Did Someone Say Free Ice Cream?

Three words: Free Ice Cream.

Four more words: All You Can Eat.

'nuff said.

Well, we did have to pay a small admission fee for the family to get in, but it was worth all the free ice cream, flavored milk and bounce houses a family of five could hope for. When we heard the admission fees benefited a children's charity, that was all we needed to hear. So we headed down to Crown Center to get our fill.

 

Those green armbands gave us permission to cow out on ice cream! Behind Aidan you can see Bob headed over with some...

I forgot to bring bathing suits for the fountains, but we just let the kids run around anyway. We're cool like that.

Daniel, Leann & May-May!

My brother Daniel and his cute family came to KC for their bi-annual visit from NYC. Of course, I got sick the weekend they came out, so I only got to see them at the tail end of their visit. We still had a great time and the kids got to hang with their little cousin, May. 

We went to the park.

Mia added her own brand of weirdness...

more weirdness...

I told Daniel I wouldn't post these. He thought they were dorky. I just thought they were super cute--and Daniel's fatherly goofiness does crack me up a little. 

Who other than a totally adoring father would smile like that?

The guys played soccer. I just stood around trying to catch my breath. Good times!

She's a picker, just like her dad. LOL!

Cousins are the best!

Track & Field Event

Bob took Aidan to participate in our local Hershey Track Meet in June (I was still in bed so I couldn't go). Since we both ran track in high school, we're kind of hoping Aidan is interested in carrying on the family tradition. He is a super speedy kid and loves to run and jump. This is the first time he's competed in a track meet like this, so it was definitely an exciting experience! Bob took photos, which explains why there aren't more...

I think he got 2nd in his heat in the 50 m dash. Keep your eye on the prize buddy!

This standing jump was a little strange for Aidan. He likes the long jump.

Spring Soccer

Just a few shots from Aidan's first grade spring soccer...he still loves it and is learning how to HUSTLE! Which I'm always telling him from the sidelines (I cheer him on a lot too).  Bob occasionally is needed to coach on the field, which will end next season in second grade when the Dads are replaced by real referees!

This year Aidan got to play with his good friend Simon!

Priceless

I'm a sucker for slip 'n' slide photos...I could take them all day. Not only do I love an excuse to laugh at my kids, but I love the expression of pure, unadulterated joy on their faces.  You know life is good when a $10 piece of plastic, a hose and a stretch of back yard is all you need.

Once Upon A Time...

If you've read my earlier posts, you know that this summer was a bit of a bust. Not only have we been too sick to travel, we've also been too broke. We haven't been able to travel much the last couple of years, and I LOVE to travel. Things are a lot different now than they were a few years ago. I think back, not so long ago when life was different. Very different. 

Ten years ago, we were...

...swimming here.

 

Now we're swimming here...

I was hanging with my best buds...

Now we're hanging with even more best buds...

We were exploring new places...

Now we're exploring a little closer to home...

We were biking down the Rhine...

Now we're biking at the park...

Eating crepes in Croatia...

Now we're eating s'mores in KC...

We were eating gelato in Italy...

Now we're scooping free ice cream at Crown Center...

Seeing amazing sites...

Now, a new polar bear exhibit at the zoo is awe-inspiring...

Spending some alone time getting cultured...

Now we're enjoying our own brand of Wallace "culture..." all five of us!

Although I miss our travels, I wouldn't trade our life for all the gelato in Italy! Our life now has meaning and purpose that I could not even comprehend back then. All my dreams of adventure now include our children — I hope that someday, we can share our love of the world with them. Until then, we'll make our own adventures closer to home!