First Day

Yesterday was the first day of Kindergarten for Kallsen. We now have three boys all at different schools. Joseph is in Middle School; Kallsen's in 5k and Parker is in pre-school. This makes mornings a bit different.

Joseph gets up on his own and is out of the house every morning by 6:30. I'm getting up about a half hour earlier to be available for Kallsen...he leaves with Momma at 7:00. I get Parker up, get him breakfast and take him to school.

Today is only day 2 of the new school year and new schedule. So far, so good.

Boys @ Smokey Mountains National Park

We took this picture at Smokey Mountains National Park while on vacation. I think it captures both of the boys personalities very well. Kallsen and Parker are both very playful and Parker tends to be real animated. I really do love this picture.

Side Trip to the Dells

On our way back from Minnesota, we took a side trip to Wisconsin Dells. Wisconsin Dells is to central Wisconsin what Gatlinburg is to the Smokey Mountains, Branson is to Missouri and Myrtle Beach is to South Carolina. The Dells, as the area is referred to, is known for Duck Boats and water parks. We stayed at a Water Park called Great Wolf. Great Wolf Lodge is a resort where one can go for a vacation and never leave. They have the water parks, restaurants, bars, arcades, laser tag, story time, a candy store and lots more, I'm sure, if we had looked. We were there for one night mostly to rest and have fun in the water park. We arrived about three in the afternoon. We checked in, played for 2 hours before meeting my nephew Chris for dinner and then played several more hours after dinner and then played for three or so hours the next morning before hitting the road.

Our trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells was really a good trip for Kallsen. It was the first time he was tall enough to do most of the bigger slides and rides by himself. He was able to climb the stairs, go down the large water slides and do all the really neat stuff by himself. Here's a video of Kallsen and Joseph coming down one of the slides that requires you to ride face first on a mat.

In this next video a large bucket fills with water and every so-often it dumps a bunch of water down on the people below. You can see Joseph, Kallsen and Parker running to get drenched right before the water falls.

A couple of side notes...we bought an AquaPack camera bag from National Camera Exchange in Golden Valley, MN. The bag allowed us to take pictures and film the boys without worrying if the camera got wet.

If you're reading this on Facebook through a note, you can go to AdamandSaraWright.com to see the videos.

The Dells

On the way back from Minnesota to South Carolina (we're in Kentucky as I post this) we stopped in Wisconsin Dells at Great Wolf Lodge...an indoor water park and hotel. Here are some pictures of the boys having all kinds of fun...

Kallsen and Parker in water tree house

Kallsen dumping water on someone below

Joseph right after getting hit with large amounts of water

Kallsen getting soaked

Parker sliding down small slide

Parker walking across bridge

Minnesota Zoo

One of the things we did while in Minnesota was go to the Minnesota Zoo (the New Zoo). I had never been. I think it opened when I was 10 or something. We always went to the Como Zoo...maybe because the Como Zoo was free and the Minnesota Zoo wasn't.

Grandma Judy, Joe, my sister Sarah and her three boys, my sister Kara and her daughter and my cousin Brianna's son Jay all went. Below are some of the pictures from the day at the Zoo.

Parker, cousin Derek and Kallsen

The Snake crossing the path might have been the high light for the boys

Kallsen (I LOVE this picture)

Jay and Joseph

Parker being Fierce (I LOVE this picture)

Joseph checking on cousin Jackson

Derek and Parker

Sara Beth and her two youngest

Sara Beth and the boys marking what they've seen so far

Parker looking at fish

Grizzly

Joseph, Jay, Kallsen, Amelia and Parker

It was a great day at the Zoo. My sister Sarah and her boys Davey, Derek and Jackson had to leave early...I wish they all could've been in this last picture.