Summer Nights

When everything is just as it should be on a summer night, it makes you happy and makes you feel like everything is just right. A warm summer night at a summer picnic with our friends from respite care - playing on a playground, running through the splash pad, eating, laughing, playing baseball, chasing beach balls - all worked perfectly to do this. And throwing in some cotton candy and snow cones always helps.

***Disclaimer*** Not every moment of the evening was wonderful...like the major meltdown Parker had that spiraled for a good chunk of the evening. But I refuse to let that ruin what was so close to being a perfect evening out surrounded by people that feel like home. #somedaysarejusthard

Summer swing

It is officially summer, and the twins are busy in it!

Playing in the park by the "big fountain" 

 Hanging by their new water table (the other one finally broke!)

Cutting up melon (they're just butter knives, I promise)

Lived through more than a couple big thunderstorms and spent some time in the basement

 Watched the deer that hang out in the yard

 Been to the summer arts festival and got faces painted

Helped at the dog wash...

...and stopped for a donut break

got our official pictures taken for Blastball - there's only one game left!

and even had a day at the beach for a little R&R

Hope the summer is off to a good start everywhere else too! More to come - follow-up from Parker's last procedure, our last Blastball game and a special picnic.

Dream Night 2014

We got lucky and were able to attend Dream Night at the zoo Friday night (thanks Bridget for getting us the info to get signed up in time!)

The zoo for this special night gives kids who have special needs, challenges, etc. and their families a chance to experience the zoo without the normal crowds and the chance to take as long as need to and try new things. It is completely amazing. And for a kid like Parker who has some serious sensory issues, it is a pretty big deal. 

We got to picnic outside with every possible kind of treat we'd want - cotton candy, popcorn, ice cream, hot dogs and hamburgers, apples with carmel, cookies. Yum! (You can see the line behind them for dinner...glad we did that first!)

Running full steam towards the sting-ray fountain (notice how there is only one other person the entire way down the hill??)

We got to go behind the scenes at the aquarium. We went upstairs and took a tour of all the tanks from the top and got to look down in. We got to see one of the sea turtles pop his head out on top of the shark tunnel. Soooo cool!!!

 They LOVE the aquarium!

Parker put his hands in water in the touch tank and touched a star fish, an anemone, and a crab. He put his hands in the water. More than once. This was so huge! Water is a major source of issues for him, and add in the different textures of the animals...HUGE!!!

Shark tunnel all to ourselves. Seriously....who gets that??? We actually got to see and take all the time in the world we wanted. 

One of our turtles swimming in the tunnel with a shark hanging out behind him. 

They got to pick a painting that an zoo animal had done, and then add their own flair to it. Then we got to bring it home. We are now the proud owners of art created by an alligator and them. 

 Face painting!!!

Parker got his face painted. He actually let them do his cheek and not his hand or arm. He let the lady paint a turtle on his cheek. BIG HUGE SUCCESS!!!

And not to be outdone, she wanted to be a giraffe. 

Bubbles before our behind the scenes tour of the animal hospital.

Omaha Street Percussion played in the plaza. They are so fun. It turned into a little dance party and they let some of the kids even jump in and play. 

Fun times playing games for prizes. 

We got to pet this snake. Payton, wearing her newly won bling, isn't having anything to do with it. You can see Parker's hand in the touching it without any issues. 

The dessert turtle was a whole other story. 

The sky as we left was gorgeous. With all the goodies they gave us, having the best time on a perfect night, ran into some friends while we were there and got a couple of wins at the same time, it was awesome. 

Henry Doorly Zoo...you rock! Thank you so much for providing so many families with a perfect evening. If these two have been talking about it for days, I can only imagine that all the kids that were there have been doing the same thing. 

And here is a little video of the band playing. If you ever have a chance, go see them. They are so much fun.