Offutt Air Show: A Boys Day Out

Chris and Asher took a boys day out to go to the Offutt Air Force Base Air Show on yesterday. Asher woke us up at 7 am asking, "Do we get to go to the airshow today?" He was so excited!

The boys arrived right at 9 am to begin to check out the airplanes. Asher has airplanes in his blood, so Chris says. My Dad is a private pilot and a builder of an airplane (Now how many people can say that?! It is one thing to fly an airplane, but it is a whole other story to be able to build one!). Chris is a private pilot, too. And, Asher's middle name is Wade, after my cousin who was a pilot and commercial helicopter crop duster (and city sprayer, too, as I know he sprayed around cities a time or two. He was quite the entrepreneur building up a million dollar plus successful business before his untimely death at the age of 33). Lucky for Chris, Asher loves airplanes too and says he wants to be a pilot (and a cowboy) when he grows up. We will see about that (at least the cowboy).

The boys started with the kids zone. Asher loved the bouncers they had there this year as well as the pedal planes. I guess they were really cool pedal planes, too! They walked around and looked at the airplanes on display, finding their second love, a jeep! (Asher has a large collection of airplanes, helicopters and now jeeps). They had plenty to eat, too, splurging on kettle corn, hot dogs and even a soda! That is what I call spoiled for a day. They sat down and watched the airplanes. I do believe Asher was impressed. The boys called it a day before the end of the show so they could get out of base in a timely fashion (having parked on base).

Asher was so excited to show me the new airplane he got, as well as a Frisbee, a ball, and a certificate saying he was a pedal plane pilot. They had a fun boys day out. They will have to have these male bonding days more often.

Playground Hop

The kids love going to different playgrounds. Before we moved, we used to go to a new playground every week. Now, we do not get around that much. Really, everything is so far away! But, we still manage to get in playdates at different playgrounds, making the kids happy.

Thursday we had a playdate a Walnut Creek. The kids played and played in the sand. Yesterday we went to

Wildewood Park, 8000 Ralston Ave.

in Ralston. Asher brought a bunch of his trucks and played. We even had a picnic. Our friend brought water balloons for extra fun. Both of these parks have restrooms. You have to take your trash with you at Walnut Creek, where that is not the case at the Ralston parks. Walnut Creek is not protected by trees, so you much wear sunscreen and hats. It feels like you are sitting on the sun there. Where the Ralston parks seem to have mature trees and a place to get shade (although sunscreen is still needed, it is a much more comfortable playing environment).

Next week we will start our adventure for new playgrounds.

At Walnut Creek, Papillion.

Asher's friend Xander.

Asher's friend Keegan, who will be moving soon. I think this is a funny shot of Keegs!

All loaded up!

Looks like trouble!

Making sand pies, cupcakes and birthday cake for Xander.

June Afternoon at the Zoo

Our mornings are still full with Catholic Education, but that leaves the entire afternoon to play! Yesterday, we decided the weather sounded perfect to visit the zoo. Shoot, everyone else thought that, too! We are so used to going when it is not busy that it is really difficult to adjust when it is wildly busy. But, it was still fun.

We started out with a picnic. It took the kids over a half hour to eat, and they never did finish lunch. There were just too many people and too many things to look at to settle down to eat. Oh well, time to move on. The girls had yet to get to the aquarium, so that was our first stop. They both seemed to enjoy that. I felt like I was going to get smothered by the 1000 strollers and crowds of people in there. I guess I AM a fair weather zoo visitor. I could not wait to get out of there! (But, yes, it is still cool and I feel lucky to have such a place to visit so close to home).

We then visited the animals that each kiddo yelled they wanted to see before our 2 pm show at the IMAX. We saw To the Arctic 3D  which is quite a good show. 

After the movie,  Addi ran into one of her friends from Kindergarten. Papillion is such a small town (and so is Omaha!). The girls hugged like long lost relatives. So funny. Then, Addison wanted to see the "barn." She loves petting zoos. They played at the new dino dig before going to pet the goats. Addison could have stayed there all day, grooming all of the goats.

We went to visit the polar bears (after learning about them during the movie), then to play on the playset. Seriously, the kids had no interest in the animals, they just wanted to play after being trapped in the classroom all morning. 

We spent the entire afternoon at the zoo, ending up somehow at Zestos for ice cream. Yummy! Great ending to a fun afternoon.

Baby Sea Lion!

Mmmm...Zestos!

Just Your Average Day

Today was just an average day, another day we are trying to get into a summer groove. This summer it is more difficult. For starters, Daddy it is at home. So, I have to teach the girls that Daddy is home, but he really isn't. Do not ask Daddy for a piece of fruit, to play Frisbee, or to go on a bike ride with us. Daddy is at home, but he is at work. That is really hard for them to understand. Shoot, I am still trying to adjust to that. Just as we get adjusted, he is gone in Florida. It is a constant adjustment around here.

Anyway, today we started the day with a nice bike ride around the lake. The kids even had an added bonus of seeing their friends from Kids Club at Bell taking a walk to Shadow Lake. It was like they had not seen them in forever. It was nice, crisp, morning for a bike ride.

Once at home, it was time for Alivia's 8 year check up. Huh, she can't see. Chris and I are not sure this is a real issue or Alivia just wanting glasses (and really, from our point of view, who would want glasses?). But, we will go spend $$$ to find out as we are being sent to a specialist for her severely bad vision. (Again, really?). From a clinical point of view, the girl has no complaints of headaches and appears to see fine at home. The only thing that I had heard is that she asked to move up in the classroom at school so she could see better. Ugh...to be continued I guess. One more thing to put on my ever growing "to do" list, right? Anyway, she was otherwise healthy, so yeah and thank goodness.

We had a little treat for lunch following her appointment. Alivia and Chris wanted Subway and Addi and Asher wanted McD's and I clearly wanted to drive all over to get everyone's lunch to make everyone happy. Yeah for Mommy.

Then it was finally time for our trip to the forest, per Asher's request. As we arrived, we saw the Dinosaurs being unloaded for the upcoming DinoQuest 2. We even got a sneak peak of some of them. The last time we were there, Addison and Asher saw the dinosaurs in pieces as they were being loaded up to travel on, and I heard about that forever (Are they hurt? Where is their head? Why did they have to take them apart?). Luckily, the kids were old enough to understand this year. Whew.

The forest was so green, the air still crisp, but perfect for hiking and walking. It was a fun afternoon.

Slowly, we are adjusting to our summer days. I know next week will bring Catholic Education and more change. And soon, Chris will be gone again.

Oh wait, I think I see a date night coming soon...

With Great Determination

Is that a dino?

Little Monkeys

Picking up "sticks"

So sweet!

Break Time

Seat with a view

Making Mud Pies

Today was the first time I have ever taken any kid to Mud Pies at the Fontenelle Forest and we have been members for at least 4 years (that is REALLY sad!). I have seen it in their monthly newletter, and I had decided to start taking Asher in January. Well, it is May and I finally took him today. What can I say, it took me a while!

Today's theme was worm play. There were real worms and worm activities throughout the room in the basement of the forest building where Mud Pies is held from 9:30-11:30 M, T, and W throughout the school year. Yes, I said the school year. There is only 1 left of this year until they are off until summer. I barely got Asher to one of them! I know, totally bad mom here.

Anyway, Asher and his friend Xander started with Dot Art, play doh, looking out the window into the forest, searching for worms in the sand, making an art project on the easel (Asher's was very colorful), having a snack of a graham cracker (dirt) with a gummy worm on top, playing around in the rest of the basement awhile before making it back to make a worm out of clay. Oh, and they had bubbles and chalk to play with outside. It was a fun morning. One could come and go as you please, it was not set up so you are stuck there. This was my real fear. So, I may actually go back! Asher did not socialize with any kids except Xander, but he was able to use his mind and creativity. And, it is just good for him to get out and experience new things (and play with worms).

Now it is time to clean up this messy house since we have not been home lately. I have laundry screaming at me from all parts of the house...so better get to it.