VIP Weekend

After a long, boring week (it was "Mid-Winter Break" for the schools around here, so all our "extra" activities were cancelled), we had a super weekend to make up for the monotony.  On Saturday Aubree and I took off for a day in Seattle, while the boys stayed with Mark for a "Boy's Day" at home.  From what I gather, they spent their time playing inside, playing outside, making treats, building train tracks, and riding scooters.

Aubree and I made our first stop of the day at a big gymnastics meet (Battle in Seattle) where my Aunt Sue was a judge.  She'd arranged to get us tickets, but (to Aubree's great joy) we didn't just get tickets, we got lanyards with VIP passes.   I had to explain to Aubree what "VIP" stood for, but since then she's worn her lanyard constantly.  

I don't get to see Aunt Sue often (she lives in California), so it was a treat to have a little while to visit with her.  

By pure luck, Aubree's gymnastics teacher happened to be competing in the Meet at the exact time we were there to watch.  Aubree followed her around the gym in awe of her skill.

After the Meet, we stopped for lunch and then went to the Paramount Theater to watch the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast (we got those tickets through our home-school parent-partner school).  Aubree adores watching plays.  She proudly told me she's seen three in the last 2 months.  It was amazing!  Granted, our seats were in the nose-bleed section (I didn't know they had a nose-bleed section at the Theater, but I do now), but it was still fabulous.  

Sunday we had an extra chance to spend a little time with Aunt Sue before she flew home.  She brought each kid a set of flashing sunglasses from the gymnastics meet, and immediately won their affection.  Soon they'd recruited her to play "Monster" and refused to give her a moment's peace the rest of the morning or afternoon.  They're already asking when she can visit again.

Climbing the Walls

See this handsome man?

He's a monkey.  And you know what they say about monkeys....

Monkey See,

Monkey Do.

(not his best effort, but the best I could get on camera)

I Heart You

Ah, Valentine's Day.  What's not to like about a cheesy holiday centered around writing notes for people we love, showing that we care, and sharing chocolate?

Our Valentine celebrations began in an a-typical way this year.  In our Homeschool Co-op, Aubree is taking an anatomy class.  Her clever teacher chose the class right before Valentine's Day to talk about (what else?) the heart.  But, did they only talk about the heart?  Oh no.  They made a replica of the heart (chambers, valves and all) out of water bottles.  A-mazing!  

Each kid assembled their heart models and took them home to share their experiment with their families. In addition to the heart, each kid had a bottle of red and blue water, to represent the oxygenated and unoxygenated blood.  We poured the "blood" into the appropriate chambers, started the heart "pumping" (thanks, Mark), and watched the bloody show.  Fabulous.  And this, my friends, is why joining a co-op is worthwhile.

After that exciting beginning, we went the more traditional celebration route.  I managed to take pictures of a few of our activities...

Making and decorating sugar cookies (always a fan favorite):

Making Valentine's for friends (heart necklaces for the girls this year - thank you Oriental Trading...):

Bryce's weekly Preschool co-op (a separate activity from our Homeschool Co-op), met on Valentine's Day and the kids had a wonderful party.  I even came away with a Noodle Necklace as a gift (and I looooovvvvveee noodle necklaces [for real]).  Here is a picture of Bryce with the boys in his "class."  

Rock Stars

What do your kids do when they get out of the bath?

Mine magically become rocks.  Every. Single. Time.