i'm a bona-fide mom now... with a membership card to prove it

Today I felt like such a mom. Not just because I have given birth and am carrying my second child... but because I did a thing that (in my mind) only moms do:

I bought a year's membership to our local aquarium.

The membership was a whopping five dollars more than the day pass, so I decided to "splurge" and lay down the $29.50 for endless trips to the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium for boy wonder and I.

How I didn't know about this steal-of-a-deal before, I have no idea.

But for the next year I know where I will be on scorching hot days (in search of air conditioning) and on rainy days (in search of sanity with my stir-crazy toddler):

I'll be checking out the sharkies and fishies, turtles and crabs with my favorite little dude.

Levi loved it. I loved it. My visiting friend from North America loved it.

And it gets even better.

This weekend they are opening up a whole new children's wing with a ton of interactive stuff and several "touch and feel" pools. A munchkin paradise.

No doubt this kid will be in awe.

Can't wait for our next visit.

Dear friends, what have you done lately that's made you well and truly feel like MOM?

happy to join the ranks of card-carrying moms everywhere,

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Are you pregnant? Link up with the Bloggin' Babes and Babies of 2011.

Share your creativity and Easter inspiration by submitting your Easter card to our Easter card linky (closing April 21).

I know I'm not in jammies... but it's not all that often than I'm in photos with Levi so I wanted to jump at the chance to join in and support Casey's "Momma in Focus" meme.... cuz I just really like Casey and think she has a great thing going. So, here I am (minus the jammies) - just me with my boy! (And Casey - I'll to try and get my face in one next time! No promises... but I'll try! *wink+grin*)

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2011
do not reproduce without written permission

reclaiming sundays... with sunnies

So, my husband has been teaching Levi to wear sunglasses... to actually keep them on his face. And to my surprise, he's been very successful.

I'm dumbfounded every time I see these chubby little cheeks and button nose with mini aviator sunnies perched on top.

This last Sunday we spent the afternoon at one of our local parks.

One of the perks to living in such a hot, humid (read: sometimes miserable) climate are the free water parks and pools that are open to the public. (Apparently they have to give us some sort of incentive to live here!)

This is one of our favorites - the Riverway.

There are five different pool areas including a normal pool, a lap pool, a "lagoon", a (cold) spa, and a kiddie pool. There are free gas BBQs scattered around the place and lots of grass for picnics and games.

There are also a couple of different playgrounds and a huge bike and walking path that spans the river for miles.

It really is a wonderful place.

I'm grateful to have such amazing facilities close to us and available to us without even having to spend any money. We enjoyed a lovely Sunday together as a family... and so far, we're doing well at our quest to Reclaim Sundays.

Dear friends, were you able to take a break this weekend? What did you get up to?

lovin my sundays more than ever,

P.S. We're camping at the moment, so if I don't respond to comments and emails right away... that's why. No phones or internet for me!

Note: You can read my original post with more of what this is all about here. If you'd like to grab the Reclaiming Sundays button and join in with our family's quest to make some more time for rest in our busy lives, then please feel free. Make sure you leave me your link so I can come see and be inspired by what your family is doing. (And remember, your "Sundays" don't have to literally be on Sundays... any old day will do, as long as it's deliberate.) 

<a href="http://www.themommyhoodmemos.com" target="_blank"><img alt="The Mommyhood Memos" src="http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m223/adrielmc/reclaimingsundaysbuttonimagesize200.jpg" /></a>
(And don't worry, the button will display on your blog much smaller than the image above!:)

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2011 
do not reproduce without written permission

auto-responder: vacation notification {woohoo!}

Actually, these photos are not from our vacation. They're from a beautiful afternoon at our local pool/beach a few Sundays ago...

But in honor of the fact that we are well and truly on holiday now, I thought I'd post these holiday-ish looking photos of my boys.

Because, you know, they're just so dang cute.

And because I'm writing (and scheduling) this post about a week before we really are on holidays. (Yeah, I'm tricky like that.)

And mostly because Levi's grandma is always hanging out for more photos of her first grandchild.

These are for you Gigi... your favorite grandson and your favorite son-in-law. (And we'll see you in person soon!)

{those cheeks!}

{those eyelashes! and that little button nose!}

{who needs to be home for nap time when you can just crash out on the beach?}

{responsible mommy keeping my boys under cover of the shade... while i sunbathe of course.}

Dear friends, there's no real reason for this post other than to throw up a few photos in celebration of being on holiday. (And to appease Gigi of course.) But aren't you jealous that I live in such a beautiful place that my Sundays can look like this?

now relaxing with family,

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission