So long, sweet summer!

We sent the summer out with a bang! We had such a fun last week of summer! Most of the San Antonio schools started back on Monday, so the girls & I took full advantage of that and went to Sea World! With all of the the big kids in school, Sea World was a GHOST TOWN! We were seriously like the 4th car in the parking lot when we arrived, and Shelby was the only kid on some of the rides. It was so fun having the place to ourselves! We did some of the girls' favorites--visiting the sharks, riding the kiddie rides, but we also did two new things for the first time--the pet show (HUGE hit with both girls!) & Dippin' Dots! This was a first for both girls, and they were in heaven! I on the other hand was only slightly annoyed since I had to hear Shelby ask about 1.5 million times why the ice cream was in dots. ;)

No pictures from our day on Tuesday, but we had another super fun day at the pool with Angela & the boys! After 3 hours in the sun on Monday & another 3 hours in the sun on Tuesday, I decided we needed a day indoors. First up, was shopping for new shoes for Miss Shelby! She outgrew her old pair of tennis shoes earlier this summer & with the new school year upon us, it was definitely time for new shoes! Of course, I misread the store's hours when I checked their website & we got there 30 minutes before they opened. ;)  So we killed some time in Michael's, which was right next door, while we waited for the shoe store to open. Thank goodness for a new display of Halloween books at Michael's to keep both girls entertained! :)

Shelby was absolutely DELIGHTED to try her new shoes & INSISTED on wearing them out of the store. ;)  She was so excited to have "Z shoes like Daddy" (which is what she calls New Balance shoes b/c the N looks like a Z to her). I'm almost 4 years into this parenthood thing, and this was the very first time I've attempted shoe shopping with children in tow! I've always just estimated Shelby's shoe size & ordered something cute online from Target, but Derek & I decided now that she's almost 4 she's more of a "real person" now & deserved "real shoes." ;)  I was a bit nervous how the shoe shopping experience would go, but thankfully I'd picked out this pair in advance & showed them to Shelby online. She absolutely loved them at first sight! Another big plus was we were able to walk right into the store (well, after 30 minutes at Michael's, ha!) & got a really nice sales associate who immediately found the shoes in her size..so we were in & out in about 15 minutes!

Shelby's new "Z shoes!" :)

After our big shoe purchase, we headed to an indoor play place in the same shopping center as the shoe store before heading home for lunch & naps. Thursday was another day at Sea World! We went with Angela & the boys and crammed a lot of fun into our 3 hours--sharks, a few rides, feeding the sea lions, pet show (the girls enjoyed it so much that we wanted to go again!), picnic & playgroud time, and a sea lion show!

Feeding the sea lions! This is as close to the fish as Shelby wanted to get b/c she said they felt too gross after she picked one up--I do have to admit, it was pretty gross!

Riding the ferris wheel!

Friday was Shelby's Open House at her new preschool & a quick errand afterwards. Her new school is simply AMAZING. (I'll try to do a post on it after her first day!) I have seriously had the BEST summer with the girls exploring San Antonio, and if it weren't for how excited I am about her new school  (and the fact that it's only 2 days a week, so we'll still have lots of time for fun!!) I would be devastated our summer was coming to an end.

The school didn't allow cameras, phones, etc at Open House b/c they wanted 100%  focus on the children & not on documenting the experience. Thankfully, they honored the mamas' need for a photo op with this cute set-up outside the school :)

Saturday was our first trip to Kiddie Park (a mini amusement park, which is actually the oldest running amusement park in the country!) & then we went over to the Goins' house to cheer the Dawgs onto their first victory of the season! It was such a fun day!

I have no idea what Shelby is doing, but I'm guessing she wasn't in the mood for a picture ;)

Hadley's first carousel ride! She loved it! She kept saying "ooooo!" over & over again the entire time!

We spent Sunday afternoon at the pool & Sunday evening at Sea World for their Labor Day fireworks show! We went to Sea World right after dinner and had time to visit the sharks (the girls' favorite!!), do a ride or two (the crowds were INSANE compared to our two week-day visits, and Shelby & I were both having a hard time being patient with that after we'd had to park to oursevles that week!), and watch the Azul show for the first time before the fireworks went off! Shelby has seen some fireworks here & there, but we've never taken her to a full fireworks show for Fourth of July--Shely either seemed too young for fireworks or Hadley was too little, and this summer we were EXHAUSTED from Emi's wedding on July 3rd so the girls were in bed HOURS before it was even dark enough for fireworks on the Fourth. Anyhow, all of that to say, this was the girls' first official fireworks experience! It was such a fun night, and I think the girls both kind of liked the fireworks. ;)  Shelby's official review was "the fireworks were pretty, but too loud." Pretty accurate description! :)

Riding Abby Cadabby's Rockin' Wave

Carousel :)

Fireworks! I love the expression on the girls' faces! Shelby is clearly thinking they're too loud, but she's excited & Hadley is a bit concerned ;)

We are a hot mess--I have no idea what's going on with my facial expression, Shelby literally looks like she's in pain from the fireworks, and Hadley was insisting on wearing Shelby's sunglasses in the pitch dark. ;)

And that brings us to today, Labor Day! This was our first three day in weekend in Texas, and it was only fitting that this was also Derek's first weekend of call since he started fellowship. Thankfully, it wasn't too bad! He just had to stay a couple hours later than normal on Friday night & then he went in for a couple hours Sunday afternoon while the girls napped & then another couple hours early this morning. Since the girls didn't get to bed until 10:30 last night due to the fireworks, they slept in a bit this morning and we took it easy & watched The Little Mermaid. Once Derek got home, we made a big family run to Target. Afterwards, Derek & the girls took LONG naps. We've got a low-key evening on tap--leftover pizza for dinner & maybe an errand or two. Tomorrow is Shelby's first day of school, and she is so excited! I really can't believe summer is over--I thought this summer would feel really long in a new city and getting adjusted to everything, but it's flown by! And as sad I am to see it go, I'm so excited for Shelby's school year! Hopefully I'll be back soon with a recap of her first day & Hadley's belated 17 month post!

So long, sweet summer!!