Legoland - Tuesday 6/29/10

We finally made it!

Ben and Bob the Builder.

The first ride of the day. One that spun around and around. That one is for you dad!

The Griffith Observatory made out of Legos.

New York City

Funtown Fire Academy. We had to pump the truck to get to the fire then shoot water from a hose to the window fire until it was out. Then pump the truck back. The kids were sitting on either end "steering."

Ben at driving school. Somehow he passed and got his Legoland drivers licence.

Sam creating with his newly purchased lego pieces while waiting for Ben to ride the helicopters.

Ben and mom riding the helicopters.

We waited to leave for Legoland in Carlsbad, CA until after the morning rush. After our 1 hour and 45 minute drive, we arrived ready to hit the rides. Thanks to 2 friends we were able to use 2 free children's admission with a paid adult admission.

We had fun riding the rides. Sam even ventured on the roller coaster with some considerable help from Dad. There were only a few rides both kids could do together, so Sam would wait while Ben rode and Ben waited while Sam rode. Uncle Kevin patiently waited all day.

Sam used some spending money from the grandparents to purchase some al a carte lego pieces which he has already used to create many things. Ben chose to buy a ice cube tray that makes lego brick ice cubes. We had to make some once we returned to the hotel. They are pretty cool.

Pacific Ocean - Wednesday 6/30

Sam's volcano/castle

Sam, Uncle Kevin, Ben with the Santa Monica Pier rides in the background.

We lounged around the hotel, swimming a bit waiting for the sun to come out before we went and picked up Kevin for the trip to Santa Monica Pier. By the time we got to the ocean, the skies had clouded over and the breeze was a bit cool. After walking most of the way down to the ocean, Ben finally decided that he could no longer hold out on waiting to poop, so while Dad and Ben searched for a restroom, Sam and Kevin and I started building a castle/volcano in the sand.

Once Ben returned, he was ready to play in the ocean. The boys went from standing in the edge of the waves, to throwing wet sand into the waves. Luckily we had a change of clothes in the car. After a quick change, Sam decided that he didn't want to ride any rides on the pier and Ben fell asleep in his stroller, we returned back to Pasadena to grab a quick bite to eat at Corner Bakery.

Kevin walked back to his apartment, and we returned to the hotel for 3 hours of swimming in the pool. Sam loves to dive in the deep end for his rings, and Ben likes the hot tub.

We put the wet beach clothes in ziploc bags and brought them home for washing. They were so heavy with water and sand that I was hoping it wouldn't add enough weight to our checked baggage to take us over the 50lbs limit. When we got home, I soaked them in the sink to try and get out all the sand. Ben's pants had a handful of sand in each pocket. After I drained the water, I actually collected enough sand left in the sink to fill a small tupperware container! Now we can always remember the beach!

Easter

Ok, these all loaded backwards. So start at the bottom and go up. Saturday night we made Resurrection cookies (the 3rd annual event). Then Easter lunch at the Shaffer grandparents house. Pre Easter egg hunting, and post easter egg hunting. Then time for family pictures.

Easter Sun Run

Sam and Doug ran the 2 mile race again this year at the Easter Sun Run. Doug said that Sam ran about 75% of the race. They finished under 30 minutes which was fantastic.

Wild Things

Sam's school had a music program entitled "Wild Things" on April 1st. Sam is wearing a Zebra hat because he had a speaking part about a zebra. Sam did a great job. Ben had been playing with the Keefer grandparents at the park before the program and slept through the whole thing. We celebrated Sam's great work at Braums after the program was over.

Trampoline

Several weeks ago, I had the "opportunity" to play in the pit orchestra for the Bethel College opera. It involved 4 evenings of rehearsal, and 2 performances. Needless to say, Doug became Mr. Mom that week. With my earnings from my "career" we chose to buy a trampoline. Unfortunately right after we bought it, it snowed, delaying our ability to put it together. We spend about 2 hours a few Saturdays ago putting it together. And here is the result. I was afraid that it would only be a novelty, and the fun might wear out quickly. I'm pleasantly surprised. The kids are out there most days after school, and sometimes after supper as well. They have even given themselves "trampoline names". Sam is Fergen (nickname: Ferg) and Ben is Gaukey (nickname: Gauk). They call themselves by their trampoline names when jumping. Almost the second that Doug gets home from work, the kids are begging him to come bounce them on the trampoline. It was well worth the week of not seeing my family to have this mecca of entertainment in our backyard.

Welcome to the Museum of Transportation

Earlier this week, Sam and Dad went to the Museum of World Treasures. Sam was inspired to set up his own Museum. Here he takes you on a tour.

St. Louis

Over the Martin Luther King holiday, we traveled to St. Louis to visit our friends the Hudsons. We spent Sunday at the St. Louis Arch. After having our purses searched and walking through the metal detectors, we purchased our tickets and rode the tram all the way to the top.

Sam was very brave, even though he was very scared of heights. Ben was a great big brother, holding Sam's hand and reassuring him that it would be ok.

Ben and Matt enjoyed the view from the top.

Sam got pretty close to looking out of the windows. But was the first to be done looking out the window and the first to be ready to go back down.

The Shaffers

The Hudsons

After a great lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory, we headed over to the Children's Science Museum. They had a fun walkway over the highway, with these glass shapes so you could look down at the cars over the highway. Sam was a little hesitant, but eventually was brave enough to stand on top of the glass.

Monday we all met at a mall, and ate lunch, topped off by dipping dots from the vending machine.

The weekend was full of fog, driving up and driving home, but on the day that we were at the arch, it was blue sky and sunny. We had a great weekend, and made lots of memories. We look forward to going back again soon.

Sam's First Day at Kindergarten

God answered our prayers, and Sam once again was selected to be a student at McLean Science and Technology Magnet Elementary School. August 17th was his first day. He has a new Transformers backpack, and Sunday night we went to Walmart and found a new lunch bag, and food that Sam agreed that he would eat for lunch. (Many of you know that he is quite a picky eater and has had the same thing every day for lunch over the summer - he calls it "the usual" - cooked pasta and red sauce). School begins at 8:00 and is over at 3:10. After the usual interrogation after school, Sam told us he was done answering questions. We now have an agreement that he will make a preselected noise when he is tired of answering questions. He says his favorite times are recess and P.E. ("that means physical education, mom."). As part of the Science emphasis, there is a specific classroom for science, which also houses 4 pets. Sam was very eager to tell about that class. Sam bought a new bath towel for rest time, and he says that he has been falling asleep during the rest time. I wouldn't doubt it at all. He is hoping this week that his class will get to visit the library. I asked him last night if he had made any new friends and he said, "Mom, I'm friends with everyone in my class." So much for a mom worrying if he has friends to play with or eat with.

Sam has recently gotten into legos. Specifically the Power Miners.


He does pretty well building them himself. Each one comes with a pretty easy to follow instruction book with step by step instructions. Last Wednesday, Sam told me he needed to write a book, it was to be 14 pages long. So I ripped off 14 pages from a note pad. Sam wanted some of the words to be pictures (like he had read in a Spongebook book - I think it is called Rebus), so I wrote the words and drew the word pictures, and Sam did all of the illustrating. Sam wanted to take it to school Thursday. He showed it to his teacher, Mrs. Kennedy, and she let him sit in her chair and read it to the class. Apparently she also wanted him to read it to the principal, but when Sam went to the office, she wasn't there. There is always one more Power Miner kit that he needs. He loves going to the Lego website and watching the videos there.