How our kids entertain themselves on long car rides...
Silly kids.
Showing posts with label Summer Fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer Fun. Show all posts
9.06.2009
7.29.2009
SD Version 2009
Some of the things we did this past weekend:
1) Visited the New Children's Museum. Chipmunk loved the bubble display (ended up rubbing bubble solution all over his tummy - too bad I forgot the camera battery - boo). Bear enjoyed the Grand Prix project where she got to make and then race a car down a ramp.
2) Went to Sea World. Chipmunk wasn't much for the shows, but Bear really enjoyed herself.
This is her screaming at the Shamu show.
Chipmunk was more at home in places where he could run around and play...
3) Had a grand ol' time at the zoo (yes, after months of Bear asking, we finally went).
Bear made sure to figure out where to find the gorillas.
She also made nice with a sabre tooth tiger.
Chipmunk enjoyed his time in the Children's portion of the zoo. He even got to pet a goat.
4) We visited our dear alma mater...although we were rather confused where it went.
Where did this building come from?
It took us a while, but we eventually found our way.
5) We finally made it back home...
...tired, but happy...
1) Visited the New Children's Museum. Chipmunk loved the bubble display (ended up rubbing bubble solution all over his tummy - too bad I forgot the camera battery - boo). Bear enjoyed the Grand Prix project where she got to make and then race a car down a ramp.
2) Went to Sea World. Chipmunk wasn't much for the shows, but Bear really enjoyed herself.
This is her screaming at the Shamu show.
Chipmunk was more at home in places where he could run around and play...
3) Had a grand ol' time at the zoo (yes, after months of Bear asking, we finally went).
Bear made sure to figure out where to find the gorillas.
She also made nice with a sabre tooth tiger.
Chipmunk enjoyed his time in the Children's portion of the zoo. He even got to pet a goat.
4) We visited our dear alma mater...although we were rather confused where it went.
Where did this building come from?
It took us a while, but we eventually found our way.
5) We finally made it back home...
...tired, but happy...
8.05.2008
In Over My Head
With 2 kids in tow, VBS is here again and I'm back in the crafts center leading 120 kids to glue, cut and color. It's been...well, it's been interesting. Perhaps I'm just a little bit crazy...especially since I've left my almost 6-month old in the care of a 14 year old. And I felt totally crazy as I was running from the crafts center to feed my kid quickly before the next group came in for instruction. Add on the stupidity that I've been feeling lately (I actually addressed someone by her husband's name today...how? I don't know) and somewhere I've found myself completely in over my head.
At least I feel like I'm floundering.
Besides that it's just been a crazy week...It's been emotional as I've been hearing about multiple painful events happening in the lives of my friends. There was a joyful wedding that I got to help celebrate. A goodbye party for my sister and a tearful send off as she drove off to her new home far, far away from here. A reunion with friends and catch up, seeing some visitors from afar who I haven't seen in over a decade, a quick visit for the kids with grandma and then headlong into a busy, busy week of VBS, all after barely recovering from our trip to Lo-Cal (as a friend of mine has dubbed it).
I won't even go into what's on our plate for next week.
But ya know, it is what it is...and despite my hopefully temporary insanity, it's being done and what I thought was going to be impossible with two kids, has moved into the category of somewhat doable. I'm there, I'm leading crafts, and so far neither of my kids have turned their heads to me and said, "you're such a terrible mom and I can't believe you're dragging us around like this!" Bear actually ran up to me in the middle of the day and gave me a quick hug and then ran off to join her little friends in a game of hot potato with the "big bouncy ball (she said with a face full of glee)." Chipmunk even managed to nap for over an hour despite the noise and many distractions.
It's been a validating experience. Despite a few of my fumbles (miscalculating numbers of craft supplies and forgetting my classroom management style) we made it to Wednesday of which I was imagining all hell breaking loose on Monday.
So I'm in a little deep, but thank God for that snorkel (um, metaphor). That's what seems to be keeping me going.
At least I feel like I'm floundering.
Besides that it's just been a crazy week...It's been emotional as I've been hearing about multiple painful events happening in the lives of my friends. There was a joyful wedding that I got to help celebrate. A goodbye party for my sister and a tearful send off as she drove off to her new home far, far away from here. A reunion with friends and catch up, seeing some visitors from afar who I haven't seen in over a decade, a quick visit for the kids with grandma and then headlong into a busy, busy week of VBS, all after barely recovering from our trip to Lo-Cal (as a friend of mine has dubbed it).
I won't even go into what's on our plate for next week.
But ya know, it is what it is...and despite my hopefully temporary insanity, it's being done and what I thought was going to be impossible with two kids, has moved into the category of somewhat doable. I'm there, I'm leading crafts, and so far neither of my kids have turned their heads to me and said, "you're such a terrible mom and I can't believe you're dragging us around like this!" Bear actually ran up to me in the middle of the day and gave me a quick hug and then ran off to join her little friends in a game of hot potato with the "big bouncy ball (she said with a face full of glee)." Chipmunk even managed to nap for over an hour despite the noise and many distractions.
It's been a validating experience. Despite a few of my fumbles (miscalculating numbers of craft supplies and forgetting my classroom management style) we made it to Wednesday of which I was imagining all hell breaking loose on Monday.
So I'm in a little deep, but thank God for that snorkel (um, metaphor). That's what seems to be keeping me going.
7.28.2008
San Diego 2008
Apparently this is becoming an annual thing.
On to the picture show...
After feeling like we were never going to get there (big, bad accident - jammed for 20 miles) we finally arrived, a little frazzled sitting in a car with one complaining toddler and one crying baby. Thus our weekend began.
The zoo was our first stop.
It was a little chaotic traveling with about 13 kids, but somehow we made it around the zoo. If you ask Bear about her favorite part of the zoo she will probably tell you about the "Pah-das (Pandas)" or the "Jee-raffs (Giraffes)."
My favorite part was visiting the Security office, asking to use the phone, and leaving Matt a message that sounded like this, "Hi, uh, I don't know where you are, my phone is dead, and I'm in the security office with Chipmunk who pooped, by the way, and needs a new change of clothes." Matt came to our rescue 20 minutes later. As we were changing Chipmunk, a couple of women walked by, pointed at our naked baby and laughed saying, "oh my gosh, that looks like the baby in the email!" It's unfortunate that I knew which email they were talking about.
The next day, I stupidly forgot the camera, but had a blast with some good friends who live in San Diego (Thanks again!). Matt on the other hand spent his day elsewhere.
Sunday we went to Sea World. Bear was excited because all week we told her how we were going to have breakfast with Elmo. She seemed a little nervous when we got there though.
She was okay in the beginning...
But after a while, those larger than life characters started to freak her out.
Here's Bear climbing up onto the table to avoid getting hugged back by Elmo.
With some tears, but okay with Zoe.
Not too happy with Grover.
Absolutely unhappy with Ernie.
Chipmunk on the other hand was quite happy.
He was a little annoyed though that Daddy wouldn't share his food with him.
Bear was fine once all the characters took their leave. So the rest of the day she was happily telling us all about dolphins and whales that "Spyash." We made sure to visit the turtles more than once (because she kept asking to see them) and cooled off in the Polar Bear exhibit (Boy was it hot that day!). Chipmunk decided to take a 2 hour nap in the wrap sling while Bear played in the kids play area.
We closed our weekend the way it began (stuck in traffic - listening to crying and complaining) and now we are home and all excited about sleeping in our own beds again. Until next year!
On to the picture show...
After feeling like we were never going to get there (big, bad accident - jammed for 20 miles) we finally arrived, a little frazzled sitting in a car with one complaining toddler and one crying baby. Thus our weekend began.
The zoo was our first stop.
It was a little chaotic traveling with about 13 kids, but somehow we made it around the zoo. If you ask Bear about her favorite part of the zoo she will probably tell you about the "Pah-das (Pandas)" or the "Jee-raffs (Giraffes)."
My favorite part was visiting the Security office, asking to use the phone, and leaving Matt a message that sounded like this, "Hi, uh, I don't know where you are, my phone is dead, and I'm in the security office with Chipmunk who pooped, by the way, and needs a new change of clothes." Matt came to our rescue 20 minutes later. As we were changing Chipmunk, a couple of women walked by, pointed at our naked baby and laughed saying, "oh my gosh, that looks like the baby in the email!" It's unfortunate that I knew which email they were talking about.
The next day, I stupidly forgot the camera, but had a blast with some good friends who live in San Diego (Thanks again!). Matt on the other hand spent his day elsewhere.
Sunday we went to Sea World. Bear was excited because all week we told her how we were going to have breakfast with Elmo. She seemed a little nervous when we got there though.
She was okay in the beginning...
But after a while, those larger than life characters started to freak her out.
Here's Bear climbing up onto the table to avoid getting hugged back by Elmo.
With some tears, but okay with Zoe.
Not too happy with Grover.
Absolutely unhappy with Ernie.
Chipmunk on the other hand was quite happy.
He was a little annoyed though that Daddy wouldn't share his food with him.
Bear was fine once all the characters took their leave. So the rest of the day she was happily telling us all about dolphins and whales that "Spyash." We made sure to visit the turtles more than once (because she kept asking to see them) and cooled off in the Polar Bear exhibit (Boy was it hot that day!). Chipmunk decided to take a 2 hour nap in the wrap sling while Bear played in the kids play area.
We closed our weekend the way it began (stuck in traffic - listening to crying and complaining) and now we are home and all excited about sleeping in our own beds again. Until next year!
7.05.2008
Summer Breezes
Summer is hot. Summer is fun. Summer is busy...
Summer continues to breeze on by...
Bear has been taking an art class. Her favorite pastime in class is using the scissors. Perhaps it's because we don't own any kiddie scissors at home so she's been deprived that she makes a bee line for those colorful plastic cutters. Occasionally she'll glue, but most of her artwork just has this fringe around the outside where she went scissors happy.
Well, except the windsock which was supposed to have fringe...which she happily snip-snipped.
July 4th we spent the day with some of my longtime friends (minus one who we missed terribly)...We tried to get some good pictures of the kids together...but if you know anything about taking pictures of multiple kids...it just never works out...especially with five of them...
At night we went to view the fireworks. Bear enjoyed her corn...
...and Chipmunk was a little fussy, at least until the fireworks started and then he was mesmerized for the whole half hour show.
Until next post...summer will continue to breeze on by.
Summer continues to breeze on by...
Bear has been taking an art class. Her favorite pastime in class is using the scissors. Perhaps it's because we don't own any kiddie scissors at home so she's been deprived that she makes a bee line for those colorful plastic cutters. Occasionally she'll glue, but most of her artwork just has this fringe around the outside where she went scissors happy.
Well, except the windsock which was supposed to have fringe...which she happily snip-snipped.
July 4th we spent the day with some of my longtime friends (minus one who we missed terribly)...We tried to get some good pictures of the kids together...but if you know anything about taking pictures of multiple kids...it just never works out...especially with five of them...
At night we went to view the fireworks. Bear enjoyed her corn...
...and Chipmunk was a little fussy, at least until the fireworks started and then he was mesmerized for the whole half hour show.
Until next post...summer will continue to breeze on by.
6.29.2008
A Thin Line
Fun and torture have a thin line drawn between them when you're a parent. Sometimes you have to carefully weigh your options before and ask yourself, "will we have fun or is this going to be more trouble than it's worth?" That's what we ask ourselves every time before venturing out.
This past weekend we went to our annual church retreat. After throwing half of our worldly belongings into the car and driving a little ways, we ended up on a local university campus unpacking into a dorm room. We ate meals in a cafeteria, crowded with people from other on-campus events, and spent most of our time walking from one place to another to make sure we made it to events mostly on time.
With two small kids in tow we made sure to come prepared. Naps were short or non-existent, mealtimes were chaotic making sure all were fed properly, and my mind was racing with lists making sure we were appropriately ready for all things.
Sometimes there were meltdowns and bouts of inconsolable crying. We witnessed falls and spills that resulted in bruises and bumps. There was separation anxiety, rebelling against the unfamiliar and constant complaining and whining.
So was it worth it?
Absolutely.
Although the moment we came home we were cleaning up oodles of poop that the kids stored up over the course of the weekend, we had a weekend of wonderful memories...the great conversations we had with old friends and new friends, the smile on Bear's marker covered face as she showed us the picture she created, the wiggling excitement of Chipmunk as we ventured from one place to another, learning and reflecting and being refreshed...
There's just something about coming home and realizing that we actually made it through the weekend. Even when you're standing over the sink oxy-cleaning playdough stains from shorts and pondering how to put sleeping schedules back in order, you have to smile and be thankful for the joys that outweigh the trouble.
This past weekend we went to our annual church retreat. After throwing half of our worldly belongings into the car and driving a little ways, we ended up on a local university campus unpacking into a dorm room. We ate meals in a cafeteria, crowded with people from other on-campus events, and spent most of our time walking from one place to another to make sure we made it to events mostly on time.
With two small kids in tow we made sure to come prepared. Naps were short or non-existent, mealtimes were chaotic making sure all were fed properly, and my mind was racing with lists making sure we were appropriately ready for all things.
Sometimes there were meltdowns and bouts of inconsolable crying. We witnessed falls and spills that resulted in bruises and bumps. There was separation anxiety, rebelling against the unfamiliar and constant complaining and whining.
So was it worth it?
Absolutely.
Although the moment we came home we were cleaning up oodles of poop that the kids stored up over the course of the weekend, we had a weekend of wonderful memories...the great conversations we had with old friends and new friends, the smile on Bear's marker covered face as she showed us the picture she created, the wiggling excitement of Chipmunk as we ventured from one place to another, learning and reflecting and being refreshed...
There's just something about coming home and realizing that we actually made it through the weekend. Even when you're standing over the sink oxy-cleaning playdough stains from shorts and pondering how to put sleeping schedules back in order, you have to smile and be thankful for the joys that outweigh the trouble.
9.26.2007
The Fun Stage
I guess each stage of development has it's fun. Sometimes I find myself longing for those days when Bear would just sit there and I wouldn't have to run after her nor clean up her messes. Having a toddler is fun though...there's so much more we can do with her now.
The Beach - She played in the water, dug in the sand and amassed a collection of "smooshed" sandcrabs. Poor sandcrabs, never had a chance.
The Fair - We went to the County Fair and Bear really loved looking at all the farm animals. She just kept saying, "Mor Dow! (More Cow)" and would "Baa" at all the sheep. She also took a liking to roasted corn and fake snow (yes, one building had fake snow that she got to play with).
Facing Fears - Bear faced her fears this weekend and picked her very own avocado from a tree in a family friends' backyard.
She was so excited, she ran around the yard yelling "tado!" and then would throw the poor thing onto the concrete like it was a football.
So it's been fun with Bear these days...she enjoys all the activities just as much as we do.
The Beach - She played in the water, dug in the sand and amassed a collection of "smooshed" sandcrabs. Poor sandcrabs, never had a chance.
The Fair - We went to the County Fair and Bear really loved looking at all the farm animals. She just kept saying, "Mor Dow! (More Cow)" and would "Baa" at all the sheep. She also took a liking to roasted corn and fake snow (yes, one building had fake snow that she got to play with).
Facing Fears - Bear faced her fears this weekend and picked her very own avocado from a tree in a family friends' backyard.
She was so excited, she ran around the yard yelling "tado!" and then would throw the poor thing onto the concrete like it was a football.
So it's been fun with Bear these days...she enjoys all the activities just as much as we do.
7.30.2007
San Diego
Our little family doesn't travel much. We're just not the traveling type...we're not opposed to it, we just like being home...except recently I started getting a little sick of being home...so I suggested that we should at least take a short trip. So we did.
Good ol' San Diego...It was a really busy weekend in SD. C0mic-con was going on as well as Americ@n Idol auditions. Everywhere we went we saw people with name badges from the convention or armbands from the auditions. Matt participated in one of the two...you can take your guess on which one.
Here are some highlights of our trip...
UCSD...One of the best places in the world...
This is one of my favorites photos from the trip...they have the same smile
Bear enjoying a smoothie
A "Dar" (Star) that Bear was fascinated with at the tidepools at Se@ World
Bear playing at Sh@mu's Happy Harbor
We had a great time. Although one of us ended up rather gloomy looking by the end of the trip.
Guess it's time to do laundry again.
Good ol' San Diego...It was a really busy weekend in SD. C0mic-con was going on as well as Americ@n Idol auditions. Everywhere we went we saw people with name badges from the convention or armbands from the auditions. Matt participated in one of the two...you can take your guess on which one.
Here are some highlights of our trip...
UCSD...One of the best places in the world...
This is one of my favorites photos from the trip...they have the same smile
Bear enjoying a smoothie
A "Dar" (Star) that Bear was fascinated with at the tidepools at Se@ World
Bear playing at Sh@mu's Happy Harbor
We had a great time. Although one of us ended up rather gloomy looking by the end of the trip.
Guess it's time to do laundry again.
7.08.2007
Catch Up
I haven't really posted much about what we've been doing these days. It's been more stories rather than events...so here's a little catch up on our summer.
1) Weddings - ah yes...wedding...we had some good friends of ours tie the knot this summer and it's been great celebrating with them. Here's Bear picking flowers at one of the weddings...
Congratulations to our dear friends, M & B and D & C!
2) 4th of July fun - We hung out with some of our family, ate lots of food, watched Bear down a bowl full of tomatoes and played fun games like B0ggle. Later on we went to watch the fireworks, where Bear and her friend S were running around sharing Cheet0s. Once the fireworks started, Bear started to cry a little, but soon calmed once Sonja came near.
3) Retreats - went on a church retreat this past weekend and we tried to introduce Bear to the swimming pool. We thought that she would like it, especially since she loves the bath so much. Instead she cried the whole 20 minutes in the pool and Daddy tried his hardest to entertain her. Here she is all dry and happy away from the scary pool.
Perhaps we'll have to try the pool again another time.
Well, now you're caught up with us...we hope you're all enjoying yourselves as well!
1) Weddings - ah yes...wedding...we had some good friends of ours tie the knot this summer and it's been great celebrating with them. Here's Bear picking flowers at one of the weddings...
Congratulations to our dear friends, M & B and D & C!
2) 4th of July fun - We hung out with some of our family, ate lots of food, watched Bear down a bowl full of tomatoes and played fun games like B0ggle. Later on we went to watch the fireworks, where Bear and her friend S were running around sharing Cheet0s. Once the fireworks started, Bear started to cry a little, but soon calmed once Sonja came near.
3) Retreats - went on a church retreat this past weekend and we tried to introduce Bear to the swimming pool. We thought that she would like it, especially since she loves the bath so much. Instead she cried the whole 20 minutes in the pool and Daddy tried his hardest to entertain her. Here she is all dry and happy away from the scary pool.
Perhaps we'll have to try the pool again another time.
Well, now you're caught up with us...we hope you're all enjoying yourselves as well!
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