The best things in life

We have really lucked out this summer finding awesome things for the kids to do that don't cost anything! Today was a free kids concert at the Village Green park in Powell, right next to the coolest splash pad. Maybe we'll go back when it's not so crowded and I can get some photos. There's a man-made beach about 40 minutes away that we didn't know about until this year. The art museum decided (right after we bought our membership) to open free to the public for the summer. There are incredibly cute parties and storytimes at the libraries (the government is currently deciding how much funding to pull from them-grrrr.) And- I have to mention it again- our yard! (I thought I was grateful for it LAST summer- ha!)

And, when we got to the zoo last Wednesday, they told us to wait 15 minutes and they were going to start admitting for free. Their director just passed away suddenly, and we think that might have had something to do with it. So instead of spending 20+ bucks on admission, we did some fun things we have been passing up!











Also- rocks are free. Anya's fascination with rocks became apparent again while we were there. She can find rocks anywhere she goes and wants to carry them with her, sit on them, put them in her purse, or at the zoo- pat them reverently.





They have some fun inflatables on family nights over by the aquarium- a bounce house, a huge slide, and an obstacle course.

Mia waiting excitedly to freak herself out on the slide.

Check out the face! And she kept going again and again with the same happy anticipation in line and inevitable look of horror on the slide.

I had no idea Mia was so competitive. Her expression as she waits for the obstacle course volunteer to say "Ready, Set, Go!"

In the Zone


But all the free activities really don't do justice to that saying "The best things in life are free." I think MasterCard has coined the right term. The best things in life are priceless.

Sharing the stroller


All three giggling as they humor mommy who said "Give your sister a kiss!"

New pics

It's so fun to see babies on their really truly birthday!

Obama's FLY SWAT

Next, the color of Obama's boogers. THE exclusive Kleenex close-up tonight at 9...

Nevermind the REAL story about what he did today. Smokescreen news- how annoying.

Oh, Sheet.

One of my favorite things, especially now that I'm old and decrepit, (no, you can't convince me otherwise for at least another month when the shock wears off) is snuggling into our soft soft bed. When I was about six months pregnant with the twins and cursing a damaged back, my mom took pity on me and got us a Tempurpedic. Since then, I haven't had one day of being unable to walk because of back pain- I don't think that's a coincidence. Another thing she gave us was an old set of the softest sheets I've ever felt. Every time I put them through the wash I crossed my fingers that they'd make it through okay, but ultimately it wasn't the wash that took them down.

Our feet finally wore holes through the fitted bottom sheet, and when they got so gigantic I started getting stuck, (the holes- not our feet- although we do have some pretty huge feet) I decided we had to give it up. It became mummy wrappings for our Egypt theme in preschool. I've been on the lookout for a replacement set ever since. For at least two months now, I've been in the linen section of every supermarket of Columbus, but just haven't been able to bring myself to spend $40 on a 250 threadcount set of sheets.

Providence smiled and dropped a sheet vendor about three minutes from our house. They set up their tent and signs "Egyptian Cotton 1000 thread count sheets $38.00"

Now I have to admit- I have no way of verifying that these sheets I just bought are really Egyptian cotton or even if they're even 1000 thread count. They aren't as soft as the sheet I just turned into a mummy. But they are much softer and 10 times prettier than the sets I was seeing at the store for the same price, so I'm happy.