Month: September 2010

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

I spend the whole summer planning on getting to the arboretum, but something always seemed to come up. Either it was rain, or a terribly hot and sunny day that I didn’t want the kids out in so far from home. Luckily the last weekend of September was perfect. Sunny and a high of 65°, which Helena said was “too hot”.

The kids spent about four hours exploring the grounds, although very little of it was spent looking at the flowers that draw so many there. They would rather walk on the paths around it which bordered lakes, creeks, woods, and fields. Well, the field part was us getting lost, but it was a nice walk before we ate a packed dinner there.

Inside the Big Build

With Friends

Helena picked up whatever she found on the ground

Ada at a fountain.

Liam's maze

There aren't too many photos of just these two anymore.

Helena exploring

Ada finished the day 31 cents richer than it began

...and she was happy about it.

Now Liam and Ada are in another fountain with water lillies

Another forced pose for the photographer

Running after a "chick-monk"

Crossing a "river" on stones

Rock band photo

Helena likes to climb trees

Helena looking over the lake

Liam and Ada found a snake. This whole episode took a half hour.

Ada telling me more about the snake.

Big Bad Wolf

More climbing trees. However Liam had found a balloon at the farmers' market in the morning so he spent more time with that than with the trees.

Ada getting far off the ground.

Minneapolis Bike Tour

The kids always want to be able to ride in the streets and not on the sidewalks. Luckily once a year Minneapolis closes a large part of the roads mostly in the park system, so we could bike from home to mom’s on a beautiful morning. 

Helena got a little tired, but Liam did great all by himself, and he and Ada loved going down the hills quickly.

Liam’s Playing Soccer Again

Today he had a great day. Until he was put back on defense, the scoreline was something like:

Towne (3′)
Towne (7′)
Towne (12′)
Towne (14′)
Towne (16′)
Towne (18′)

On the downside, he made the keeper on the other team cry because of a cracker from the 2 yard box that was saved by the kid’s face.

How Kids Define Quality and Other Stories

I wish that I had the time to write down everything that the kids say as the day goes on…today was a great one for one-liners.

  1. Helena and Liam were talking about their school fundraiser in the car today. They are both excited because they found out that some kids win prizes for selling lots and lots of items. Helena said that she wants to get the iPod. I told her that she already has one but she said that this one was cooler and “it comes with one of those things that you have [an iPod dock] that has way more buttons on it”.
  2. On Saturday, I took the kids to the Lifetime Fitness and showed them the kids’ play area. They weren’t impressed. Today they began their yoga class which the girls were excited about. Liam didn’t want to do the yoga, so he was bummed that he had to go into the kids area while I read out in the lounge while waiting for yoga to get over. As soon as Liam walks into the play area he says, “They have a Wii?!!” It was not only a Wii, but on a large screen television. Heaven for him. When we left the kids were saying how cool everything was and how they couldn’t wait to go back. I reminded them that only two days ago they said that they hated it. Helena says, “See what happens when you try new things?”
  3. Just as I was putting the kids to bed, Liam was telling Helena about something in the bedroom. Ada walks in and says, “What Liam?”, and Liam tells her, “You aren’t part of this conversation”. Well!

All in all a fun day. When I picked Ada up from daycare, I just sat away from her and watched her play with other kids. When Liam and Helena got to school they were in good spirits. After getting home late because of yoga, they ate dinner and then went to do homework. Liam and I sat on the floor and played a game,  did worksheet after worksheet, and spelling words. Helena said she had homework to do, but then took Ada upstairs to read to her. Afterward I asked Helena what her homework was. She said that she just did it. I told her “You were just reading to Ada”. She told me that her homework was to read aloud for twenty minutes so she read to Ada. Then at night Liam wanted to play the Wii with Helena. He hasn’t played Wii Sports sword fighting since Christmas Day when he got it, but since that is what he played at the gym, he’s ready to do it again. He and Helena laughed and laughed for all twenty minutes.

Helena’s Descriptive Writing Assignment

A Hershey’s Kiss looks like a mountain of pure gold just waiting to run down my throat like a rushing river. You might look at it and think that’s just a chocolate with a wrapper over it.    But then you open it and that’s that! You see it! That wonderful mountain o’ gold!! When you open it you hear a crinkling sound trying to tell your future of good luck! The Hershey’s Kiss feels smooth and powdery, But that smell! It’s just dreamy. It makes you want a whole bag! And then when you pop it in your mouth it’s just heavenly!!!

Helena

Add it to your Christmas list for her.