This week we took a trip to the Washington DC Zoo, it took a while to get there because we rode the Metro and that is a whole different post! The Zoo was incredible, it was huge and beautiful and the animals had large gorgeous habitats to roam around in! Also I realized as I was posting these pic that most of them are of the backs of my kiddos heads... so dont judge my photography skills! It is not easy getting a curious 3 year old to pay attention to the camera when there is cool animals right behind him!

We got to the "Big Cat" Habitats near the end of our day and it looked like they were hungery! This Tiger just kept paceing back and forth waiting for something to do or eat.

The lioness were so big and pretty this particular one was standing staring at the entrance to their habitat.... see next pic for further explanation.

You can just see this other lioness down by the door, she just paced back and forth climbed to look out the windows then would continue to pace. They were hungery! All I could think was I would not want to be the keeper that has to feed 3 waiting and hungrey lions! Yikes!!

Here is "Big Pappa" this guy was GIGANTIC! I was stunned how big he was and how beautiful he looked Jett just kept saying "Whoa" when he would walk over by us.

Maddex and Jett checking this iguana out. Maddex thought it was a dinosaur and was very concerned that it was dead.

I kinda was concerned myself, he either is incredibly comfortable or he really could be dead!

This was our highlight, this lady gorrilla had just had a baby a few weeks ago and it was finally out and about. So Cute! They were all tucked away and then mommy decided to go climb a tree, it was so adorable to watch the baby try to climb the tree with mommy. She eventually got frustrated with waiting for the baby, grabbed a hold of it and yanked it up next to her. Super funny becouse I know what she feels like and if she could have rolled her eyes she probably would have!

Coming out of their tucked away hiding place!

Here was one of Maddex's favorite animals, he watched this Elephant for awhile. He like watching him pick things up with his trunk.

Big big big snake! Maddex gets right up there close and Jett always stays back a little bit. I like having a least one cautious child!

This was another super fun adventure and I am glad we did it! I love going to different places and see new sights with my family!

Chocolate capital of the World!

This last Saturday we visited Hershey Pennsylvania, the Chocolate capital of the world! It was one of the funnest things we have done so far. I dont know if it is just my love for chocolate or maybe my love for... nope it was just my love for chocolate! We started our day off by taking a tour and learning how the Hershey chocolate is made, it was the yummiest day of education I have ever had!

First they get milk from the thousands of dairy farms around the town. Maddex did not like these singing cows because he said they were too "noisy".

Here we go!

They heat the chocolate up.

Loading up the chocolate syrup. Yumm!

Millions and millions of hershey kisses go through this process a day!

We got a little chocolate bar at the end and it was very tasty!

This is a small part of what they offer at this blessed place called chocolate heaven!

We rode a trolley tour around the town and learned all about Milton Hershey and how he became the father of chocolate.

Our tour guide Wilbur, he was a hoot!

Pics with Wilbur and our conductor Lydia, Maddex was getting super tired and would not be a good boy for the picture he was being a bit of a pill at the end. Thankfully he zonked out on the ride home and was a happier boy.

It was a super fun day and I was glad we were able to do it with the Apx wives and my friends!

I LOVE CHOCOLATE!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA! This year was one of the funnest 4ths ever, we spent the day relaxing and enjoying our friends company. We BBQ'ed, swam, made a huge slip and slide, then watched a really great firework show.

This pic is the best we could get because neither of our boys were that excited about the fireworks! We were right under the show so it looked like they were falling one us which made Maddex very nervous. He kept saying to me "Hey mom I think we should go home" or he would say "Mom I am getting sleepy lets go home" (Which he never says so I knew he just wanted to get out of there) Pretty soon after much conversation of trust me Maddex we are just fine he settled down and was happy.

Jett does not like loud noises, and so it took him a little while and lots of hugs before he settled down and started enjoying the show. By the end he was clapping and wanted more fireworks!

Tyler and I aaawwhhh I know we are an adorable couple!

Jett enjoying some candy and watermellon before the show started

Maddex and his friend Avery played and played all day together, they had lots of fun!

The New Jersey Aquaruim! Check these Pics out!

My mom and aunt Elaine came to visit and we did some great things but I think of all the things we did the Camden Aquarium was the BEST! Maddex LOVED it! Jett liked it, he was a little scared at first but he soon loosened up. Tyler was also in heaven cuz well you know he loves the animal world and I am glad he was able to go with us!

The first "zone" we did in the aquarium was the hippos, and they were by far my favorite! They came right up to the glass as you can see above! They just starred at Maddex, and let him get so right up to the glass also! It was a little crazy thinking that all was separating a huge hippo from my child was some glass but surprisingly they looked gentle and sweet. (Even though the Discovery Chanel says they are not)

This is the viewing area that was under water, it was incredible to watch them swim!

LOOK HOW HUGE SHE IS!!! He name is Genny and she was HUGE!

Jelly fish they were so pretty!

Scary shark! There was a tunnel that had all sorts of creatures swimming around you! It was hard to get a picture though so here is what we did get a creepy shark!

Sharks mouth, it freaked Jett out a bit! Notice his eyes!

BIG under water viewing area!

Petting some baby sharks! Ya cuz we are cool like that!

Some stingrays which we also got to pet!

Maddex tried to grab one and it splashed up at us, he was not so sure about them after that. It was still really cool cuz we there were TONS of hands on things all the things we touched were.

Starfish

Jellyfish

Anemones

Stingrays

Sharks

Horshoecrabs

It was SO great to have my family here, I have missed them so much! Maddex and Jett also LOVED have the extra attention and the goodies around!

Notice how Jett has a death grip on my arm, he was not so sure about this big guys.

They were so pretty! We loved watching them swim and walk on the bottom in their tanks.

By the end Jett was getting super tired but Maddex was wanting more!

Touching some more sting rays!

Thank you mom and Elaine for coming and experiencing this with us! It was a blast to have you guys here! I miss you already and so do the boys! Thanks for everything!

Water, Water, Everywhere!

I LOVE SUMMER TIME AND SUNSHINE! We love going to the pool and we love having the beach close to us! We go to the pool almost everyday (when it is not raining) and the beach has been a blast to explore! For Father's Day this year we spent the day hanging out by the Atlantic Ocean down at one of Delaware's beaches. It was a blast!

He is diving for a ball this unfortunatly ended in a belly flop but he never seems to mind.

Swimming around with his dad!

Jett just sits in his tube and relaxes. He is singing in this picture, he cracks me up with his funny antics!

Brothers and best buddies! I wouldn't have it any other way!

He is such a fish! He has some goggles on and loves being able to go under the water!

WHERES... JETT?

PEEK..A..BOO!

Tyler dug a hole and Jett loved just hanging out in it and playing games with us!

Some of the other guys came with us to the beach and they found these weird sand crab things. The locals call them sand fleas, so naturally I let my children play with them! ;) Maddex thought they were the coolest things and had a blast digging them up!

Playing in the sand! Notice how his mouth is a little darker, yeah I think he had a taste! Maddex is in the back digging for more sand crabs, which he did most of the day!

One of Maddex's favorite things to do is race the waves in and back out, well this time he thought he would challenge himself by haveing to get up from a sitting position to get away from the wave. But... uh it was harder than he thought!

Oh boy coming up quick and getting pretty deep!

Ya he was under the water and this is the after pic needless to say he did not try that again!

We are having a blast exploring this new world we call the "East Coast"! It certainly has been an adventure and we are glad to be able to share it together, we are also SO proud of how hard Tyler works so that we can have these adventures! I LOVE YOU TYLER!