Spencer's birthday-wildlife safari

See the zebra?

too bad I have just come from the real car wash :-(

Stampede...or maybe group wander?  Migration?

Petting the tortoise 

highlights from our trip to Nebraska

I have been Slacking and am just finally getting around to posting pictures from our trip to Nebraska.  We have been back for over a month but it has been a busy month.

Fireworks!

Pictures with Great Grandma

Two dinosaur museums (one of them twice)

Omaha Zoo

Learning about the outhouse

Fun with Maddy and Elia

Harlan County Dam

Homemade farm swing

Fun with Whitney and Conner

Spencer's Dino-sur-prise Birthday Party

3 years ago my mom took Spencer and Grant to a surprise birthday party of one of her friends.  Spencer loved it, ever since he's been asking for a surprise birthday party.  This year I was able to pull it off.  His teacher handed out invitations after we left for vacation and we were only back to school 4 days before the party happened.  Most of Spencer's friends didn't even know about the party until they were on the way.  (We didn't tell Grant)  It worked.  We were able to hide and surprise Spencer.  His response was "but it's not even my birthday".  Later he told his friends that it was the best surprise party ever.

Playing at Putters

Pizza...mmm.  Note Grant's Dinosuar mask, All of the kids had them but refused
 to wear them at the same time or pause long enough to allow pictures.  

Volcano Cake was a huge success!  Dino egg favors.  

Dino cutout for photo opps

Presents, lots of dinosaur presents.  

Junior kindergarten Graduation

With his teacher, Miss Nastalia

His Diploma

If you listen closely you might be able to hear the kids humming the graduation song.  

Ready to travel?

We are getting ready to travel...for days...in a car...with small children.  I have been collect in stuff to entertain them for months.  This is my stash...I added links if I could remember where I got the idea.  I am going to put each thing in an envelope and let them pick a new envelope every 4 hours or so (I'm thinking 3-4/day).  I still need to gather snacks for the road and of course pack everything up.  

Lacing cards

Dry Erase Mazes

Scavenger hunts

Bingo

Putty and Activity cards

Color your own travel mugs

Video games

Batman books, Madlibs, Glow Bracelets, and robot models

Wooly Willy, Velcro building sticks and brain teasers

Treasure Bottles

Pipe cleaners

Velvet Coloring posters

Notebooks and Stickers

more stickers

Magazines

Travel map and Travel Journal

A castle

On mother's day we made a castle.  it cost less than $100 and only took a few hours to make.  It can me moved around the yard or even taken apart to move or store.

Sorry about that...It's been over a month

We are still alive...just busy, t-ball will be done next week and we are headed out for vacation!  Yay!

Anyway.  In the meantime I thought I would share pictures.

We got some inflatable kites on sale.  They are awesome...they don't need much wind, Grant could fly it himself, there are no sticks to break and when you are done they deflate and store easily.