Family Orienteering and more!

This past week we hit up Three Bear Acres, and it was AWESOME!  I have no pictures,  mostly because lugging a camera was too much, as apparently was dragging out a cell phone. And I was too busy walking uphill, because of their giant toboggan slide, which we went on as many times as I was willing to climb a hill with a toboggan.  Which was way more times than I would have guessed.  They also had paddle boats, a wall to paint on and a giant jumpy thing.  But mostly they had the slide.  And like I said, it was AWESOME!

This weekend we had an ambitious family plan.  Orienteering in the morning, followed by Marbles Kids Museum for their Kindergarten Day (both in Raleigh).  We survived, had a blast and the pictures to prove it. 

But first, two photos from the camera archive at MLS.  Whenever I download, there are always a handful of random photos.  I thought these two were winners. 

And now for Saturday! 

Gwen and Stephanie at the start.  Gwen relinquished the whistle to me shortly after I told her she couldn't keep blowing it, as it is for emergencies. 

Checking the map at the start.

Leading the way!  We let her (mostly) read the map and decide where to go. 

Another map check.

And one more map check... gotta do that often when orienteering.

We are pretty sure our family came in last. I may have lost my camera lens cover along the way and cost us 10-12 minutes in (successful) search party efforts.  Totally worth getting some course photos and now the team has no where to go but up!  

On the way in to the race, we saw a field of sunflowers. We made a quick stop, parking in the only possible area which was for sure not actually a parking area.  But Stephanie and Kevin managed to hop out and get some photos.  Almost like being in Kansas again!

And then off to Marbles!  They had a special Kindergarten day for rising Kindergarteners and their families.  First stop, a ride on a school bus (which was air conditioned!  Are they air conditioned now?)

Everyone was excited for a bus ride!

Next the cute photo booth area.  These pictures will come in handy in the event that I forget about/mess up first day pictures, so just act surprised when I post them on Facebook as her first day photos.

After that, we got to explore the museum at our leisure.  It was a bit of a madhouse, but a fun place.

The hamster wheel thing was tricky and seemed moderately unsafe.  And thus very popular.

And lastly, so family slide time.  For the record, I offered to take Gwen up, but Kevin volunteered a bit louder.

Then the trio made their way down.  Stephanie actually lapped them, and this was her second slide run in the time it took Gwen and Kevin to make their way down.  They had to let all the bigger kids go so that they had a moment to take their time.