All of our travels have really caught up with us!! Last weekend marked the end of our summer travel adventures, as Jon begins full sessions of marching band this week. It was wonderful to be able to see so much of our families, but I am also glad we’ll be spending some more time at home getting back into our routines. Such as posting a Monday Mashup on Monday…. not Tuesday! 😉

Here’s a look at what we were up to this past week:

• We really jam-packed our last free week of summer for Jon with fun things to do! We were home from St. Louis for one day before packing up and heading out to Cincinnati for the 4th. We rented a room right on the river in Newport, KY with views of the Cincinnati’s fireworks. They started so late though, I was the only one that stayed awake to watch them 😉
• There is something so great about planning trips to tourist spots right as they open or right before they close. When we got into Newport, we checked into our hotel and then walked over to the Newport Aquarium. It was great to walk through and see everything without the crush of a lot of people. It being less crowded allows the kiddos to see the animals easier, as well as giving them the chance to be more independent – I’m always an anxious mommy in crowds, paranoid of strangers taking my babies! Thanks every Scary Mommy article I’ve ever read!)
• I think we seriously need to start documenting the dates and times we visit different zoos. If we really set out a plan to do it, it wouldn’t take us long before we’ve hit every one in the continental U.S. From visiting zoos in St. Louis to Cincinnati back-to-back, I have to say I was way more impressed with the design of Cincinnati’s Zoo. They were founded 142 years ago and are the second oldest zoo in the U.S, so it doesn’t surprise me they know how to do it right!
• After 8 years together, Jon has finally fulfilled his promise and taken me to Holiday World. We spent the day splashing and sliding in the Splashin’ Safari with my sister-in-law Skye and our nieces and nephew. It was so much fun, even though I came home with a terrible sunburn! Jon’s Grandma Iris let us stay with her and we had a great time relaxing and playing at her house. She always takes such good care of us and the kids were obsessed with Grandpa Leonard’s cows 🙂

1. Road trip selfie!  2. Happy Place  3. Enjoying the view  4. Crawling through the Stingray tunnels!  5. Half the height of a shark  6. Cool kids  7. Cows!  8. Cousin love  9. Big kids!

Much love friends,