ones are just hot.

An amazing peacock on our trail walk around the zoo.  

Just amazing.  

Polar bear peeking.  

Sam loved watching the fish.  

Zoo group shot.

Lego jeep.

Violet and Lego penguin.  

Audrey and Lego leopard.

Violet and Lego baby pandas.

Audrey and Lego baby pandas.  

Violet and Lego baby penguin.

Violet and giant Lego panda.

Violet, Sam, and Lego parrots.  

Audrey and Lego hyena.  

Violet and Lego polar bear.

Violet and Lego shark.  

Audrey and Lego Giraffe.  

Kids and Lego bears.

Kids and Lego tiger.

Kids and insane giant elephant.  

Sam petting a tortoise.  

Audrey and the red panda.

The red panda.

Violet and the red panda.  

Sam and llamas.  

Kids and a goat.

Sam bonded with this goat.

The parakeet house.  So many birds.

Violet and Master Chuck.  

Action tough guys picture.