May 31, 2014

May

In May I took a lot more pictures.  Partially because there were more special events that prompted me.  Partly because all of the events prompted me to charge my camera battery/remember to bring my camera places.

Having learned about the Leaning Tower of Pisa in school, they decided to make one of their own with couch cushions and throw pillows!
Have I mentioned that, at the twins' preschool, they also have a bit of a farm?  They have a barn, 7 sheep (more now because the sheep had babies - 2 of whom the kids got to go out and see minutes after they had been born), some goats, chickens, ducks.  It is amazing.  AMAZING.  I love their preschool.  Anyway...at the end of the year they had these special sheep days.  They got to actively participate in the process from shearing the sheep to knitting with the yarn - washing and drying the wool, carding the wool, spinning it into yarn (with a real spinning wheel), the whole process.  It was awesome.  And I got to go and take pictures.  Here is the only picture I got of the twinners outside with the preschool director explaining to them how to wash the wool (the barn and pasture are behind them).
We had to celebrate our last day of carpooling with C.  He has traveled with us to and from preschool many a day this past year - and spent many an afternoon in town with us when we had to wait for Lucas.  He has become the twinners' best friend, practically family, and we are sad to not spend so many days with him.  Our last afternoon together was spent eating pizza at a nearby park and going out for special ice cream.
Sadly, May meant their last day of school.  Remember the first day?  It went so fast.  Sigh.
They were in a super hammy mood when we were taking these pictures.  Partly because they were all excited about the end of school picnic.  Partly because they were all excited about the road trip we were starting the minute we left the end of school picnic.  Mostly because they didn't realize the last day of school meant no more school.  They were pretty bummed when they realized that.  They loved their preschool too.
As previously mentioned, we (the twins and I) literally left for Nebraska from their school parking lot.  We spent the night with a cousin in Iowa, and then met up with my parents at the Strategic Air & Space Museum
We had a blast looking at all of the different air and space craft they have there - even though my weary road-travelers started to fade at the end (we knew they were tired when Allie suddenly wanted to watch the same WWII movie over and over and over...just because she could sit on the bench and not move!).
The only way to get Allie to, kind of, look normal was for me to hold her.  It's a goofy picture age, my friends.
Doesn't it look real?  I think I might have it framed for his astronaut graduation someday (or whatever the astronaut equivalent is of a graduation).
We also had many other fun adventures at Papa & Gigi's.  
Like making chocolate chip cookies with Gigi,

Flying kites with Papa,



 Getting the most amazing face painting dinosaurs at Uncle Matt's church (yes, at church!)
 Going to a nearby dinosaur museum.  The dinosaur museum also had the most amazing mirror maze I have ever been inside.  I literally ran into a mirror more than once.  Once we conquered it once, we went through dozens of times.  It was amazing.  But, somehow I didn't remember to send the picture of the maze from my mom's phone...so you'll just have to imagine.
 Visiting Papa's work and driving their newest giant vehicle.

 with uncle Matt!
 Visiting the park I played in as a kid, but with brand new (absolutely awesome) playground equipment.  For the record, the infamous Hike & Bike was one of the fundraisers behind this new park.  It was great to see and enjoy the community's gain from my pain :)
Allie and I in the view from the top.
 Papa and Gigi bravely climbed to the top (I was up there for about 5 seconds before I found an excuse to go down).  They took a picture to commemorate the moment.
 And ending our days with story times with Papa.
As you can see, our May was bittersweet - the end of our time at a school that we LOVED, but filled with so many adventures.  And it was just the beginning of a summer full of adventures!