Fun at Explorium

Katelyn has been asking to go to Explorium, our local children's museum, for months.  So, we decided that yesterday would be a good day to go on a field trip.  

 Water play was a big hit.

I was really glad I brought him a change of clothes!

I never thought I would get them out of this area.

 Katelyn was so happy while we were at the museum.

 Noah loves the water.

 I'm so thankful the kids play nicely together.

 They were very busy.

 Noah was very focused.

 One giant leap for mankind.

 Just walking on the moon.

 Blast off!

 She's a good little climber.

 My little mountain goat. 

 A budding paleontologist!

 Here are the pile of "bones" she dug up.

 Noah also liked the bubble room.

 And of course Katelyn did too.

 The have a new veterinarian exhibit that's very cool.  It seemed appropriate that Noah just go in the cage.

 I asked Katelyn to look at me for the picture and she said, "Mom (exasperated tone), I'm working!"

 Can't you just picture her years from now in a lab coat and stethoscope?

 The doctor is in.

 Noah was busy sorting the food.

 He loved the little shopping cart.

 Giddy up.

Katelyn loves creating art!

14 months

We went over to a friend's house to play the other day and Noah had so much fun with their two year old's toys.  It made me realize that at Christmas and his birthday he was to young and it was too cold to use these types of things so we didn't get any...but it's time to start finding some fun outdoor toys!!

 Beep, beep!

 I know who's going to help daddy mow the lawn this year!

What a face.  How is he 14 months already??

Play time!

Life with a five year old and a fourteen month old is crazy for sure, but there's a whole lot that makes me laugh throughout the day.

 Katelyn is a little entertainer.  She likes to make us laugh.

 We've been having nightly tickle fights and the kids throw themselves at us begging to be tickled.  They just giggle and giggle.  It doesn't get much better than that.

 Noah loves having Katelyn chase him around the house.  He squeals he's so excited.  He's getting pretty fast!

 They circle round and round the table.  I'm pretty sure the floor will have a permanent mark pretty soon.

 The threat of being tickled is half the fun!

 Noah devoured some mushroom pizza tonight.  Michael asked, "Can he eat mushrooms."  I said, "I guess so because he just downed an entire piece."

 So big!

 Messy pizza face.

 I love this little boy!

 Daddy's turn.

Katelyn's getting him to play some more.

I love the last half an hour or so before it's time to get the kids ready for bed.  It has become one of our favorite times of the day as a family.

Katelyn's classroom...and some other stuff

Let me start this post by saying that my pictures were all in the order that I wanted them and blogger decided to jumble them all up...

 

 This is a picture of Katelyn's homeschool class.  We have gone once a week for twelve weeks each semester.  (We just finished for this semester.)  We have chosen to homeschool using a classical model for education.  In the elementary years the children do a lot of memory work in each subject.  The premise is that these are pegs that they will later build upon.  When children are young it is very easy for them to memorize material.  They are little sponges and they love to sing silly songs and put motions to what they are learning.  As they get older they can then learn more of the context surrounding these "pegs".  This picture is of Katelyn's class doing their timeline song.  They start with creation and go to present time listing major points of history along the way.  It is amazing to hear these 5-7 year old girls go through the timeline.  I wish I had learned this when I was a kid!

 

 Noah was sick all weekend but he woke up happy and fever free this morning!  Yeah!!!!

 

 Pony ride.  :)

 

 This was Katelyn's classroom the other day.  She was writing in her nature journal.

 

 Daddy's home!!  I'm so thankful that when Michael comes home kids are thrown around and wrestled with on the floor.  He's a hands on daddy.  What a blessing!

 

 Here's a picture of Katelyn's class with their tutor.  What a great group!  We are so thankful for this community and our time with them this year as we've formed relationships with some great families.

 

 This is the page that Katelyn was working on in her nature journal.  "More signs of spring".

 

 Building, building.  This girl is always building something. (And her brother is always ripping something out of my cabinet!)

 

 Katelyn fell asleep in the car the other day and then she fell right back to sleep on Michael.  He didn't mind.  :)

 

 Katelyn was drawing the hyacinths in her journal.  :)  They smell so good.  I love hyacinths!!!

 

 It was beautiful out today and Noah was finally feeling better so we spent a lot of time outside.  We went to the park.  Came home and blew bubbles and did sidewalk chalk in the front yard.  Took a rest and then did bubbles, sidewalk chalk and golf in the backyard.  Followed by a walk around the block after dinner.  Ahhh...the weather we've all been waiting for. (Good thing I decided on Sunday that this week would be our spring break.  We only have 11 more weeks of school to do in the next 21 weeks.  I think we'll be okay.)

 

 Katelyn just brought her art stuff outside.

 

Look Papa, a hole in one.  :)

 

We're going up to Michigan on Thursday and it's supposed to be cold up there so we're going to spend all day outside tomorrow while we still can!