The Zoo with the Twins!

When I heard that the NC Zoo was opening up again I was very excited about a possible day trip and first time zoo trip for the twins, but also nervous!

I did a lot of research online about how the zoo could be a safe place to go during the pandemic and learned all about their new rules and procedures. I felt that as adults we could easily navigate the zoo without any problems. My biggest concern was taking the twins who aren't great at not touching or licking things or keeping six feet away from others. 

We drove down during the morning nap, but they didn't end up napping as much as they needed. We had a picnic lunch before heading into the zoo and allowed the babies to run around and get some energy out.

Once inside we tried to keep them in their stroller or hold them as much as possible. We only let them out to explore when away from the exhibits and crowds.

For being hot and tired, they really did a great job at not having complete meltdowns. And ice cream half way through the day also seemed to help.

They loved getting to see the animals and make animal noises. The bear was so close and moving around! They really got a kick out of that!

While walking between exhibits they enjoyed going off the trail to check out the rocks.

They also loved waving at the animals.

The zoo was a one way path that lead you through the whole zoo minus the closed indoor exhibits. 

I really wanted them to see the African animals which were at the end of the route but wasn't sure how long they would last!

Luckily they survived and stayed awake long enough to see the elephants!

The only time that we didn't feel 100% safe was while waiting for the tram to come and take us back up to the entrance. The people in line behind us kept scooting closer to us and also weren't wearing masks. It is really frustrating that you can do everything in your own power, but cannot control the actions of others, which unfortunately could adversely affect you. And this is why our COVID numbers keep rising!

Overall we had a great trip to the zoo despite it being a million degrees and during the middle of a pandemic. The twins love animals and we look forward to more trips in the future!

Parent/Child Tennis Social!

At the beginning of the summer we found out that our neighborhood swim & tennis club was closing down. Ever since the shelter in place orders, Finley and I started talking tennis lessons up at our sister club, Ridgewood, where our tennis pro also works. Since our pool was no longer opening up we decided to go ahead and become full members at Ridgewood so that we would have a place to play and swim this summer.

This past weekend Ridgewood hosted a parent/child tennis social. Since David and I both enjoy playing with Finley we asked our babysitter/friend Karen if she would be willing to watch the boys on a Saturday night so that we could both go and take turns playing with Finley. We are so grateful for all that she does for us! It was such a fun night out for our family.

Finley got to play five different mini matches, 3 with me and 2 with David. 

He went 3-1-1 on the night and we got to play against several of our clinic friends. 

With all the social distancing and limited activities that we are able to do outside of the house, tennis has been such a saving grace for us!

It gives us fun sanity breaks from the twins, exercise, and social interaction at a safe distance.

We have been able to meet some incredibly nice people at Ridgewood and are so grateful for how welcome we have felt!

After the tennis was over we were able to enjoy a nice cookout down by the pool.

It was such a fun night out for the three of us and we can't thank Karen enough!

David and I loved getting to spend some one on one time with Finley on the courts!

Father's Day

To celebrate Father's Day we headed over to Bicentennial Park on Saturday to have a little walk around.

The boys really enjoyed exploring and checking out this cool mill!

There were a decent number of people walking around, but we were able to keep our distance!

So grateful for what a wonderful father and husband that our family has! David has been working so hard lately and I am so thankful for the stability that he provides for us not only financially, but also as a father and husband. He is so great with our sweet boys and I could not do this without him!

On Sunday we had both sets of parents and my siblings over to our house to celebrate.

To have some shade to hang out in we cleared out the garage and set up camp! We definitely need a house with a bigger yard!

On Sunday we focused more on our parents.  When thinking about my dad, I could easily list all the awards he’s won, the records he has set and broken, or talk about all that he has done for the development of women’s soccer in this country...but at the end of the day those aren’t what make this man so special to me. He is my rock when things get tough, my motivator when I feel lazy, my biggest supporter when I try something new, and one of the greatest influences in my life. I love you Pops and am so grateful that I get to call you my dad.

We broke out David's new corn hole set that his parents made him for his birthday! So fun!

And had Armadillo  Grill for lunch! Yum!

It was a pretty hot day out so we broke out the sprinkler for the boys.

Hunter and Jackson just loved showing off, seeing everyone, and dancing with Auntie Michelle!

We are so grateful that even during this pandemic we were able to get together with our family and celebrate our wonderful fathers! Happy Father's Day!