We had two of our five days of fall break disrupted by vomit, but overall, we were able to have a lot of fall fun these past few days. Wednesday we visited the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, including Skeletown, their haunted house (during friendly ,lights-on hours), which the kids loved. Actually, Junior was excited to “see halloween!”, MaM was more confused as to why we’d want to see all of the skeletons and gore and what not. But they gave out just enough candy that she stopped asking questions and rolled with it.

Thursday was disrupted by Junior having a mild stomach bug. Bah.

Friday we packed up and heading down to Brown County State Park for a day of outdoor fun. We had a great family day of hiking and exploring and just being together. To mix it up, instead of coming home, we spent the night a few miles down the road. I’m pretty sure the hotel lost money on us — the kids watched all kinds of cable tv, we visited the breakfast buffet multiple times, the kids had multiple baths, and we went swimming and tubbing all between the hours of about 6:30am and 11:30am Saturday morning.

We then packed up and headed to Columbus, Indiana, home to Kids Commons, a fun hands-on museum for kids. There are three levels of fun for kids of all ages. The four of us played for three hours — climbing, exploring, rolling balls, shooting baskets, playing with the interactive light board and, get this –rock climbing. MaM was geeked to try the climbing wall and she climbed up the wall and rang the bell at the top THREE times. It was awesome to watch her be so confident and excited in herself.

The kids (and grownups) were exhausted, and our ride home was a quiet one. It was funny to think that we were only about 70 miles away from home. It was a great escape.

Today is the last day of MaM’s official fall break, but she’s getting a “bonus” day — it’s her turn for the stomach virus. She’s finally keeping food down, but wasn’t earlier today, so she’s taking her first sick day of the year. She’s bummed about being sick — she’s missing a birthday party, and a trunk or treat event today. And, as she pointed out, her school friends will now have to wait until Tuesday to see……..that she got glasses over fall break!

Climbing the Fire Tower

He actually sat still for a few portraits!

Here she is....five going on fifteen.

P.S. There’s still time to enter my 1800Flowers giveaway — see the previous post to enter!

Related posts:

1. Happy Fall (or Autumnal Equinox)

I’ve conferred with my friends who all have or have had children in school and just one young one at home, and it’s official: having your child load reduced for a few hours each day, it’s like a vacation. Not the fruity-drinks-on-the-Lido-deck kind, but more like a nice hike in a State Park kind. You’re still going to break a sweat, you’re still going to work a bit, but it sure as heck isn’t like having all (or you know, both) your children around all the live long day.

So what have we been doing?

We’ve been going to library story hour.

We’ve been meeting friends for coffee and lunch.

We’ve been hosting friends.

We’ve been playing a bizarre version of tennis where we use a tennis raquet like a hockey puck and hit a wiffle ball down the driveway.

We’ve been grocery shopping.

We’ve been watching Sesame Street every day at 10:30, and Word World every day at 11:30.

We do some secret things we don’t talk about with MaM , like steal away to the Children’s Museum with friends who are visiting for the day!

He’d like to start motorcycle riding lessons next week, but I think we’ll be holding off at least for a few more months…..

Want to learn more about the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis? See my post at the SavvySource City Guide!

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We went into MaM’s classroom at the little school to celebrate her birthday. 7 of the 12 students in the room? Were my former students. MaM introduced us as, “Mrs. McNally & L___”. We went through her timeline, we watched her walk around the sun five times, we ate yummy fairy cupcakes. I got the question, “Are you still a teacher here?”

When we got home, I was met in the driveway by FedEx with my prize fromi the 1-800 Flowers drawing at BlogHer. I was thrilled to sort through the yummies included in the Arbor Afternoon basket.

As I was looking at the treats, I joined a conference call with Marcie and an event planner–go to Grown In My Heart to see what we are cooking up ( there’s a question, a giveaway and an announcement!).

Then, finally, Date Night. Also known as Indy’s Social Media Happy Hour. We dropped the kids off at our friends’ house and jetted off……in a 2010 Camaro, compliments of Hare Chevy.

I am not a fast-car kind of girl, but DAMN. The car was hot & so much fun to drive. Everyone who drives a minivan every day should go take a test drive. SUCH a rush!

Hare was sponsoring a kickoff party for Blog Indiana, which just happened to be held at Sun King Brewery, and featuring West Coast Tacos (the taco truck was parked in their warehouse, the taco truck taking Indy by storm). The night was filled with catching up with online friends in person (Angie, Robby, & Stephanie to name a few) and meeting new ones. (I count myself as coming out ahead if my night doesn’t include cutting someone else’s meat, pouring milk or negotiating how many bites are left to take)

Not bad for a Thursday.

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On the video page there’s a link that says “share” and it says I’ve shared it successfully on WordPress, but I sure can’t see where it’s been shared.

So here’s the link– http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=video&content=98c2c079-79b2-458c-839e-f2c49b5232ba

The boy now sits, riveted, saying “And-roo, football, again!” over and over as the video plays. He’s the boy in the still photo at the beginning of the video (looks similar to the one above) and he’s running toward the end zone around the :50 second mark (in the #44 Dallas Clark jersey). You know it’s him by his crazy hair!

Day 8 of NaBloPoMo is done! Phew!

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Saturday involved footballs, motorcycles, and WNBA basketball.

Open House at Lucas Oil Stadium

Indy West Harley Davidson Open House

BgK won tix at 4pm for the 7pm tip-off. When he told MaM they were going, she said, "Yeah! I get cotton candy!"

Sunday was slightly calmer….Church, the pet store, playground play & cookout with friends, then MaM’s first night of Vacation Bible School.

What she gleaned from tonight?

“God is EVERYWHERE.”

She’s exactly right.

How was your weekend?

Day 6 of NaBloPoMo? In the bag…

Related posts:

1. Transformers: See Them With Your Own Eyes (and so much more: A TCMIndy Ticket Give Away!)
2. Contain Indy
3. Staged

Finding building number 4 on the map

Thea told me that I would love four. She was right. Four is agreeable, four is slightly more detailed conversation, four is slightly less dramatic and exhausting. Four is Fun.

Saturday the kids and I went made it to Conner Prairie, and had the best.day.ever.

Pear, anyone?

And she turned the general store into a pet shop.

We started our visit at the indoor play area, where there was a pioneer kitchen, a play farm (complete with a cow to milk), a general store and a giant train table. I think they would have stayed there forever if there wasn’t the promise of real live animals out in the barns. We saw animals, MAM petted said animals, Jr. roared at all of them. We rode the Tram (very exciting! It’s like a train, Mama, but it’s on the road!), and each time we saw the map, MAM stopped and found where we were, and where we were going. She retraced our entire route, each time she saw a map.

We played in a 19th century school house, walked through a covered bridge, saw a carpenter making the cross-bar of a window frame and played with the wood shavings. We smelled drying herbs, and saw the world’s largest hot air balloon.

We are here. And here is gooood.

Montessori Schmontessori, MAM sat right down with her primer and slate!

Related posts:

1. Staged
2. How to Get out of Cooking for a Nearly a Week
3. It’s Been a Decade (full of cake, laughs, and love)