Spring 2023

 I really wanted to get away for spring break this year but couldn't decide what we should do. Taylor decided that we should do what he hadn't done in a few years and just pick a city and go and see what we could find to do there.  It was a great idea.  We chose Cincinnati and found so many family friendly things to do.  While we were walking around the city the boys even made up what they called the "Life in Cincinnati" video game.  In the game they had different worlds, like the zoo, butterfly garden, park, lego exhibit, children's/science museum, and the baseball game.  Sounds like a good game to me.  And we, of course, got a hotel with a pool and they enjoyed that and checking out the discount bookstore that was close by.  One thing that I was not expecting them to be so excited about was getting back to our room each evening to watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!.  They have loved watching those in hotels in the past though.  On the evening that we went to to baseball game they actually seemed kinda bummed for a minute when they realized we wouldn't be back in time to watch the game shows. . .

We absolutely had to go to their zoo, so we did that on the first day we were there and then went back to the hotel for swimming (and then game shows).  The Cincinnati zoo had posted so many things for kids during Covid.  They had live videos with animals and educational things too.  Their mascot is their Hippo, Fiona, what had recently had a calf.  We got to watch them feeling the hippos.  I don't think I've ever been to a zoo where I saw so many animals up close and moving around doing things.

On the second day we went to a botanical garden that had a special butterfly exhibit going on. . .

Art project at the botanical garden

After the botanical garden we went near the waterfront and ate some lunch and then checked out a park by the water that had lots of great reviews.  I can see why.  It had all kinds of unique play structures and a big open field where the boys enjoyed flying kites.  When that was done went went back to the hotel again for swimming and game shows.

On our third and final day we were on the go all day.  They had a museum complex that had a special exhibit put together by a certified Lego builder (not sure how you become such a thing but apparently the guy who designed the exhibit has written books and hosted a Lego buiding TV show).  I didn't take many pictures of them, but they had some huge and detailed Lego displays there, from planes and ships and cars to elaborate scenes with all kinds of Lego characters doing different things.

There were several "stations" with building ideas.  In one they
could build a piece to put in a Lego "garden" in the museum

Designing planes

This was super neat and Corban wanted to do it several times.  The screen would give you instructions to make a small square of Lego dot pieces.  Each completed square fit into their mural.  We asked the guy in charge of placing the pieces where they go and he said when it's finished it will be a picture of the grand canyon.

After lunch we headed to a children's museum (with a really fun forest themed place to climb and play) and then a science museum with lots of hands on exhibits

Finally we headed to the baseball game.  They had a really good time watching and eating and exploring the shops.  They even got certificates since it was their first Reds game.

I feel like these two pictures are very telling about their personality when in a new place:

Other things from the spring are below.  Corban just really enjoyed Scouts (which I think I said somewhere else too).  The guys all got to go on the spring camping trip, and even though it rained a lot they still had fun being outside at the Boy Scout campgroup.

This is so random, but I got some Pop Tarts gifted to me from someone whose kids cannot eat them due to allergies.  The boys thought they had won the lottery.  I'm glad they get excited about little things.

This spring the boys have become really good friends with a set of twins at church who are just a few months older than Gabriel.  I find it funny that they tend to pair off with the same twin each time, but I think their personalities just lend to that.  They have all bonded over their mutual love of Harry Potter.  They made a "Harry Potter" club that meets after church on Sunday and every Sunday that we have a potluck they elect a new "Minister of Magic."  They have also developed their own way to play Quidditch on the lawn outside the sanctuary using hula hoops and balls.

One potluck Sunday they had all run off to play and I thought nothing of it.  A while later someone came to me smiling and said "you know your kids are selling things outside the sanctuary, right?"  No I was not aware.  When I got out there I found a table set up with various items to purchase including tickets to their next Quidditch game, Daily Prophet newspapers, posters to find Sirius Black, and then a donation bowl to help the house elves.  I asked them what they were going to do with the money and they were going to buy Quidditch supplies.  Each item was $0.25 and they made several dollars.  I was waiting for someone from church to email Taylor objecting to this display but no one did.  Actually several people drove their cars over just to check out the items and make a purchase.  We told them this was a one time thing though.

They have both gotten into Pokémon lately (Corban more so than Gabriel).  There was a Pokémon themed pottery painting class and they both thought it was really fun.  Gabriel made a mug and Corban made a plate.

Both boys enjoyed playing baseball this spring as well.  Corban had his first year in coach pitch and Gabriel was on a team that they all named "The Pickles".  I didn't get many pictures unfortunately but below is Corban, who also really loved when he got to put on all the gear and be the catcher.

And then the weekend after school got out they both had music recitals.  Corban's in the morning and Gabriel's in the evening.  They both did such a great job!