Week Two Hundred and Seventy-Four

Zeeke had a great time during his first week of gymnastics summer camp at InMovement.  This week was circus-themed.  In addition to a lot of moves and skills, Zeeke has learned a lot of new games, which he can't wait to teach us when he gets home.  When they're not doing gymnastics, they go to playgrounds and spraygrounds.  Karen drives him in in the mornings and Steve brings him home by bus in the afternoon. 

Saturday, we went to the Winter exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo.   Zeeke went into a panic when he get to the top of the huge snow slide, but thoroughly enjoyed the much smaller kiddie version, as well as making snowballs and snow bricks.  His favorite part of the day though was making up knock-knock jokes about the different species of birds in the Zoo's Bird Alley.   He told them to anyone who would listen.  

The next day, Steve & Zeeke went on a family nature hike run by the The Nature School of Philadelphia.  They hiked along the Wissahickon Creek, through the covered bridge, splashed in the water, and then made a fire to roast marshmallows and hot dogs.  After lunch, Karen & Zeeke went to the Free Library for The Hampstead Stage Company's production of Pinnochio.  When the kids in the audience were drafted into the play, Zeeke was chosen as one of the circus performers and performed one of his favorite jokes on state. 

Conversations with Zeeke:

"Zeekie, why did you draw a map all over your leg?"
"So that I know where to go."

Watching a musical animal movie:
"Zeeke, that's Stan Getz! The music, not the mouse."
"No, Mommy, the mouse is Stan Getz."

Week Two Hundred and Seventy-Three

It was a great vacation!  We hiked up mountains and down into canyons, saw caverns and constellations.  We met lots of deer, rabbits, chipmunks, and birds, way too many flying insects, plus a groundhog, a porcupine, a huge toad, a garter snake, and a three-foot-long rattlesnake!

Tuesday, craving a bit of civilization, we drove an hour or so to the nearby town of Wellsboro, where we ate at the local diner, did some grocery shopping and caught a matinee of the new Spider-Man movie.

Wednesday, we hiked up all the way up to the top of our mountain and then explored the deep dark woods, where we collected fallen sticks and leaves to build fairy houses.

Thursday, we went to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.  After taking in the view, we decided to hike all the way down.  Zeeke was determined to get to the bottom and soak his feet in the cold falls below.  By the time we'd hiked back up, we were exhausted and starving, so we drove into Wellsboro for a late lunch at the Penn Wells Hotel.  We also visited their library and picked Zeeke up another activity book.

Friday, we hiked along the Pine Creek Rail Trail and visited a little roadside library, then came home and tried our best to eat all of our remaining food.

Saturday, we packed up, bid the cabin farewell, and got on the road.  To break up the trip, we stopped at Indian Echo Caverns (near Harrisburg) on the way home.  The cave was amazing and the tour was a lot of fun.  Zeeke's favorite part though might have been feeding the goats at the little petting zoo outside.  We got home just in time for Zeeke's bedtime.

Sunday morning, Karen & Zeeke went to the Museum of Art.  They made some fun art and did the big kid tour.  After lunch, Steve & Zeeke went to the neighborhood car show, where they met up with Jen, Kim, Jack & William.

Conversations with Zeeke:

Zeeke's been telling us about a creature that's responsible for all the messes and missing things:
--"His name is what he is. His name is Weasel. His name is Purple Sneak."
--"His fur is purple but his skin we don't know. Photographers don't know what color his skin is and people doing research don't know either."
--"He swipes his tail and with a cloud of purple smoke he's gone!"
--"I am the only one who is very good at catching him because I have all the things he loves: water, ten of his iPads, and his tiny chair."
--"If he puts three coins into a hole in a brick, the wall opens up to another place and it's always where he wants to go."
--"He usually just says squeak squeak and he doesn't really like anybody."
--"The first time I saw him back a long ago was when I was mixing some ingredients but I mixed them wrong and it sent me into his house." [He lives in a magic house that is somehow in between our neighbor's row house and ours.]
--"He was out doing errands. [His house is] very tiny so I had to use my shrinker machine and I bonked my head."
--"He comes to everybody's house. Everybody in the whole world. Everybody on every planet."
--"It's hard to draw a picture of him because he's very slidey and twisty."
--"He sneaks around and makes everything wrong."

Week Two Hundred and Seventy-Two

Wednesday was Zeeke's last day of pre-school!  We both walked him to school and felt a little emotional.

Thursday morning, we packed up the car and headed off for our vacation at a cabin nestled between Susquehannock State Forest and Colton Point State Park in North-Central Pennsylvania.  To break up the five hour trip, we visited a hidden little waterfall oasis in the middle of State Game Lands 13 called Sullivan Falls.  We soaked our feet, walked on rocks, and ate a snack while watching the local kids swinging into the water on a Tarzan swing.  The last hour of the drive was all tall trees, gravel roads, one lane bridges and wild tiger lilies.  Fortunately, we found a little general store for supplies, didn't get lost on the back roads and made it to the cabin with a little daylight to spare.  The owner came by to check on us and seemed mildly concerned that we hadn't brought a gun with us.

Friday morning, we went for a short hike that wore out Zeeke enough to take a lovely two hour nap.  Once he was up, he and Karen played on his ipad while Steve made the trek to a supermarket.  That night, it wasn't too cloudy so we stayed up late to do a little stargazing.  We couldn't quite make out the Milky Way, but the constellations were jumping out at us.  

Saturday morning, after some pancakes and sausages, we hiked up to the top of the mountain, enjoying wild raspberries and a great view of the valley below.  We spent a relaxing rainy afternoon reading and watching movies, then got out for another stroll when the rain lightened up.  Steve & Zeeke climbed down into the little rocky stream on the other side of the road to enjoy a tiny waterfall there.  

Sunday morning we tried another trail and discovered a man-made lake and some nearby houses.  After cleaning up and having a rest, we escaped the forest and had a late lunch at The Waterville Tavern.  Zeeke's meal came with a frisbee (and a chocolate sundae), so we went to the adjacent park to throw it around.  At the playground, we met a local family who were thinking of moving to Philly and one of them was even a librarian!  So we hung out and chatted until it was time to hurry home before the back roads got too dark.

Week Two Hundred and Seventy-One

A much calmer week this time around, but a fun one.  And Zeeke did some more story illustrations at school.

Saturday morning, we went to Splash Day at Gold Star Park.  Zeeke had a great time playing with the sprinklers and water toys with his friends Cecily and Alice.  In the afternoon, we relaxed and made some egg carton animals.  

Sunday morning, Steve & Zeeke were about to head off to the zoo when we got an invitations to join Jen, Kim, Jack & William at Adventure Aquarium in Camden.   Zeeke especially love the Shark Walk, which we did twice, and the two 3-D movies.  After a quick lunch, Karen & Zeeke went to the playground where they had more splashy fun with Amelie, Odin and Sadie.


Week Two Hundred and Seventy

A very busy week, but super fun!

Monday morning, we were still at the hotel in Maryland.  After spending the morning at the all-you-can-eat breakfast waiting for the pool to open, we sadly learned it wasn't open on Mondays!  So we packed up, paid a quick visit to Grand Pop Bob Bob and Grandma Joy, then zoomed off to the Brigantine, NJ to spend a couple days with Jen, Kim, Jack & William.  The boys had a good time bouncing around while the grown-ups caught up and then we headed out to the beach.  We built many impressive sand fortifications to fight off the sea and the boys did their best to kick the waves away.  

Tuesday was the Fourth of July.  Kim cooked up some pancakes while the boys played, then it was back to the beach.  After lunch at a local seafood place, we packed up the car, visited our favorite playground, Shark Park, and then devoured a ton of ice cream and hit the road.

Saturday, we went to Bella's birthday party at Tarnsfield Swim Club.  Zeeke spent the entire day swimming and splashing, starting out tentatively in the baby pool and working his way up to solo paddling bravely in the deep end of the adult pool (with flotation vest of course).  Everyone had a great time and the weather was perfect.  

Sunday, we went to the Museum of Art for their great kids program Art Splash.  We made watercolors of sea life, read, played, and enjoyed the audio tour of Michael Nichols' wildlife photography exhibit.


Week Two Hundred and Sixty-Nine

Thursday, after school, Zeeke got a clean bill of health at his annual checkup.  

Saturday morning, Zeeke woke up convinced that we'd secretly painted the kitchen orange while he was asleep.  He insisted that it had always been green.  Omi came to visit and Zeeke invented a very complicated game for everyone to play, then we went to an author event for a book Zeeke's been obsessed with lately:  "Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing" by Kay Haring and Robert Neubecker.  After we got his book signed (which upset him at first since you're not supposed to write in books), we grabbed lunch at The American Sardine Bar.

Sunday, we drove down to Grand Pop Bob Bob's house in Maryland to eat crabs.  Grandma Joy delighted Zeeke by providing his favorite thing in the world, activity books, which kept him busy while the adults ate (thanks to Joys's granddaughter Lauren for helping him out).  After everyone was well fed, Zeeke, Riley and Bella took a great hike down to the creek and followed it pretty far.  They had a blast splashing and climbing and walking everywhere barefoot.  Zeeke was good and wore out when we arrived at the hotel.

Conversations with Zeeke:

Listening to the singing birds outside Steve's window:
"You like my birds, buddy?"
"Those aren't your birds, Daddy. Those are mine! They just like your mango tree."
"Oh."
"Your birds are the ones that squawk at night and wake me up."

"TGIF, Zeeke, it's Friday!"
"Well, Daddy, some people call it Fri-Yay."

"Owwwww! I'm hurt, Daddy!"
"What? Tell me who has hurt you child and I will destroy them!"
"Everybody."
"Then I will destroy everybody!"
"Well... it was mostly Tristyn. But you'll have to wait til a school day to destroy him."

Week Two Hundred and Sixty-Eight

For the past few weeks, when Zeeke wakes up in the morning he been drawing up these little games for Karen to play.  Some of them are reminiscent of his activity books but most are are just strange, wonderful little works of art.  Karen collected a group of them to photograph.

One of cool things they've been doing at school lately is collaborative stories where the kids each add a sentence and then illustrate different parts of the story.  His teachers were really impressed by his illustrations.

Zeeke insisted that he just wanted to relax this weekend so we mostly chilled at home.  At the end of Saturday afternoon, Steve & Zeeke visited the children's department at Karen's library, then he got to hang out in Karen's office until she finished work.  

Sunday evening we went to A-Space in West Philly for the closing night of six-year-old Zephyr's art show.  Zeeke had fun and made some art himself.
Conversations with Zeeke:

Overhead from the bathtub: 
"Ow! Why do these sharks always get my penis?"

"Daddy, the rules of The Bug Team is you can join The Bug Team but you can't un-join The Bug Team! You're staying in The Bug Team forever!"

Week Two Hundred and Sixty-Seven


It was quite a busy week.

Tuesday, after dinner, Karen & Zeeke went to the Free Library's Donatucci Branch for a garden concert by the Cat's Pajamas.

Wednesday night, after school, we met up with Zeeke's pals Zoe, Delano, and Del for dinner and fun at the pop-up beer garden at Columbus Square.  The kids had a blast running around barefoot and playing in the hammocks.  They were especially excited when one of their teachers walked by.

Friday, after playing at the community center, Zeeke got a new haircut, then called Karen to let her know he was making Steve take him to P'unk Burger.

Saturday morning, Steve & Zeeke got donuts for breakfast and then went to the Newbold Blues Festival.  Zeeke was obsessed with the Philadelphia Water Department's demonstration about how rain gardens can help prevent drainage problems.  He also enjoyed drawing with chalk and experimenting with drawing in a puddle.  They made it home just in time to avoid a storm and then went to the toy store where Zeeke bought some new superhero Tsum Tsums and a Tsum Tsum journal with a birthday gift card.

Sunday was Father's Day.  Karen & Zeeke let Steve sleep in.  Later on, we went to Pop-Pop & Gigi's for dinner.  Zeeke had fun playing with his cousins.

Conversations with Zeeke:

"Next is a three letter word for insect."
"Ant?"
"Close, but we need a general word for all insects."
"What?"
"I'll give you a hint. Mommy call you 'her loveb--."
"BUTT!"
"Yes, Mommy calls you her lovebutt."

Week Two Hundred and Sixty-Six

Zeeke's school pictures came in this week and he did an amazing job of smiling and looking at the camera.  Zeeke and his friends have been really into jumping off the planters at the community center this week.  

Saturday, we went to Fleisher Art Memorial's 11th Annual ARTspiration Block Party.  It was the perfect event for Zeeke, just table after table of different arts and crafts.  Spin art, buttonmaking, clay, sketching, seed necklaces, typing, leaf prints, tattoos, and more!  We met up with Pam, Ethan & Cecily for a while and then grabbed lunch at Sabrina's. 

Sunday, it was a hot day, but Steve & Zeeke braved the Zoo anyway.  Fortunately, there was ice cream.


Week Two Hundred and Sixty-Five

Monday was Memorial Day.  Zeeke said he didn't feel like getting dressed, so we invited his pal Zoe came over for a pajama play date.  They made some excellent collaborative chalk art and put on a puppet show with the egg carton animals.

Saturday, Steve & Zeeke worked on some more egg carton animals, then went to the Boat Parade at Bartram's Garden.  Zeeke didn't want to go for a boat ride, but they enjoyed ice cream, crafts, hay rides, and feeding farm animals.

Sunday, Karen & Zeeke had an epic four hour trip to the Art Museum.  Zeeke did some art with mixed media and they committed to completing a huge scavenger hunt.  In the later afternoon, Steve & Zeeke went to his friend Maddy's house for game night.

Conversations with Zeeke:

"Daddy, is that blog about me ever going to end?"
"I don't know. Do you want me to keep doing it?"
"Yeah, keep doing it until I'm dead."
"... ok."
"Well... until you're dead... because then you won't be able to do it anymore."

"Daddy, are you watching Star Truck?"
"Yup."
"Who is that guy with the doggy face?"
"That's Worf."
"Haha. He has a doggy face and his name is Woof!"