Bendaroos

Well, it started with Sponge Bob Square pants and quickly moved on to Patrick and then Squidward, then Mr. Krabs, then Plankton.  Ben made Gary and the jelly fish.

Mr Krabs

Plankton

Sponge Bob

Patrick

Squidward

Zoo Day

Today, Sam's class had zoo day.  Mom went for the morning which was cloudy and cold with wind blowing from the north.  Dad relieved mom around 12:15 so she could go with Ben on his field trip.  When I got there, it was time for "free time".  We had two hours to see the zoo.  The weather really cleared up and was beautiful.  I took six goof balls around the zoo.  It was a lot of fun!

Wow, it looks like a heart right between the lion's eyes.

Let's just say when I (Doug) got on the scale, the red lights maxed out.

The boys looking at the tigers

Lots of babies today. 

The tigers checking out the storm drain.

This video in the gorilla exhibit I think has been looping for 8 years straight.  It's the same video!!

Easter Weekend Fun

Sam and Brooke swinging on the saucer

Dad and Sam ran the 2 mile Easter Sun Run today.  Last year's time was 27.13, so we were determined to beat it.  We ran it today 25.40, a new personal best!  It was sprinkling during most of our run.

Ben gathering egg at Believer's Easter Egg hunt

Sam and Brooke showing off their candy stash after dumping out their candy

More fun at the park

Ben leading his class back to his room after their Easter egg hunt

Sam and dad doing some Easter Sun Run training.

Ben showing off his new Muppet friends he made at Built a Bear.  "It's the Muppet Show with our very special guest Ben Shaffer.  YEAAAAAAH!"

A spring weekend

Ben with his buddy Beaker

We went to the Botanical Gardens on Saturday where we went on a tulip scavenger hunt.  There were questions we had to answer throughout the gardens.  There are 51,000 tulips on display.  Wonder if they counted them all.

The highlight of the weekend was going over to our friends' house on Saturday evening.  Jeff and Heather's daughter Kelsey kept Sam and Ben entertained.  They collected bugs and I took their golf card out for a spin with the kids.  They have a lake around their community where we caught about 10 bass in a short amount of time.

Sam in perfect form playing bocce ball.  He won some rounds which was fun to see.

Trip to Tulsa

A Little Weekend Getaway

We went to Tulsa on Friday for a little get away.  We started at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum.  Sam and Ben enjoyed the hangar, the planetarium show on planets, and the gift shop.  Mom and dad both fell asleep during the show.  Dad commented that it was one of the best naps ever!

Although overpriced, the F-14 was extremely cool!  I did not leave my wing man!

Upstairs at the museum, they had some activities for the kids.  Here, Sam and Ben were playing with the large light bright.

After a late lunch, we went to Staples where we all bought something.  Mom loves Staples and found the clearance rack in the back of the store.  Here, Ben is coloring and drawing on his new pad of paper.

Anyone up for camping?

Doug, Sam and Ben went to Buffalo park on Saturday while I attended my student's sophomore recital up at Hesston College (she did fabulous!!!). Ben decided to begin a stick collection so he could have wood for a fire next to the tent. We set up the tent in the backyard on Sunday and Doug tried to explain that you couldn't just start a fire in your own backyard in the city limits, but Ben set it all up anyway. Good thing we moved the tent inside because it started raining early Monday morning and hasn't stopped since. After Ben came inside from the backyard he said "I'll forget about this when I'm 10."

Preschool Olympics and St Pats Day

Ben competed in his second Asbury Pre-school Olympics.  Here, he was dribbling a soccer ball

Victory!!

Kristin picked up these mega Nerf water guns several months ago.  It's been so nice outside, that Ben and Sam decided to battle it out.

The St. Patrick's Day parade was extremely crowded and congested.  Everyone was standing up and it was slow moving, so we decided to take off early. 

Ben enjoying a game of Angry Birds on dad's Nook

Mud monsters

Mud monsters who need a bath!