So Rambunctious

Annalyn will be turning 3 come January. As anyone that has kids will know, that's an age that's incredibly full of energy and spunk. We've had fun with her as fall has started to set in as she explores fallen leaves, pumpkin patches and crisp air. 

Annalyn has been able to talk more which is great! She's answering questions, asking questions, letting us know what she needs, and pointing out any bug she finds. Whenever we're out working in the yard, she inevitably gets into the dirt and becomes a filthy mess. No amount of, "Annalyn, stay out of the dirt" or, "Annalyn, play on the grass" will stop her from discovering the wonders of dirt.

She continues to be more and more of a handful, especially for Rachel, as she's nearing the end of her pregnancy with Declan. It's kind of hard to tell if it's just her age, or if she really knows that she's pushing our buttons...

Went to the Hospital

There was an Egyptian exhibit at the Science Museum this summer, and before it left for good we finally decided to go see it. The weather was still decent and not terribly hot. It had been a while since we saw the museum and thought that by now most people had seen it already (can you tell we like avoiding crowds?).

We got off to a little bit of a late start in the morning so we knew that parking wasn't quite going to be a day at the park - even though we were going to the park... Anyway, after taking the long way through, which was very scenic and enjoyable since I have never seen that part of Forest Park, we reached the Science Museum on the far side. I dropped off Rachel and Annalyn at the door and went to find a parking spot. The way I took ended up taking me out of Forest Park and into Barnes-Jewish Hospital (hence I went to the hospital) and had to fight through absurd traffic just to turn around.

Finally I got back to the science center and found an excellent spot. Met up with the family and had lunch before we headed over to the Egyptian exhibit. Once we got there we realized something. The exhibit seemed a little familiar, like we had been there before. And then it hit us: we had been to the exact same exhibit when we lived in Texas! The EXACT same! Same mummy, same reader boards, same children activities, same overpriced exhibit. The funny thing was when we took pictures on the camel, we realized Rachel was just as far along with Annalyn the first time we went as she is now with Declan! The following pictures prove it. Here is Rachel in Texas pregnant with Annalyn:

And here she is pregnant with Declan just recently, also at 7 1/2 months along:

Uncanny, right? However entertaining this epiphany was, we are not about to hunt down this ridiculous camel for everyone additional pregnancy we have.

After laughing it all off, we let Annalyn play around for a while, seeing how she didn't get to see it the first time. And then we called it a day. 

New Ride

We got fed up with all the problems our Lexus was giving us. We added up all the expenses we've put into repairs, NOT including maintenance, and it averaged out to be an additional $120 a month for the thing. That didn't register well with either of us (or Annalyn) so we made the decision to replace it. We also wanted something that could accommodate our family getting bigger over the years; we hoped to get something with low miles so it would last a long while.

So we ended up getting a 2004 Honda Pilot. We had a Honda before the Lexus and it was great, which is what led us to looking at them again. And so far I'd have to say, it's been such a relief not having to deal with the problems. We've been dealing with them for so long, that once we got the new vehicle, we had forgotten part of what we were missing!

At the end of the day, it's so nice to know that we have a much more reliable vehicle that's cheaper as well. We found out all too soon why we got such a 'good deal' on our last car. It was comforting to work with someone upfront with us.

MORAL: There is ALWAYS another car out there...always. If any red flags pop up in your mind, be prepared to, and okay with, walking away.

Grant's Farm

It's been a while since I've posted. Life tends to sneak up on you, especially when you're busy.

A couple weeks ago we went to Grant's Farm again. It's kind of like Wheeler Farm, if it was operated by Anheuser-Busch. And it's more than just a farm, it's a wilderness preserve that has animals from all over the world! 6 continents are represented with a diverse collection of deer from all over, as well as many  birds and other wildlife. They also had a couple animals shows. One was similar to that at Hogle Zoo or Tracy Aviary with trained birds and small animals. They also have an elephant show which was excellent.

Annalyn was even able to feed a goat. They sell small bottles of milk that you can purchase for $1.00 that you can feed the goats. You have the option of actually going into the goat's pen to feed them, but they always seem a little too over eager, and there's always more goats than bottles...or people. I wouldn't be surprised if there were over 50 goats there anxious to be fed.

It was a really fun day. We had hopes of going a couple weeks before we actually went since the weather was so nice, but it was far too crowded. By the time we went the new school year had started, and we left earlier in the day. So it was still nice, not too hot, and not crowded at all. We all enjoyed ourselves, especially Annalyn - who finally got to pet her very first pony.