Crafting Critters

Keira and Dan have preschool time at home 

with Mom.

Today it was all about bugs and critters.

We made creepy crawly caterpillars out

of egg cartons.

Fantastic bugs, Keira and Dan!

Summer Recap

This summer has been filled with special moments at home.

Here are a few ways the kids have entertained themselves....

Our dear friends the Burke's taught the girls this game.

For about 2 months these 2 big sisters taught

all 3 of their siblings SCHOOL in their room.

Including recess, snack time and homework!!

It lasted about 2 hours.  I loved it!!

They held dance parties in their bedrooms.

One time the girls made a "beach" in their room

Emma doing "reading time" with the kids.

Dan...well...being Dan.

Mom found new ways to put up her hair

to beat the heat.

Movie marathons with new shirts from Dad.

A few moments of hysterical tantrums

which ended in timeouts.

Lots and lots of board games

and card games.

For most of June and July we had

amazing amount of storms and cooler temperatures.

Which then gave us a brutally hot and dry August.

Practicing for Ninja Warrior.

The kids loved watching this tv show on Monday nights.

Emma does push ups with Sydney on her back!

We waste energy any way we can around here!

Perot Museum Summer Shinanigans

We love spending quality family time at the

Perot Science and Nature Museum.

There is always something new to enjoy when we go.

This time Sydney and Emma took advantage of

the Mini Scientist area and participated in their own

science project.

They tested their on DNA.

With all of the supplies and a touch screen instructions

the girls followed along very easily.

Dan could spend a whole day in the childrens playground.

Keira set up a whole picnic for the two of them

in the camping area with food from the grocery

mart.

There's nothing our little athletes like better

then a little competition.

It's fun to race against professional soccer players,

track stars, a cheetah, and even T-rex.

Perot Science and Nature Museum

Dallas recently opened a new science & nature museum

and we are in love with it.

There are so many things to do and to learn and to touch

and to play with!!

This one trip we went with our friends the

Greenig's.

With her 6 kids and by 5 kids,

Kaylene and I were a little out numbered.

They are standing on a earthquake simulator pad.

It's cool to have it shake just like the ones I

grew up with in California.

This simple machine you put disks on one side 

that have pictures of food you like and the other

of activities like swimming, dancing, jogging.

It shows you by the weight of the food you chose

how much activity you must do to burn it off.

This tube lets the kids put light weight triangles in it and

the machine blows it up in the air

showing the tunnel pattern.

Ben was determined to build something amazing.

His mission accomplished!

Sydney followed these tablets with different directions

on creating electrical current.

Keira found the station where she could build a

remote controlled vehicle.

And then drive it around.

Emma made music.

Dan was in drum heaven. 

In the bird section the kids can wear

3-d glasses and fly like a bird.

Its almost like an xbox kinect.

In the sports section you can race...

Emma is racing against a professional soccer player.

The kids go up to this screen and select something 

or someone to race against.

You can also race against a college track star, a cheetah

or T-Rex.

In this room the kids choose a sport to do

and get recorded doing it.

Then a video shows them in slow motion.

4 Times A Week

For 2 hours, just about every morning,

we head to the pool to perfect things

like this! 

Keira and Dan love the stairs.

Our goal this summer is to get the wings off

of Keira and move them on to Dan.

We love meeting Alida Brown at the pool.

The kids love playing with her.

Sydney jumps.

Crazy twist from Sydney.

On your marks, get set, go!

1st attempt.

2nd attempt 

Jump together!

The pool is THUMBS UP!

All 5 kids jump together.

Ben's cartwheel dive.

Emma the swan jump.

Sydney does a pencil dive.

Crazy legs Emma.

Keira is still getting her water legs!

Crazy Ben!