We tried to go bowling on Leap Day...they didn't open until 2PM. It was 11:30 and we were already in Salt Lake and had eaten our picnic lunch in the car. We looked in to a movie, they didn't start until 1:00PM...it was still before noon. So I took the kids to the Aquarium, Avery was excited to see Nemo and didn't want to leave his tank until I told her there were many more fish to see!
They just opened a new exhibit in January: River Otters. At first all 3 otters were sleeping near the glass. Every now and then they would pop their heads up and look around, but no action. Luckily for some reason when the aquarium worker started the Otter Talk they lept into action, walking around, swimming in the pools and climbing up the log slide. It ended up being a good show.
After the otter show we wandered the halls to see native fish, exotic fish, penguins, 3 types of jellyfish, seahorses and lots of other great things. The kids could hardly take their eyes off the glass. It was fun to hear Ethan remember some of the facts he's learned about fish and seahorses from The Cat In The Hat Show. Here he is telling us about how seahorses hold on with their tails so they don't float away.
Ethan touched the stingrays. He was timid at first, but once he felt their smooth spongy skin he much braver.
Avery didn't want anything to do with the stingrays, but decided to touch the sea stars and horseshoe crabs. I think size had a lot to do with this decision. She did finally touch the stingrays just before we went home...she loves to say she was "so, so brave!"
We had a great visit! What a way to spend our "Extra Day!" Ethan even said it was better than bowling, but that bowling is on our list for next week!
Thanks to a tip from Aunt Hailey the kids and I went to a glow in the dark puppet show. The Special Ed department at the high school does an annual puppet show sing along. It was fabulous. The kids loved the puppets and sang along to most of the songs...Under the Sea, If You're Happy and You Know It, and You've Got a Friend In Me.
After the show the kids got to meet the puppets and puppeteers. They were so cute with the kids.
Everyone was happy with their basket full and a full day of playing with long time friends.
The highlight for Avery was getting to hold Baby Annalie. She couldn't get enough of her and asked to hold her every 5 minutes.
Everyone had a job. Ethan helped hold the wood steady while daddy cut. 
She also helped carry all the pieces into the house and down the stairs.
Finally, Daddy drove in the last screw and we were done. Now that we have a nice set of large storage shelves I feel like I'd better get going on filling them.
Avery's kit was princesses. Perfect right. She chose to color the Ariel one. Ethan's kit had lots of different pictures you could trace on, but he decided we should create our own: lots of tools with his name on it.
We anxiously watched as our little creations cooked, curled, and shrank.
Finally we made a bracelet for Avery and a zipper pull for Ethan. They both love their creations. Ethan shows his to almost everyone we meet!
We love playing in the snow. The kids get such a kick out of sledding down the hill at the park by our house. Both take as many trips alone as they can.
We tried to go bowling on Leap Day...they didn't open until 2PM. It was 11:30 and we were already in Salt Lake and had eaten our picnic lunch in the car. We looked in to a movie, they didn't start until 1:00PM...it was still before noon. So I took the kids to the Aquarium, Avery was excited to see Nemo and didn't want to leave his tank until I told her there were many more fish to see!
They just opened a new exhibit in January: River Otters. At first all 3 otters were sleeping near the glass. Every now and then they would pop their heads up and look around, but no action. Luckily for some reason when the aquarium worker started the Otter Talk they lept into action, walking around, swimming in the pools and climbing up the log slide. It ended up being a good show.
After the otter show we wandered the halls to see native fish, exotic fish, penguins, 3 types of jellyfish, seahorses and lots of other great things. The kids could hardly take their eyes off the glass. It was fun to hear Ethan remember some of the facts he's learned about fish and seahorses from The Cat In The Hat Show. Here he is telling us about how seahorses hold on with their tails so they don't float away.
Ethan touched the stingrays. He was timid at first, but once he felt their smooth spongy skin he much braver.
We had a great visit! What a way to spend our "Extra Day!" Ethan even said it was better than bowling, but that bowling is on our list for next week!
We painted canvases all one color...
Applied different shaped stickers...
Painted over the canvas again with another color...
Peeled the stickers off...
