The Harvard Museum of Natural History

Doesn't the title of this post make us sound a little "hoyty" and maybe a little "toyte"? Well although it sound like a very educated, serious place, we had a blast. Whats better than seeing a ton of real (stuffed) animals, the hugest rock (and mineral) collection I've ever seen, having a large staff of enthusiastic volunteers anxious to answer any question you (on your children) can think of, and having a billion hands on activities to go with it? Maybe doing all these things for a mere $4.00 per person (babies don't count as people). The libraries in Cambridge offer passes to a lot of the wonderful things to do around here. The passes allow you to go for a reduced price (often free)! So Saturday we decided to put our adventurous pants on and hit the museum.

Getting out of the house is always an ordeal, but eventually (after folding, sorting and putting away around 6 loads of laundry, cleaning the apartment, picking up the library pass, and dropping off a pair of Casey's shoes to be repaired) we made it.

Lucky for us it was an absolutely beautiful day (Bennett really didn't need that hat, but whatever).

We played outside in a nearby area for a while before going in. The squares the children are standing on look down into a building that is located under all the buildings and lawn we were playing on.

As usual we found a few treasures, several we were not aloud to keep (a hub cap and several miscellaneous pieces of garbage), and a few we were (a screw driver, a giant threaded piece of steal (pictured above), and even some boot leather from the shoe repair shop. Maya tried to sneak away with a little scrap of shoe leather and Casey told her she needed to return it (Elmer's don't steal). She took it back and the nice man told her she was a good kid, and he gave each of the kids a piece of shoe leather).

The little guy had a good time even though he was restrained.

Bennett had fun too, he just likes to sport a serious face.

Maya, on the other hand, doesn't own a serious face.

There was so much to see. The museum was having a special exhibit called 'Earth Rocks', and there was a huge room full of cases filled with every rock you can imagine. Some of the favorites were a 1600 lb. Amethyst (it was HUGE), diamond, and of course GOLD.

All the Geode and crystal type rocks were really cool. They looked like our rock candy (the one that turned out, not so much like the ones that failed).

I think each of the kids are thinking about starting their very own rock collection (just what we need around here, ANOTHER collection cluttering the place up).

This was a really cool exhibit of glass flowers. It was really amazing to thing every plant represented was a glass copy of the real plant.

Porter ran up to me and said "This place gives me the creeps", but I loved it.

Bennett may have been a little bored with it (I like to tell myself it's just because we made him skip his nap to come -he may be a scientist yet).

Are these two more human or more animal? I see a strong resemblance to the animals. I know little sis would much prefer being a Dino to being a human.

The kids got to grind up minerals to make their own paint. If you look above Maya you can see they had samples of what several of the different minerals looked like as paint. They even had gold paint!

I need to get me one of those grinding bowls.

Here they are being distracted from their paintings by the millions of other exciting things to see. I believe they were looking at a display of stuffed birds.

We forgot the baby carries (and it was not very stroller accessible), so daddy carried Chubs around for the day. He was adequately rewarded with kisses.

Bennett kept pointing to the placks, like he was leading a tour and telling us "If you just look here, you'll see that this specimen lived during the late Jurassic period."

The tour guide and his group of, less than enthusiastic, tourists.

There were lots of fossils to look at. This big slab had several sets of dinosaur foot prints. Porter told me that he thought the smaller set of foot prints was running from the bigger set, and probably got eaten.

The kids got to make their own fossils in a test tube. It was pretty fascinating stuff.

Bennett liked the little story corner where he just lounged around a looked at the story books.

Porter and the Rhino. I didn't get a picture of it, but when we first walked into the area, where all the animals were, Porter came running up to me acting all scared because there was a large cat display where there were tigers making growley faces.

Miles conked out on us (giving dad's arms a break), but look at that handsome Daddy. I sure love that guy.

Maya and the peacock. If you look close you can see some of the big cats behind her.

Bennett was "(s)'cared of the goat"

It may look like he is getting braver, but he's actually banging on the glass with his fossil test tube.

Digging for treasures. We stayed at this area for a long time, the kids had a blast. Also in this section a man showed us how to pan for gold (Porter wanted to try it out, but had to settle for sifting fun stuff out of the sand pool). This area also included a display about the conductive property of copper and the kids got to complete a circuit (using different object containing copper) to make a light bulb turn on.

This picture of Benny cracked me up! We were sitting in a little lecture hall where they were telling us about Volcano's. We were getting a little information before going outside to see a volcano experiment.

First they put mentos in a coke bottle and showed the kids how it shoots way up into the air. Then they had those huge trash cans filled with water, and dropped a bottle of liquid nitrogen into it, then they quickly dumped in a bucket of grass seeds and moved back. The nitrogen exploded sending grass seed and water raining down on everyone. Then they did the experiment again instead of pouring in grass seed, they poured in a bucket of candy. When it exploded we felt like we were in the land of Chew-and-Swallow, and commenced collecting food from the ground.

Porter and Maya were the first kids to cross the line and start scavenging for candy.

Here they are showing off their stash of goodies. We may pass on pinatas from now on and opt for a candy Volcano!

A few forgotten pictures...

We had our treadmill repaired a few months ago, and the kids had a blast taking apart the parts the repair man, so kindly, left behind.

They all got in on the action. My kids think there is very little in this world cooler than tools. Mayas and Porter are always talking about how much they despertly want a wrench.

Even Miles couldn't resist a little circutry. Lucky for him that isn't a LIVE wire.

The Brothers

On a separate note here are the kids (you may, at first glance, think they are fresh back from trick-or-treating and counting their candy, but no, they are...) all dressed up and sorting legos.

As a kid I got one of these Pot Holder looms for Christmas and thought it was the greatest thing ever. I made pot holders for everyone. Grammy got one for Maya for Christmas and she (and I) got to weave to our hearts content.

What a fun, fun, fun, project. It was all I could do, not to sneak into the suplies and make pot holders once Maya was asleep.

A few school pictures (just to prove we are doing some)

And sometimes we even enjoy it (he would never in a million years admit to liking school, so I'm including this picture as PROOF)

Dads

Today I decided to be a nice mom (nice=lazy) and let my kids watch some TV during free time. The problem was I couldn't get the DVD player to work, so not wanting to let the wee ones down, I got "The Little Apple" (the mini DVD player that my children think is an apple laptop) out and started the movie on that. I walked away feeling satisfied with myself. A few minutes later I walk in to find them all hovering unnaturally close to the movie. I ask them to scoot back, to which they whined "BUT, IT'S SO SMALL". Shortly after this Porter comes up to me and says "Mom, can you please try to hook it up to the big TV?" Now, just so you don't think I'm a TOTAL slacker, I had tried (for several minutes) to hook it up to the TV, but couldn't figure it out (I'm not known for my technological know-how). I thought for a second, and then came up with the BRILLIANT idea to "call Dad". Porter started bouncing with glee and saying "Yeah, call dad! He'll know what to do". So I called Casey who talked me through it and I eventually got it working, much to the delight of everyone involved. Thinking back on this one experience makes me realize maybe there was some merit to Porter's statement this morning as Casey left for school. He said, "I don't want Dad to leave, there are SO MANY things Dad's can do that Mom's can't".

Whats up with my cooking?

Ok, so in general I'd say I'm a pretty decent cook (that's what I'm willing to say in public, which really means I think I'm pretty darn good, just too modest to say so), at least I can follow a recipe with the best of 'em. I don't know exactly what the deal is (maybe Saturn is aligned with Mars), but the last few nights I just can't win. I've decided to try a few new recipes, which sometimes backfires on me, but these have been worse than usual.
It all started when we had an Enrichment Activity called 'A Taste of Boston'. There was a lecture on the history of Boston (and the surrounding areas) and a dinner featuring typical New England Fares. On the menu was "Fish Chowder", "Parker House Rolls", "Anna Damn-a Bread", "Veggies and Dip" (not indigenous to Boston, but you gotta include the veggie group), and "Peggy's Yummy Apple Dip" (also not indigenous. I brought this, it's always a hit), and last but not least "Boston Cream Pie". Prior to the activity the hostest had asked if someone would be willing to make "Parker House Rolls". I had never even heard of them, but when the sign up sheet got to me no one had signed up, so I came home and researched them. I e-mailed the hostest and said, "I would be more than happy to ATTEMPT to make 'Parker House Rolls', if no one signed up yet. As a disclaimer, I have never had Parker House Rolls, but I've looked up a recipe on line, and armed with Bobby Flays recipe I am willing to take a chance... if I don't hear from you by noonish tomorrow I will assume you found someone better qualified:)" Well someone else did sign up, but I had this recipe I was itching to try. So I set into motion the process of assembling these rolls. They were fairly labor intensive, but nothing unmanageable.
The real problem came when I decided to try a new cabbage recipe for dinner on the same night. Yes I know, Kids+Cabbage=Catastrophe. It doesn't help that I got totally distracted and let the cabbage concoction burn, so after dirtying dishes to make the cabbage, I then had to dirty more dishes to prepare an edible dinner of, the ever popular, Ramen Noodles. So Casey came home to a house reeking of burnt cabbage, with the slightly more redeeming smell of rolls (which turned out rather tasty although my technique was lacking and they were not the prettiest of rolls) baking away. Being the trooper that he is, he served up a heaping plate full and started to eat. He took one big bite, looked at me and said, "Yeah, I love you a lot, but I can't eat this". I just told Porter I was making a post about "the gross cabbage I made the other night" and he said "OH YEAH, IT WAS REALLY GROSS!"
And as if this wasn't enough I had to clean up an incredibly messy kitchen. Typically cleaning the kitchen isn't that enjoyable of a job anyway, but when the food wasn't even good it's unbearable!

Wha'd you say

Some of the funny things the kids have said over the past 2-3 months (at least the ones I was diligent enough to write down before forgetting). They keep me laughing.

Maya yelled from the bathroom "Porter I just pooped little rabbit poops!"


We have been working on colors with Bennett.

Mom (holding up an orange card) "Bennett, what color is this?"

Bennett "It's (pause), too much dollars"


Porter was chasing Bennett around yelling "Hey, come here you litttle one headed man!"

Porter- "We turned on this hilarious show and it's called Mr. Robbers neighborhood, or something."

Bennett bent down to give Miles a kiss and quickly sat up, looked at me, and said "It 'mells like YUCK!"

We've been trying to wean Bennett off juice (crystal light) so when he asks for juice I say "how about water" then he said "how 'bout juice" and after throwing a fit, he found a juice cup that was almost empty, picked it up and excitedly said "It 'mells like juice!"

I put Miles on Bennett's bike and told the kids to come look, Porter said "Miles I'm proud of you buddy, that's a lot of chub-ness to hold up!"

As I was serving Bennett dinner, he kept grabbing everything on the table. In frustration I said "FOLD YOU ARMS". He quickly folded his arms and said "Heavenly Father, thank thee day, mommy, daddy, walk the dogs..."

After I explained Maya's school assignment to her she said "What do I do again? Sorry, I'm a really good forgetter."

Porter and Maya had collected some treasures while they were playing outside, and when I came home Porter showed me all the treasures. A little while later Maya said "OH Mom guess what I got..." and ran into her room to get her treasures to show me. While she was gone Porter looked at me and said "Be proud, even though you saw it".

Casey was playing Mario Kart with Porter and Maya and I asked him to do something. He said "Yea I'll do it right after I finish mopping the floor with Porter and Maya" and Maya said "I'll help you mop the floor daddy"

Maya: "I love it when my breath smells like Tuna!"

Bennett calls Miles the Splat-o King because Miles spits up a lot. Yesterday he told me (with a worried look on his face) "Mom, Splat-o King splat-o on my face"

Porter was laughing and I said "Porter, you just really love to laugh, don't you?" He said, "Yea, who doesn't love to laugh (brief pause) Stev-o. He doesn't even smile."

While attempting to pop quarter sized bubble wrap, Maya said in frustration after several failed attempts, "My fingers are too teeny to pop these huge things!"

I curled Maya's bangs for church and she said "IT SMELLS LIKE BAKED BAR-B-Q"

Bennett (age 2) was sitting on the counter 'helping' me cook and holding a huge butternut squash, when he proudly said "Mom, Wook at me, I called strong boy!"

Maya singing to herself: "Pluck it, Pluck it, Shave it, Shave it, Wax it!" Someones been listening to the Unibrow Song.

At Christmas time the Porter family chants this little rhyme that goes "Rip it, tear it, rip it like a parrot" when someone is slow about opening a gift. Bennett asked me to open a fruit snack package and as I opened it he said "Open it, tear it mom"

Casey mentioned that he had bought something a K-Mart and Maya blurts out "THERE'S SMART AND THEN THERE'S K-MART SMART"

Bennett (2yr) loves to compliment people. He said: "Mom, nice feeders!" referring to her...you know.

While reading the scripture story of Abraham we talked about how Abraham and Sarah had no children and were sad. Then we got to the part about when they paid tithing to Melchizedek Finally at the end of the story Casey read, "Abraham and Sarah were sad because they had no..." and Maya blurted out "Tithing!"

Bennett wanted a straw for his drink and said "I want my strawberry"

One night when the kids were supposed to be in bed Maya said she didn't feel well and went to the bathroom to 'puke'. I walked by the bathroom and caught her playing in the sink. I said "Maya" (in that disappointed mommy voice) and she looked up and said "What? I'm washing my hands so I don't get everybody sick. Really!"

As we drove past the ocean we said "kid's look, there's the ocean" Maya erupted into tears and said "I don't like to look at the ocean, there are SHARKS" we said "But Maya you like sharks" and she responded "NOT REAL SHARKS, only pictures"

Maya got a candy cane in her stocking and said "It's a candy cane, and if you turn it upside down it's a J for Jesus"

I asked Porter if I could use some of his chap stick and while he was smearing it on my lips he said "Your lips are REALLY stale"

Sarah was singing The 12 days of Christmas with Maya and she would leave out key parts for Maya to fill in. I guess Maya has never heard the song, because she got a lot of them wrong, like when Sarah sang "five golden..." and Maya said "trophies" but the funniest was when Sarah sang "And a partridge in a pear..." and Maya blurted out "ot" (Parrot)

What we've been up to...Home School wise...

For me Home Schooling is a love/hate relationship. I love almost everything about it. I LOVE having the kids home, I love watching them play and learn together, I love knowing what goes on in their day.

On the flip side, I HATE feeling responsible for something so crucial (Oh, wait, everything about parenting is crucial), I hate that I pressure them (and me) too much, I hate that they complain (and I get angry), I hate feeling like they might be doing better in the public school, I hate that on top of all this I still need to fulfill my roll as mother to the babies, and housekeeper, cook, wife, daughter, sister, friend...

Some days I feel like it is way. way. way. too much (and I want someone to rescue me), and sometimes I feel like I wouldn't want it any other way.

I've been reading a Homeschooling book by a lady from my old ward in Philly (Homeschooling Take a Deep Breath-You Can Do This! -Terrie Lynn Bittner). My friend Elaine brought it out for me to borrow, and it's been really great. That little boost that makes you think, "Yes, I can do this, and it could even be fun!".

I've discovered that I have been focusing so much on keeping the kids caught up to the public schools that I've totally stressed Math and Reading while ignoring the things that I enjoy about school. Art, Science, Music, etc... So we've been trying to make more room for those things in our day, and it's been amazing how much more I can fit in. Plus I have that as an incentive "Kids if you finish your math and reading we can do a really cool project."

We've had some projects that were really successful, and some that were less successful (rock candy is a dang tricky thing to create), but we've had fun experimenting none the less!

We made a count down chain today. Only 11 more days till Nana comes to visit, and we can hardly wait!!! Porter was made a link that said "I love Nana" and he said "I know Nana will love this!" He didn't look too excited in the picture, but he was (I promise).

Here is the chain gradually growing, unaware that each person in this house is dying to tear it apart!

Bennett has been a real stinker about getting his picture taken. As soon as I pull out the camera he goes into shy mode and refuses to look at me. When I do get a shot of him looking at me he always looks so serious.

We ventured out to the craft store the other day and stocked up of cheap-o crafts. In my book there is nothing better than craft time. I love it! It's all I can do to not take over and make all the crafts myself. For a buck a craft I ought to just fork over the extra money and get some for me .

I was pretty excited for these little wooden crafts because it would give Porter a chance to use his new tool kit. Little did I know Casey has the 'stick craft hands' as well, and built the wooden projects while I was at church Sunday. As an attempt to, still be able to, claim them as kid projects I let the kids paint them ALL BY THEMSELVES.

Maya's project was a bird house. The other day at the Library she got a book on winter birds in the area. I was really excited, thinking we could build this little bird house, make bird feeders, and spend the day identifying birds. Then reality set in and I realized...we really don't have anywhere to hang them, where we could see them. Oh, to have a back yard *sigh*.

The lack of a yard didn't dampen her enthusiasm for painting something beautiful.

While painting her bird house Maya said "Isn't this so nice? It's a little home for the birds, (pause) then I can take their nest away and have all the baby birdies." Porter said "That's not nice, it's mean."