McWane Center

Our family took a trip to the McWane Center last week with two other families. There were a gazzilion field trips there, so it was a bit more crowded than the past few times we've been.

We made it through the aquarium and headed upstairs to dig up some dino bones. As we were letting the kids explore the weather area, someone approached one of the other dads and asked if Audrey Kate was his. He said no but pointed over to me. She started to explain to us that they would be filming a (live!) newscast upstairs in the Dora and Diego exhibit that wouldn't be opening until tomorrow and wanted to know if we would let our kids go in at noon and play around and be on the news!

Really?

Addie and her friend Addison were ecstatic! We called our other friends who had gone to grab a bite to eat (because if they were getting one of our kids it meant they got all 8 of them!), and we all met upstairs to wait outside the construction plastic barrier to be allowed in to play!

Oh.My.Word!

Our kids had a blast for an entire hour in an exhibit with only 11 kids in it all total!

They rescued animals...

and cared for them.
Counted treasure...

flew spaceships...

and created constellations.

Pumped up Fought over the pump to pump up the flat tires...

drove cars... caught flying butterflies on windshields...
and washed cars.

Played in flower gardens...
and rode jaguars and monkeys!!!

Slid down slides...
and walked right up to the weather guy while they were filming live!i'm pretty sure these little girls aren't camera shy!  However, Addie and the camera were a different story! Here's the first video...  and here's the second. And the best party...? I didn't have to worry about all of those toys that the little girls put in their mouths...because at least they were the first mouths those toys had been in! ;0)

Ballet "Recital"

Addie has been taking a Creative Movements ballet class since January. She wanted to take ballet, and since we stopped kindermusik with her, it was a perfect time.

her teacher was precious. she had a friend from school in the class, and i had 2 mommy friends in the lobby to wait with, one of which has a little boy the little girls age. all were happy.

i had no idea what to expect for addie's recital, but paul and i got to take just her and she was the star of the morning! and i got to snap a few pictures of her beforehand with many smiles!

 

a few ballet moves... 

 

 and an increased amount of silliness! 

 

they started the class with a few warmup exercises, one of which was to smell their feet (in order to practice touching them)!

then they worked on balance...
and posture!
followed by a few ballet moves, some significantly more graceful than others...
and some dancing!
 
i think the picture on the right below makes her look the most like a ballerina! check out that hand form!

 

and the got to wear tiaras like princesses...

 

but my most favorite thing...?
 
watching her skip across the room with tremendous gusto waving a fairy wand! 

why thank you...

  

thank you! and a curtsy to end the class!

Zoo with Friends

i'm playing catch up. when am i not? but it's been fun to look back through pictures!
this was right before these little girls turned 2. wow! they LOVE to slide! we attempted to get a picture of our sweet group. i took a test shot to look at the lighting, and apparently addie wasn't ready. this was all i got out of her after that! the other 5 of them sure are cute!
i so love these 3; and those two little ones sure are becoming sweet friends! madeline was so sweet to our little girls. she has a little brother the same age; and she and addie were in the same class this past year at school. love how audrey kate is studying madeline's hand and then looking up at her!
our girls are pretty crazy about madeline's little brother, clint, and their mama too!
we had lots of help from the 3 big girls with the 3 little ones! there was lots of stroller hopping!
we also got to see this beautiful bird outside exercising. he's never on exhibit, but serves as an educational animal.
and we got to see him in action! 
one of my favorite pictures of the day! the 3 big girls! so sweet!
i think this is the funniest though. addie was so sad and did not want to leave her friends or the zoo. i caught her gazing off (with some gorgeous lighting i might add) and then melt into dramatic tears as anne perry held on tight to her. 

fun times!

Quarantine

I came home one day last week from taking addie somewhere to our little quarantined two year olds. They were asleep when I left; and when i returned, they met me at the gate blue-mouthed and pant-less wearing a shirt that used to be a dress until they outgrew it! (perfect backyard clothes i say!)
you see, sister had teeteed in the potty (whoohoo!) and was rewarded with an m&m only to have this little girl fall apart. so they both got an additional m&m given that all rules had been thrown out the window days before with 2 sick little girls...and all was well with the world. and apparently the leftovers were delicious! or maybe it's just that sweet little girl!

puppy dog kisses are the best!

Mud...

during those sweet {few} well days between the little girls birthday party and them getting sick, we headed outside one day for lunch. it had rained the day before, and i have no idea why i thought they'd all stay out of the water after lunch...just because i casually said so.

and by the time i'd found my shoes to head out to play with them, i turned around to this...
and once permission was given, the pro followed immediately with this... and since there was no turning back, i wasn't about to deter this fun!
there were a few run ins
and a couple of joint efforts 
of course it quickly turned to this!
after a few lessons... 

the little girls became puddle jumping pros too!

and full of grins! and giggles!