rockets

Adam had to travel for work for a few days, so I decided to take the kids on an adventure in northern alabama. First stop...us space & rocket museum. Huntsville is called "rocket city" - it's where many if the us rockets are produced..as well as the Apollo project.

This is a manned jet pack..to fly around space!

The space shuttle landing simulator told Gage (after he crashed the shuttle a few times) that he had tried hard, but he "had gone where no man had gone before" and it was time to let someone else have a turn.

Space shuttle. Wow!

Rocket. Wow!!!

Some nasa guys were doing hands on experiments with the kids. Here they were learning about Bernoulli's principle and the kids actually made the pin going balls fly out of the paper cups!

Getting a feel for just how tight the quarters were for astronauts in the space capsules!

Apollo!

It was a very cool visit..and we had a "blast" ;-)

barnyard

Spring break has arrived, so I am planning lots of little adventures so we don't just sit around the house.  Today it was the Barnyard.  We brought Vicky, Faye, & Panos (our Greek friends) who have never experienced anything like this in Athens!!  My camera died shortly after getting there, but we did get a few shots :-)

 We never know what babies they will have -- -this time it was lambs, ducks, chicks, bunnies and...rats?! Rats..that's a new one!!  They loved holding them all, but sorry...my phone died so we have no pictures! We checked all the chicken coops for eggs (and yes we found quite a few), found the peacocks roosting in the barn, fed the baby goat Chili with a bottle. Chili is a nutcase. Chili is a small goat with a big personality.  In fact, Miss Kami had to put Chili in "time out" a few times while we were there.  They also fed the pigs, horses, donkeys, minature cows, sheep, goats, geese, etc with grain. 

Miss Kami (the owner) was nice enough to snap a photo of us getting on the hayride!  They started hayrides this fall when they added a pumpkin patch.  Since recently adding another 10 acres to the farm, they now have them all year. So, we took a nice ride through the fields past some horses, llamas, etc. to end up at their new pony riding ring.

 

 

This is Trigger. He is a miniature horse who is SO good with the kids.  Here's Gage taking a ride.

While we were up at the pony ride area, we met Miss Jenny, who mentioned that they have started doing horse riding lessons. Well,, Savannahs' ears perked right up. She has expressed an interest in taking riding lessons for a few years now.  Honestly, I may give in.  Savannah doesn't seem to be interested in gymnastics, dance, cheer, soccer, or anything right now. But...horseback riding, yes.  I talked with Jenny for a while, and they are treating it as an introduction -- so no big programs with traveling competitions or anything, just a simple introduction to either/both western and english riding, as well as the full tack and care of horses.  I always think back to when Savannah rode at the birthday party she went to and she seemed so - connected - to the horse. The pony --eh -- she wasn't that interested in, but the big horse...she said she felt really good up there even though he was so big.  And, it's come up over and over.  So...maybe we'll give it a go and see.  Maybe it's a good thing that Adam wants to move to a big piece of land -- are there horses in our future? I would be okay with that! :-)

Swinging

How she does this wearing cowgirl boots...I will never know!! Look how long that hair is getting!

Breakfast for dinner

Can you tell that gage loves to have breakfast for dinner?!? He helped me make a smiley face.

Fat cat

Look at how FAT Lola has gotten!! Fatty catty. This is now they sleep every night. 

Darn leprechaun

There was a lot of build up this week. Savannah was sure we would catch a leprechaun. Turns out...he turned our milk green in the fridge, left us a box of lucky charms with only shamrocks in it, and left a little limerick saying better much next year. Shucks :-(

A trap!

Now that I have finally gotten around to taking the valentines day decorations down, today, we started making st Patricks day crafts. But...we are out of green paper. Actually, we are out of construction paper. Bad mommy! So we raided daddy's printer (he loves when we do that) and got creative.  We decided to make a leprechaun trap! 

The kids had to eat a bunch if gold coin chocolates to have gold pieces to lure the leprechaun in. The idea is that he goes for the free gold...falls inside the hat through the handy trap door we made and voila...we will get to see him in the morning on st pats day.

Fernbank

I opted to keep them out of school today so we had two days in between our long drives. On the way back to AL today, we stopped in Atlanta to visit the museum if natural history.  It broke the trip up (2 hours clemson-Atlanta, 3 hours Atlanta-home). We don't get to Atlanta very often...when we do we need to take advantage of some of its fun stuff! Here savannah is sitting next to a sign that says...no sitting. Oops.

Being a Monday, we had the place to ourselves!!

I live Gage's face in this one- he really looks like a Dino!

So..after we hit the play area in the museum....we hit the road again. Savannah must have asked me 50 times during our 3 hour ride how much farther, how many more miles, how many more minutes, etc. I guess the last 3 hours was rough on her!!

It was a great weekend!!

friends :-)

Mommy met Karen long ago in San Diego. We have stayed in touch and always visit when we can. Since her hubby is in the navy they move around every few years, and I am happy to have her close by in Memphis for a year or two. They were in birmingham this weekend...so we spent the day with them - breakfast through bedtime!  

Our first stop was the civil rights institute, which savannah and I have been itching to visit. Turns out, it was a little too intense for kids. It begins with a movie, which was very moving and powerful...but featured the "n" word prominently, showed the kkk burning crosses, and a lynching. At the end of the movie, the screen lifts to open to the museum and displays the drinking fountains for whites and blacks (you know that classic photo). From there we moved through the history of civil rights. It was something to see...but all the recommendations I have heard to take kids were wrong. They were just too young.

Next up...the Vulcan statue for a little more local alabama history!!

Can you tell savannah and Aleena made friends quickly? We did the scavenger hunt (they hand out a list if things to find outside and In the museum), and rather than the elevator..we climbed the vulvan. It's marble stairs...and freezing inside! After taking in the view from the top, we went through the museum. Here are the kids sitting on a replica of his foot.

Gage did a puzzle I n the wall!

After this...we tried out Milo's hamburgers...a southern chain. Ehhh...despite it's many fans...we were not big fans. BBQ sauce on burgers...eh...the milkshakes were yummy though!  Next up....mcwane science center!  We stayed until closing!!! We were the last ones out. We didn't even have to pay for parking ;-)

Here they are in the hurricane force wind chamber

And the submarine

Before today, savannah had not seen the girls (Sierra & Aleena, ages 11 and 8) since savannah was about 2 and doesn't remember them. When we left, she was crying, and we were talking about how it's so cool the we made great new friends today. All the kids were holding hands all day...they hit it off so well. I think a trip to Memphis is in out future! It was a great day.

Baseball game

We were planning to meet friends at the baseball game, but it turns out everyone canceled on us :-(  It was really busy - a popular game against U of SC.  We didn't stay for that long - we couldn't see the game, the grassy area the kids usually all play on was occupied by people watching the game. 

But..we got to see the Tiger, who took some of Gage's cotton candy and made them giggle when he smooshed it all over his face and had blue cotton stuck all over his tiger face.

They were super excited to see the tiger and told him that they moved to Al and really missed him. So, he grabbed his heart, and grabbed both of then into a big hug.

Can you tell gage was pretty wiped out when we left?! 

The boyfriend ;-)

Ever since I said we might meet up with Ross to play...savannah has been giddy. Ross loves savannah. Savannah loves Ross but won't admit it. His mom Anna said Ross still talks about savannah everyday...and tells his friends that she is his girlfriend. Savannah insists that she will not have a boyfriend until she is 16.  They were so excited to see each other - Ross stole her shoe and ran away (classic boy-who-likes-girl move) so she wouId have to chase him to get it.  They all had a blast. Gage used to play with Sullivan everyday as we waited to her Ross & Savannah from preschool in Clemson. Charlie the little guy is a new addition...and he is a hoot!

Clemson botanical gardens

One of our favorite stops...the botanical gardens....and...the red caboose. Love it :-)

It really felt like spring here. Same weather as AL, but the botanical gardens are full of early spring flowers. 

Savannah took time to smell the flowers...lots of flowers!

And...we found a turtle. I never knew turtles hiss...but this one did!! She was touching his shell and he kept hissing at her!

And..I have no photo...but moments after telling the kids to be careful they didn't slip because the pine needles were Slippery....I slid down the hill on my butt. At least I didn't land in the water!!

And at this point...gage had to poop so we had to hightail it to the potty. And...it turns out it was a false alarm. Ahhhh..boys!

Clemson trip

We were invited to a baby shower in Clemson for out old neighbor...so we made the trip!!! Our first morning we were up and out early..and we found a new Clemson Tiger statue!

Then...we had a play date with Savannah's best friend in Clemson...Kelsey. They had a great time playing together. Actually, Kelsey's parents kept it a secret, so when we pulled in the driveway and Kelsey looked outside..it was a big surprise and she ran out yelling Savannah's name and giving her a big hug. It was super cute!

They were so excited that they got to see each other when they are both 7 - Kelsey is a year older...and there is only a 3 week span that they overlap in age. 

Gage and Kate used to play together every day when we waited to get savannah from school when we lived here. This was definitely a great stop during our trip - s & k really adore each other :-)

Next up...a baby shower! Here's melissa, the mom to be.

And Judy, her mom

She is the definition of a good neighbor.

It was a fun day to catch up with our old friends!!

party

Savannah had her birthday party with a few of her closest buddies. The painted nails, did a fashion show, and played like sweet crazies.

She was a huge fan is the tissue paper Pompoms I hung up!

Gage even hung out with the girls! He threatened to hunker down in my room and watch a movie..but within minutes is them arriving he was running around yelling bawk bawk pretending to be a chicken chasing them! 

After having to cancel one week because everyone was sick...it was worth the wait. I am so happy she has the sweetest little friends :-)