Science Central

 One of the kids' favorite places to go is Science Central.  There are so many fun hands on activities and experiments for even the smallest children.  We spent one fun day here this summer.  They do demonstrations every hour or so and the kids wanted to sit in on this particular one about solids, liquids, and gasses.  Of course it is all a little bit above their heads, but they enjoyed it anyways.  Jaxton was picked to be a volunteer helper.  He had to wear science goggles and gloves.  The worker was demonstrating how liquid nitrogen could make a rubber ball smaller as it froze it and Jaxton had to use a tool to see whether the ball would fit inside it before and after the liquid nitrogen.  The worker also showed us how a balloon becomes when put into liquid nitrogen and being blown up with nitrogen gas.  

 They have an entire area dedicated to toddlers and small children through age 5.  They can touch anything they want, play in the water table, blow giant bubbles, build giant creations with blocks, see their strobe light shadow, look at strange sea animals and touch them with a worker, play a giant piano with their feet, and climb up an obstacle course and slide down.  It is so much fun!!  Kaylee of course loved the water table.  She couldn't get enough of that!!

Something new that we have never done before is the Moon Walk.  They put the kids in these silly harnesses that allows them to bounce at their will and feel how it feels to walk on the moon with less gravity.  This was by far Cooper's favorite and he had a hard time leaving it.  I'm sure it felt really strange to bounce and feel lighter and he loved it.  It was a fun time with the kiddos.  We always enjoy Science Central!

The Storm

The kids and I experienced the most terrifying storm we've ever had.  We experienced it first hand.  We were right in the middle of it and completely stuck.  I took the kids to Kreager Park to play.  They have a splash pad there so the kids were playing in the water and the playground having so much fun.  Our friends left to go home, but my kids were still super happy and having fun that we decided to stay for a while longer.  It was sunny, hot, and humid.  All of a sudden, there are dark black clouds in the distance closing in on the sunny weather.  I didn't know we were going to have thunderstorms this day.  Cooper excitedly suggested we get under the canopies and play in the storm!  What fun!!  I assumed it would just be another of the same summer thunderstorms that would blow through and it would be sunny again and we could keep playing at the park.  So I said, "sure, lets stay and watch the storm."  All too soon, it got really windy and those dark clouds were moving faster than I could believe.  I quickly changed my mind as everything began to blow and told the kids "lets go!"  In another moment, I became frantic telling the kids to "hurry! hurry! we gotta go now!  NOW! LETS GO!!"  We ran as fast as we could to get to the car.  By now, the wind was so strong, I could hardly load up the car and get the stroller in the trunk.  The car started to sway!  I was terrified!  The kids were too.    By now, most cars had taken off from the park.  There were 3 left including us.  One family ran into the bathroom at the park.  Another family decided to drive off. I thought we better go in the bathroom too, so I started to drive a bit closer to the bathroom so we could run there easily.  But I realized that there was no way I could possibly get all 3 kids, being pregnant too, safely into that bathroom.  It was a short distance, but I imagined Kaylee being blown away, the boys crying trying to run against the wind.  It would be impossible.  So I stopped the car and we sat there.  We were all terrified.  I tried to call Nate but the phones were not working.  Finally we were able to text.  I told him we were at Kreager Park and he flipped out!  He was in a customer's basement nearby and he braved the storm and drove to meet us.  That was the scariest 10 minutes waiting for him, thinking that a tree could fall on him or something terrible during the drive.  All the while I was singing primary songs for the kids at the top of my lungs, trying to overpower the sounds of the storm around the car and the sounds of the boys crying and screaming.  Trying to ignore the car swaying and the possibility that it could flip over.  It was absolutely terrible.  I imagined the car being struck by lightening, what would that feel like?  After what seemed like an eternity, we saw Nate's truck pull up.  I started to cry!  At least we could all die together as a family.  We waited it out, feeling the car sway back and forth in the wind.  Eventually the wind died down and everything was calm again.  The storm had passed.  As we slowly drove home, following Nate all the way, we witnessed very tall sturdy trees that had fallen down everywhere.  On houses, on cars, blocking the roads.  It was devastating.  Power lines down, the city a complete disaster mess.  Later we learned that the storm had winds of 91 mph and that the worst of the storm hit right in the area of Kreager Park.  We had been right in the worst of the storm and in our car nonetheless!  Our power was out for 3 days after that.  We about died in the heat of our home.  Nate started up the generator and worked all day to make it so we could have light, refrigeration, and a couple other essentials.  It was an experience that none of us will forget!

PAWS To Read

 Our Library system is pretty amazing here in Fort Wayne.  There are about 15 library branches that are all connected and they offer so many  neat activities and programs for children.  This summer, we have been taking advantage of many of their fun programs, especially this one: PAWS To Read.  Dog owners bring in their dogs and the children get a chance to read to them.  Most of the dogs that are brought in are in training to be handicap dogs and it gives them a chance to practice sitting and listening to people.  Of course the kids think its great!  And now that Jaxton can actually read some books all by himself, it is a great opportunity for him to try reading.  One of the dogs that always comes is named Cooper.  He is a giant dog!  And of course Cooper loves to read to Cooper!  He enjoys just telling the dog a story based on the pictures of a book he chooses, so even non-readers can read to the dogs.