Fire Station and Lunch

Grady's class has done some great field trips this year.  A couple weeks ago they went to the fire station and then out to lunch.  I love that they go out to lunch several times during the year, a d they learn about manners, ordering for yourself, etc.  Got to love how much they focus on those practical life skills!

They started at the fire station, where they had a tour

Grady in the fire truck

Then they headed to a local restaurant, where they got to go in the kitchen and actually prepare lunch for themselves!  Grady loved it and even insisted on the whole family going back for dinner, which we did this week.  Of course they remembered him!

They prepared salad and got to choose what they put on it.  They also made ranch dressing from scratch!

They also got to see what it was like to make hamburgers (though they did not eat these)

And they got to help make real whipped cream for topping the fruit for dessert

Sounds like a great time!  I hope I get to go on at least one field trip this year!

January

Well I think January is my least favorite month.  It's chilly and there are no holidays or birthdays to keep us busy.  But we have been managing to find other ways to stay busy, so I figured I would share a bit of our fun.

Of course, playing with new Christmas gifts is a great way to enjoy the new year!  Here is Grady with his squishy body model, from Nana and Papa

And Anson adores his new umbrella.  Good thing we have had a few rainy days to use it!

We are used to playing outside all year, but we had a few really chilly days about a week ago, so we pulled out some big paper and paint...

We still bundled up and played outside some!

Another way to enjoy indoor play when it is chilly is to have a special tub!  You stay warm, the mess is contained, and it is super fun!  We have had a hot chocolate themed tub and a snow tub (since we almost never see the real stuff).  Here are a few of the snow tub (G had a birthday party that evening, so he did not participate).

This cool material (made of shaving cream and corn starch) feels like snow (though not so cold) and is really moldable!

The water started out blue and we had penguins to play with too!

Grady has also started basketball games this month.  He has done great, scoring 2 baskets in his first game!  Here we are at the game...

Camille wanted to play

Adoring fans

In action

And on the warm, sunny days we have been sure to play outside!  Here we are at Heritage Park

Good thing I have three fun little people to keep January exciting!

Goodbye 2013!

We celebrated New Year's Eve with a "Countdown to Noon" in our house.  Obviously my kids are too little to stay up anywhere close to midnight, so we figured this was a great way to celebrate.  We invited a few friends over and really had fun.

We got noisemakers and hats!

I printed out special pages with a place to write memories from last year and resolutions for 2014.  I helped Anson, Grady did his, and we sent some home with friends so they could do them!

Here is Grady's

The noisemakers were really a big hit!

After the girls arrived, we played for a bit and then had a snacks lunch (including star-shaped cheese and grapes, which are good luck on New Year's).  They also had sparkling cider in plastic wine glasses!  We gave the girls little tiaras!

Even Camille enjoyed the special glasses!  She took her tiara off before eating though

We counted down to noon and then I played Auld Lang Syne and did a huge confetti popper on the back deck.  The thing was powerful!  We found confetti on the other side of the house!

After a quick bounce on the new trampoline...

... we released our wish balloons.   

There they go!  Each had a child's wish (or two) for the upcoming year!  They loved seeing them go WAY up and disappear.

 We were all sad to see such a great year go, but we are excited for all of the fun and learning the new year will bring!  Happy New Year to all!

Wild Times at the "Big Zoo"

A few days after Christmas we decided to take advantage of a nice day (in the low 60s and sunny) and head to Columbia to the very large zoo there.  As members of our zoo we get a 50% discount there, so it was quite affordable too.  We decided to just let the little guys skip a nap and enjoy a full day at the zoo.  There is so much to do there, so we tried to squeeze in everything we could.

This picture cracks me up.  Really, what are they all doing?

They have a very large flamingo exhibit

It was still very early and the day was just warming up, so we decided to hit the inside exhibits before it got really nice

We saw the penguins and watched a feeding

Grady bonded with a Galapagos Tortoise (he told him he knew Stretchy)

A Komodo Dragon

Then we got to do something super cool that I have never seen at any zoo I have been to.  We could feed the giraffes!  The kids all tried and loved it!

Zebras!

They have a very large elephant area with many elephants

The gorilla exhibit was also very large - this one was inside for some reason

There's another one up on the hill

They have a very cool "kangaroo walkabout" where you can just walk in amongst them.  One jumped right across the path while we were in there!

We also got to feed some birds from little cups, but they were not too hungry that day, so we had to be a little persistent and go to them

This one stole my cup out of my hand and gobbled it up!

Anson really wanted to ride the carousel, so we all took a ride

Poor girl had such fun that she cried when I had to pry her off her bird

The first time we saw the koalas they were all asleep (apparently they sleep nearly all day) but then we passed by and one was awake and even moving around!  It was incredible - he was so close

Then we headed to the farm area where we visited with some goats and fed them (of course)

It was such a great day and reminded me of how much fun we will be able to have this spring and summer, now that we can skip the occasional nap and take some longer day trips.