This post sponsored by Staggered Start

We have had a busy and fun summer, with many things on our must-do list, many of which we did, and of course, some that we did not.  As the last days approached, Stephanie asked when we would go back to the Greensboro Science Center.  Unfortunately, we were out of time.  Which is where Staggered Start comes in, the delicious breakfast cereal that will let you too miss the first day of school... Okay, it isn't actually a breakfast cereal, but, at the end of May, I had our start date of school as this past Monday, only to find out about staggered start in the middle of August, a new (at our school, at least) program that splits the K classes in half, so 50% of the kids start on Monday and have Tuesday off, and 50% of the kids have Monday off and start on Tuesday.  Stephanie was assigned to the latter, and suddenly we had a new day on the calendar when the museum was pretty much guaranteed to be super quiet, as it was the first day of school for all of the other grades. 

First stop, a Q&A period with a diver in the shark tank.  She spoke through a microphone and her breathing was loud (Darth Vader like, as described by the employee out of the tank that was coordinating the Q&A), and it flipped Gwen out.  She hid her face, and I eventually just stepped around the corner because I felt bad for her.  When I told her it was over, she looked back, saw the diver still in the tank (not talking, and thus "over" in my mind) and quickly informed me it was not over and hid her face again.  Later, we went by the tank again, the diver was gone, and she said "Darth Vader not in there" and was okay with the tanks again. 

We got to pet the bamboo shark, and then later in the day, we got to hold the eggs they laid that day.

Gwen always rushes to be in pictures and then becomes fascinated with the scene behind her.  I have a lot of photos like this!  This water fountain was set to music and fun to watch.  We were last here during colder weather, and this was tucked away a bit in the zoo area, so it was a total surprise find for us this time.

Stephanie really wanted a photo with one of the loose peacocks, and managed to plan a nice one without disturbing the bird. 

So I do stage some of my very favorite photos, but this one at the Meerkat exhibit was a natural moment of them standing the same way. 

Stephanie the frog.

Notice the adorable red panda in the enclosure.  They were so very cute, I could have watched them for much longer than we got to. 

Gwen initially refused to go into the goat enclosure, and then became very agitated outside of it (with me).  Finally I realized she was saying, "I brush hair", and so we got her into the enclosure with a brush, and she was very pleased. 

Gwen climbed into the tunnel and requested a picture. 

Back at the tanks, post Darth Vader.  Stephanie really wanted a picture with the very large stingray, and we had to wait patiently for some time for it to come into view, but we prevailed. 

Catching a good breeze from the "air machine" as Stephanie called it. 

So that was it!  Our last big adventure before the first day of Kindergarten, and I am grateful that we had it!

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. 

Snakes and Rivers and MLS, oh my!

We have been continuing on our busy summer schedule, but I have tried to drag the camera out for at least some of the very best events.  First up, snakes at the library.  We saw this show at the library last year.  The presenter spent about 50% of the time educating about snakes (which I needed then and still felt like I could use a refresher), 20% of the time allowing snakes to be passed around the room, and 30% of the time awing the audience with a spectacular and angry lizard and then a very large python. 

All dressed up for the show!

This lizard was here last time.  He has some anger issues and puts on a pretty good attempt at not letting himself be handled, but the handler won. 

One of many snakes we got to touch.  Her name is Peppermint Patty.  I have casually considered getting the family a pet snake.  They kind of flip me out and they kind of fascinate me.  But, my research indicates that their care is not as easy as I had envisioned with their finicky temperature sensitivities, so I am back to no pets. 

And the python.  Last year he brought an albino.  Apparently he has more than one python to bring on tour. 

Later in the month, we hit the Eno River with the neighbors.  After I insisted on a photo with their fish river shirts, they put on swimsuits and got in.  It was fun, but the recent rains made it a bit deeper than I would have liked.  We are definitely going back again!

Not the river, but MLS.  We hit it up after the river, because why not totally exhaust everyone?

One of the many ways to enter the tree houses at the museum.  Gwen would take the slide to the bottom, climb to the top of the stairs, cross the little suspension bridge and then back down the slide.  I just waited at the top and kept an eye on her.  I think it could have gone on for hours. 

And the butterfly release.  Always one of my favorite things to do.  Stephanie got another one that wanted to hang out with her.  She actually got to release three, but this was the only one that wanted to be her bff.