Can you stand it?

Ok, another museum post. Can you stand one more of them? Sorry, but a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do to survive the summer. We've actually only been twice this summer after our nightmare last time. After promising Nolan at least 20 times that we wouldn't watch the scary movie, he was game to go along with us.

This time, I went with my best friend Angi and we were brave enough to take four kids by ourselves (she has twins). I can honestly say that it was fun. There were no beatdowns, no tantrums…from any of them! Just goes to show you that if you keep kids busy and on-the-go that the day goes smoother, even if you are exhausted at the end of the day.

The best part is that Angi's husband, Chris, gave Reese a stern talk about Campbell making any moves on her while we were at the museum. Well, looks like I need to be having talks with him about Reese making the moves on him. She had a serious crush, but can you blame the girl? She has good taste.

Reese going in for the kiss

We first went to the Tinkertoy room and our kids could have stayed there for two hours. It's amazing how long scissors, paper and blocks can entertain children. Nolan AKA Edward Scissorhands could literally cut with scissors 24 hours a day. So this room had him in his scissor zone. 

love sweet little Reese's hand in this picture helping him

We wandered outside and stayed out there about 10 minutes before this mama was "glistening" just a little too much from the heat. But the kids of course didn't seem to notice because they were playing with water. 

And we finished up with a trip to the kids grocery store, but it was getting really close to lunch time and you could tell they were getting worn out. Campbell got his glazed look on his face that he gets when he's super tired. It looks like this…

I'm so glad that we got a chance to bring a friend with our membership. It really made it more fun to share the benefits. 

Nightmare on Museum St.

Oh boy. Where do I even start? My sister and oldest niece helped me watch the boys on my last day of school so I didn't have to pay for a week of daycare when I only needed help one day of childcare. My sister, in return, needed my help watching her youngest two later on in the week. It sounded like a good trade to me, especially because her two are way less maintenance than mine! I said it was a good trade...not a fair trade.

We bought a family pass for the children's museum here back at Spring Break. So I decided that would be good entertainment for four kids all by myself. This was our third time and I've pretty much seen the same things the last two times I went, so I wanted to venture to another part of the museum. After visiting the new exhibit on Leonardo de Vinci and the cattle part of the museum, we decided to go to Energy Blast of the exhibit. Who would see any harm in learning about natural gas and fossil fuels? I guess the first clue should have been the 3D glasses they handed us. I thought it was just part of the exhibit we were seeing. Then we walked into a theater - an interactive and way-too-scary-for-anyone-under-12 theater. I can't believe that someone didn't stop me before I went in there!

So I sit down with Campbell on my left knee, Nolan on my right knee and we're sandwiched between my two nieces, Adalyn and Avery. Lights go out and I'm already hearing murmurings of "Mooommmmmy?" That should have been my second clue. The theater seats moved like roller-coaster seats and when insects were on the screen something would grab at your feet, cold air would blast on your face and water would squirt on your face....sounds lovely for toddlers and 4-year-olds doesn't it? We lasted about 3 minutes in the movie and that was after a million times of saying, "It's not real honey" and "Don't look, just put your face in my shoulder." Next was the straw the broke the camels back. A huge T-Rex popped on the screen and roared. It's all just a blur now but I'm sure both my children could describe in detail what it looked like. It more or less looked like this, but imagine it with more saliva than a Saint Bernard stretched between his upper and lower jaw....in 3D and looking like it wants to eat you.

Aaaaaannnnd that's when the surround sound crying began. Volume 10. Picture this, I'm trying to get off a roller-coaster in the middle of the ride with two kids on each of my knees and neither kid will let me put them down, wearing 3D glasses and I'm trying to corral two other children to find the nearest exit possible....oh I can't forget to pick up my stroller on the way and not disturb others' movie watching experience.

Yep, another Mom of the Year moment for me again. Nolan would NOT stop talking about it.  He told everyone about it at Vacation Bible School at church and poor Campbell keeps saying "dinsaur cary (scary)" I've totally traumatized my children! HELLO people...it's a CHILDREN'S MUSEUM!?! Guess I better break out the bad dream spray tonight!

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A Day at the Museum

Since I only showed pictures of tantrums and pouting the other day. I really wanted to show how much fun we had with our friends at a birthday party at the museum. It was such a beautiful day that we ate outside and let the kids run.

I never knew that Tinkertoys could keep my children entertained for so long. I might have to put that one on a birthday/Christmas list. Usually toys with a million different parts drive me crazy, but if it keeps them that entertained it might be worth it!

Can I just tell you how happy I am already that we spent the money on the family pass? We've already used it three times since Spring Break. I think it's going to be a lifesaver on those hot summer days where I need something to do. I highly recommend it...pays for itself in two visits.

Here's the birthday crew.

Campbell got a chance to go shopping for some food. I don't know what it is but I find irresistibly cute when little ones act like grown ups...cooking, shopping, dressing like grown ups (like the boys dressing up in suits for Easter...they looked like they were going on a business trip). So during his grocery trip, I just couldn't help but have a smile on my face seeing him put fish, cheese, bagels and checking himself out at the register. Am I the only one who finds this irresistible?


This one is my favorite...I mean seriously how cute is it that they just look like miniature grown ups?!

Frumpelstilskin

So we're out of the tantrum phase (one of them that is...our other one is just entering the phase and is a professional), but this is what we've done an even exchange of...pouting or frumping. We went to a birthday party after church on Sunday. This is at the children's museum where Nolan was splashed in the face with water in the water area of the museum (water...how dare they?) There was about a 5 minute cry session where Justin had to calm him down and talk him off a ledge. We were well into an hour past our nap time so what can we say...other than, "Well, it's been fun. See y'all later!"

Oh, and here are a couple of pictures just so Campbell doesn't get left out. Here's where I'm getting pictures of them in the backyard and I catch him trying to climb our back wall. I decided that we've had enough gray teeth and shiners in the past month and grab him off the wall.

And here is the Academy Award winning fit that followed...I see this daily. What I couldn't capture was that he went as limp as a noodle and I almost dropped him because he was arching his back. He finished up his final act in the grass. Wow. He's on a role lately. You know he had a bad day when the director of daycare comes up to me and tells me that he had a rough day. He hit and pulled just about everyone's hair in class right after he dumped his blueberries on the floor and did his own little rendition of I love Lucy when Lucy makes wine. There were even blueberry stains on the floor to prove it. Doesn't he know that he's not supposed to turn "terrible" until he's two?

Spring Break, here we come!

It's just about the time of year where I get really worn out at work. The drill and kill time of TAKS testing looming, body changes of 5th graders and a big case of "I don't wanna" send me looking for the nearest crazy house. But then someone hears my plea, and it's SPRING BREAK! Talk about an answer to a prayer. Don't get me wrong, I love my students and love feeling a sense of purpose with my job, but everyone needs a break, right?

Well it's only three days in and we're not wasting a second of our Spring Break. First of all for those of you not in Texas, we're having the most incredible weather here. It's absolutely perfect after such a "cold" winter...well, at least for us, that is! Saturday we had a much needed garage sale. I must say it was the funnest garage sale we've ever had. Usually those things are just a beat down. My parents came over and my dad took Nolan for a bike ride, Campbell just played and played outside and we made some pretty good money...can't beat that! Next we went to Nolan's soccer game and he played the best he's ever played. I only had to tell him "WRONG WAY!" once!

On Sunday after church and naps for the boys we went to the mall to get some "eyes" (sunglasses) for Campbell. We happened to see the Easter Bunny. Nolan loved him...wow has he come a long way in a couple of years. He used to be terrified of him. Campbell, on the other hand, has traded places and is not a fan. That's the bad thing about the Easter Bunny and Santa...just as one of your kids gets over their fear, the next one is terrified of them!

Today we went to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. It's been closed for a long time for remodeling and it was well worth it because it is incredible. The boys loved it and every time we left a room, Campbell would throw a fit a scream, "NO!" because he wanted to stay. We went ahead a bought memberships and I'm so glad we did. I really think we're going to get really good use out of it, especially this summer.

Nolan playing with the trains

Our little Bob the Builder

Balancing act...notice the tongue helping him get his balance

playing in the water play outside

seriously, could he be any cuter?

We ran into some friends at the museum and love Campbell's face in this one

Ok so this isn't the best picture of Nolan but laughed out loud when I saw the kid in the background once I downloaded the pictures...BOYS!

Who knew water could be so fun?

Nolan on the huge tinker toy

You know it was a good time when this is what he looks like in the car

Get your holly jolly on...

We've been going to our church now for about 6 years and for about 4 of those years I think we might have been the only young couple that was actively involved. We love our church, don't get us wrong, but we were a little concerned that the boys were getting older and the only ones in the nursery. Well with much prayer, boy have things changed in the past 6 months. We have a new minister, Rob Morris, and we just absolutely adore him. He does have three kids of his own so it helped double our children attendance immediately!

Because he's so funny and popular word got out and more and more young families are joining which makes us so excited! We actually have Children's Church now! And let me tell you since I'm one of the teachers, they are a lively group of kiddos! I usually need a nap on those Sundays. Nolan absolutely LOVES church and gets so excited about going...nothing could make me happier.

We're starting to meet once a month or so sometimes with kids and sometimes for some adult time with just the parents. This month, Justin and I volunteered to plan, and we went downtown so the kids could see Santa and then headed to the church for a yummy Mexican meal...tamales, rice, beans, and some to-die-for sopapilla cake. It was perfect, we hooked the kids up with some movies and let them run wild while we played games, laughed and did a white elephant gift exchange.

I'm so excited about this new energy in our church and I can't wait to see what the future holds!

8 families showed totaling 15 kids (not all pictured)

just chillin' next to Santa in his sleigh
giving Santa some love
the family pic with SantaCampbell just taking it all in
the kids entranced with watching movies at church
can you tell they were having fun?

One of the many white elephant gifts...this one was ours. Hard to give that one up...not really