Author: jclawver

Kevin is posting the rest of pics in a willy-nilly fashion, so the Mississippi vacation update will depend on what he uploads. He posted the swamp tour pictures today. The tour was really cool- no mosquitoes, only a bit of humidity, we went fast enough frequently enough that we stayed cool and comfortable. We saw half a dozen alligators, dozens of turtles, and some pretty birds. We also saw some crazy-ass fishing shacks, that looked like a medium gust of wind would knock them over, but most had satellite tv, lol. The tour was a bit staged, but I had no problem with that. The captain of the boat would draw the baby alligators to us by throwing them marshmallows. At one point, he actually petted one of the large alligators several times, grabbed its lower leg and lifted it out of the water. To get the large alligators out of the water he put a hotdog on a stick and teased them gently:\

Last month, the boys and I flew to Mississippi and spent 2 weeks cavorting with grandparents and cousins, and then we flew to Virginia to cavort with even more family. Since Kevin is posting the last batch of pictures first, that is how I will start my vacation wrap-up.

• We went to the National Zoo, which was a huge disappointment to me. (No penguins, woe.) The kids had a good time, though a good deal of it was due to riding in the zoo’s two-kiddie stroller. Best \$4 spent ever.
• The kids played at an indoor bouncy and slide playground. It wasn’t cheap, but it was air conditioned. This activity got a thumbs up from everyone and resulted in some really funny pictures.
• Babba, aka Kevin’s mom, put together a huge pirate-themed scavenger hunt. The clues contained pictures, so Brian could lead the group during his turn. At each clue, the kids had an activity to do: throw water balloons, cross “crocodile lake,” dig through “brains” for gold coins, have a bubble fight with other pirates, capture enemy boats, etc. It took about three hours and the kids LOVED it. Some things didn’t go as planned, like when the kids were attacked by evil pirates with water balloons, the kids immediately and without remorse attacked back! Ha. Apparently that thought never entered Babba’s mind. Digging through “brains” for gold coins ended up in a huge food fight in the backyard. The littlest pirate, age 1 year, balked at having a hand print made, so we stuck his foot in the cement mixture before he could wiggle away. 🙂

Before I settle in for my epic post about the great family time we had, I have to share the awesomest song I’ve heard in a long time. It’s NOT safe for work or children, but it isn’t dirty. Just find some time alone at home to listen and you’ll understand. After one listen you’ll be singing the chorus all around the house! And if you don’t think this is unironically one of the best songs you’ve heard all year, then… I only have bad things to think about you right now.\
The easiest place for you to listen to the song is on YouTube, but ignore the video the first time you watch, ok? Clicky for awesome!\
ETA- Kevin thinks “isn’t dirty” is inaccurate. I told him he was wrong, heh.

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I have a bunch of errands and shopping to do today, one of which is to go to the local library about a mile from my house. It doesn’t open until 2 though. 2! On a Saturday. Isn’t that lame? I want to go there first, since I don’t want groceries to melt or have to backtrack. So I am sitting at home waiting for the library to open, wasting hours, so I don’t waste 15 minutes backtracking. I also can’t get up the energy to start laundry or the dishes, since my plan was to do that after all of my errands were finished [in the morning]. This is why I can never be president. That and my period. I also can’t be a swim teacher either though.