My mini vacation with the kids

Ben was in Vegas this week for work, I decided to take the kids up to my sister's so we could finally take them to Lincoln Park Zoo.  We left late Tuesday afternoon, and got to Crown Point in time to have dinner and hang out a bit before bed time. I originally planned on sleeping in one room with Maddie, and having Josh in the other room, but the kids had other ideas.  They slept in the room Melissa has with a trundle bed. After about 30 minutes or so, they finally fell asleep.  It was so cute peeking in on them sleeping there together!

It was off to the zoo on Wednesday.  We could not have asked for a better day!  It was 76 degrees and sunny, with a slight breeze.  Perfect Zoo weather!!  We saw our favorite seals, ostriches, zebras, lions, tigers, etc... The kids had a blast, but I think Josh enjoyed the drive in better. He wants to ride a boat on the lake, take the subway in, go to the top of all the tall buildings.  He was loving every minute of it!

Melissa had meetings all day today, so we took off back to Indianapolis.  It was a short trip.  So I decided to take the kids to Fair Oaks Farms.  It was an interesting place, and I do want to go back.  It's one of the largest dairy farms in the world, with 9 families of farmers combining to create this one dairy experience.  We took the bus tour out to the milking area, where we saw the gigantic turntable the cows walk onto to be milked.  Then we went to the birthing barn.  They have about a cow an hour born at the farm!  When we went, a calf had just been born, and another cow was in active labor. I would have stayed for the birth, but Maddie was making it difficult.  The ask you to be quiet in the birthing barn, and Maddie kept saying very loudly "She's poopin'! The cow is poopin'!" So we went to the play area. They had all sorts of stuff for the kids to play on.  The video at the top is Josh jumping on the trampoline/bungee thing, but PLEASE watch it on mute!  If you don't, you will hear Maddie crying.  There was a minimum weight requirement of 40lbs to participate, and she is NO WHERE near that! I've attached other photos below from the other stuff they played on at the farm.

All in all, it was a good trip! We had a good time, but we are ready for Ben to be home (me especially!)

Fair Oaks Farm

Busy months

The past few months have been busy ones in the groff household. Josh finished up his last days of preschool, and we are now prepping him for kindergarten in the fall. I can't believe he will be old enough for that! He attended his first camp this summer, and loved it! It met every day for four weeks! They just had their last day last week, ending with a pizza/pool party.

Maddie shocks me everyday with her vocabulary and ability to put together sentences. It was a struggle to get Josh to use 2 word phrases at this age! I guess that's the benefit of having an older brother that you love to be with! Where ever he is, she wants to be there too! Aunt Barbie recently took Josh to see Cars 2, and as they walked out the door, she cried "I wanna go too!!"

We are finishing up our July 4th celebrations, and I, as always, am reflecting on the fact that my mom has been gone 3 years. I miss her so much, and wish she would have gotten to meet Maddie.

Here is a link to our latest photo shoot, which we did while up in Michigan recently with my niece, Ellie! https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aVdWqUsLUabGoO6IaU1To_a_b5YtjwgX8dQJ0nep2jo?feat=directlink