Nature Museum Outing

Once in awhile I get lucky and obtain a pass to one of the museum's in our city. Yes we could go on the free days but why when you can get a pass and go when you want--not the masses.

So I snagged a pass to the Peggy Norbart Nature Museum. I usually like to go when the weather is colder but it happened to be a beautiful day outside. We took full advantage.

Here they are all packed in the car--ready to go. Not a room for one more. :)

The kids sitting on the butterfly as you enter the museum.

Now they are playing at the water feature.

We then saw a bunch of animals: snakes, turtles, frogs, toads, spiders, paper wasps, and a newt. They were fortunate to touch a fox snake but they wouldn't pose for a picture.

They have a little playground and exploration area. They love to run around and touch everything.

We were lucky to encounter a box turtle close up. We learned that she is 32 years old and could live up to 60 or 70. She ate insects, lettuce and carrots. She hibernates by digging a hole for the winter.

Of course I always try and save the best for last which is the butterfly haven. The kids just love running around chasing butterflies and identifying them. Its funny that they know the blue morpho over the Monarch. Here are some that we encountered today.

Because it was such a nice fall day we decided to head outside and go on a nature walk. There is a sculpture of a root and the kids tried to climb it.

Jillian of course was a little terrified....she was up high.





Two bumps on a log...of course not looking or smiling.

Braedon found a stump and he was sitting on it but would not smile.

They all found bits of a tree...

We then ran around the grassy area for a bit racing to a tree then racing back and then to the car. We were going to try and go to the zoo which is across the street but that would have made for an extra long day. I didn't think S and J would make it.

Luckily we didn't have anyone run off and/or get lost. This was probably one of the first times I had a stress free time.

Getting anywhere??

If you had ever wondered how it is to live in the city with 3 kids? I've given a brief view of how we enter/exit our house on a daily basis.

First we have to exit our apartment and go into the "Tower" or building in the center of our court.



Then we wait for the elevator...

We get into the elevator and go one floor down to the basement.

Then we walk down the hallway.

Then open the door and into the garage to our car.

Now we could take the stairs but sometimes it is much easier/faster to load them up in the elevator. Especially if you have a ton of stuff you are carrying.

Please don't get me wrong, some people would kill to have a indoor/heated garage. It is just a small price to pay for living in the city. And yes we do pay for our parking spots.

Oct. 3rd homeschool day...

I've been contemplating our homeschool days to try and incorporate everything. But I realize I just can't do it all...nor can my 3 kids. So I decided to make it easy on me and go with the flow. I also thought I would write about our adventures so when the kids get older and say, "Mom, what was I like or what did we do when I was (insert age)."

Today it was nice out and I've decided that any day it is above 50 degrees was an excuse to get out.

Recently, both boys received bikes and haven't had much of an opportunity to get on them (last time Sebastian split Braedon's finger open with a brick. This halted things for a while).

Our goal today was to explore our neighborhood and look for trees that were changing colors.



This was one of the trees on 58th street. Below is another one...






Here are a few photos of the churches and university buildings around us. One day when they are older and interested, I would love to teach them about the architectural designs.

On our way around the neighborhood, the boys asked to visit the botany pond to feed the animals.

Here they are being silly...

Sebastian always amazes me. He is my tough cookie and I try to teach him things but he doesn't like to let me know he knows things. Here he is pointing to the numbers and telling Jillian.

What is an adventure out without some action? Yes not 1 but 4 fire engines happened upon the library. All of the kids were in awe....

The firefighters were so kind and all of them waved and rang their sirens for the kids.

On the way back, we did what I set out to do which was pick up leaves.

Apparently riding bikes for several blocks to fun and exciting places is tough work. Braedon and Sebastian decided to "walk" their bikes and well Jillian had to join in.

We had a joyous morning and now its time for a nap for Ms. J. We will be working with the letter "L" with our leaves later in the day. The picture is below.

Braedon's 6th birthday

Dear Braedon,
I can’t believe it has been 6 years since you have come into our lives. It has been a wonderful and magical time seeing you develop from a baby to a toddler and now a young boy. Each day I marvel at the fact that you came out of me and that you are in our lives. I don’t know why you didn’t come earlier to us but grateful to have you when we did.

You teach us so many things: patience, forgiveness, love and most of all laughter. You have fun on a daily basis and you make sure to include us. Whatever game you are playing or even just to point something out to us, you always have a funny spin on things.

You love to play with legos, hotwheels cars, transformers and most of all your ecto-1 from the movie ghostbusters. In fact, you had your 6th year pictures taken with your ecto-1 to show your love for it. I think you will even be a ghostbuster for Halloween. We try to provide you with enough toys to encourage your imagination and creativity. Right now you and your brother are playing together with new legos.
For your birthday, you wanted the lego police station. So we gathered up everyone and took a trip to the mall. You got your pictures taken and then we went to the lego store. You picked out a helicopter, police boat, moon land rover, little black car and of course the lego police station. Sebastian picked out a police motorcycle/dune buggy vehicle. Then we ate lunch and did a little more looking around and headed home. On the way home we picked up your Dad from work. Immediately when we walked into the door you wanted your lego stuff to be assembled. We put most of it together and the rest we would finish the next day.

You requested I make you an ice cream cake with your favorite ice cream flavor: vanilla. Overall this was the best birthday we had….
Of course, we also got you a hotrock bike 16” for you to learn how to ride and eventually to take your stablizers off. It too is in your favorite color: blue.
As far as your school development: you can read, you don’t like for us to pressure you to read but I force you from time to time. You love books and I can’t wait for the day when you pick something up and read it to me. You don’t like to write but someday you will.

I wanted to write this out for you so you will have an idea of your life as a young boy and when you ask me, “Mom, what was I like when I was a boy?” I can easily find this blurb and tell you. Or when you have kids one day they can ask you and you can tell them.

Your Dad and I love you very much and we want you to be the best person you can be. We want you to be happy and full of laughter all of the time.
Happy 6th birthday Braedon.

Happy 4th Birthday Sebastian

When I think back to this day I remember waking up not feeling at all rested and it was snowing. On this day 4 years later, I woke to the same restless night and snowing. I couldn’t believe that you were going to be born on this day and still cannot believe it. But here you are and well our lives have never been the same.

You are a constant bundle of laughter. Your personality shines through with everything that you do. You are terribly bright and can say things with a straight face. I knew you were going to be a tough guy when you fought your way through the ICU. You think you are very tough that you pick fights with your brother and wrestle with him even though he is 15 months older and at least 1 inch taller.

You have many toys that you love. Right now you are very much into any characters from the movie, Cars. I think Mater is your favorite but you do sometimes prefer Lightening McQueen. You’re all time favorite car is the Mustang. You can spot a real one miles away and even the older models. We took you to a car show and you loved every minute. Your grandparents bought you a toy mustang to play with you took it to bed with you every evening until…well you got some new toys for your birthday and the mustang was set aside. But you do play with it as well.

Your 4th birthday photo shoot couldn’t have gone any better. You smiled when she told you to smile and you were of course yourself. The snickering shots of you are how you are on a daily basis…quite devilish. Your shirt was especially created for you because you love monster trucks. Your favorite video is Monster Truck Mater and one of the characters is the green cement truck you are playing with in the photos. I bought that for you moments before your shoot so that you would be happy and that you would have something to play with during the shoot.

You can be the sweetest and kindness little boy when you want to or sometimes when you aren’t trying. You love for us to snuggle with you at night. You must sleep with your froggy blanket and any toy of choice for the night.

I saw an instant change in you right before you turned 4. Your words and speech were more thought out. We can understand you a lot better. You don’t whine as much as you used to but honestly hope you will grow out of that phase. You generally whine/cry when you don’t get your way or you can’t express yourself. When you are hungry or very tired you lose all control and we sometimes have to hold you until you calm down. But most of the time we give you to the count of three to calm down.

You love to sit in my lap when we are reading a story. Something that you and I have always enjoyed. You are also very interested in what I’m cooking and especially baking. You love to be right next to me hoping to lick the beater or bowl. You definitely have a sweet tooth. You prefer yogurt and orange juice compared to Braedon who likes milk.

You really enjoy nature and the outdoors. We have some cardinals who visit us and I told you that they were your cardinal. When they chirp, I say that it’s your cardinal calling you. It says good morning or where have you been. When we are out in the neighborhood you can hear it calling you and you turn to me and say, “That’s my cardinal.”

There are times when you can be quite naughty or mischievous. I am unable to plant anything because you have torn them up over and over again. You have dumped over the cat litter box and rolled your trucks through it saying look at me I’m driving over the mountains. You like to go in the refrigerator yourself and get out the gallon of OJ or milk and bringing it across the living room to ask for some. You’ve written on the wall saying they were mountains. You like to make messes with food dumping things or making lots of crumbs. You like to go outside and pee—not just on the tree but wherever you see fit (and no matter how hot or cold it is). When we ask you why you do the things you do…..your answer—Because I did.

You are a leader at times and a follower at other times. But when there is something you just don’t want to do…..you just won’t do it. There are times when you and your brother get along amazingly and times when you have knock out drag out fights. You are becoming more independent as the days progress. Deep down I believe that you are the best of buds.

You love your baby sister but sometimes she gets in your way or you think she’ll get in your way and you do something to her. You either push her or take things away. But you are also very protective of her as well. You look out for her well-being and you include her in some of the things you play.

Overall you are a very unique child and we are so happy to have you in our life. We were terribly sad when you were born that we weren’t sure if you were going to make it. After 24 hours, I knew that you would and that we would have a fighter on our hands.

Happy 4th birthday—I hope it was everything you wanted it to be and more.

Love—your mommy

Thank you for being a crappy mom…

My epiphany only comes since having children myself. I realize that I have my mother to thank for this. Really? Yes my mom will never win the mother of the year award. What mother is perfect? She did her best—right? She was a single mother and working full time. She didn’t have time to make a homemade meal (but I seriously think she could have tried harder). I remember many of her notorious meals—spaghetti with tomato juice from a can, ghoulosh (couldn’t remember what was in it but it was a glop of grey goo), and some sort of chop suey a la “La Choy”. Some of these meals were created when she was still married and supposed to be a full time mom.

As for me I certainly didn’t think of these things before having children. Like the realization that you are responsible for this person until they are capable of doing everything for themselves.

While I’m making dinner this evening these thoughts crept into my mind. I’m responsible for feeding my children! If I don’t plan accordingly the natives get restless and war will be declared. Crying, whining and inconsolable nagging will reign supreme. On my best days, I have made a meal plan for the week and shopped accordingly. Today is one of those good mommy days where I have planned ahead. I generally try and start dinner around 4pm as my children desire to eat around 5pm. I made mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and steak (I know not really exciting but it’s all homemade).

Why is everything homemade? Why don’t I take the easy route and open a box, can, or something frozen?

I have my crappy mother to thank. And for that, I say thank you to my mother for opening a box of flakes and “making” potatoes as if we were in the army getting our “rations”. I can also remember cupcakes from a box, frosting from a can, pudding a la Jello, and hungry man frozen dinners.

Ironically, she has propelled me into being a better mom in the food department. I know I have a long way to go and I’m certainly not going to be awarded mom of the year anytime soon, but I’ll keep striving to get there.

I’m sure one day my kids will try to recall their memories as a child and they’ll probably say—you were a crappy mom. My reply….not as crappy as mine.