Adventure of the day: Back to the MN History Center

You know my drill by now, right?  Go somewhere only at opening or closing time?  Works like a charm.  Every time.  Including today.  :)

Finn absolutely wanted me to take this photo "For Mr. Piyush."  :)

Learning how to drive a plow / be oxen

Learning about all the different internal organs of buffalo and how they were used by Native Americans.

Cora serving ice cream at the WWI era diner.

Doing our part for the war effort.

This artist was there painting three huge murals to go along with the WWI exhibit.  Finn was in AWE of this man.  They had long conversations both as we went in and as we left.  

On the way to the car this storm was coming in over the Cathedral.  We made it about 2 blocks before the downpour started.  #lucky, because even though my kids love swimming, they hate getting wet in any other possible way.  

Cora sings:

Cora sings for three reasons (to the best of my knowledge):
1.  She's a kid, and most kids like to sing on some level.
2.  Layla sings ALL THE TIME, so she does what is modeled for her.
3.  She knows it annoys her siblings and she takes great delight in this.  :)  When they ask her to stop she just amps up the volume and sings louder.

Tuesday Adventure day:

This day was going to be a lovely home day...I felt it in my bones.  The only thing we were going to do was use a coupon for Mojo Monkey Donuts (trendy donut place about 15 minutes from us) and get our buy 3 / get 3 free coupon.  Alas, it was not to be.  By 10:00 a.m., when we go there, they were all sold out already.  :(  The kids were SO bummed.  So, I had to go into "save this morning" mode, and we drove off to the nearest place I could think of that was as of yet unexplored by my kids:  Crosby Farms Park / Crosby Park trails.  It's this lovely little strip of land in between Shephard Road and the river running through/along St. Paul.  There are SO MANY lovely paved trails through those woods, and all of them are almost entirely covered with tree canopies, so even if it's a hot day you won't die.  This is...crucial...for me, when it comes to nature.  Haha.  I can do lots of things, but if I'm being eaten alive or dying of heat, I'm out.  Done.  Finished.  Don't even try.  

We had a great hike through the woods where my city kids were a little freaked out by all the "nature noises" they were hearing, and then we ended up at the river.  SO lovely.  It was just us, with the occasional runner/biker breezing by.  We'll be going back for sure.  In fact, there is a free Forest School that happens all over the Twin Cities on Friday mornings, and I hope to participate in that more soon...maybe.  Wouldn't want to over-schedule or over-commit.  :) 

Finn throws a log:  check out that splash in picture 2!

Cora throws her stick:  repeat 5,678 times.

When we got home Jonas mowed the grass, and Cora REALLY wanted to be with him for that.  Age 3: babywearing for the win.  Keeping your kids close is basically never a bad idea.  Ever.  I love seeing men who are mature enough to understand this.  Love you, Jonas!! :)

She had such a good times...all giggles and smiles.  This child is going to need adventure in her life regularly, as she grows up.

Library days

When we first started going to the Library, the wall of movies was ALL the rage and the hot thing to race to for my kids.  Now Finn spends all his time sitting on the floor by the easy readers paging through them.

I love this.

I might prefer he be drawn to the lovely picture books, sure, but:

1.  They don't display the picture books right, like they do the easy readers, so it's the Library's fault.  :)

2.  I'll take progress, any progress.  And he's doing great.  We'll get there eventually, in our own time.  

And Ms Cora appreciates the toys they provide, and the computer to pretend clack away on...

Adventure Monday morning: The new Children's Museum, again...

THIS time we did it right.  We got there before opening.  We were the first people into the museum that day.  Lisa = in heaven.  Kids = play anywhere and everywhere without waiting in lines or having to do lots of social negotiations.  Everyone WON.  :)

We went home when the late people go there.  So nice to be back in our normal routine...haha!

Finn at the top of one of the 4-story climbing towers.  The slides coming down 4 stories had the kids LAUGHING and giggling with glee for a good 30 minutes.  I just sat at the bottom while they RAN up 4 flights of stairs, or climbed their way up another creative route, then slide down...over, and over, and over again.  Everyone slept well this night.

This was pretty cool...Layla had skiis/skates on, and she could ski/skate up and down the hills that were orange.  Pretty fun.

There was a laser room with all sorts of different activities you could do in it.
They are really working hard on getting the older kids back, I think.  :)

Finn practicing his laser moves with the ropes outside of the room...

Blowing bubbles with just our hands.  Pretty fun.

Someone got...a little wet.  This girl is ALL IN on every activity she does.  Her siblings never did this.  :)
(And, of course, I always pack an extra outfit for her wherever we go.  See below.)

I had to take a picture of these because these are the face paints the museum uses.  Except they AREN'T face paints!  And they are the BEST!  The go on super easy, really smooth, and they come off completely easy...waaaaaay better than any actual face paints you might buy.  Try these out for sure.  My kids adore face painting, and I don't mind it all all with THESE.  Other face paints can be a pain in the butt to get off.

2 seconds later a little kid dumped water ALL over her...so we went home.  Museum day success can not be dampened by water.  ;)