Discover Science Field Trip

Today we went to a field trip with our co-op.
It was a fun day for the kids with lots of hands on planet/solar system related learning.
I'll spare the details and just share the pictures.

Here is Scarlett and Colin working on their play-doh planets, they both have older siblings who are in our co-op.

Riley, Sophia and Natalee making the planets, 4 inner planets were little and 4 outer planets were larger.

Troy shared about Mercury...

Sophia didn't want to go up and share about one of the planets so Riley joined her up front for support, he is a great friend.

The kids watched a short video from Bill Nye the Science Guy about the distance between the planets.

Then they got to make a scale of the planets distance from one another and demonstrate how they revolve around the son. Here's Rusty helping (building) Troy's scale.

Last part of our visit the kids got to go in the 'star lab'. We all crawled into this dome and got to see a presentation about the stars, very cool.

My Birthday Weekend

My mom gave me the best birthday present 27 years ago... life... and this birthday weekend she treated me and the hubby with a weekend away. I'd say this birthday present was a close second to the day she birthed me into this world. :)

Tony and I haven't gone away in 6 years without the children, a far overdue mini-vacation and something we value and we are already planning to get away again soon.

We went to Ormond Beach while the monster's stayed with my mom. The kids had a great weekend and were glad to see their momma and daddy when we returned.
They made me this beautiful cake to welcome me home on Sunday afternoon. :)

On Sunday morning we checked out Tomoka State Park and did some canoeing...
We saw lots of fish and manatee in the river, def made some great memories on this river.



Oh- and who knew that Outback made a gluten free chocolate thunder from down under! So Yummy! Happy Birthday to me!

Blue Springs State Park

We went on a field trip this week to Blue Springs State Park to see the manatees with some friends. This was a really fun trip. We studied about manatees during the week and on Thursday we got to go see some. It was fun but Sophia was a bit disappointed that we didn't get to swim with them. Last year we went to Sebastian Inlet (maybe it was Ponce Inlet, I can't remember) and we ended up swimming with one very friendly manatee.. but it was still neat to see them. That is one busy state park- I hear it is a very popular campground as well. It seemed like a great spot, but LOTS of people. There is a small playground and picnic area. I really wanted to rent a canoe but Sophia refused to go with me, she said, "You're not putting us in there, not without Daddy." I guess we will have to go back, with Daddy.

When we got home my wild children were roaring and ready to play on their slip and slide, my little bugg-a-boos.

Eat it up you Northerners... yes- that is swimsuits and sunshine in February. :)

strawberry pickin'

Today the kids and I went over to a local farm to pick some strawberries. We hadn't been since last spring; a playgroup that we are a part of posted it on their website and it was a great reminder of this local treasure.



The strawberries are so sweet and the atmosphere is so "hometown" I love it... the strawberries are soo sweet and soo big! Sophia's little hand...



I think they should have weighed Troy before and after we came from the fields.



Sophia is just as sweet as the strawberries she was picking...



We ended up picking just under 9lbs



We then spent some time playing on the play set at the farm as well as the zip line, which was the kids favorite!! I want to build one on my parents farm.. haha! We are home for a nap and some laundry, then who knows what the rest of the day will hold; I'm sure we will make it an adventure.

escape from reality

Life has really taken its toll on us, health, jobs,insurance, and finances... Need I go on?
We escaped from reality yesterday and took a trip to the beach, it was a trip we had planned to take later in the year and for a more extended period of time but with Tony's work and money I wasn't sure the trip was going to happen so we decided to take what we had already paid and put it towards a three day getaway and go now!
I am typing this on Tonys blackberry -which is no easy task, but I wanted to update and let everyone know why we aren't answering our house phone and why my sister's car is at my house and not the van, Lana is house sitting.
The beach is beautiful I really don't want to come back home. We stay here every year it is a beautiful little cottage we can see the ocean from our bedroom window. I hav e taken lots of pictures. Sophia ia our little travler and loves staying in new places. She loves the ocean and building sandcastles. Troy had to get used to the new place and he is terrified of the ocean but has been swimming like a fish in the pool. Jumping in the water and swimming all around people get a kick out of watching such a little guy swim like he does. We are all having a wonderful time, but it will end tomorrow and we will have to deal with life again, for now I am going to enjoy my last night in my little piece of heaven on earth.