Thursday: guys day

Today the guys went out.  They went to a shooting range, had Indian food, did an escape room, and then snuck back into the house for some video games.  Overall, it seemed like a successful day.

The rest of us went to the science museum.  It was a rather small science museum, but it ended up being just the right size for the time we wanted to spend there.

There was a packing tape tunnel/slide.  It used 10miles of tape to make.  The slide wasn't really that slippery, but that was good since kids were going down it in crazy ways and multiple kids at a time.  Joshua went through it many times though, so it was a hit.

There was also a 'floor is lava' section that all the kids enjoyed.

Joshua made a sawblade boss.

Then we went into the second room. 

After lunch we got in the pool.  Joshua's been so cold when we go in late afternoon with shade, so we decided to try earlier.  Everyone else joined us.  I only have one picture because I got in too.  There was a sliver of shade that I used as my home base in the pool.  :)  While going in was the perfect choice, the main reason I went in this time was because I had Joshua skip his life jacket for the first time.  He loved it and practiced going under water a ton.  Isaac didn't put his life jacket on the whole time, which surprised me a bit.  Usually he's been starting with it off and then putting it on.

After a short rest time, we did balloon animals.  I wasn't a great teacher because it's been a while since I've done them; I just remember that they were relatively easy.  First up: an oath.  To not attack, capture, put in prison, or make surrender Ben or me with their swords.  (The other parents were on their own.)  The swords went pretty well.  Then we tried to make dogs.  Those only went ok, possibly because I forgot to make a neck.  They were still animal looking things though.  At that point it was pretty much everyone on their own.  We made a few giraffes, Greta made a few more dogs, and Dagne went to town making up her own things (it was rather amazing).  Most of the children slowly moved on to other things, and then Isaac came into his own.  He made a flower and an amazing four-balloon sword.  He also made a balloon sword called "destroyer" for Seth.

Oh, and hats.  A lot of hats were made.

Once the kids were in bed we played Dominion.  The first game went so fast...there was so much money in each hand and multiple buys and some people were managing to get two colonies per turn.

Wednesday: lady's day

Today the women went off on our own.  The guys stayed at the house with the kids and did extra screen time, made paper airplanes, played, and went in the pool.

We started with a delicious brunch...that we all shared.  The food was delicious to start with, but then to get some sweet and some savory was wonderful.

We had some time to kill so we went to see a sculpture of some praying hands that had been recommended to Katy.  I'll admit, I wasn't expecting much so they ended up being pretty amazing.  The were significantly larger and more life like than I had been picturing.  They also sort of looked like they were plotting instead of praying, but that's just how it goes.  Wikipedia says they're the largest bronze scuplture in the world, so they were worth the stop.

Next we went ziplining!  (Katy is the only one that brought her phone and I don't have those pictures yet.)  It was perfect.  It seemed pretty standard as ziplines go, but it was fun!  We also didn't have to break ourselves which was lovely.

We next decided to continue to brave the heat and go to the nearby botanical gardens.  They were very pretty...and quite warm.  We did it justice though, walking through most of it.

Our photographer in action!

After dinner we just chilled.  Some kids worked on a Lego set.  Some of us played some games (including Azul with the correct rules!).

Tuesday: Airplane party

Today we had a birthday party for the older kids in an airplane!  I told Joshua yesterday that we were going to a freezer and so he should wear long pants.  But then he heard the other kids talking about an air and space museum, and so he couldn't decide if we were going to the museum or to a freezer.

Anyway, Isaac was definitely not expecting a birthday party.

Isaac tried really hard to get the intercom system to work, only to decide that it was turned off.

Then we had a dance party and planetarium show.  I learned a lot about Pluto...there are water volcanos and the nitrogen atmosphere condenses during the winter and then it doesn't have an atmosphere.

We had a little stomp rocket activity which turned out really cool.  Joshua's rocket went really high on the first try and Isaac needed to make some modifications, but everyone had a good time stomping.

Then we had lunch and went to explore the museum.

The air museum wasn't all the large, but there were a lot of cockpits to sit in.  Unfortunately, Joshua wasn't feeling great and I ended up carrying him a lot...although the snuggles were nice too.

After naps, dinner, and a velociraptor encounter, the kids went in the pool.  The adults stayed out because the weather was perfect and getting in the pool would be rather cold.  The kids just don't seem to mind.

Joshua also got his glow ball out and loved it.  He took a picture of it in the dark and then showed everyone.

The adults played poker after the kids were in bed.  We're still doing a $5 buy in like grad school, but our income has increased and so betting a quarter just to see the flop doesn't seem like such a big investment.  There was a lot of laughter, but what happens at poker stays at poker.

Monday: Bounce Birthday Party

Today we had a birthday party at a bounce house!  It was a really nice set-up...significantly better than I was expecting.

To start with, the three birthday kids got light-up stickers.

Then there were two rooms of inflatables, and we did one at a time.  (This caused a bit of initial disappointment in the adults since there were only three items in the first room, but it ended up working so well!)  A lot of pictures were taken, but I only have access to some right now, so that's all you get to see.

The second room had an interesting climbing structure, with layers of straps in a spiderweb pattern.  We've never seen anything like it, so everyone gravitated to it right away.  However, the straps were super stretchy, and so it was actually a really hard climb.  Heather and I made it first (because we're tallest) and Isaac made it up shortly afterwards.  I think one more person made it up, but most gave up.  I think that was a good plan, because getting down was harder than getting up.  It was easy to fall though layers with one part of your body and still be connected two layers up.

Then the birthday party!  Joshua got to sit on a throne, which I didn't get a good picture of, have a special entrance while we pounded on the tables, and then we all had pizza and cupcakes.

After an afternoon rest there were more pool shenanigans.

We ended the night with Luca.  Well, I should say the kids ended the night with Luca.  The adults stayed up a bit longer and played a game, but everyone was rather tired.  There is a small movie theater on the third floor of the house, and it is hilarious to watch the kids try to put the feet of the chairs down.

 

Sunday: zoo and arrived again

 This morning we went to the zoo.  It opened at the wonderful time of 8am, because the boys woke up at 4:23.  I told them they had to go back to sleep for an hour (until their normal wake-up time+time change), but then for the next hour I heard Joshua whisper, "Is it time to get up yet?" and Isaac whisper back, "No, still __ more minutes."

Anyway, the zoo.  A lot of the animals were moving, probably because we got there so early.  The chimp put on a show for us with a ball and the ceiling and then "dismounted" so fast it almost seemed like a fall.  Joshua liked getting pictures with the statues.

The zookeepers were petting the tortoise, so we got to see it move and ask some questions.

The sea lions were a surprise hit.  We watched them under the water for many minutes and then above the water for many minutes.

As fun as the zoo was, the playground at the zoo was probably the most amazing.  While it was large but not huge, I don't think the kids explored the whole thing because they were enjoying the other parts so much.  It was very unique...a place for "kids to behave like animals."

We only had two medical mini-emergencies at the zoo, but I feel like I handled both with the poise of a parent.  In that I really had no idea what I was doing, but whatever I did worked.

Then we had lunch and rested a bit in the car.  We had done a lot of walking.

Then it was time to get in our house!  We drove up just as Katy and Ryan were getting there and we all explored the house.  The kids did it quickly, loudly, and several times.  It is a large house and plenty big for all of us.  I didn't take many pictures, so I guess you'll have to wait a bit to see it.  It is obviously a rental though in that some of the small things are not ideal.  (The microwave is confusing, there are no dish towels, and somehow there are fewer smoke alarms than there should be.)  But it is clean*, there is plenty of seating, and the kids enjoyed the pool.

We also got most of the groceries.  The Wal-Mart pick-up was easy, but weird.  (It was a super small sign with the phone number to let them know we're there, and then they asked for our spot number.  But they hadn't numbered the spots anywhere, so it was confusing.)  The girls also all went to Costco and did a speed shopping too.  It's amazing how much food you need for 12 people for a week.

*Except for some furniture polish that was put on the tables and was making everything black.