Safaris and Swimming and Sunsets on the Beach...

Highlights this week:

Wednesday:  Safari Park!

Apparently, unbeknownst to me, my mother has been thinking of going to the African Safari Wildlife Adventure Park for about 35 years.  She thought of taking me when I was little, then of taking Bec... well, better late than never!

We had a fantastic day.

 The park is a

The playground equipment definitely gave away the fact that this place has been around for 35-plus years...

Watching the educational program.... Jack and Ivy petted a skink and a boa constrictor, and listened with rapt attention.

Ivy was picked to be the cheerleader for our section at the Pig Races.  Which were certainly one of the highlights of the day.  Videos of pig racing to follow....

We saved the drive-thru park til last and it was crazy!  These two giant deer heads IN THE CAR only give you a little sense of it because what you don't see is the herd of probably 100 more deer swarming towards the car.  You also don't see the even bigger elk head that was in our car for a while because I was too busy fending her off to get a picture.  And don't even get us started about the buffalo.  Tricky to get a picture of them as they blocked all the light from the sun when they came up to the window.... The kids loved every minute!

The giraffes totally stole the show, though.  Those eyes! that great big mouth snuffling on your hand as they so-gently ate grain from a cup.  They were magical.

Thursday:  The end of swimming lessons!  I can't believe that three weeks of summer have gone by already.  Just when we got into the routine...  I will miss our mornings at the pool.

Jack passed level 3 and received recognition for his superior treading skills.  Ivy got rave reviews in her preschool class and is ready to roll on level 1.  Both are confident little fish, navigating the crowded "big-kid" section of the pool with ease.   They are amazing.

After-lesson parties!  Can you believe the quantity of junk food in front of these children?

 Thursday night:  Edgewater Live.  A new tradition in Cleveland and yet another reason to love this city.  A big, public beach party with a band and food trucks and cornhole and volleyball and disc golf and a beer truck... and, oh yeah, the lake.

Sadly a recent "overflow event" (because Cleveland thought it would be a great idea to put the sewer overflow right next to the main lakefront park...) there was no swimming.  But there was evening sun glittering on the calm water, blue blue sky, a crowd of happy people.  And there were two very very tired little children and a dog who got hit in the snout by a frisbee and a lot of traffic... but meh, who's looking for flaws here?  I'm still a fan.

Photo credit: Ivy

Ivy's photography! She's not too bad.

Friday: Spent the morning garage sale-ing at Lakewood's City-wide street sale event.  Lakewood really rocks sometimes.

Then, Jack headed off to the wide world of adventure that is being six:  joining a friend at the South Euclid pool (with Daddy along for the ride) then off to another friend's house for a movie and a sleepover.   Life's pretty good for that kid.

The three of us left behind headed to MOCA for an art opening.  Because we're hip like that.  And it was free.

Posing with some cool graffiti on the way to MOCA

selfie in the mirrored wall of the MOCA building.

Looking down from the top of the stairwell.

Such cool views out the slanty windows...

It was a pretty cool exhibit, mostly woodblock prints by an awesome nun (Sister Cortina??), full of wonderful quotes about love and revolution.   Ivy had the most fun at the interactive "viewfinder" and shirt making activities. When we were looking at the art she kept asking when things were going to "start".  Art openings are a little bit lost on 4 year olds, I guess.  

Ivy's shirt, which says YES ACT, will be on display next week with all the other shirts. 

It was pretty neat to be out with just one child, and two parents, for an evening.  So incredibly easy, with double the attention to lavish on her.  She soaked up every minute and was a delight. We got her an ice cream cone, because she deserves to be spoiled.  Love my girl...