SPRING FLING 2017

 We didn't take many photos this year because we were both busy running booths, but the kids had a good time (even though they were tired from their busy morning and James was starting to feel feverish again) and they were especially pleased with their face paint:

BSA NATURE MERIT BADGE

Jay and I volunteered to lead a couple sections (birds and soils) of the Nature Merit Badge program put on at ERDC today for the Boy Scouts (local and otherwise - our group was mostly from Natchez). There were multiple badges they could register (like oceanography, plumbing, materials, etc.), but our session was the most fun, I'm sure. We had plants, birds, soils, mammals, fish, molluscs, and reptiles, complete with hiking and digging, and live animals and preserved skins to hold! James and Cora came along because we knew they'd love it (and it was the only way for both of us to volunteer). We started with a big gathering in the auditorium where the Scout Leader and our Colonel spoke before we split into our badge groups.

Jose led the plants section and had a PowerPoint presentation, which was a good way to get the kids warmed up for all the outside activities. James and Cora love raising their hands to answer questions (and they seemed to know a lot more about plants, birds, soils, and mammals - the sections we attended - than the older boys).

Cora kept a journal of everything she saw on our hike:

 The Colonel had touted ERDC as a place where grown-ups can still play with mud pies (the concrete lab produces mixes that are the strongest in the world), so the kids thought it was awesome when Jay pulled a soil core and then had them make mud ribbons.

 We actually learned a lot of cool things about ERDC during the Colonel's speech that in 10 years working here we hadn't heard before... The Hot Rod at the front gate is the fastest ever armored tracked military vehicle (it could go over 80mph, but couldn't be stopped once it passed 60mph - it crashed through a building near the test track before coming to a stop the one time they got it going that fast). ERDC also developed the tires for the moon rover (they're still in a warehouse on station). There were other tidbits of information too, but the kids fixated on whether Area 51 really had aliens or not (after the Colonel told them that they were really all on a secret research base, which is true, because ERDC is really one of the Army's best kept secrets hidden in plain sight, and that researchers who performed badly here were sent to Area 51 as punishment)... The Colonel told them he couldn't tell them or he'd have to kill them ;-)

RUPTURED

This poor dude had been complaining of an ear ache and neck pain off and on since we returned from Great Wolf Lodge, but since it was intermittent and he never had fever, we didn't think it was an infection. But then today (on Friday, of course - sicknesses almost always happen on Friday afternoons), his teacher called me after lunch to say that he'd come back to the classroom from recess with fluid leaking out of his ear. I asked if he was warm, so she took his temperature, and sure enough - fever. So we hot tailed it over to the doctor for the expected diagnosis of an ear infection and ruptured ear drum. Luckily, once the pressure released, he hasn't had any pain. It's just gross and he feels lethargic from the fever. We had him just sit and watch a production number rehearsal tonight, with plans for lots of snuggles and an early bedtime.

REAR-ENDED...

Leaving dance today, we hadn't even made it to the end of the street...

 We were stopped at the red light on Halls Ferry and Cain Ridge, a few cars back due to "rush hour" (small town rush hour), with another car fully stopped behind us, when we suddenly heard a loud crash followed quickly by a second crunching noise as our van was lurched forward. A little bit of whiplash, then I turned around to see if the kids were ok. They had shocked looks on their faces, but said they were fine, just that they had "smacked their heads" against their car seats (I assume on the whiplash return). I looked in my rearview mirror to see the lady behind me holding her neck, with a very grumpy look on her face. I told the kids to stay buckled while I got out to find out what had happened. Apparently the lady driving the Armada behind me had moved into my lane from the far lane just 10 seconds or so before getting to the light, came to a stop, and was then rear-ended by a lady driving a Rogue. The Rogue lady got out of her car crying and apologizing, which intensified when she learned she'd hit not one, but two cars, and that there were children in both cars. We assured her we were all ok, called the police (while an off-duty sheriff happened to be driving by on his way home from work, so he helped keep our scene safe while we waiting for the on-duty officer), called Jay (who was just a few minutes down the road at work), made the initial report, moved the vehicles into the nearby church parking lot, exchanged information and finished the report, then went on our way. Sure, the resulting paperwork and phone calls and repair will be time consuming, but nobody was hurt, and that's the important part. It's a no-fault accident, so we won't have to pay anything, thankfully (the Rogue lady had insurance). The kids learned a valuable lesson about how very easy it is to get in an accident and why we're so strict about car seats and safety belts. And we made it home before the intense storms rolled into town, so that was a bonus.

CURLY CORA

She came over and sat next to Jay at the table and said in the most southern voice "Dada, will you please pray for me to sleep good with my hay-ya up?"

 Finding books around the house to test on so she can make another "AR flower" on her online testing module. She hit her goal for this 9 weeks, but wants to do more, so we're pretty please with that.

And she was pretty pleased with her curls this morning!

20 QUESTIONS: JAMES AT 8-YEARS

Most of these are accurate, honest answers, but keep in mind that James is equally likely to have answered some of the questions with the last thing he did/watched/listened to...

1. What is your favorite color? 
Blue

2. What is your favorite toy? 
Legos

3. What is your favorite thing to eat? 
I'm gonna choose a Go Food - Cherries!

4. What is your favorite thing to drink?
Water. I'm just choosing healthy things. 

5. What is your favorite thing to wear? 
MineCraft clothes

6. What is your favorite game? 
Lego Dimensions

7. What is your favorite animal? 
Penguin

8. What is your favorite song? 
The Jewel Song (he and Cora inherited some of our old CDs...)

9. What is your favorite book? 
The Ender Eye Prophecy

10. Who is your best friend? 
William

11. What is your favorite thing to do with Cora? 
Play cat and mother

12. What is your favorite thing to do with Mama?

Kiss

13. What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy?

Hug

14. What do you want to be when you grow up? 
Beat Boxer. I thought you already knew it?

15. What are you afraid of? 
Heights

16. What’s your favorite type of adventure? 
Going hiking

17. What makes you happy? 
Buster

18. What makes you sad? 
Me losing Jude (me too buddy)

19. What is your favorite movie? 
The School of Rock

20. What is your favorite TV show?

Frozen Planet

8 YEAR PORTRAITS, BEHIND THE SCENES

Yes, we're a month and a half late, but between busy weekends, our mini vacation, and multiple bad storms, it was really hard to find time to get out to the park for portraits. I'll get the ones Jay took posted (and loaded onto Snapfish for grandparent orders) very soon, I promise!

 (We had cut his hair for portraits prior to his birthday, but it grew out)

LEGO MAN

I may never get my kitchen table back, but the kids are happy!

 (This was the set he bought with his own money at the Lego Store in Grapevine when we were there last weekend, but he's been busy with all his birthday sets too. Someday we'll get everything organized and upstairs...)

METAMORPHOSIS

Setting the first of the newly legged frogs free!

(That one was smaller than the rest because it was a different species, gleaned from our pond instead of the scientific supplier - it just developed faster.)

CUDDLY CANNON

Poor Cannon doesn't know what to do with himself now that Jude is gone. They might not have been best friends, but he's clearly affected by her absence. He's been much more needy, cuddly, and vocal since she went missing. We'll be getting him a new little buddy soon (we're just waiting for the right kitten, and trying hard to wait until after Grambot visits, since we don't want to add to her allergen influx at our house, as a kitten would likely not leave her alone the way Cannon does).

CELEBRATING A GOOD WEEK

True, it was a short 3-day week due to our mini vacation, but still, they earned it. Good behavior reports for all 3 days they were at school and a 100% AR test each day as well.

BUSTER'S GIRLFRIEND

Buster no longer misses us when we go away on vacation...

GWL APRIL 2017

We still had one more surprise to unveil as we left the aquarium...

It didn't take them long to get changed and get to swimming and swinging!

 In an effort to baby my knee while it's still healing, I purchased the very dorky and unflattering water shoes sold in the gift shop (they ROCKED though - helped me keep my grip and not slip around on my knee, AND provided cushioning and a way to keep my plantar fasciitis wrap in place - I'm getting so old...) AND took it easy on the rides and slides. I avoided the Lazy River completely (the height of the water pushes me along right on my thighs, and I spend most of my time chasing the kids in circles anyway, since they refuse to just sit in tubes), avoided the crowds in the Wave Pool, and limited my waterslide tower climbs to about every other trip. This meant that the kids took it upon themselves to start riding together without a parent (because they wanted to go over and over again without a break). I was SO PROUD of them after their first run (and only a little nervous when they took off together up those 80 steps carrying that giant raft all by themselves). Superstars!

 Since we beat MagiQuest on our last visit (if you recall, I am the dragon slayer of the family), we purchased ShadowQuest games for the kids this time. It's a little harder, but also a little shorter. The kids had it beat near the end of our 48 hours, just doing a half hour or hour here and there when taking a break from the chlorine.

 By the next morning, the kids were ready to try riding SOLO down the big slides. Believe it or not, this was all James' idea too... he amazed us with how confident and brave he was on this visit.

 Randomly came across a balloon animal fest in the lobby at one point...

 Took a break from the Lodge to go to Target (beer shopping as presents for friends taking care of Buster, Cannon, and the chickens), the Lego Store, and Rainforest Cafe for lunch.

(These were their favorite Scavenger Hunt finds, and they requested photos)

ShadowQuest late into the night...

...so late it required a pajamas change.

 The excitement of starting our last morning at the waterpark waned in under 2 hours. This is basically Cora's "I'm done" face:

 She rallied for one last trip up the zipline course (Jay went along, but I did not - the knee):

 And then it was time to shower off, throw on some dry clothes, and head home. They made it to the highway, but just barely!

 I'm pretty sure our next mini-vacation will be an outdoor adventure. I'm not sure where or what yet, but with how much we all loved being outside at the zoo and aquarium, we may be ready for a long distance road trip! That, and I think GWL has lost a bit of it's magic (though I still love the fun and convenience of the resort!) Team Lindsay is ready for a new adventure, but this past weekend was certainly perfect in many ways.