We went back to the cove again yesterday. We met our friends Lindsay and Ruby there. It was our second outing (to the cove) this year and it was HOT! It took Owen a good 3 hours (and a nap) but he finally warmed up to the water and atmosphere of the water park. Here's some pics:
The boys before they took off, rarely to be seen again:
Owen not so sure about all of this:
Friends Ruby and Lindsay (I have only a couple pics because the babies weren't so excited about their photo op so, Lindsay caught most of them and posted them HERE towards the bottom of her post (plus, I was trying to be kind and post NO mommy swim suit photos):
TJ attempting to excite Owen about the water:
Desperate (and failed) attempts to get all 3 of them in one shot looking at the camera:
More of Owen "enjoying" the "water":
Why the boys were MIA for the most part:
Owen's sunburn (oops, bad mommy):
We ended up staying ALL DAY...until around 6pm!!! It was really a nice time;-)
Admission to the Cove= $15.50
Lunch for me and Owen= $7.76
Lunch for Teej and Jake= $7.77
Icecream, drinks and treats= $7.50
A day at the cove=priceless
Some lessons learned from my cove experience:
1. Pack a lunch and snacks. I love "splurging" for snacks there but spending $20 on food is really ludicrous. Plus, there are very few healthy options...and we really are an overweight society. I agree completely with Lindsay's thoughts on this matter from her post. We didn't even talk about all the overweight children (not to mention adults)...but there were alot and it is sad.
2. Even better, head there after lunch and avoid the rush. The afternoon crowd really is lovely.
3. Ok, except for one couple...Owen walked up to this man. Picture 20 years old. Very reddened skin. 150 pounds soaking wet. Size 36 waist jeans-tightly belted around hips with plaid boxers heavily showing. Wife beater tank. Shaved head. Tattoo-laden arms. Summer teeth. And his "significant other" a Fantasia Borrino wanna be, complete with tattooed bosom. (I'm serious about this description). Now, in my best Beverly hillbillies accent: "Hey Ba-by! Look! Look here at this little baby. Look how short he is". Fantasia wanna-be voice: "awe, him gonna be a shorty ain't he? How old is he?". Me, attempts at kindness and love and mercy "He's 19 months". "One month?" She says. "No, 19 months" I say. Her again "He's such a shorty". Me, "I know" (under breath "Idiots"). Now I share this simply for a glimpse into my life and sadness for Owen. This is why I dwell on his size. Enough said.
4. Above commentary aside: I love living in a relatively small town. We are close enough to big places yet far enough away to keep smaller town values and relative safety. My boys playing in the fenced in sand area out of ear-shot and eye-sight is hard, but I feel safe. Maybe I shouldn't, but I do.
5. I love holding Owen. I held him for a good hour while he napped in the shade. It was wonderful. I feel it fading-soon he'll be done with all things mommy and be in the sand area, playing the day away while I wish I had this time back.
6. Sunblock is a tremendous thing. Truly wonderful. Even if I obviously didn't use enough on my Owen. The real problem was the lack of t-shirt (which I couldn't find). As you can see, TJ was in a t-shirt all day due to his more fair skin. Jake and I think Owen too are strange-they tan pretty easily and don't burn too easily. Jake looks like he belongs in another family with his early summer tan already. Both Jake and Owen also lack freckles, whereas TJ has delightful ones.
7. Do parents seriously know what their kids are leaving the house *NOT* wearing? I am appalled by the lack of material in the swim suits on sooo many young ladies I saw today-from toddler age up. I know it's a pool and there's sun and all-but there are tons of pretty, feminine, tasteful choices. Even in the two piece variety. Seriously. Seriously.
That concludes the cove portion of this post.
Here is the stepping stone I made for the spot at the mailbox:
It is prettier in person, I think:-)
And here are the shoes I purchased online since I can't seem to find any in my size in stores:
Which to choose and which to return? Isn't it sad that I must order a ridiculous amount of shoes (free shipping of course) and decide at home which to buy and then return the ones I don't want to the store (which had NONE of these styles either at all or in my size! Ugh!) in order to get a good quality pair of shoes? I had no idea I chose 6-a bit embarrassing but, necessary and Tim knew I did it. So, I must narrow and decide...which would you choose? Which do you think I'll chose? I still need to try them on-I have one front runner but I bet they don't "feel" as good as they look;-(
Speaking of shoes, I've been meaning to post this picture for a while: 
They are really my fav sandals ever! Sketchers! Gotta love em' and love it even more when they are 33% off. Getting the darker colored ones like these keeps them looking nicer longer, and they are such good quality sandals-not flimsy or cheaply made at all.
I guess that is enough for this post. Thank God for digital cameras;-)
Open Arms
14 years ago
8 comments:
I love the pictures of the boys!! :) Such cuties! Poor Owen with his slight burn. That sun was really intense. I could feel it. Ruby and I were bummed that we didn't get to stay longer, but the pink on her skin really bothered me. Thankfully, after she woke up from her nap, there was no pink to be seen. I'm just afraid that she might have my skin tone, and you know what that means...really bad, really painful burns. Yikes! (Not to mention risk of future skin cancer!)
Anyway, I love the stone, and I love all the shoes. I would have a hard time choosing, but I'm a sucker for red and pink, so I'd choose the white Nike's that are accented with silver, red, and pink. :) Good luck deciding! See you soon!
I think that your boys are absolutely adorable!! Especially the little O-wster!! People can be so cruel without even realizing it...which amazes me! Didn't their parents teach them anything!? I know that will be something that I will have to deal with on an almost daily basis which I hope I can handle as well as you do. I vote for the cut light pink shoes! :)
Looks like you guys had a blast at the Cove! I hope to make it back there soon.
Oh my, I thought I loved shoes. :) I would have a hard time choosing, but usually my top choice has to do with pink! Good luck with your choice. And the sandals..I LOVE Sketchers!! 33% off, where? I must go!
See ya soon!
Love the shoes (and the photos). I think I like the wild ones or the gray and pink (they'll stay looking nicer longer, IMO). My mommy heart also hurt at the Fantasia comments.
Love ya!
You had quite the excursion at Tropicanoe Cove. Looks like the boys had so much fun! Hmm...where is that Crawdad corner there? I didn't notice it the other day when water walking. Owen looks absolutely adorable in his patriotic swims trunks. I love it. I'm really sorry you had that encounter...annoys and saddens me, too...so I can only imagine how it makes you feel. It can be so hard to deal with ignorance, ya know??
You have some serious shoe issues. What size do you wear that you can't find any in a store? My preference would be any of them with pink on 'em. The stepping stone is awesome. I wouldn't even know how to go about making something like that.
I am so pissed! I just wrote this long comment. ARGH! Ok, so the boys looked like they had a great time and Owen looked mighty adorable in his bathing suit. As far as the comments on his size-um let's consider the source. Those two do not sound like Brad and Angelina. I hear you on overweight children. I don't understand because they are not doing their own grocery shopping so it is up to the parents to make the healthy choices. I hate the excuse fast food is cheaper. It's really not. A bag of sald and a cucumber are about $4.00! Baked Perdue cutlets are about $5.00! So anoying. Ok and the girls clothing? I know someone who dresses her 6 year old like a porn star. Once again-kids are too young to make choices-funny my mom always made my choices at that age!
Ok off my soapbox.
Your stone is amazing! Love it!
I would say keep all the shoes, but if you had to choose, go with the pink!
Love all the shoes and as a nurse you need comfy ones to work in so I'm with Kim and keep 'em all. (Sorry Tim.) Your boys are great as usual. The cove looks awesome and I want to go there myself. Maybe I'd even bring Owen! LOVE your stone. It's beautiful.
PS. I really believe that people are not so much cruel as ignorant. Doesn't sound like those two were the sharpest tools in the shed and not much you could say or do would make much difference. I suspect the rest of my life as grandma to Owen will involve shrugging my shoulders and shaking my head. But at the end of the day we have our Owen and who could ask for anything better than that!!!!
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