Random Zoo Day with Daddy

After many long work days, Daddy declared that he was taking a day off and we'd go to the Philadelphia Zoo.

 

 She is still a sucker for the cutouts

Zebras! and Rhinos!

Do you see that polar bear sleeping on the rock on the right?

Our favorite, Abby the Giraffe

A bird and a boy with similar hairstyles

The carousel was the treat of the day

Because of the cool weather, there were so many animals out that are normally back in their shady spots. The kids loved it.

Saying hello to our tiger friend who we normally eat lunch nearby (today we chose the giraffes).

Brushing the goats

 

We stayed later than normal and got to see the rat demonstration. This domestic rat, Nova, runs across the room on a wire, completes a maze & obstacle course for a food prize. The other rat, Orion, would sort recyclables and trash and turn off a light. The kids loved it and we stayed after the show for some of the training runs. The trainers gave the kids tattoos and answered their extra questions. It was really neat.

Customary exit photo for Amelia

Return to Crayola

With the onset of cooler weather, we made it out to Crayola with our new annual passes. They'd made some changes over the summer and so there is still novelty for the kids. If only you could have seen their faces that morning when I told them we were headed to Crayola - oh the excitement! And then when we arrived, I told them that our friends were meeting us - the staff laughed at Amelia's shrieks!  (It helped that there were probably only 20 kids there all morning).

A little iPad drawing

Dancing in front of the new color board

Suckers for Halloween cutouts

Model magic

This guy is finally big enough to participate in pretty much everything. The boats were tough for his height, but he persisted with help to complete the course.

A little hippo designing

Painting monster hands

We went to watch one of the shows/demonstrations and there were our 4 kids and one other little boy. So the requests for audience participation were up to us - but they got free silly putty and markers out of it! The girls agreed to go up if they could go together and the performer was a good sport about it.

Waiting at the spin art

A few days later Amelia came down with a fever so we stayed canceled all plans and had a pj day. I pulled out the art projects and they were pretty happy campers. Here they are putting stickers up on paper taped under a table - the novelty of the situation kept them entertained for quite a bit.

 

 

Pulling out the couch to watch a pre-nap show.

Apple stamping

Teaching Austin to fold washcloths. We all participate in family chores in this house!

 

The discovery of pockets

We felt better in time for our neighbor's birthday party. They have a baby brother and Amelia and Austin loved cooing and playing 'high five' with him.

Part of the party took place at an arcade - our kids' first experience. There were only a couple of age-appropriate games so I wouldn't pay for it in the future. But there was a whacking game that they loved and played until their allotment ran out.

Skeeball - not so much

 

All dressed up for church and asking for photos.

(Let's not get into the argument over putting a bow in her hair. Mommy won for church and it was out the moment we got home.)

 

Pretending 'train' while Daddy was grilling supper. 

 

Apple Picking, Apple Butter & Apple Jelly

I took the kids to an apple orchard one weekday for a picnic lunch and apple picking. I chose a less popular orchard and a later time and we basically had the place to ourselves. In the words of Amelia "it was awesome!"

 

Lunch while watching the goats

Having a conversation with the goats

We went for Mommy's favorite apples for baking/canning - Macintosh. They had an abundance of them low to the ground. So 17 pounds of apples came off the trees fast.

The next day we set out to start with apple butter. The kids had fun trying our corer/slicer/peeler but it had seen better days so we gave up on it after 2 apples.

When I moved us to peeling/slicing/chopping by hand, I was shocked at how interested they were to keep participating. I peeled and sliced and gave them butter knives and showed them  how to chop up the slices.  They worked up to this counter for 45 minutes before losing interest. Again, I was shocked. And they actually did a great job chopping.

Assorted random photos from the rest of the week:

Let there be light!

An afternoon at a park. Daddy is teaching Amelia how to crush pinecones.

He's still working on their throwing skills.

There was a bunch of consignment sales in one weekend, so I got the kids fitted out in their snow gear for this winter. They had so much fun putting it all and pretending 'snow'. Let's just hope they feel that way in March....

Brother insisted on having his toenails done too. It's a good thing that clear polish is acceptable to Daddy. And yes, Amelia is wearing her ballet dress-up leotard. I think she lived in it that particular day but it hasn't made a reappearance since.

Soaking up the warm afternoons 

Daddy must have said something funny.

He was so proud of his tower after helping me set out the food for the next day's supper.

I wore Austin on my back for one of the consignment sales (it was a muddy wet day and the sale was outside) and he became obsessed with wearing his best friend Tiger around.