Staycation Labor Day Weekend

Brandon had his back to school night on Thursday before Labor Day and got to meet his teacher.  He was so excited to meet his teacher and she seemed very nice.  He has Mrs. Lambert this year who we heard some very good things about.  His best friend Riley is also in his class which made him super happy.  On Friday before Labor Day, I took the day off and I took the kids to the zoo.  It was a bit crowded but we had a ton of fun seeing the animals, having a picnic, and getting ice-cream.  We went on the zoo train and saw the new elephant land on the zoo train.  It was super hot but we had a great day.

Zoo train fun! 

Olivia insisted on wearing her Super Girl dress today with her cape

Picnic lunch at the zoo

Petting the goats

Brandon brought his Beanie Boo Penguin with him to see the real penguins

Olivia showing her Beanie Boo Cheetah the real Cheetahs

 Then we came back home and had our good friend the Mowery's over for dinner at our house.  We got a pizza and yummy pizza s'mores dessert from Papa Murphy's.  The kids had a blast as usual playing together.  We ended up eating dinner outside together and had a blast together.  It was still very hot but had cooled off a bit in the evening.

Dinner with the gang

On Saturday, Logan came over to our house for a sleepover.  Brandon was so excited to have his first sleep over.  Brooke came over once it was close to the time for the boys to go to sleep to help get Logan to sleep.  Beforehand, we had a blast pillow fighting with the boys.  Brooke and I got to scrapbook after we got the boys to bed.  It was a fun night.

Pillow fighting it at their sleep over

The next day on Sunday we went to the State Fair in Salem.  I had never been before.  We had free entrance for the kids due to them completing their summer reading program and a buy one get one free adult admission.  We took Logan down to the fair with us and then met up with the rest of the Mowery family.  Unfortunately it was forecasted to be in the 100s that day and it was very hot much of the day.  We still had a lot of fun.  Highlights of the fair included seeing horses, pigs, lambs and other barn animals.  Eating yummy lunch food at Bob's Burger including a yummy microbrew.  Then after lunch we let the boys go on a few rides and went into the air conditioned shopping tent where we learned about the Sugar Baby a miniature kangaroo that they were trying to sell us.  After that we went to the Petting Zoo which was awesome!  They had baby deer, a kangaroo, and other cool animals.  That was the highlight of the fair definitely for me.  Olivia and Addie loved the horses and Logan and Brandon loved the reptile exhibit.  I would definitely go back again and hopefully next time it wouldn't be so hot!

Logan got to come down with us to the fair

These two loved the pigs

Olivia and Addie loved the horses

Brandon and Logan fed the horses

Petting the sweet bunny

Olivia and I went on a fun house ride (the only one she could go on with her height)

Petting the baby deer

I settled a crazy Alpaca claim that our insured's dog killed for almost $30,000-this one is super cute and nice

Olivia and Addie petting the baby deer

The girls loving on the baby deer and goat 

Brandon and Logan petting the deer

Best buds had a blast on their first sleep over and at the fair

On Labor Day, we made the trip down to McMinnville to see my sister Rachel who had recently moved to McMinnville with her family and bought a house.  Brandon and Jasper were so excited to be reunited.  It is great having my sister so close by.

Brandon and Jasper reunited!