Busy Zachary

At 2 1/2, Zachary has a busy schedule. Recently he was busy with toothpaste in the morning,

sour cream at lunchtime, and

Rice Krispies at night.

Where was his mother when all of this was happening? All I can say is that it only takes a minute. Or less.

Utah State Fair

Tonight I saw a woman win $150 for her macadamia coffee cake, a 100-lb. turtle snap his beak at a jumpy crowd, and a one-year-old taste his first cotton candy. Enriched by memories of a dozen state fairs from my childhood, I went home fulfilled with the sort of feeling that only a state fair can provide.The boys got to choose one ride. Here they are on the world-famous, never disappointing, "Wiggly Worm."

Michael, our perennially pleasant child, was especially interested in the "Tigers of India" show. The trainers are from Florida, and they traveled here by truck hauling 6 Siberian Tigers in a massive trailer, which they had to stop and hose out every three hours. Imagine being at a rest stop and having that crowd pull up!

When they said that we could pose for pictures with a boa after the reptile show, I thought that it would be plastic (or feathered?). Then they came out with this real boa and Eric just stands there as calmly as if the guy were putting a graduation lei around him. I always want to sing Salt N Pepa's "Whatta Man" when I see him do things like this. Seriously, Eric. 

The magic of the state fair makes everything taste unimaginably delicious, even delicious enough to run three blocks to go back to the van and scrounge for loose change to buy a bag of cotton candy.  

 

The Living Planet Aquarium

Yesterday we went to the Living Planet Aquarium, a pilot aquarium until the organization raises funds to build a large, three-story structure. The boys loved the coral fish and jellyfish, and the octopus was a hit, too. I want to go back soon just to pet that sting ray again. 

Aunt Kim pets a sting ray while Zachary tests the water.
Jacob and Michael crawl through the kids' coral reef area, where there are small aquariums within the coral structures.

Chopper tour

The boys and I went to see Eric at the hospital today, and the LifeFlight guys invited us to come sit in the helicopter. They were doing some training runs, so we got to see some landings and take-offs, too. Incidentally, the K-9 trainer was out working with his dog at the same time, so we saw him jumping fences and performing other commands (uh, the dog, not the trainer). You would have thought that I'd planned the day, but I hadn't. I was just bringing Eric his lunch.

Tender boy

Today, Zachary told me these things:

 

1. "I can't sneeze!"

2. "I have a boo-boo on my finger under there" (the band-aid).

3. "I broke my toe."

First day

Today was Zachary's first day of preschool (a co-op in our neighborhood), where he learned about apples and the letter A. And this is a picture of Zachary on his very first day, with his very first preschool art.

Merrily Go Round

Have you seen the carousel at the Hogle Zoo? It's pretty much the best thing a-round. If anyone wants to buy into it, I'm pretty sure that there are some brownish mammals that are still available for sponsorship.