End of 2016!

These crazy parents are ready to end this year...

and start 2017!

Star Wars... Rouge One

What to do after an amazing Christmas?

See Rouge One at the IMax... in 3D!

Christmas is Here!

It looks like Santa made it to our house...

Christmas morning is always chaotic. And it has some traditions, including pictures I would never post (due to bedhead, eyegoo, and teethfunk), as well as sausage pinwheels (a family favorite). However, there are always a few too good to care... like getting unicorn farts!

And even though the morning is a combination of exhaustion and excitement, it is also a great time to realize how lucky we truly are.... when we are not overwhelmed with attempting to wake a teen because our youngest wants to wait, or contemplating how to open child-proof toys, or trying to put wrapping paper in a bag before our house gets wrapped, or feeding hangry overtired underslept little people, or the other insanities that happen making memories! I will look back and miss these things!!! One day!!!

Christmas Eve Excitement

Someone is ready for tomorrow!

Home for the Holidays

It is the first Christmas in our new home... casa de blanca!

Let there be light...

Time to learn all about light, circuits, and more! Another fun class at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens... with one of her good friends, Caley!

Callie & Caley working together...

and with a group!

Plus, the kids made their own Christmas wreaths!

And afterwards, I got a visit from pizza-face at lunch!

All and all, a good day!

Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies...

This is the first time Callie has been to The Nutcracker. The entire ballet had been updated and slightly modernized. Even though it is long, we enjoyed the dancing and music.

Plus, the last time I saw this was when I was actually in it (in Chattanooga) when I was young. I think I actually scooted out of the Sugarplum Fairies skirt!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

everywhere we go... including Bridgestreet!

Santa's Village

It's field trip time... and the beginning of a month full of field trips.

Santa's Village is at Constitution Village, our local living history museums, representing 1819. And it is the village that Santa calls home from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. Callie was excited about this field trip, because her friend Uma was also there too...

Amid a nightly snowfall you can enjoy the decorated buildings, hear a story from Mrs. Claus, visit live reindeer, decorate a cookie in Mrs. Claus' kitchen, or listen to local groups perform holiday selections. And of course there is a mailbox ready for your letter to Santa.

Today, we were there in the afternoon, so we did not get the lights and music. However, they did have the words to Christmas Carols posted for us to sing out loud. We were serenade by other school groups & did our own serenading too.

Plus, the blacksmith was on hand to show how iron is made... including horseshoes, nails, & for our tour, a nail turned hook to hang a Christmas stocking!

Link about Santa's Village Here

Link to reviews about Museum Here

The Grinch Stole Christmas

Look who's an elf in the Huntsville City Downtown Parade...

Supported by her family, who (while she waited in the parade line) ate downtown. And took embarrassing photos!

Then endured the cooling temperatures to watch the parade, with the Dr. Seuss theme:

 

Until we finally got a very brief glimpse of our elf!

Dauphin Island - Day 4

Building an Remote Operated Vehicle

After waking up and packing the car, we headed to our last meal at Dauphin Island.

I opted to go visit a local artist gallery, while Jackson went to his final class. He learned about new and exciting technologies that scientists use to study the ocean, especially the deep sea.

After an introductory presentation on ocean bathymetry, the Gulf of Mexico, the deep sea, and a brief discussion of design principles, the kids broke into teams where they got to build their own remotely operated vehicle (ROV).

Then they got to test their design and manipulative skills by driving the ROVs in the Sea Lab pool. He learned physical science first-hand by exploring density, buoyancy, and aspects of hydrodynamics through their own ROV!

Our sea lab adventure was over... except for the very long drive home!

Dauphin Island - Day 3

Beaches and Marshes and Walking

Today I opted out of both classes, but Jackson had a great time at both.

Before they actually began their first class, the kids took a quick test to pre-evaluate their knowledge on ROVs (for tomorrow's class).

Oceans...

After a lecture and slide presentation about the physical and chemical aspects of the ocean, the group made their way to the beach near the Sea Lab where they will measure wave crests, troughs, frequency and the longshore current. 

Other parameters, such as wind speed, air and water temperature and salinity are also recorded.

Salt Marsh...

After lunch, the next class introduced them to estuaries and the important concept of how the estuary is a nursery for marine animals. After a short lecture and slide presentation, the group is transported to a salt marsh (estuary), located on the Mississippi Sound side of Dauphin Island.

A field trip on a field trip!

The group took a quick stop at the Dauphin Island Fishing Pier (which had no water due to our current dry season).

Then on to the salt marsh!

Here is where they probably had the most fun (getting filthy). They actually experienced the salt water marsh ecosystem by dragging seines, catching, and identifying animals, and by sieving shoveled-up marsh bottom samples.

 

Everyone got to use the seines!

 And even Jackson got up to his head in the marsh... my son who rarely does stuff like this!

And did I mention... they got dirty?!?!

 Afterwards, it was time to head back to the dorms for dinner...

After showering... we all went to dinner. Then while I was either going to bed or already asleep, the kids opted to play games and hang out in a spare room they used to form a common room.