It's Raining, It's Pouring

Sunday morning plans got all re-arranged. Originally we had planned on going to White Water with Martin & Luke, but the weather forecast showed rain. So we scratched those plans not wanting to get kicked out with little play time. Then we talked about feeding ducks and geese at Neese Park before taking the kids to JJ Biello Park to play. But then it started to rain, so we decided to go to Barnes & Noble instead.



We are all dressed and umbrellas in hand as we walk out to the car. As the car doors unlock, the kids take off running for the cul-de-sac. Umbrellas held high over their heads. Then Preston comes out and joins them in running in circles and we know our plans for the book store have changed.

It didn't take long before the umbrellas were ditched to run unencumbered and become completely drenched.





Chloe was using an old plastic, Easter egg to collect water and then pour into her bucket.

She was very patient, this one. Slowly and methodically collecting tablespoons of water in each egg half to pour into the bucket. Slowly. Patiently. Completely focused.

She also thought it was good to drink, after collecting from the street gutters and the downspouts on our house.

Owen had spiked up his hair, but the continuous rain just pelted all of it back down flat on his head.

So much fun to be a kid and run in the rain.

They got a good 45 minutes running and playing in the rain before we heard thunder. Then it was time to go inside & have lunch.

Sunday Morning Walk on the Nature Trail

Owen woke up at 7am on Sunday and crawled into bed with us. He wanted me to go downstairs with him, so I asked if he wanted to take a walk on the nature trail. Owen thought for a moment and then agreed. He jumped out of our bed to go get dressed and was ready much faster than I was ready to go. We wrote a note for Daddy and Chloe about where we were going before we took off down the street.

He helped me find mushrooms to photograph (who knew there were soooo many different kinds of mushrooms? and from one yard to the next?). As soon as we got to the bottom of the steps, he stopped to look at this little pool of water that had collected in a tire rut. Owen asked me to take a picture of the water and him, so I did....


Then came the balancing act on the logs as he crossed over another muddy spot. He wrapped his sweatshirt around his waist before leaving home, just in case he got cold. Good lookin out, O-Dawg! And he brought along a plastic bag to help carry back all the treasures he expected to find on the trail.


So many pretty wildflowers grow along the path!

O thought this tall tree dangling back over the trail (top/center) was really cool and wanted me to get his picture under it.

He found some good, solid sticks to bring back, as well as a couple of rocks and a baby pine cone that are all inside the bag.

At the top of the stairs, I was ahead of him and almost to the street when he called me back yelling, "MOMMY! YOU JUST WALKED THROUGH A MUSHROOM FARM!!!" I walked back and there were dozens of these fragile, little grey mushrooms not more than three inches tall.

They reminded me of miniature umbrellas, or maybe jellyfish.




After we moved on from the mushrooms, we found a roly poly. It took awhile for the little guy to unroll and then he crawled all over Owen's hand and arm. Owen brought the roly poly home to show Chloe and had the expectation they would be life-long pals, just O and his roly poly.

There were tears in the afternoon when he found the roly poly rolled up in a ball and no longer alive. Poor boy was so sad.

Lunch in Warm Springs and a Visit to FDR's pool

We ate lunch at the Paradise Grill in downtown Warm Springs before we walked around and into some of the little shops. I remember I thought the shops were nice as a child, but now they seem to be filled with junk. Perhaps we were just on the wrong side of the street.


This stained glass window was hanging outside the Paradise Grill and Owen asked me to take a picture of it. He thought it was pretty cool.

A view of the side of the street with shops where we did not walk (kids were tired and we still had to stop at FDR's pool).

The side of the street we stuck to. Love the old buildings.

A cool little walkway between buildings. An adult could easily climb up between these two buildings with feet and hands on each building. It was very narrow. The kids liked running back and forth on the stepping stones while Todd was getting the car cooled down.

Here is the middle of the three pools. This was the only one that had a chair and table in the middle where people could sit or lay down in the warm spring water to relax. Chloe is walking down the rampway that was used for people in wheel chairs to get into the water.

This is where the water comes up from the warm springs. Over Labor Day weekend, they will stop the drains from draining to fill the pools with the warm spring water. They are opening up the pools to the public to swim in over the weekend, which I think is pretty cool.

The water comes up out of the ground at just over 80 degrees warm.


Here is the old ringer used to ring the water out of swim suits and towels. Owen had a blast cranking it to make it spin.

Road Trip to Warm Springs, GA

Saturday morning I woke up with an itch to get out of the house and drive. I patiently waited for the rest of the house to wake up before I asked if they'd like to drive down to Warm Springs to see FDR's Little White House. Todd thought it sounded like a lot of fun.

So did Chloe.


Owen, not so much. I got more of a Will Smith, Men in Black vibe. He said our two hour trip was taking FOOOOOREEEEEVEEEEEERRRR. Owen couldn't seem to remember our drive to Minnesota taking as long as our trip to Warm Springs.


Kids see rocks and they just gotta stand on top!


Here is the Little White House. The kitchen is on the front right and Eleanor's bedroom was on the front left with two little twin beds (one for when their daughter came to visit. FDR's bedroom was on the back left and separated from Eleanor's by a small bathroom. Owen wondered why there was just a bathtub and no shower. A small sitting area was just inside the front door, then walking through the dining room was on the left (which could be walked through to get to FDR's bedroom. And a small guest room to the right of the living room.


This is the ice box/refrigerator that was kept outside on the side/covered porch.


Eleanor's pantry with tons of glasses and cups for every occasion and many service settings of china. A glass window covered the door so we couldn't walk in.

I LOVED this little stove in the kitchen!

The living room with a wall of bookshelves surround the fireplace. From this position, the dining room table was directly behind me me.


Owen and Chloe hanging out on the back veranda of the Little White House.


This is the new wishing fountain that takes the place of the old wishing well. The old wishing well is still there, but it is covered to prevent any monkey children from climbing/falling to the bottom.


Amazing how nicely they smile when tickled!

Owen was being very sweet/snuggly with Todd while we were waiting on Chloe to throw her penny in and make a wish. Owen wished for a wii and Chloe secretly told me she wished for applesauce. My bizarre little bean.


Owen thought he was faster than Todd, but he was beat running to the end of the parking lot and back. It might be hard to see unless you click on this picture to enlarge it, but I liked how Chloe's hair was flying out to the sides while she was running as fast as she could to keep up with the guys.

Hanging at Martin's

After dinner, we drove over to Martin's home to hang out and let the kids play. They got dessert. Lucky kids.

Owen had fun hitting the heck out of Martin's punching bag. I need to learn the menus/dials on my camera better so I can speed up the shutter speed and catch this fast boy in the act!


Luke and Chloe had fun holding the ceiling up while standing on Luke's top bunk. Crazy kids.

Chloe thought it was pretty cool that Martin had a pig that was her same size. Although, it didn't stop her from giving up her focus on her Brown Cow ice cream.