The Passage with Friends

As summer winds down, we are making an effort to do some last minute fun activities with friends.

This week that meant meeting up to play at the Aquarium and Passage fountains in downtown Chattanooga.

The Aquarium fountains are great for little kids – not too deep, but deep enough to splash and paddle around in. And they are free.

The Passage is special in that it is a series of steps with a cascade down to a pool that overlooks the Tennessee River.

It is a beautiful spot, but Daniel and I have never been since we had kids (we visited years ago, and it always seems to be closed when we have tried to check it out).

Anyways, it was open and we enjoyed the afternoon with our friends.

The water in the Passage was FREEZING! My legs were turning red as I walked in the pool to snap a few photos.

Of course, the kids didn't mind at all.

We brought a picnic, and then walked over to Ben & Jerry's afterward for ice cream.

What a fun way to wrap up end our fun, laid back summer days.

We are so thankful for good friends, and fun spots in our community.

Friend Friday: Warner Park, 2017

It wouldn't be summer without a trip to the Warner Park Pool to meet friends (our first visit here was back in 2013, the kids were a lot smaller then!).

We try to go at least a couple of times each summer and we always have a great time.

Isaac is getting braver at the splash pad, even going down the little slide a few times.

Jack was brave and did the huge slide (he first tried it last summer), though he got scared at the top and had to be talked down by the life guard on his first attempt. Round two, easy peasy.

And my good friend, Courtney, was nice enough to do the swim test and then join Jack on the obstacle course along with her youngest girls.

I have been dealing with hip pain all summer and didn't think I could do the swim test or obstacle course :(

I'm thankful for a friend who is willing to step up and help my kids when I can't.

Isaac's favorite place to hang out is the 2-foot pool. He likes to float around/walk in the shallow.

Jack convinced Courtney to do the obstacle course with him several more times.

I think by next year, he will figure out how to pass the swim test and do the obstacle course as much we will let him!

We had a fun afternoon, swimming, playing, and visiting with friends.

Friend Friday: CDM

Another visit to the Creative Discovery Museum for us. This museum is truly a staple for us, especially on days it is rainy or when outside temperatures are too hot or too cold.

Sometimes we just go because the kids want to.

We always have lots of fun, and find interesting things to do.

The Eric Carle exhibit was still in place when we visited this time.

In the Make It! Lab, they had a table set up with old toys and screw drivers and you could take toys apart to see how they were made. Jack and his friend, Sam, could have stayed here all day! They were in little boy heaven for sure! See video above.

Have we mentioned that we love our friends and Friend Friday?

Knowing we have this group of people to get together makes us excited about what homeschool will look like in the fall.

Knowing that we had a group in place that we regularly meet with (who also happen to be homeschooling) certainly made it easier to make the decision to homeschool!