We heart Balboa Park!

During the summer we always love to go down to Balboa Park in San Diego to catch an organ concert or two. (as seen from the past few years here, here and here)  And this year was no different!

We went to silent movie night with Brian and Crystal-Lee to watch the 1924 Peter Pan and listen to the organ.

And we were right, Bennett totally got into the parts of the movie where there were pirates and indians but other than that he just wanted to play with his dad and run around!

Even still, fun was had by all!

We got sooo lucky! Who gets a great picture using the self timer on the first try?! We do!!! 

We went again for the finale last week ("A Tribute to Hollywood" sounded like a fun theme for the night) and we left kind of early and realized as we were passing the 8 on the 163 that it was 6 and the concert started at 7:30 so with a very coded conversation (we didn't want Bennett to hear the "Z" word) we decided the zoo was a great place to kill the next hour and a half. So I turned around and asked Bennett what he wanted to do before we went to the park to have dinner? He just kind of looked at me like, what? and said, "Uhhhh..." and I said, "where would you like to go right now?" And after a second of quiet he said "Zoo!" He was totally shocked and started yelling and clapping when I said that that sounded like a good idea and that we would be there in a couple minutes!

He was beside himself as he realized we were going in with no sunscreen or stroller or anything! He just got to walk into the Zoo with his dad like a big kid!

We know who the big guns are as far as animals are concerned for Bennett so we went straight to the Sky-fari and then on towards the Elephants!

He was so happy (and there was hardly anyone around) so we let him run ahead to the elephants - he was just so excited to be there!

No joke, he asked me to take this picture of him and the "Eh-Eh"

Once in the Elephant area we were reminded again why we so so so love the Zoo during the summer when it's open late for "Night Time Zoo" - there is hardly anyone there AND the animals are all out and about, not taking naps like you normally see during the day.

As we were walking I asked Bennett what the Elephants were eating ... if I had only had the slightest inkling of what was to come out of his mouth I would have video'ed it - but alas I did not. So a few minutes later we asked him again so I could hopefully get it and yep, he said it again:

What in the world?! Where does he come up with this stuff?

There was lots of running - I think he was just that excited!

The giraffes were our last stop for the evening before we headed to the concert (and our picnic dinner)

Adam captured a good baby belly shot as Bennett was walking along the curb.

25 weeks

Another good thing about Night Time Zoo - all the normal crowded things aren't crowded! So we stopped at this lion by the entrance to see if Bennett would take a picture next to it, after a couple failed attempts ... I'm in love with this picture!

Once we had dinner and were enjoying the concert laying on the grass listening to all sorts of random things (music from the God Father, the Pink Panther theme...) We tried to take a picture together. I think I was still feeling lucky from the last time when we got that awesome one with Brian and Crystal-Lee ...

ha ha! We told him to look up - we ment at the camera - he just didn't get it!

Adam and I called it quits after the second song of the second half (we were both too tired) so we missed the tribute the Sound of Music but other than that, it was such a great night!

Thank you Summer Organ Festival and Balboa Park you never disappoint!

The Last Day of Summer

School is in full swing for us here and last week, the day before Adam had to go back, we took one last summer trip to the San Diego Zoo!

We parked next to this! Seriously? What the heck?! 

Our little tour guide

He's so big and brave now! 

Bennett's first penny print was of course of an elephant!

He loves "Eh-Eh"'s soooo much!
I'm so glad I caught this totally spontaneous act of love! 

The polar bears were out playing!

He just took off running when he saw the "hop-hop"!!!! 

Happy Man! 

Waiting for the train

3 generations on the train 

Train riding is serious stuff these days!

Showing me his "Lie-lie" his Grandma bought him! 

What a perfect end to a great, great summer! 

Now bring on Christmas break and baby Elwer #2!!!!

Summer Projects!

So besides the amazing bed Adam made this summer, there were many other fabulous "around the house" projects that were done as well!

We'll start in Bennett's room ...

As I was laying Bennett down I put my knee on the edge of his bed and Snap! One of the boards broke! Dang! But that was an easy fix! Unfortunately Bennett was not happy the board was a different color from the others, but I was super happy we had the board just laying around the house so it was a totally free fix! YAY!

Adam finished up his three paintings for Bennett's room!

My friend Jen and I rearranged Bennett's room a bit and gave him a "reading corner" - it's pretty stink'n cute!

Then moving out into the living room area we had some great projects out there too!

Adam replaced the loud, old, wobbly ceiling fan with a brand new little quiet one! We love it!

Also, random thing ... when pulling the wire's down to hook up the new fan ... this came out with them!

Yeah, it's pretty much a petrified mouse ... that thing could have died like 10 years ago! I don't even want to think about what else could be up there! Yuck!

With a few extra side jobs from this summer we were able to get a new flat little TV and get rid of our big bulky TV and cabinate! YAY! With some furniture rearranging, some wood, some paint and a cute little helper ...

we went from this:

to this!

Pretty great huh?! I love it!

And then along the same lines ... we also "repurposed" the other window seat in the living room to be our video cupboard (and my friend Jen totally alphabetized and labeled all our movies too!)

So we still have painting to do (our room, the video cupboard doors, some touch up's in Bennett's room) but for the most part our house got a fabulous face lift this summer!
Gotta love handy husbands!