Outside the museums

In between Natural History, Air & Space, and the Botanic Gardens we had to walk in the fresh fresh air. And play, of course. And eat ice cream.

Running after birds. Classic.




How great is this photo? C7 just put her arm around J6 and we got a great picture.






We were waiting a bit after the carousel ride and the kids needed something to do. I suggested cartwheel. When they finished with those, they picked up trash, hopped, did races, whatever I said.





After Air & Space we had Popsicles. Q5 wanted the rainbow pop, but the first place we went didn't have it, so she got a strawberry shortcake one. J6 chose a snow cone. When I heard that I yelled "DON'T GET the SNOW CONE!!" thinking of the last time we bought a snow cone from a truck. They bought it anyway, and J6 ate about half of it. C7 got a Crunch bar.





Since everybody was very embarrassed about my outburst (yes, I yelled twice not to get the snow cone) we moved on. Q5 shed tears a bit about the rainbow pop, but moved forward. K41 and I went to get ice cream from another truck. And -- they had the rainbow pop! So I bought that and a Creamsicle. Q was thrilled to get the rainbow pop, gave her strawberry shortcake to C7 and C7 gave her Crunch to C42.





In the end, the rainbow pop wasn't what Q5 had hoped, but she didn't complain.

The ice cream pops perked everybody up and there was a little crazy running.





We then moved on, and before getting into the Botanic Gardens we walked through the garden a bit, and met this guy:





Dang, I loved him, and we tried and tried to get a photo for our Christmas/New Year's card, but the late afternoon sun was much too bright for the girls' eyes.





And finally, we got a couple of cute ones with the Capitol in the background. I like these. They are acting goofy, very C7.





Not quite done, I like this one, too.

Inside the museums with friends

We had fun.

We visited the Botanic Garden train exhibit. It was GREAT. I think we've not done it before, this year was amazing with all these small little houses and castles and things made from plant materials. Here is Q next to one of the little houses, a rather awkward photo of C7, Q5 and me, and my stand in husband, and then a cute little photo of C7 and Q5 in front of the tree.





You know that C7 is obsessed with Pearl Harbor lately, so at Air & Space she and C42 visited the WWII exhibit, and she got her photo taken in front of a Japanese fighter. Nice.





Also at Air & Space the girls took part in a paper airplane contest. They did not win, but both made paper airplanes. Q5's flew. C7s did not.





And Q5 in front of a lander.

Thanksgiving day

Turkey
Cranberry sauce
Ham
Squash pie
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
Snap peas
Salad
Squash soup
Candied Yams
Potato rolls
Bread
Asparagus
Cheese & olive & cracker plate
Crudites with hummus
Mixed nuts and pumpkin seeds
Stuffing/Dressing
Buttermilk pie
Pumpkin pie
Pecan pie
Apple crisp
Whipped cream
Coffee
Beer, wine, cider, perry
10 adults, 9 children, 1 dog.

Boston this weekend

We have friends over this weekend for Thanksgiving. Not least of all Boston Harbor, a cute adorable mini Schnauzer who doesn't shed. Yeah, that was important.

Wiggly tooth

While C7 has been bemoaning the fact that she is on a loose tooth hiatus, Q5 has been pretending that she's had a loose tooth for about a year.

Well, I'm pleased to announce the arrival of her first real loose tooth!

Swimming lessons are over for the season

Q5 passed into Beginners III, she did everything listed on the sheet except the breaststroke, but I don't recall them learning the breast stroke. Or maybe I just wasn't able to see.












Just to let you know, Q5 complained 6 out of the 8 weeks about going to swim lessons. But she has a great time whenever she goes, because she makes friends and chats the whole time. Like this.






C7 did not pass Advanced Beginners, but she was pleased that Q5 passed into Beginners III. Now they are just one class apart and MAYBE they'll get to be in the same class in the future.

C7 did pass the elementary backstroke and the dive, and I think she does a good back crawl, but apparently not good enough. I guess the fact that she has no pool awareness and almost drowns a child is reason enough to not pass her in the back crawl. See:






But the elementary backstroke and dive apparently are past advanced beginners, so that is good.








Swim lessons are over for the season, they resume January 7. Can't wait!

PomPoms

We made pompoms!







We attempted to make a garland, but never quite finished. But the making of the pompoms was really quite fun. Q5 made a wreathy type thing, and C7 just made pompoms.

Santa talk

We had some chats about how Santa can see everything we do.

If you have to wear a crown

If you have to wear a crown, you should go for a teeny tiny crown.





Notice ... it is taped on.

Many ways to read

Seriously, she's reading a lot.

I love these pictures.

Q5 is reading things like The Magic Treehouse series, and attempting to read Choose Your Own Adventure books, with limited success, I might add, because, as a sight reader, words she doesn't know, she just doesn't know! Which has made reading the Choose Your Own Adventure books fun, but difficult. Some difficult words last night: civilization, Mayan, ancient, Yucatan.

I think what Q5 is reading in this photo is a Dorrie book by Patricia Coombs. We have two old library copies, and I'm thrilled that she's reading them. I remember going downstairs in the Lunenburg Library and reading all the Dorrie books they had. I picked the two we have up at a church sale, and am in search of more. If anybody reading this has any of the old Dorrie books please send. They don't show up at the thrift store often, and they are just awesome.

As always

I'm babysitting for two neighborhood kids ... and Q5 complained and complained beforehand about how she didn't like R4 and E2 ... and then they came over and immediately C7 ran upstairs to play with R4 and Q5 ran downstairs with E2 to play. And they were talking about when their friends left we'd do xyz. From reviled neighbors to friends in 30 seconds flat.

Smokin' Hot

Q5 crawled into bed with us this morning around 5:50 and proceeded to tell us about an incident from yesterday.

Apparently D6, D5, and S5 (the boys) were talking with H5, P6, and Q5, (the girls) and D5 said that P6 was "Burning hot!" and Q responded "I don't think we should talk about this "love talk" right now" to which D6 agreed, because "we may hurt some people's feelings"

Then at recess, the girls were chasing D6 and P6 caught him and kissed him.

Right after Q5 told us this she dove under the covers with embarrassment. And C42 and I laughed our heads off and told her NO ROMANCE until she's 18.