The Beach (yup, still summer)

We only made it to the beach once this year.  Between my bum leg that ate up the entire summer and the pool right in our backyard, it was just easier to open the back door and let Helaina jump in the pool.  She still enjoys the beach thoug.  There's no sand to play in our backyard, except for her sandbox.

Love, love, love this pic of our cutie.

Helaina's happiest when she's submerged up to her neck.

Helaina can swim now without swimmies.  It didn't take her long this summer to shed them.  It also helped that we had her take swimming lessons just before we opened the pool and that she's now tall enough to "tip toe" around the pool with her feet touching the bottom and still have her head above water.

Splish splash.

 



Still summer in photo land

Need to finish the summer fun pics so I can post the Fall festivity pics before we get into winter pics.

We only went Seabreeze this year because of my early summer knee surgery and non-healing fiasco.  Helaina definately missed not going to Darien Lake and Enchanted Forest.  The girl is roller coaster and water park crazy.

We lucked out and had a gorgeous day.  Trying to push Daddy down into the water.

Thought this picture was funny of our gal - cool dudette riding backwards in the red airplane with her arms crossed.  No need to pilot this aircraft.

No matter how old Helaina is she always enjoys these little cars and usually rides them 4 or 5 times.

Celebrated Josh's birthday in August.  Doesn't matter whose birthday it is, Helaina has to help blow out candles.

Matching monster squirt guns - what better gift for brother and sister.

Jim took Helaina to the Asian Elephant Extravaganza at the zoo (while I stayed home and popped narcotics while icing my knee).  There were lots of activities at this event.  She never passes up an opportunity to dress up.

Siri was patient and cooperated while being painted beautifully for the event.

Drums are always good to bang on.

How about a game of pin the tail on the elephant?

Hemp tatoo.  Jim said it took forever to paint on because of the design.  It was layered bumpy paint and when it dried, it crumbled off and the tatoo was inked onto her hand.  She had it for days before it finally started to fade.

A trip with Daddy to Oneida Lake during one of the bass pro fishing events.

I think Helaina wanted Jim to build one of these swings in our backyard.

The weigh-in - how totally exciting.

These don't look that big to me, but then again what do I know.  Whenever we go fishing on Oneida Lake all we catch is a sunburn.

A new combination farm and zoo opened this summer a short drive down the thruway.  The Wild - how appropriate for our wild child.

We bought a large cup of feed so Helaina could get her hand slobbered by every animal available.  We got there shortly after the place opened so the animals were all very hungry.

This was my absolute favorite animal there.  The camel was so big and totally friendly.  He came right up the railing and let us pet him for as long as we wanted.  I remember his huge eyes and long eyelashes.  Helaina also fed him some of the kibble we bought.

The alligator demonstration was pretty good.  I couldn't believe the kid was in the pit with flip flops on his feet.  He fed them pieces of meet and jumped on their backs.  Pretty impressive.  Lots of oohs and ahhs from the crowd.

At the end he picked up one of the alligators and paraded it around the enclosure for us all to see up close.

Buddy little Nic turned 4 this summer and had a party at Helaina's favorite bounce houses.

Disco music and a bubble machine - what more could you ask for?