Family Fun

We took the kids to the Heard Museum in Fairview last weekend. It was rainy, but we still had fun. They have a great collection of rocks and minerals, so if you are into geology you should stop by. They also have a small animals of the world exhibit, and a little butterfly house. The walk down to the outside exhibits is on a wood planked ramp, which was wet. Ashley and Camille both slipped on the way down, and they were not happy!

In the animals of the world there was a crazy cockatoo. It climbed all around it's cage using its claws and beak. It could catcall, which the kids really liked, but then it made the loudest alarm type noise I have ever heard. Camille especially didn't like that and said she was never coming back.

It was a little muddy at the entrance to the butterfly house, and we had the funniest experience. There were a few ants trailing across the doorway, and since it was brown and muddy the girls thought they were walking in a giant anthill. Justin, Emma and I hopped across the puddle, then Ash went. She attempted a wild leap, slipped to one knee in her flip-flops, then jumped up screaming hysterically and stamping her feet like she was being attacked. Justin and I laughed so hard we couldn't stand straight and I had trouble assuring her that there were no ants on her and she could stop crying. She was also covered with mud, you can see it on her knee in the pic above. She tiptoed on one foot all around and was not content until I had taken her into the bathroom to wash off her shoe and her foot. I told her people pay for mud, that it was good for her skin, but that only prompted a storm of questions about why people buy mud and why it's good for her skin. I didn't have a good answer for that so I tried to change the subject. In the meantime it took quite a while to convince Camille to hop over and come in the butterfly house. She told me strongly that she didn't want to hold a butterfly and was a little paranoid in there. She stuck close to me and worked her pouty face.

While we were washing up Justin and Nate found a centipede inside. Nate thought it was great and this is him squatting close and saying, "HI BUG! HI!"
Despite the comedy of errors, we had a pretty good time and the best part was the kids were happy to get home and played with friends the whole afternoon.