Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum

Today the kids and I visited the Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station.

The museum's primary mission is to preserve and maintain the historic aircraft collection that was started in 1946.

You can check out some of their collection at http://www.dvhaa.org/.

The kids had a wonderful time in the helicopter simulator, in a real helicopter, and looking at all of the planes and displays. It is for sure somewhere that they said their daddy and Pop-Pop would love to visit.

The Greatest Show on Earth

The title still fits the bill. What an amazing production with death-defying acts that had me closing my eyes (7 motorcycles being driven simultaneously in a small sphere) or a man at the very top of the arena hanging upside down and going across monkey bars with his feet. (did I mention he didn't have a safety net under him?) While kiddos #1 and #2 were amazed and enthralled with each and every act, the younger two- kiddos #3 and#4 were excited about the elephants and clowns, respectfully. :-)

It was pageantry at its finest, perhaps with a bit too much "techno-tronic" mixed in there, but the circus still brings out the kid in all of us. I just as eagerly as my children looked forward to the tigers, elephants and trapeze artists who literally seem to fly.

We had awesome seats-- 5th row center. Couldn't be better. The memories will last a long time as the kiddos experienced their first circus and their mom, dad and grandmother experienced their joy.

Our Camping Adventure

For about a year now, kiddo #3 has been bugging daddy about going camping in the backyard. Well, it finally happened! Kiddo #2 helped quite a bit with the setup.

When it was all setup, the kids couldn't wait to get inside! Most of all, they couldn't wait to get most of their earthly possessions inside with them.

They all got right into their sleeping bags (that were on top of their air mattresses) and snacked on whatever they (and mommy) could carry into the tent.

Then the 4 kiddos really started to "rough-it." LOL. They all turned on portable DVD players and watched their favorite movies. Of course, kiddo #1 watched something to do with space. Kiddo #2 watched "Charlotte's Web," Kiddo #3 watched "Dumbo." For anyone who doesn't know kiddo #3, he is absolutely bonkers about elephants. (notice the stuffed animal elephant next to him in the photo) I think he has Dumbo memorized word for word. And, kiddo #4 was watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. It is either that or something to do with her princesses.

I was a bit hesitant about the whole thing, well about *me* sleeping in the backyard. You see, my idea of "roughing-it" is staying in a hotel without room service, but I am pleased to say that on this wonderful spring evening, it was a really cool and pleasant night. Between the weather and the very comfy air mattress that my hubby picked out, I was just fine and slept better than I have in a long time! The kiddos were asleep by midnight, there were only a couple of bathroom requests and I am pleased to say that they all slept very well and in the morning were already wondering when we could do it again. So, I would say a pretty successful first "campout" in the backyard. :-)

Goodnight!

A Special Treat

The owner of the horse farm where the kiddos go riding took the 4 of them on a ride on one of her farm vehicles this afternoon. She rode them around her 35 acres and showed them the chicken coops and peacocks (I didn't even know she had chicken coops and peacocks, LOL). They got to take home souvenir feathers. It is incredibly peaceful walking around her grounds.

Engineering Class

Kiddos 1 and 2 started the second session of their engineering class last week. This past week, they evaluated digital photography and made balloon rockets to demonstrate thrust. Next week's topic will be space suit and lunar module design. The boys are excited about it already! :-) Since the class in held in a local library, kiddos 3 and 4 have special library time with mommy. We read books and pick books and movies to check out.

Our Caterpillars Have Arrived!

To give the kids some "hands-on" science, we bought them a caterpillar/butterfly habitat. We sent away for the caterpillars and they arrived today! They are so tiny, but they are pretty active and are really starting to move around. There are about 5 of them in each sealed container. There is food, water and air holes already in each. Our job is just to watch. The instructions say that in 7-10 days, they will make their chrysalis. At that time, we will take them out and attach them in the large observation mesh that came with our original purchase. Then, within a week or so, the butterflies will emerge (at least we hope so!). We'll have the kids watch them for a few days and then celebrate by releasing them into our garden and hope that they will help pollinate our plants and flowers. :-) I will take pictures of each step along the way.

Woodworking

Home Depot (1st Saturday of the month) and Lowe's (2nd Sunday of the month) offer free woodworking workshops for kids. The kids get to make a project and when completed receive a certificate and a pin (HD) or a patch (Lowe's) for their work aprons (they receive those the first time they go). The projects are fun to do and they have made so many things. This month they made planters (which they spray painted with a pretty awesome type of "rock" paint) at Home Depot and the photographs show the ant farms they made at Lowe's. In the past, they have made banks, napkin holders, Christmas card holders, castles.... Kiddos 1 and 2 made their projects with little or no assistance from their Pop-Pop and I. They are getting really handy with their hammers!

Training Wheels are Gone!!

Yay!! Kiddo #2 rode without his training wheels yesterday! He was quite proud of himself, needless to say. I was a bit afraid that he might fall, but he did just fine--never fell once and got all the way down the street on one try. If he felt he was starting to lose his balance, he would just tap his foot down until he regained it. He was great! :-)

Springtime at last!!

Wow! It was wonderful to have such beautiful weather today! After my husband came home from work, we literally all spent almost 3 hours outside. It was a lot of fun for all of us. The little ones made up their own version of red light/green light up and down the driveway that at some point, all of the kids (and my mom and I) were playing. There was the always entertaining sidewalk chalk and the hopscotches that show up all over the driveway in a variety of shapes and sizes. The kiddos all had their motorized vehicles out and were driving around the backyard. There were games of catch and long breaks on the swings. Even dad in his wheelchair came out on the back porch and enjoyed the spring air and watched as the kids played. It is now raining and it is supposed to continue into tomorrow, so I guess it was fun while it lasted!

Italiano!

The 4 kiddos started Italian lessons this week! I was so excited to find a native speaker who was willing to come to our home to teach. She was wonderful! The kids were so enthusiastic and were very eager to participate. They have been practicing their colors since the lesson and will be ready for next week.

I am happy to be able to give the kids a taste of their heritage and culture, so much of which has been lost over the years as 3 of my 4 grandparents are now gone. My mom's parents were born in Italy and her first language naturally was Italian, but by the time my generation arrived, my grandparents spoke fluent English. I can understand far more than I can speak and of course, from my Italian classes in high school, I can conjugate verbs, but not much else! My dad's parents' first language was Italian, as well, but were born here and spoke English. I think knowledge of a foreign language is great for kids, and especially at such a young age, when they absorb it like a sponge. I think, from what I have read, that they are still in the "window" for new language acquisition.

I hope their interest and desire to learn Italian continues! I loved that they told me how much fun they had. When kids have fun, they will learn and more importantly, they will remember.

Ciao and Buona Notte!

Mom's Morning

I just had to share about a program that the Daughters of St. Paul offered through their Pauline Books and Media Store in Philadelphia.

It is called "Mom's Morning." It is a once a month mini-retreat for women. There is Eucharistic Adoration, faith sharing and even coffee and refreshments. Meanwhile, the children are shown a movie (this month's was the story of the Prodigal Son), introduced to the upcoming Sunday's Gospel, given activities and related crafts to do and they end with prayer and refreshments, as well.

It was so wonderful on Monday morning! After Adoration and reflection/discussion about next Sunday's Gospel reading, we prayed a decade of the Rosary and prayed for each other's spoken and unspoken intentions. I felt like a wave of peace and calm swept over me. I didn't want to leave the chapel! It was wonderful to be with like-minded moms and encouraged in our faith journey. It was just the reinvigoration I needed.