Hovatter's Zoo

We recently took a trip to Hovatter's Zoo in Kingwood.  I'm not going to lie, this zoo makes me think of a zoo where the animals get out and kill someone.  Those fears were only reinforced when the lion roared and charged the fence.  That being said, the girls, my mom, Aunt Jody and Barrett all enjoyed our trip and we all made it out alive. 

Drea swinging on the swings before going into the zoo

Charlottle and Barrett playing in the sandbox

Feeding the farm animals

Here's the lion...right after I took this picture he turned and roared at us.  Drea and Charlotte started to cry...me too!

This white tiger kept pacing back and forth on this box

The brown bears

Monkeys!

Wolves

This was a funny picture of Aunt Jody feeding the giraffe

This giraffe was supposedly in the movie Evan Almighty

Zebras

This goat was just walking around so the kids were able to feed it

The piglets were so cute

Drea feeding the farm animals

The kids running ahead to feed the animals

Charlotte searching for the prairie dog

Cheer Camp

Last week Drea attended Cheer camp for three days and had a blast.  On the last day they put on a performance.  I have video of the performance, but I was having trouble adding it to the blog, so the pictures will have to do.  Either way she is cute and she had fun.

Drea waiting her turn

Just waiting...

E-A-S-T

More cheering....

Summer Park Tour: Park Six

I haven't blogged about our summer park tour for awhile.  Partly because we have been busy and partly because we have repeated some of our previous park trips going to Blane St. park twice, Wavetech and Valley Falls once.  So here we are back at it.  Our latest park is the Mini Park on Morgantown Ave. in Fairmont.  I am sure the park is named something else, but at our school we just call it the mini park.   Enjoy!

Here is an overview pic of the park

Drea on some climbing things

This is a picture of Drea hitting Charlotte...

...this is Drea crying after Charlotte returned the favor.

This is more like it.  Having fun together on the tire swing.

Me sitting on the swing trying not to get sick.

The girls on the slide

Would you expect anything else besides a posing girl

Again having fun...this time on the see-saw

Overall I didn't think I would rate this park very high.  I was thinking before hand it would be in the one swing or two swing area.  But after going to the park with the kids I felt a little better about it.  First, it is very shady and cool.  That makes it comfortable for the kids to play.  There is also a working water fountain.  There is also lots of room to run and play.  I like that there is some different types of the same playground equipment.  There are some drawbacks.  Some of the equipment is outdated or broken.  There are no bathroom facilities, however our friend Dave lives right next to the park and we can use his bathroom.  One of the biggest negatives about this park is that many people don't go there so that doesn't give the girls anyone else to play with.  Our girls are social and they like to meet new people, so going makes that tough.  Overall I would give this park a rating of three swings.

Drea's Art

Drea is a fantastic artist.  She gets most of this ability from Stacey and a little from me.  We both think what she does is amazing for a six year old.  Maybe because we are proud parents or more than likely it is because she is talented. :)  We have said on the blog before that Drea loves art.  There are two things she wants to do everyday.  Tickle fight and art.  Here are some recent art projects that Drea made.  I hope you enjoy viewing them.

Drea's cheerleader

The rainbow fish

Japanese Bridge

Drea's self portrait, complete with side ponytail

Starry Night

Sunflower

Last Day

I can hardly believe that I am typing this, but today was Drea's last day of Kindergarten.  It just seems like yesterday we were registering her for school and know she is going on to 1st grade.  I was sad because the 4th grade went on a field trip today and I wasn't able to be with her on her last day, but I have enjoyed every moment of her being at my school.  One of my favorite things is getting to see her in the hall.  She still gets as excited as she did the first time it happened.  I also got to know her friends, whenever I walked with her in the hall or stopped in her classroom.  Yeah, I was that parent.  I figured it was okay since it was just Kindergarten.  Now, next year will be different.  I think.  The other thing that was neat was how my students took to her.  That includes my current and former students.  I am very pleased with how the year went.  So without any further ado, here are some pics of our little Kindergarten graduate.

Before school...

...and of course posing

I'm not sure if she is smiling because I told her so or because it was the last day

Putting on her shoes...

...now her backpack

Now she is ready

The Last Day...YAY!

Just being silly

Drea was cold so she wanted the blanket, but I don't know why she wouldn't take a picture without it

Just one last cute one