Well, it hasn't left us yet, but you know what I mean. Where did the time go? It's hard to believe my last post was about Valentine's Day. Since then . . .
1. Eric got a new job.
2. Amanda got a new job.
3. Michelle got a new job.
4. Cary turned 25
5. Mark turned 27
6. Cassy got a new tooth
7. We've visited the cabin twice
8. I've dealt with about 15 contractors
9. Had two car accidents
10. Had to pay taxes for the first time ever (didn't get a refund! :-( )
11. Got elected to my HOA's board of directors
12. Lost 2 lbs
Cassy's been sick off and on for the past couple of weeks, and I think it's her 1-year molars coming in. I was thrown off because she kept running a low fever (only 101.6 at the absolute highest), and the doctors will all say that babies don't run fevers when they're teething. If you ask just about any mother, though, they'll tell you the opposite. So, caught in the middle of this information, I called Cassy's pediatrician, and they had us go in to the ER at RHC since of course, this was on a weekend. After four hours in the ER all they could tell us was that Cassy didn't have the flu, and didn't have an ear infection. And so she was 'better' for nearly a week before running another low fever this past weekend.
The fact that it's on the weekend, to me, means it's her teeth. She only ever teeths on weekends.
* * *
I joined forces with three ladies from my church to do worship at the women's retreat. We are also hoping to do things like caroling at nursing homes come December. I'm so excited, especially if we get dressed up in the old fashioned caroler's dresses, like one of the ladies suggested. Oh, how fun :-)
I've now been to four 'small' zoos -- Luray, Winchester, Reston, and Leesburg.
Luray Zoo -- is nice if you are looking to kill about 2 hours, but that's pushing it. Mostly reptiles in aquariums, but it does offer some neat animals too -- like a MASSIVE aquatic turtle, and a super cool porcupine that teases the zoo's lynx. This zoo is a rescue zoo, so all of the animals there have a back story, which is cool to learn about, too. $10 for adults, kids under 2 get in free. Price-wise this is the midway point, but this zoo also offers special shows on weekends. We got to see Reptiles LIVE! and Cassy got to hold a snake :-)
Winchester -- This zoo is the best 'cheap' deal, by far. I think the entry was only like $6 or something, and I love the setting. Everything is wide open, outdoors, and you sort of feel more connected to the animals. The animals hosted here are mostly along the lines of four-legged hooved, like deer, donkeys, llama, camel, etc. But, they do have a lion and a bear, some monkeys, and a few other 'draws.' You walk down trails through the woods to get to each of the enclosures, which is also nice.
Reston -- The priciest zoo, at $12/adult, but this zoo has a safari. I think that's the biggest draw -- you get loaded up in a tractor-pulled wooden wagon, and go around the outergrounds of the zoo to see zebra, camels, bison, ostriche, and a bunch of other animals. This zoo also has the biggest petting zoo area, as well as monkeys and a big cage of random birds.
Leesburg -- This zoo is the best price for the amount you get. For $9.95/adult, you get access to a wider range of animals than at the first three zoos, plus live animal encounters, a petting zoo, and playground, and for extra costs things like pony rides and a moon bounce. The grounds are massive, so you can easily spend a few hours walking around taking in the sights. Plus, in the fall, they host "pumpkinville" which adds that awesome warmth of fall frenzy to to park.
* * *
We're getting recessed lights in the living room this week. Tomorrow, actually. I'm excited. We had discussed potentially redoing our deck and getting a patio, but that's tabled in favor of redoing our bathrooms later this year. Big ticket item, for me! It's astouding how much you can spend on your house if you're not careful. I'm thankful for places like Ross, Marshall's and TJ Maxx -- nice but inexpensive home decor.
* * *
AND that's all for now.
