Wildlife Experience

We got some free tickets to go to the Wildlife Experience on Saturday, and we had an extra one, so we took Mikelle's friend from preschool, Kara, with us. (Kara lives in Sedalia which I never realized was so beautiful and I think I could maybe leave Castle Rock to live there). Anyway, the kids had a lot of fun, and we were pretty lucky because the day we went just happened to be the opening day of the new exhibit "MEGALODON...the largest shark that ever lived!"

Making shark fin hats

Tyrel digging up dinosaur bones

Mikelle and Kara with their shark fin hats

They have fake snow that falls every couple minutes, you can kind of see the snow falling in the picture

I love Jonah's face here, like he is so proud of himself for climbing up

I thought this picture was rather amazing, all the kids looking AND smiling

Just a random picture of the kids playing together

Preschool Graduation

Today was Mikelle's last day of preschool. I have been SO excited for summer. I love swimming, taking the kids to the park, hot afternoons with popsicles, you know; all that stuff, but today as I walked up to the preschool doors with Mikelle for the last time I was a little sad about it. My little girl is growing up and every single person will tell you that it happens so fast but I kept thinking that my kids are so crazy it doesn't seem too fast. Well, this year went by fast. This fall I will have two kids in school. I still think the hardest year for me will be first grade though because they will be gone all day then (9-4). I don't want to let my little kids be away from me that long (I say that now, however, they are all tucked away in bed sleeping, maybe I will feel different in the morning).

Mikelle's FIRST day of preschool

Mikelle's LAST day of preschool

Mikelle and Kara walking out together

The class

The kids came out and sang songs and then they each walked over the bridge and said what they wanted to be when they grew up and what they liked about preschool. Mikelle said she wanted to be a chef (which she never mentioned to me before, but I can't wait) and she said she loved writing letters to her friends. Ms. Mary said that Mikelle was always writing at preschool.

Standing on the bridge with Ms. Carol

Mikelle with her packet of papers, she was so proud of this

Standing outside her preschool

Ms. Carol

Ms. Suzanne and Ms. Jessica

Ms. Mary

Whatever my feelings on the day were, Mikelle didn't share them. I know she absolutely loved preschool, but she went around all morning saying "I'm so excited for Kindergarten."

Here is Mikelle walking over the bridge, you can't really hear what she says because she is so quiet, but Ms. Carol announces it for her.

The class singing songs

Just some other random things; whenever we go to Target, Matt always takes the kids to the hat section and they love trying on different hats.

Matt took this video of a fox/coyote (I don't know what it is) right outside his window at work

Baby Birds

A few days ago, we found a small baby bird on our deck. We have a nest on our deck, so I assumed he fell out. I researched online for awhile, and since he had feathers, it said not to touch him or put him back in the nest, but to leave him alone. I put down a little towel in case he got cold. Last I saw he has hopping around on the deck but he is not on the deck anymore...he was teetering right on the edge of the deck (we live on the second floor), and I am afraid he fell off, but his parents kept flying by and landing by him. I can only hope he made it back in the nest.

Today I heard little chirping outside so I peeked out and saw the mom bird feeding three little birds still in the nest. It's been fun for the kids and I to watch them. I had to take the pictures through the window and keep a distance because the mom flies away if she hears or sees anything close.

Here is the little bird sticking his head out chirping

Then the mom (or dad I suppose) comes and lands and watches for awhile, and when they think it is safe, they feed the little birds.

It's been raining all week, so we finally pulled out some old rain boots. Tyrel had fun with them.

Mikelle will only sleep with this little unicorn that my mom sent in the mail for her a few weeks ago. She named the unicorn 'Emily'.

Tyrel reading

I took this video of Jonah. I made some play dough and he loved it and was just playing with it talking up a storm at the table.

Parent Day and the Denver Art Museum

Last week was 'Parent Day' at Mikelle's preschool. We got to see all the stuff they learned in the space/science unit. Ms. Carol even did a science experiment where she showed how to blow up a balloon without using your mouth (baking soda and vinegar). I think the 'space' unit has been one of Mikelle's favorites; but dinosaurs and spring have been close seconds.

Doing the space walk

Mikelle with her space craft

Space game

At the Denver Art Museum (or DAM as the locals call it)

We got free passes to DAM which is in Downtown Denver and the kids had fun on the drive up looking at all the tall buildings and seeing how busy the city is. Crazy parking though.

Tyrel was more interested in that bird than anything else. He kept recruiting people to come over and look at it with him.

Dressed up as Pharaoh

This was an (anticlimactic) little video on music in Africa. We thought the kids would be able to play musical instruments, but we got all the way to that part in the museum (which is huge) and it was just this little nook with a very short video playing; but I had to take a picture of our African learning experience just for Aaron (who served his mission in Africa).

Tyrel

This was my favorite room in the museum. The camera doesn't do it justice.

Outside the museum taking pictures with all the kids.

a close up

Tyrel hurt his toe pretty bad. We thought it may have been broken. He is walking and acting normal, it just is pretty swollen and looks bad. A couple days ago, I was at the grocery store (the one with a 'car' shopping cart. I buckled Tyrel in and cinched up the buckle tight because he is always trying to get out. Mikelle and Jonah kept taking turns sitting next to him. When it was Mikelle's turn, she unbuckled Tyrel and he of course climbed out of the little car and I ran over his foot with the grocery cart. He was screaming on the floor of the store and I felt so bad. I asked Mikelle if she unbuckled him because I knew Ty couldn't get out himself, and she said yes, and then she said "This is all my fault Tyrel got hurt, I didn't mean too, do you hate me now?" and she started bawling, so I had two hysterical kids in the grocery store...but they are both doing fine now.