stepping up to science

the boys had off of school today.
staff development or some craziness.
SO ...
we went and had a little crazy fun of our own :)

we went to the science museum
and ended up spending almost all day there!

we had our very own barnett-koste news cast

just imagine the ratings this group could pull in!!

the boys tried to make the 'blood machine' overflow
by all standing on the scale at the same time

teamwork at it's finest!!

and ... we put our older scientists to work
at discovering which household cleaners were most effective against bacteria

all i'll say is there is a reason i love the smell of bleach - it works!

we got to see HUBBLE - an omnimax movie - which was REALLY interesting
even the 4 year olds sat through it!
and we took our time going through all of the exhibits.

i can honestly say that ...
although it makes me sad because it proves they're growing too quickly ...
i realized today that as a family i think we're moving out of the childrens museum phase
and more into the science museum phase.
now ...
don't get me wrong -
they would still have a blast at the childrens museum -
but they kept SO busy today
and we could've stayed much longer.

it was a really fun day!

and a really fun long weekend!

BUT ...
it's back to school tomorrow.
and also time to get #3 a MUCH needed haircut ;)
i've had enough with the 'i like long hair' phase -
wish me luck! ;)

staying consistent

yesterday ben had his 2nd basketball game



thankfully they won 13-12
and didn't lose 6-60 like the team before us! YIKES!

ben had a great game
and is showing us that he loves having the ball

and does really well with it.

he takes it.

runs.

and doesn't stop.

and the funny thing ...

his tongue is hanging out.

every. single. time.

favorite fun friday

last night we braved the snowy roads
even though it took stacey nearly 2.5 hours to get home!
and went to one of our favorite places ...
the shouthouse!



there are SO many people to watch ...
so many INTERESTING people to watch ;)
and that alone could keep me busy all night



BUT THEN you add in great music to listen to
and sing along to

and it is the perfect way to spend a friday night!



and on a side note ...
i have to point out that someone requested the packers song/chant
ONE viking fan stepped up to outbid/play the vikings song
only to be immediately outbid by another packers fan
and have no other vikings fans step up!
in a minneapolis bar that was completely packed!!
way to show up vikings fans
way to show up.

fourth grade perfection

according to drew
today could not get any more perfect.

for starters,
he paid his teacher some of his 'behavior bucks'
and got to sit at his teachers desk for the entire day
AND ...
because the teacher's chair is so comfy
he got ALL of his homework done at school
which apparently was a lot
so he has NONE for the long weekend!

THEN ...
they announced who had gotten through round 2 of the geography bee
AND DREW MADE IT!
this means that out of all of the fourth and fifth graders at his school
he tested in the top 10 for geography!
SO
he is very excited to be able to move on.
he is also excited that 2 other boys from his class made it too -
apparently this is just what they needed to show that fourth graders are the best!

to top it all off ...
a friend from school gave him a greg jennings football card

he had a great lunch and a great dinner

AND
he and alex got to watch a movie he has been very excited to see ;)

from start to finish
it was a perfect fourth grade day

shootin hoops

tonight was ben's VERY first basketball game



and it seems like the perfect sport
for someone like him
who never stops moving ;)

although there were many more calls than shots
and fouls than points
for both teams ;)

you have to start somewhere, right ;)

AND ... besides.
if you're going to decide to call yourselves the timberwolves ...
you can't REALLY expect a high scoring, drama free game ...
can you?! ;)

pj day

this morning started out like any other day.

you know ...
alex waking up WAY too early
the kids standing right outside our bedroom doors
to figure out who is going to play what game first
AND
alex spilling his cup of orange juice into the ENTIRE bucket of legos

a typical morning.

or at least
until we got to preschool.

at that point i noticed that today WASN'T just your typical day.

TODAY WAS PAJAMA DAY!!
oops

thankfully we weren't alone
and
thankfully we live close enough that i zipped home and was back
with pj's and pillow pet in hand before the fun really even started



the kids had fun making eggs and ham
and
hanging out in their pj's ALL DAY LONG!

they loved it.

it was a fun, perfect, typical atypical day!!

flying the friendly skies ??

only in a house of boys
do we spend hours building a passenger jet

only to have it taken over by
a group of sharks



and a modified clone.

creativity at it's finest ...

perhaps ??

how to be resourceful

there are many reasons why i keep 2 big bins of costumes
in our basement.

they keep the kids very entertained ...



AND ...
you just never know when
a certain piece
might come in handy ;)



now if only we had a barrel

happy birthday ... kind of

alex is the first of my 3 with a summer birthday

SO ...
that means
today was the first of what i'm sure will be many
1/2 birthday celebrations at school

we started his day out with a sprinkle donut
you're welcome for the sugar overload, mrs. guenther ;)

then headed to school



we got to start the morning out together with chapel



and then the 'party' moved in to the classroom
where he was 'the special birthday guy'
and got to sit in the special birthday chair!!

he got a special lunch
he choose a sandwich lunchable

got happy birthday sung to him

got to share pictures from the day he was born

AND most importantly
got to share his cupcakes with his friends



HAPPY 1/2 BIRTHDAY, ALEX!!!

webkinz reflectionz

so ...
we're starting to notice a trend.

as soon as alex gets any kinzcash on webkinz
drew and ben start getting postcards ...



he gets money.
he takes a trip.
he gets more money.
he takes another trip.

i was going to make some snarky comment about priorities and his lack of furnished rooms for his webkinz.
BUT THEN ...
i looked around and realized ...
our front room is still empty.
yet in that time -
we've been to hawaii, disney, and san francisco

so ...
perhaps it's just
that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree?!