The Scott Zoo: 2017 Catch Up

July is always a busy month as it includes Scout and Girls camp. In addition to those week long activities, our ward had concert set up at Conner Prairie for the weekend of July 4th. Conner Prairie is a museum, live action, historical place of sorts and they have an ampitheater in the back at the bottom of a hill, so in the summer they have "Symphony on the Prairie, which are concerts with groups from all genres. Our youth group earns money by setting up two weekends over the summer and this year we drew July 4th weekend.

JULY 1-4 I'd never been to the Symphony on the Prairie for the 4th, so I was excited and getting to see the fireworks in sync to live music with real howitzers. It was a lot of chairs and tables, but it got done and we got to see fireworks twice, which was awesome! On the first day of set up, there was a B-52 bomber that was parked at the Fishers Airport (15 minutes from Conner Prairie). They were giving rides (if you paid for it), but I was just excited to see a real WWII bomber, especially as I'd just finished reading about a POW.

Three of the kids, a friend and the bomber in the background.
So cool to watch it land and take off.

Howitzers ready to fire;
they are LOUD!!
(louder from below them than above them)

Firework snapshots

I think I got some decent pics

Good firework display

Here are pictures from the night of the fourth. I thought it was great fun to have two awesome firework shows in one weekend. :)

Look from the crowd side of the gate
(not the VIP parking side like earlier)

Friend from work gave us
tickets to ride the hot air balloon.

AWESOME VIEW!!
We got up higher than the
Statue of Liberty's torch

Back safely on the ground again
Kayla Jackson was relieved. :)

Nate and Neta waiting for the concert to start

More firework shots

JULY 12-15 Both the boys (including Eric) and the big girls went to camp the same week, so Neta was the one left at home. I coordinated with people in the ward and with ladies at work so that I could take some time off and have some fun play time with Neta as well as she have some play dates with her friends. It's always fun hanging out with my Neta Bear. She even helped me lay some carpet squares in the upstairs hall area (currently dubbed as the "Lego Hall" because that is what is occupying that space).

Monday I took a half day. Neta hung out in the spare office with me until noon and then we met up with Amber Ault and her three monkeys at the zoo.

Neta, Marek and Gemma
attempting to touch a shark

Off to the Walrus water wall

Neta with the Orangutans
(can't remember its name)

Giraffe snapshot

Had fun watching the elephants
play in the mud and water

Visiting a "relative"
after playing in the splash park

Neta hoping a butterfly
would land on her hand.
No such luck

Neta spent Tuesday with the Ryggs, a family from the ward that has five girls, one Neta's age. She was totally excited to spend her day with them.

Wednesday I took another half day and we went for a bike ride along the canal. I used to push her in a stroller while I roller-bladed. Now she wheels herself along. :)

She needs a new bike;
legs are getting too long.

This is at the west end of the canal
behind the zoo;
the city skyline is in the background

You have to pause for this photo-op :)

JULY 22, 28 - Eric and I decided to take down the plaster ceiling in the office. Plaster and lath is DIRTY NASTY STUFF. It gets EVERYWHERE!

Plaster dirt and dust
got inside and under my clothes

Eric wiped of his face;
look at his arms, my hand and face
good times!

I decided I was sick of the sibling complaints about the other sibling's birthday parties and who did what to whom and why that came with individual parties during 2016. So, a new rule was established for 2017 - one family party where each child could invite one friend and we would have a party in July for everyone. We still did family birthday celebrations, but one hurrah with friend. I may repeat in 2018.

Family birthday pool party

Neta invited her friend from
Little Flower - Halyn Stewart

Graigry got Legos from his friend
Robert, also from Little Flower

JULY 31 - I took a day off, so we could have a family play day before school started. We went to Holiday Park. Xela had to work so she is not in any pictures.