Field Trip: Zoo

One of my big goals this second half of the school year is to go on lots of field trips.  One, because Bobby is doing better missing his one and only nap from time to time, thereby giving us more hours in the afternoon (when all field trips pretty much happen) to go on field trips.  Two, because it is looking like Isaac may be starting Great Hearts next school year for 6th grade, he's ahead in all the major subjects, and he won't have this kind of opportunity to do these fun things with me once he's in school.

First step, I joined the zoo annual membership for the boys and myself.  The boys loved it! 

We started the day, dropping off the girls at school and packing up lunches while  trying to get our basic subject independent work completed in the morning.  When we arrived, I wrote my phone number on the boys' arms if they couldn't tell it to me.  Judah, my child that gets lost more than any other, says to me, "Mom, I don't think that I'll get lost because I like to stay close to you."  Well, yes, but somehow, you do manage it, dear.

Flamingos

Otters

We stopped in the tot area with playgrounds and adorable baby anteaters riding on their mama's backs to eat our lunch.  I remember my grandmother used to take me to the zoo and pack a picnic lunch.  This moment brought back the memory of the time a peacock stole my peanut butter and jelly from me.  My grandmother loved to tell that story.

Animal Encounter with a Bearded Dragon
We all got to pet her!

Judah was particularly excited to see an Okapi (Don't let the facial expression fool you!) because he has a stuffed Okapi from the Rain Forrest Cafe named Ollie.

Wild dogs
They were really cute and seemed to have a good relationship with the zoo keepers.

By far the favorite was feeding the birds!  You buy nectar and go in with the birds.  They fly to your arm and eat it fight out of the cup.  I had assumed Bob would freak out, so he went in with us, but I didn't buy him a cup of nectar.  He was quite upset about that, so next time I'll have to let him do it.  Judah was not a fan of their claws on his arm, but he stayed calm and let them finish eating.

By the time we got to the bird house, Bobby was worn out.  It was a small round house and so he laid on the bench while we looked at the beautiful birds.  Before we had to head out to pick up the girls from school, we happened upon a bird trainer working with a cockatoo.  That was fun to see and learn about for the kids.

We didn't get through the whole zoo, but that's okay because the membership for a year was about the same as two visits to the zoo, so it was cost efficient for us to get that and come back often! 

Just a Couple of Old Fogies

Brian and I just turned forty this month within a few days of each other.  My birthday was on Superbowl Sunday as it frequently is, but it was also on the Troops campout weekend.  Brian took Isaac and Drew camping with their troop.  Brian had insisted that we could not do a Superbowl party this year because my brother-in-law already had one planned and the camping trip would interfere, etc.  I was a little disappointed because I knew that there would only be people we don't really know at my sister's house.  So the night before, spur of the moment, I decided we were going out to dinner for my birthday regardless.  I chose a place that I knew Brian didn't like to go to and we piled in the van to go.  I should mention that I did text my siblings to see if anyone wanted to go with us, but they all had excuses not to go.  SO we went to Olive Garden.

The next morning we drove out to Mass at the Mission of Divine Mercy where we met up with the highly exhausted camper boys and Brian.  After Mass he rushed us to the van and told me that we had to hurry or I'd be late for my spa afternoon.  I got a really long massage and facial and then returned home to find everyone ready to leave to go to my sister's house for the Superbowl party.  When we arrived, Brian told us she wanted us to use the front door instead of the garage door like we usually do.  Still not catching on at all I follow the group to the front door and am super surprised to find my mom and dad in town and everyone yelling, "Surprise!"  There were a few others in town too, including my brother-in-law and mother-in-law, and my local college friend came also.  There were decorations and more dips than I'd ever seen in one place.  Dips are my absolute favorite thing!  

Turns out that my sister and brother felt really badly about not going to dinner with me on Saturday night, but my mom and dad had just arrived in town and they were hiding them for me to keep the surprise.

I had seen the rest of my college friends that live around Texas the weekend before (a mini weekend reunion) and so none of them had been able to come.  We don't know many people here very well yet, and Brian was worried that not many people came, but I knew why many of the people he listed off couldn't come.  They were already planning on coming to my surprise party for him the following Friday.  He thought that just he and I were going somewhere (surprise location) on Friday, but really I had invited his high school/college friends from Austin and Houston areas to come surprise him at The Hoppy Monk (a restaurant that he'd been saying he wanted to try).

At the same time as trying to throw this surprise party I was helping plan the girls' end of the year basketball party.  Between that and not being able to make reservations at this particular restaurant, I was kind of stressed.  Earlier in the evening, his mom came to cut the kids' hair.  We left her with our children with the plan that she'd show up afterwards to surprise him at The Hoppy Monk because he thought it was a date.

When we got to the restaurant, it looked crowded from the parking lot and it was cold, so no outside seating which I had been counting on.  I knew that my sister had been there a while and had snagged a table and been grabbing chairs as people left.  Brian said he wanted to drop me off and have me get a table if I could.  Everyone had made it in town just in time and they were all already at the table with my sister.  I checked in with them and went back to the front to find Brian as he came in.  He was just walking in and I grabbed his arm and told him to hurry, that I had found us one table in the back.  He was so surprised to see and recognize his old buddies one by one as he walked up to the table!

We were able to hang out after dinner and it was really a fun night.  Brian had a great time and that was the main goal.  Happy birthday to us!

First Confession

Guess who's getting ready for his First Communion this May?  Our very own seven year old, Drew.  He had his First Reconciliation just recently.  He was so nervous that he would forget something or not know how to do his penance, but everything went very smoothly and he came out smiling his big gap-toothed grin.  He and I were able to go to an hour of adoration afterwards and it was perfect.  The rest of the family wasn't able to come with us due to the date being changed because of a funeral at the last minute, but it worked out okay in the end.

Catching Up

We sometimes have the older kids write and apology note when they have done something wrong depending on the severity and the frequency of the offense.  This may be the funniest letter I have seen yet.

Bobby has always been a pretty easy child, minus his first month of life when he had trouble breastfeeding and sleeping longer then 15 minutes at a time during the day.  However, he has never been a good eater.  He often will say at dinner, "I don't care if I don't get dessert, can I just go play and eat this for breakfast?"  

But he loves to gives hugs and kisses, so we'll keep him!

Drew has lost three teeth in the last month.  His other top front tooth is loose too.  He's not going to have any teeth to chew with at this rate. 

Genevieve is the cat's favorite.  She sometimes will follow her around and wait outside the bathroom door when she is in there.  Genna is asking for a parakeet for her birthday.  I'm thinking Trinity (the cat) isn't going to like being replaced by something so tasty that we won't let her eat.  She met all her dad's requirements for getting a small bird, so we'll see I guess.

I planned a mini (one night) reunion with my girlfriends from college.  Out of the twelve of us, ten were able to make it.  It was so much fun to see them all and it was like no time had passed at all as far as our friendship was concerned, though we are all staring down the barrel of 40, so time definitely has been passing.

What a hit this art snack was!  I let the boys make mice out of hard boiled eggs and they ask all the time now when we can make art out of our food again.  The simple things.

My Arsty Kids

As much as I want my kids to be sporty as well as artsy, I know deep down their interests really lie in the arts, from music, literature, and cooking, to all kinds of drawing and hand-lettering.  Give these kids a choice and they rarely choose outside, it is always one of these things that I find them doing.    I have to make them go outside.  

The whole household got very into making magnets after I got a few things for the girls to make some magnets for their lockers.  Now our fridge is covered in them.  Here is one holding up Drew's drawing.

by Drew

Drew is learning to draw faces in his art class at co-op and I am always impressed with what he comes up with if left on his own.  Isaac set to the task of teaching Drew and Judah to hand-letter which I find quite humerous because they can barely write, but they LOVE it, both of them.

by Genevieve

Genevieve usually draws animals, but this picture was an exception to that.

by Isaac, from Mark Kistler

Isaac has been a lot more chilled in his drawing attempts.  He truly adores Mark Kistler and loves to watch his videos and try out new creatures and habitats.

by Isaac, out of a how to draw book

by Isaac, from Mark Kistler
He hand-lettered Mark Kistler's famous saying, "Put stress on the bus."

Hannah still is into Manga drawing most of the time, but this semester she's in an art class at school that is challenging her in different styles.

Judah likes to do activity books and read more than draw, but he does do some drawing, hand-lettering, and coloring. 

Bobby rarely colors or draws.  He's young still, so we will have to see how he develops.

My Crafty Husband

Brian is happy to have his power tools back now that we are in the USA again.  He got right to work building.  He started with this incredible work bench.

Then he made this professional, in my opinion, looking shed.  He made it so that he could take it apart and take it with us when we move.  I have been so impressed that he taught himself this useful skill.  He is currently working on a new bed for us, complete with drawers underneath and all.  The headboard has yet to be decided on, so that will come later, but I can't wait to get the new bed at least in use-able condition.

He also threw together this little corner shelf to complete my vision for a prayer corner of our over-sized bedroom.  

Bed pictures to come soon!