A brilliant friend of mine has a monthly family adventure where a different child chooses an activity for all the family to go and do. I loved the idea and decided our family would start a monthly family outing. David was the first to choose. His choice: drive through "THE TUNNEL" and go to the Ecotarium. Saturday was the day. Here is the photo journey.
In the car.
Since we have moved there is one thing that a sweet five year old boy has asked to do numerous times. Not knowing where it goes, or always heading to an appointment when we pass this tunnel we have never gone through it. I always figured it went to a hotel parking lot and we would get stuck. Our first spot was "the tunnel". If you can see through the dirty windshield
it goes off a main street and has no signs telling where it goes.
We were pleased to see that it put us right down to the main street avoiding a busy intersection. Guess I should have tried it sooner.
At the Ecotarium we saw animals on the way in, but the kids were excited to sit and learn about box turtles. We learned that boy box turtles have orange eyes and curved undershells and they will pee on the floor as they try to bite a toy turtle. Allison thought they were great!
Bridget liked her toy frog more.
We then moved on to see about wind and water. As I was watching David and Allison I learned they have something in common...watch their mouths when they are concentrating.
Making waves and making the boats collide was fun.
David had fun trying to connect tubes to see how air can lift a balloon or fabric.
He was so excited to figure out how to make the ball float above the red tube.
While the kids were working, Dad was too. He found a pendulum and magnets and sat moving them around. I couldn't get the camera out fast enough as he was straddling the base, but he looks quite proud of himself as he made the pendulum stop moving.
Bridget was still happy in her stroller.
Their was a biosphere with up close and personal chance to see the plants. Too bad Allison was a bit too short.
With a break for lunch we all were refreshed and ready to head outside to see some more animals.
It was a bit cold
That didn't stop Bridget from falling asleep.
David ran off way and Allison turned to find acorns. She was so excited to see so many.
Then when I told her I didn't have a bag for them she found a nice little place in the snow for them.
Then decided they were dirty and wouldn't be picking them up again.
We got to the polar bear and only wished that she would have been swimming.
What a fun day was had by all!
Bridget is getting closer to mastering sitting on her own. Allison was sure she could do it all on her own the other day. She asked me to get the camera and take pictures of her "amazing sister".
Bridget could sit and balance for 5 or so seconds, but luckily Allison was there to catch her.
I turned from the room and Allison called, "Look mom, I am the amazing sister now!" Yes she is carrying Bridget around with her feet barely off the ground.
The kids love to go and help shovel the snow, or more preciously move little bits from one location to the other on the driveway, never getting down to the ground. Allison is particularly good at making marks with the bottom of the shovel, but man does she try hard.
David on the other hand sees how many piles he can get to the top of and how fast he can get there. Or his other favorite is to try and run across the top and not sink it. On this day he got stuck numerous times as it had snowed a lot over a few days. He perfected the fall and could make it into a great snow angel though.
This is off to the side of our house. I love it. I think it is so beautiful and calm, maybe because there are no foot prints in it yet!
After shoveling it is always nice to sit and warm up!
Allison choose her princess pink and was sure she wanted rainbow polka dots all over the walls. I kept trying to convince her white polka dots were what she wanted, she wouldn't have it. Then she decided she wanted them small all the same size. My parents were here to help figure out ways we could get dots on the walls. We considered painting them using a marshmellow, sponge, stencil, but we finally went for some vinyl dots which had to be punched from the bigger ones I had bought. Here it is
In the car.
it goes off a main street and has no signs telling where it goes.
We were pleased to see that it put us right down to the main street avoiding a busy intersection. Guess I should have tried it sooner.
Bridget liked her toy frog more.
Making waves and making the boats collide was fun.
He was so excited to figure out how to make the ball float above the red tube.
Bridget was still happy in her stroller.
Their was a biosphere with up close and personal chance to see the plants. Too bad Allison was a bit too short.
It was a bit cold
That didn't stop Bridget from falling asleep.
David ran off way and Allison turned to find acorns. She was so excited to see so many.
Then when I told her I didn't have a bag for them she found a nice little place in the snow for them.
Then decided they were dirty and wouldn't be picking them up again.
We got to the polar bear and only wished that she would have been swimming.
What a fun day was had by all!
They are these funny little plastic shaped things that can be used as chairs, turtle shells, stools. We have tried them as sleds, snow ball makers or beds for dolls. The kids seem to come up with many uses for them. Bridget got a little set of two more her size. Allison quite frequently hides them under her big pink one saying it is the mom and these are the baby turtles.
Wear them as a hat.
I think she is getting it.
Then take them to Grandpa and have him wear them as a hat too.
You have to hold really still to keep them on your head.
Trying to look through the hole is just as hard as balancing on your head.
The kids discovered another way they can have fun with Grandpa and how strong he is. They repeatedly made them lift them up and down in as many ways as they could think to balance on his hands. Alone or at the same time, poor grandpa got his workout for the hour or so they kept him busy. Then they started getting squirmy and fell on top of him.
(Notice the yellow painted walls...they are no longer purple thanks to our guests too! Can you guess who choose yellow. David. We still need to put the stripe around the wall, but it will come soon.)