What's Happening This Week. . .

We had three significant things happen this week.

FIRST of all, Avie learned to walk and climb. I have videos to post, but I haven't figured out how yet, so those videos will be up soon. (Hopefully.) Avie is getting very adventurous and harder to look after. Hooray for a little bit more independence for her. A little more work for her mama. (SIGH!)

SECOND. Parker lost his first tooth!!! I didn't even realize it was wiggly. He lost it today after lunch and misplaced the missing tooth. (I think he might have swallowed it.) Now I have to boys with gaping grins.
Isn't he the cutest!!! He was so proud. Losing a tooth means your getting big. He can't wait to hear what the dentist says about it at his next appointment.
THIRD. For our adventure this week we went to the Aviary.
Connor is getting pretty good with the camera. He took this picture of the peacock all by himself.
At the Aviary there was a cool path made out of slices of logs. The boys had a good time exploring each one.
This sweet girl gave each of the boys a quarter so that they could feed the ducks with her. I thought she was super sweet. What a good example.
The flamingos were pretty cool.
The King Vulture was both boys favorite bird in the bird show. It has to be the bird with the grossest habits/job to do. That must be why they loved it. Boys!
Just passing time, waiting for the show to start.
Avie was so tired of her stroller by the time we were through. Who wants a ride when you can walk? Next week's adventure should be very interesting. . .

Summer Fun 3 of 3 - The Dinosaur Park

This week for our special adventure we visited the Dinosaur Park. They boys got to see many dinosaurs, as well as participate in many fun activities. This is a picture of them helping to uncover bones at a dinosaur dig.
They also got to pan for gold, just like they did back in the day. . .
Avie mainly liked playing in the water barrel at the end of the table where the boys were panning for gold.
NO!!!!! Don't eat my boys. (Even though you've been dead FOR AGES. . .)
The displays were pretty cool. Just ask Connor, I let him take a few pictures with the camera. I think we have at least one picture of every dinosaur there.
Here are the kids all sitting on the prehistoric crocodile-looking thing. I haven't been able to teach Avie yet that she is supposed to pose for pictures.
Connor, riding this metal dinosaur like a bronco.
Avie wasn't too sure about the swings but as long as she was barely moving she thought that they were pretty cool. She HATED going down the little slide with her brother.
Parker thought the HUGE turtle was a ton of fun.
Daring Connor. I am sure glad this dinosaur didn't bite his head off. I wished the picture of him trying to stick his head in the nostril of the triceratops skeleton had turned out. That was good for a laugh.
Parker LOOK OUT!!!!! That dinosaur is going to catch you!
A hygenist's nightmare. (By-the-way, Jeremy and I are both cavity free this time around at the dentist. Yeah Us!)
We had to check out the collection of gems. . .
And the awesome geod collection. (I'm sure that is spelled wrong.)
The robotic dinosaur display was really neat. I think both boys wished that the Triceratops and the T-Rex actually got to fight. The growling and roaring was pretty cool though.

I have to admit I wasn't totally excited for the dinosaur park. I was greatly impressed! Before I knew it we had spent the whole day there. It is definitely on my list of favorite kid places.

Summer Fun 2 of 3 - The Zoo

Once a week this summer, we are trying to go on an adventure. I bought a membership to our local aviary this year and as a perk we also get free/discounted entrance fees to some of our local zoo's and attractions. For our first adventure of the summer we visited the Zoo. The boys thought it was really cool that if the pushed hard enough they could get this huge granite ball to rotate the other way.
The giraffes. . .
Who doesn't like taking a break for some Dippin' Dots. Avie sure enjoyed them.
My children are about the same height as an elephant's tusk. Just in-case you needed another fact of usless knowledge. . .
We just had to see the new baby elephant. Isn't she so cute?
I think this baby is pretty cute too.
They have a fairly new carousel at the zoo. The boys got a kick out of it.
Avie had a good time too. We were so happy that Dad was able to come too. We were so lucky to have seen all of the animals, ridden the carousel and the train before the rain started. We are glad that we missed the storm, but it was nice to go on such a cool day. Who wants to walk around a super hot zoo all day? It was a perfect day at the zoo!

Summer Fun 1 of 3 - Family Fun Center

To kick off our summer in style (a.k.a. to celebrate the end of school) we spent an evening at the Family Fun Center. We all enjoyed a round of minature golf.
Jeremy helped Parker perfect his form.
Parker and Connor got to ride in the bumper boats.
I think they had a great time trying to drench each other with the squirt guns attached to the boats.
We capped it all off with a pizza, bread sticks and a few games at the arcade.

Summer, here we come!!!

Things we've learned lately. . .

The past few weeks my kids have learned quite a few things. Here is a little update.
Parker had his Gymnastics Parents Review. He did a great job! Here is a picture of Parker doing a flip on the little bar.
He has also been working on doing handstands and cartwheels. Those are kind of tricky when you are five.
Avie has learned to climb. She is so proud of herself when she gets into something tricky. She was so proud of getting into this basket of clothes.
She was very excited to have accomplished this feat all on her own. Doesn't her smile just say it all?
Connor learned how to take out small dead trees. He had a really great time. I think it took him about an hour to break the tree in half and attempt to sever it the rest of the way. Finally, Dad let him use a hand saw and under parental care was able to cut the rest of the tree down. Parker enjoyed working with him for a little while too.
Connor has decided that snakes aren't that bad. (I am not sure whose child he is. Jeremy and I are both terrified.) It is a good thing he doesn't mind handling them. He saved the life of this little guy from my shovel, or Jeremy's weed whip. (We are uncomfortable enough that we don't mess around.) He bravely carried this one out the back gate and set him free in the creek area. Phew!


By-the-way. . .
Did you know that we have a garden blog?
Jeremy was a little disappointed I posted our family garden exploits there.
You can check them out on my Garden Geek blog. Just click the Garden Geek button on my side bar. Enjoy!!!

Memorial Day through the eyes of My Children

This is the conversation we had with Connor and Parker as we got out of the car at the first cemetery we visited.

Parker: "Wow, there are a lot of dead people."
Then, pointing to a VERY OLD and VERY FRAIL looking man standing just off of the path he says,
"Look, that guy must have just died today!"

Connor: "That's one down, and like a MILLION to GO!"