Queen of the Free and the Cheap

 Well, as of late, I have been trying to manage the family finances with a little more wisdom.  I had a combination of a moment of clarity and a new expanse of opportunity.  I had all of these free and very cheap things to do at my constant disposal.  Its great, if not tiring.  But let's face it, the kids either make me tired by entertaining and cleaning up at home after them or by chasing them around places with dinosaur replicas, dump trucks, and inflatable slides.  I've learned to arm myself at all times with snacks, water, and a couple extra diapers for the youngest (she knows when I forget them, I'm convinced).  And off we go.  I've met some wonderful women who are so kind to share their knowledge of the area and all the activities and then am actually paying attention to "social media".  I still don't have a smart phone.  One step at a time.  Anyway, with such little people it didn't make sense to set their standards for entertainment on the weekend and weekdays for that matter, to $20 a ticket sort of places.  While I indulged in a zoo membership, everything must be free or cheap.  What is cheap.  Well my splurge would be $15 for the whole family.  So pretty much the free circuit is what we're hitting.  As it turns out there are a lot of free things here including the dinosaur exhibit that met up with our passing Aunt Rachael at and a Crayola store that lets them use their sidewalk chalk and crayons and paper (not mine.)  There are entire convention centers filled with giant trucks for the express purpose of pleasing the young (and let's admit, all the dads too) for the mere entry fee of donated non-perishables for the local food bank.  So, bring it on.  I'll save the expensive stuff for when they'll remember I've just spent this much and we're not leaving until we get our money's worth speech.  Right now, I wouldn't get much more then a blank stare and a bored attempted cartwheel in a highly inappropriate place where we'd take out about 3 adults walking by.

My kid's a random red head who thought to jump in when I said smile.

What's cuter than two kids on a tiny triceratops.

Always praying in these digging situations that my daughter doesn't unearth something disgusting.

Finally, someone is letting me write on the walls

Mr. Kill a tree after making one mark per page.

Playing coy with Aunt Rachael

 At the truck convention...

Working his farming skills with a cute little lady riding shotgun

Out of the stroller and deciding which way to make a break for it.

A baby on the edge.  She was getting little unruly and had to be detained by the authorities.

The dream is achieved...sitting on the school bus...vehicle of mystery

He just sits on this a little too naturally.  I had to lay down some rules.

Getting his construction on.