Lemon Festival.

Goleta had a Lemon Festival every Fall. It was fun to go to as a family. 

Abby and I went while Nicholas and Jon had a soccer game.  The goal was for them to join us after the game. 

We went - and got tshirts. We also bought ride tickets. So the kids could do the bounce houses. And the petting zoo. 

I really like festivals like this. When they are small and community based. Bigger ones are fun too. But the smaller ones are fun without getting overwhelmed and tired. It helped that the festival was walking distance from our house. 

I think we will be back next year. 

Huntsville Alabama- The last one. I promise.

We had tons of fun in Huntsville. We have a museum membership here in CA that allows us free admission to some museums around the country. Including the Sci-Quest one in Huntsville. So we went there for a whole afternoon. We had the whole place to ourselves. It was great.

We also went to the Early Works museum. I thought it was going to be hands on history. But not so much. They did have a few kids areas. One had a fishing thing my kids liked. There were also places to build with all kinds of building toys. 

We also shopped. Mostly there were the same stores we have here in CA. Although the Ross had very different items. Including an amazing princess dress and cape for Abby. 

We really enjoyed our trip. Even with the huge thunder and lightening storms we had for the first few days. It was a great trip. 

Huntsville Alabama - Part Two

The Lucky Duck Hunt. 

It took us a whole morning to do. After I spent the evening before doing the research to get us to the right spots on our hunt. 

The Visitors Center has a hunt for ducks. They give you a card with 12 clues. You find the duck at each clue and you get a special reward- a rubber duck riding a space shuttle. 

So we did the hunt. My kids loved it. 

Here's one of the ducks. 

Along the way we found some real ducks to feed too. These were seriously aggressive ducks. The little ducklings were cute. The rest I could've done without. 

As you can see, the ducks were all over. Hanging upside down, in the bark, in rocks.... Which made them a bit hard because of the brown color of the duck. 

But we found all of them!!! All 12. 

The ducks made great pool and bath toys. And we all got one!!! Even my and my mom. I'm not too old for fun souvenirs that are free and double as pool toys. 

Huntsville Alabama- Part One.

We were privileged enough to go to Huntsville Alabama last week. Nicholas went to space camp and Abby and I hung out with my mom. 

If you want to feel insignificant, go visit the Saturn V rocket. This is from over 200 feet away and I still couldn't get it all in the picture. They also have one laying down on it's side in the museum. You can walk under it and see each stage and the engines. 

We had the privilege of talking to one of the engineers who helped design the F1 engines on the rocket. He talked about how they had to deal with the heat, the sound vibrations.... It was really interesting. 

The Saturn V rockets launched the Apollo missions. In the plaza around the rocket they have plaques to each mission, pictures, and the footprints of the astronauts. Standing in Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrige's footprints was a little awe inspiring for me. 

There were a ton of simulators inside. I wanted to do the Apache helicopter one, but you had to be 13. My kids didn't want to wait so I didn't get to do it. They did get to land the space shuttle. My

Mom had a blast on that one. This was maneuvering the space shuttle in space. My kids loves those things. They didn't enjoy te reading and history so much. 

But standing in shuttle park, under the space shuttle.... That we all loved. 

Columbus Ohio trip.

Abby and I took a trip to Columbus Ohio to see my SIL Janis. Jon and Nicholas went to Itah for a BYU game and some cousin visits. 

We had quite the adventure getting there. Including bags possibly not making it. We got bumped flights and instead of it being a one stop hop it turned into a two stop hop. We totally came in and left from the two furtherest points at every terminal. Which sucks when having to cart Abigail from gate to gate. 

But all of that was alleviated when we got to Ohio. It was so much fun. We had two full days of art and shopping. We went to the zoo. Did I mention fabulous thrift stores? Abby got two princess dresses for two dollars. It was great. I got unused Cole Haan flats for $20. 

And did I mention the art? We did so much art. Janis was amazing in helping Abby learn how to use the potters wheel. And then in stepping back and letting her

Go. And never stop. Did I mention she didn't stop?

Emma - Abby's cousin- was clearly another favorite. It helps that Emma has red curly hair like Abby. Abby adores her. And clung to her like a second skin. 

It was such a blast. I can't wait until we go out there again. 

Rodeo Queen

Abby is currently obsessed with rodeo queens. We went to the rodeo in Preston ID last month and she can't stop talking about the queens. They wore sparkles and rode horses. So they were the best thing ever. 

Nicholas wants to be a cowboy. He likes the pickup riders because they didn't have to get on a bull. And the bills were mean. 

So now I find them practicing "roping"

around the house. They've made lassos out of pipe cleaners. Or string. Nicholas is learning his knots because he wants to tie one. Abby is learning to throw one. They often try to rope me. They've build a cow out of pillows and boxes to rope. 

It's also pretty cool. They play at this for hours a day. Nicholas doesn't know it yet but I got him rope. I went into the farm store and asked for rope to make a lasso. They looked at me kind of weird,but so it goes. 

I live my

Cowgirl and cowboy. 

Jon and Nicholas in Utah.

While Abby and I were off on adventures in Ohio, Jon and Nicholas went to Utah. There was a BYU game Thursday night when they got there. Shocker that the trip was timed so Jon could go to a BYU game. 

The next day cousins were in school. So Nicholas and Jon went to the Natural History museum at Thanksgiving Point. It should also be known as the dinosaur museum. Nicholas had a lot of fun. How Jon managed to get out of there without visiting the gift shop is beyond me. 

Friday night was spent eating pizza with his uncle, grandpa, and boy cousins. One of his girl cousins had girls over for her birthday. So the guys all went out to eat. 

The rest of the weekend was spent hanging with cousins. And taking Micah to the air museum. Nicholas loves that museum. And he likes Micah. So the two things were a good combination. 

When we all met up in Denver Nicholas was less than excited to see me and Abby. He didn't want to sit near us on te plane. It was kind of funny.