Best Parks Ever

I know I've said it before (ok, probably like 17 times before) but Florida has the best parks system of any state I've ever been to/visited. I love going to parks down here. It doesn't matter if you go to the same park 3-4 times; you will most likely find something new to do each time you go! We went to Lakes Regional Park again today. We've been there before to ride the train, to play in the splash parks, to have a playdate with friends, and now we went with Mimi and Paw Paw and found all kinds of great birds at the lake!

It POURED down rain this morning as soon as Charis was waking up, so I was so nervous that we were going to be stuck inside yet again during Mimi and Paw Paw's visit. But it rained pretty hard for about 20 minutes, and then it was gone - blue skies and sunny! It turned out to be a gorgeous day. Of course Cayman ended up with a soggy bottom because the slides were all soaked at the park! But he didn't seem to mind. He had a ball!

We went to a playground (there's 3 at this one park) that was beside a covered pavilion right on the lake. Paw Paw and Mimi found pelicans fishing in the lake and were taking pictures. Cayman found pebbles bordering the pavilion, and just like any little boy, he had to throw all these little pebbles into the lake. He probably threw pebbles in the lake for a good 20 minutes.

The rest of the day has been spent talking with our neighbor about coming up with a solution for the chairs dragging on the ceramic tile floors (they're apparently very loud in her house down below us), trying to keep Charis from ripping the toilet paper roll apart and eating TP pieces, getting Charis to take her nap, peeling clementines for Cayman, cleaning up Charis' spit-up, and persuading Cayman to sing in his quiet voice instead of his new high-pitched soprano voice...... As you can tell, it's been a busy day.

 

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After naptime, we're all going to Target so that Mimi and Paw Paw can find some shorts and t-shirts to wear the rest of the week. We've been doing all outdoor stuff, and it's been hot! Their jeans and long-sleeved shirts just aren't working out. And when Ian's off later this week, we're all going to the Naples Zoo. So they will most definitely need something different that day! (Do you know how thrilled I am about going to the zoo? I think it's going to be so much fun, and I think/hope that Cayman will love it. We're packing a picnic lunch and everything!)