Field Trip Day 2

It was a pretty early morning. Most kids were up by 6:30/7am. After breakfast we had about an hour to kill before the bus came. So a few of the parents took the kids to a local park.

We loaded up and headed back to CSI and the Herrit Center.

We watched another movie in the planetarium. It was about a 

Dolichorhynchops

After the movie we went upstairs to look at the sun! We looked through 2 telescopes. It was pretty cool. We also got to look at Venus through a huge telescope!

The kids waiting in line to see the sun!

Through the first telescope we basically saw this. There were a few more sunspots on it but it did look like this!

The second telescope we saw something like this. 

The sun with solar flares. We could actually see the flares happening!

Next we went inside to the big telescope. 

This one was quite large. We had to stand on a step stool to reach the eye piece. 

Madison is waiting her turn. A lot of the kids were kind of rude and always wanted to be first to see everything. So we ended up waiting until the end of the line. 

In this telescope we saw something similar to this picture of Venus. 

After the Planetarium we were running a bit behind and the kids ate lunch on the bus. 

We Headed to the fish hatchery in Haggerman.

We split up into class groups and went with a park ranger and learned how the hatchery works.

 Here we are learning about how they get the eggs and grown them in tanks and then move them outside to grow bigger before they are released. 

These tanks were filled with fish. 

Next we walked over to the sturgeon viewing area! The kids had fun laying on their stomachs trying to touch one! These are relatively small! But they were still at lease 4 feet long! 

After the hatchery we went to a dig site near where the Hagerman Horse was found. 

Back on the bus................

We walked about 1/4 of a mile up to the top of the view point. Actually in the mid left of this picture is the actual Hagerman Dig site. It's an active dig site so the park set up a mock dig site for the kids. 

The kids were assigned a dig area.They had several tools and paper work they had to do. 

Hard at work! It was getting pretty warm by that time and the kids were tired!

Each area had 3 bones or fossils to find. 

We walked back to the bus and had something cold to drink!

Next we went to Malad Gorge State Park and did a bus tour with a park ranger. 

I forgot my camera but google had some similar photos!

There was a walk out bridge that we could get a pretty good view of the whole gorge!

By this point the kids were hungry and very tired. And we headed to Thousand Springs Hot Springs for dinner and swimming!

Here is the hot springs! It was huge! But sooo hot! It was already about 75/80 outside and warmer than that inside! The kids were excited to swim but there were a lot who asked when it was time to get out!

Madison had fun! She always loves to swim and never complained of how warm it was. There was a deck outside where most of us parents sat and talked. We were right on the river and in the shade. It was nice to relax!

After swimming we had a catered dinner. The we loaded up and headed home. We got back around 10:15 or so. 

We had a lot of fun and made some great memories!!

Field Trip Day 1

Last week Madison and I got to go on a 2 day field trip with her ALP (advanced learning placement) class. There is one other school in the district that has an ALP class and they came too. There were about 34 students and 18 adults! 

We had to be at the school by 6:45 am! Kennedy and her mom came and picked us up! Mieke (Kennedy's mom) also offered to drive so we wouldn't have to ride the bus. 

Everyone was excited when Mrs. Allen showed up! She has been their student teacher and they all love her! She is a lot more fun and a lot nicer than their actual teacher. She has been a breath of fresh air!

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Time lapse 2 hours and we are at the Bruneau Sand Dunes. We watched a short movie in the visitors center then we loaded the bus and headed to the dunes so the kids could play!

And....... Their off! They barely made it there and decided to take off their shoes! 

The weather was perfect! Most everyone made it to the top. And most of the boys were sweaty and sandy when they came down! One kid lost his iPhone! No joke. The adults told him not to take it up but did anyway!

After they all came back down, we had a quick snack and got back on the road! There was a lot of driving the first day!

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Time lapse about 1-2 hours and we are at Craters of the Moon. 

We ate lunch as soon as we got there. Then we had a lesson about Craters of the Moon by a nice Ranger man, then guess what???? We got back on the bus!! 

We went to a few of the cones there. It was pretty warm and with everything black it got hot pretty quick! 

Here is the whole group!

Then we went back down the mountain on the bus and stopped at the caves!

We walked a little more than 1/2 a mile to the first cave. 

There was a patch of snow. The ALP teacher for the district found it and started a snowball fight! It was more like ice and hurt when you got hit!

The cave was pretty cool. And really dark is some places! 

A quick photo before we left the caves!

There were two more on the loop but Meike and I decided to follow a group of girls who seemed to not follow directions! They ended up back at the bus and bathrooms. 

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Time lapse again as we headed to Shoshone Falls. 

We didn't do much here except eat dinner and get something refreshing to drink!

Then surprise! Back on the bus! To the Herrit Center at CSI for a show at the planetarium. I didn't get any pictures there because we were in the dark! But we learned all about the star called Arcturus. It was pretty interesting. 

I'm not sure what time we got to the Church. But it was LATE! The kids were wound up and had a hard time falling asleep. Most all of the dad's were asleep after laying down on their sleeping bags! That left the moms and teachers to deal with all the kids! 

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Well it that was a long day! But a pretty fun adventure! I will post day 2 maybe tomorrow?! 

Misoula Children's Theater

I have really been slacking off when it comes to the blog! But with Facebook and instagram I have totally forgotten there are people who still stop by and check in. I don't know how many, I'm sure it's only 2 or 3 people. 

Anyway back in January Madison auditioned for a part in The Misoula Children's Theaters production of Rapunzel. She actually got a speaking part. She was baby bear. I know what you are thinking, baby bear in Rapunzel?? Yes they covered a few different stories through out the play. 

This when she came home from dress rehearsal so she had her make-up on. She had practice everyday after school from 4:30-8p. Two performances on Friday and one on Saturday. By Saturday afternoon she was exhausted!!

Aunt Shannon and the girls came on Friday night to support Madison.

Here are a few pictures from through out the show. 

These cute mushrooms were hilarious!

Madison's best buddy Samantha B is the orange one in the middle! They had a fun week together!

Here she is! She came out a few times. She had a few speaking parts and had a blast!

Here is cast call, it's only about half of the group. 

At the end they had each group of kids come out so parents could take pictures!

I am glad that she had this experience. She is excited to do it next year and has even gotten Zachary excited.

Happy Birthday Miss Brynley!

Friday January 10th, 2013 

Brynley Grace turned 3!! Wow how time flies!! And because she is 3, that means that by July I will have a 10 and an 8 year old! YIKES!

Well the morning started off with fun. 

I made her favorite banana muffins the night before. She was so excited for the candle aka fire that she blew it out before the song was over!

Next for the morning after the kids went to school was to pick up our friends Natalie (3) and Kamber (Natalie's mom!) For a morning of fun at Jabber's.

The first thing they did was snag a grocery cart before they were all gone! They are a hot commodity!! 

Natalie loaded up on veggies at the farm stand!

"Hey what do you have in your cart?!" 

They eventually made it over to the climbing structure. She sat at the top and watched all the kids go down the slide. She went down once and was so scared she cried and came out, never to go back in!! We played for almost 2 hours and then headed to Costco. She was so excited to have a hot dog and "smoody!" 

Enjoying their lunch! 

A true smile!! She was so happy! What 3 year old wouldn't be happy with Costco and her best buddy! 

Since Travis had to work both Friday and Saturday evenings we waited till Sunday to celebrate with family. 

After her birthday dinner of waffles and sausage!  She opened present. 

Grandpa and Grandma McDowell sent her this cute bunny that plays a personal recorded message. She loved it! She sleeps with it and squeezes it while she falls asleep! 

She got more Legos from Auntie Nicole and family.

She got 2 more Klip Klop ponies from us and Bailey and Ry. Cinderella and Ariel!! Now there is enough for everyone (the 3 girls) to play without fighting over ponies!

And a cute baby alive baby that wiggles her feet. 

"Thank You Ry!" 

The Klip Klop Ponies did not get in the picture because they were being played with!!

Sharing her new colors and paper with Ry!

About a week before her birthday we asked her what kind of cake she wanted. She said a purple cake with purple frosting and sprinkles! And that's what she got! This is us singing to her

It was hilarious to watch her blow out the candles. 

Finally daddy helped!

Enjoying the purple cake and pink ice cream!!

She had a really fun weekend. We think that since she turned 3 the sassy factor has gone up but she is still as cute and fun as ever!! 

Happy Birthday B-Boo!