Science, Sticker Bellies, and Boxcars

Some recent happenings this past week included a trip to the Kidspace Science Center in Pasadena with The Masters Kids. Talk about a really cool place. Everything in it is kid friendly!

 

They had special instructors that did a 30 minute lesson with the class to teach them about bugs. It was really hands on with live guests. The kids loved it. Who thought that 4 and 5 year olds could sit and listen that long? They even got to pretend like they were a fly and wear special fly eyes.

 

They got the chance to touch some live bugs. IV opted out of that chance. 

They learned what they would need to pack in a earthquake survival kit.

 Dig for dinosaur bones. IV really like this because we had just seen a show on dinosaur fossils.

 Cool things like this.

And this.

 

A tricycle track that you learned to follow directions and signs.

There was an entire outdoor area with tons of things to do. The kids could get all kinds of wet!

They have an area with fountains that the kids can play in. We did this last. We (being IV) decided that running (they were instructed NOT to run before entering the park) would be a good idea. It ended up not such a good idea.

When you enter the center there is the Kaleidoscope hallway. I think that's what it was called. Anyway, it is way cool. Lots of bright colored glass tiles, music, mosaics, and these cools things that you respond to your touch.

Z had some fun with stickers. He likes to stick them on his shirts normally, but since I was being lazy and hadn't dressed him yet he decided that his belly would work too!

We also had a couple of spare boxes around the house this week. They became cars, boats, Star Wars spaceships, and places to read. Boxes are better than bought toys around here.

We also got a box of goodies from Aunt Mouse. It came with the stuff to make these. They had a good time playing with them. Thanks Mouse!!

I Love Holidays!!

I start early. Real early.

It takes everything in me to keep from putting up Halloween decorations at the beginning of September. I'm always so ready to start the roll of holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years! I listen to Christmas music year round and tend to watch Christmas movies year round too.

I have quite a bit of little Halloween things here and there. Nothing scary. Just cute and fun. It's all mixed in with fall leaves and pumpkins that I leave out for Thanksgiving afterwords. 

November first I took the Halloween down and put up the Thanksgiving decor that I have. Mainly, I just turn the carved fake jack o lanterns around to the non carved side, fluff my fall leaves, put out my turkey salt and pepper shakers, place mats, and Wah-La, I'm ready for Thanksgiving. I really love Thanksgiving. You get to enjoy great food, try new recipes, hang with great friends, and as always be really thankful for it.

Christmas is a whole different story though. My love for this holiday is huge! I love everything about Christmas. There truly is a feeling in the air.

A few of the things that I love:
That Christ was born.
Decorating.
The smell of cinnamon.

A real Christmas tree

Lots and lots of white Christmas lights
Giving gifts to friends.
Mailing cards.
Christmas carols and music.
Singing Christmas carols all of December at church
Baking all kinds of goodies.

Shopping for my hubby and boys.
Attending all the church festivities.
The bible study Christmas party (The white elephant gift exchange is too funny)
Shopping when the stores are decorated and playing Christmas music.
Getting to see family.
The smell of cedar
Not so much in California but in Oklahoma there is cold weather. Which meant fireplaces, hats, coats,
and gloves.

Usually there was snow which meant snowmen and pretty winter scenes.

Watching Christmas movies. My favorites being Christmas Vacation, Elf, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and A Christmas Story.

 Someday I wish to have a house to put lights on. Not this many lights, but some lights.

That's just a few of the things that I love about Christmas. I could name several more but you get the idea. Crazy.

As far as New Years, I've really grown to like it more than I used too. Since I've been married we've spent it with J's family. I love spending it with them. We have so much fun hanging out as a family.  His mom is a wonderful cook and we always have an awesome dinner with lots of great snacks! Not to mention that his dad is a master of grilling and cooks some killer meat.  We play games and we play them pretty much all day and into the night. There's usually some crafting and football to go along with it.

Doesn't that look yummy!  My mouth is watering thinking about it.

After typing all of this I'm thinking that it's probably weird to write a post on nothing but my love of the holidays but, oh well, I guess that's what a blog is for. Randomness.

Candy Bars, Chips, and Coke

True Story:
We decided that we wanted to carve pumpkins and roast pumpkin seeds, unfortunately it was the day before Halloween when we decided this. I didn't think that we would have such a hard time finding a place that wasn't sold out. That would NEVER happen in Oklahoma. The last place we went was Home Depot. I pulled into the parking lot and cruised by the garden area outside because that is where they normally have them sitting in huge boxes on pallets. I didn't see any boxes but I did see a few in the display that they had set up with fall mums leading into the garden center! Yay! I put the boys in the cart and strolled into the garden center looking for the pumpkin area.....none to be found. I asked the cashier if he could tell me where the pumpkins were.
"Right there ma'am."
He was pointing to the four in the entrance that I saw when we pulled up.
"They aren't that pretty but you're welcome to them."
So I let the boys pick out one each and headed to the register to pay.
"You can just take them ma'am. We were going to throw them out anyway."
Woo Hoo! Score!
Free pumpkins!

So the boys went home happy to have a pumpkin and I went home happy to have found them and for them to have been free.

We carved them later that night.

Z really didn't like the idea of touching the "guts." He was content with just looking inside.

Trick or Treating was the next night.

It was Z's very first time to trick or treat and this was his first house. It didn't take him long to catch on.

The boys home with their loot.

We had a great time!

Oh ya...

I missed out when I was little.

I never got full sized candy bars, chips,  and coke!

But my boys did, which means that I did too. Perks of being the parents that take them trick or treating.