more ways to beat the heat

My folks and I took the girls to the natural science museum last weekend, and yesterday Maggie had a playdate at Pullen Park w/ her friend Lily (who we met back in the spring at a playground in Cary).  It finally cooled off today, but it rained all day so we really didn't get to enjoy the cool weather.

the girls admiring the giant beetle at the museum

Maggie actually liked the dinosaurs this time

 

what kid doesn't like to push buttons?

Maggie on the kiddie boats with her friend Lily

Maggie and Lily (or "big Lily" as we call her when we get together, even though she's about the same size as my Lilly)

Maggie trying out the see-saw

"little Lilly" and "big Lily" on the other side of the see-saw...Lily's mom says this is her standard "cheese" face

4th of July and trying to keep cool

Here are a bunch of pictures from the last couple of weeks.  With Maggie out of preschool for the summer, and the week-long stretch of 100-105 degree heat, the girls have been going kind of stir crazy.  So I've been trying to get them out of the house in the mornings before the heat really kicks in, and we've been venturing out to both new and familiar places.

last week we went to Historic Oak View County Park, which is a 19th century historic farmstead right outside of town...they have all kinds of stuff for kids to play with and climb on, including this old Ford tractor

Lilly taking her turn on the tractor

"milking" station

we took the girls to the Apex 4th of July children's parade

waiting with Granddad for the parade to start

baby in the wagon next to us...you can see all of the decorated bikes lining up in the background

juggling Uncle Sam on stilts...Maggie didn't even comment on his costume or the fact that he was 8 feet tall, only that he was juggling

Lilly waiting for the parade to start

Granddad pulling the wagon in the parade

swimming with Daddy and Granddad after 4th of July dinner

this morning I took the girls to Pullen Park for about an hour or so...just enough time to ride the train and carousel

the Andy Griffith statue at Pullen Park had been decorated with flowers

cooling off with a juice box

just goofin' around

the girls being silly and posing for the camera

"cheese"

making funny faces

Maggie's self-portrait

Bailey, a 4 month old beagle puppy that we're puppy-sitting this weekend

Bailey found a nice comfy spot to rest

Maggie's first mani-pedi

Ever since I painted my toenails earlier this week, Maggie has been pestering me about painting her nails.  But I didn't want to use my "grown-up" nail polish on her...she is only 3 after all, and she has been known to chew on her nails.  So I found a water based, non-toxic nail polish called "Piggy Paint" that was made just for little fingers and toes.  She was so excited to have colored nails (all different colors, of course), and she has been showing off her "mani-pedi" to everyone she has seen in the past 2 days.

 

weekend fun

Our old plastic kiddie pool has lots of cracks in it, so I decided to try an inflatable one this year.  The girls enjoyed splashing around in it this weekend.

 

 

Maggie decided to "water the garden" (i.e. our yard full of weeds)

We went to our friend Eli's 3rd birthday party on Saturday.  There were a few minor melt-downs, but overall it went very smoothly and was lots of fun.

splashing at the water table...clockwise from left, Emma (Maggie's friend Lukas' little sister), Lilly, Jacob, Maggie, Eli, and Asa (Eli's neighbor)

Maggie having a snack with her BFF, Emerson

Emerson, Maggie, Eli, and Lukas (Eli's BFF)

cupcake time!

playing in the bubble bucket with Emma and Emerson

update

I realized I haven't posted in a couple of weeks, so here's a quick update...preschool is now out for the summer, but Maggie will be going back in a couple of weeks for "preschool summer camp"; Maggie, Lilly, and I went to stay with my folks for a few days while Will started work on a major kitchen renovation (I'll post pictures once the work is done); Maggie had a strange strain of cold that made her miserable, with a high fever for 4 days (we laid on the couch and watched a lot of movies those days); and Mimie and Pappy came for a visit! 

Maggie loves to tickle Lilly

blowing bubbles and looking cute

learning how to find and catch worms from big sis

attacking the camera with dirty hands

some random photos

just being silly

the 4 Musketeers, part I

a brief trip to the arboretum

like everything I put in Lilly's hair, the pigtails lasted about 5 minutes before being pulled out

right after finding a worm...Maggie loves worms, Eli not so much

the 4 Musketeers, part II