Valentine's Day preparation!

It's been an incredibly long winter!  Today it is going be almost 20 degrees.  We can't wait to get outside and enjoy some snow.  We are going to try out a new sledding hill where they are having a sledding party.  Tell you more about that later.

One of our favorite actitivies this week was making Valentine's Day cookies.  We used the Pilsbury mix we picked up from Target.  Really easy to make and Drew sure did enjoy it.

We followed it up by making Valentine's Day cut outs, with a gigantic card for his dad!

Children's Museum

Last Friday we did a play date with a friend at the Children's Museum in St. Paul.

Since Drew celebrates his birthday in the month of January, he was admitted for free.  I paid the $9.50.  He also received a birthday bag that contained a duck, crown, crayons and a bag of fruit snacks.  He sure was excited for the surprise gift.

There were several rooms to visit, but we only made it to a couple.

The favorites for Drew were the piano and the facepainting.  They removed the front cover on the piano so the kids could see the movement in the action frame.  Mesmerizing

The face painting was self painting.  They had tiny mirrors set up so the kids could paint at their leisure.  Drew did several small lines in different colors.  He looked like a little jungle warrior by the time he was finished.

The website list the museum as on the of the best in the country.  I've been to the one in Chicago and  it didn't seem quite as extensive, but it was adequate.

We will go back next year around his birthday.  Once a year is enough for us.

Flyaway Gymnastics

Does anyone else besides me have a tough time getting your kids out the door?  I'm not sure if it's the cold weather, or that I just have a kid who would rather stay home?  But every day when I say we are going to go out, he says, "I don't want to."  So frustrating.

Yesterday, we went out to have the car's brakes checked out, and then decided to check out the preschool open gym.  Hooray, it was a first that my son asked if he could go back again.

The place was very clean, and the staff was nice. The cost was $5 for an hour of free play.  There was plenty of space for the kids to run, along with an adequate amount equipment for the kids to let go of some of there energy.  I even tried to give the pole vault a shot, but was reprimanded.  No adults on the equipment!

Like I said, he was happy, and I was even more happy at 2:00 when he turned off the t.v. and took a nap on his own.  

Flyaway Gymnastics is alright in my book.

http://www.flyawaysgold.com/flyaways-gold-gymnastics-classes/specialty-programs

Three Bears Resort

Our son just celebrated his 4 year old birthday.  We kicked off the event by making a rainbow cake that he chose off the shelf from Target.   The whole process took over an hour, but it was quite scientific and he sure did seem to enjoy it.

This year, as every year at this time, cabin fever has set in and finding anything interesting to do with a child is a challenge.    It always seems like the perfect time to book a room at a water park.  Seeing that our son's birthday falls in January, we try combine a getaway with a birthday celebration.  This year we booked our room at Three Bear's Resort in Warrens, WI.  

Our family of four, my husband, my son, and our 13 year old furry friend, hit the road by 11:00 a.m.  The car was filthy, the sun was bright, and a very excited boy was already asking, "When will we be there!"  With a 2 1/2 hour drive from our town to Warrens, this wasn't music to our ears.  We had plenty of movies on reserve for the ride, but lately my son asks for things to do with me in the car.  Seeing that I'm a consultant for Usborne Books and More, I usually always have a backpack full of activity books to pass the time.

We arrived to an awkward silence in our cabin.  Unfortunately, I hadn't reserved the correct amount of wristbands.  The McIntosh family of 4 arrived first and had the first set of bracelets.  My parents, sister, boyfriend, and niece and nephew were left one bracelet short.  The nice lady at the front desk, quickly got me 4 more wristbands, and the situation was under control.

We were pleased with the water park.  Upon entry there was a nice water play area for the smaller kids.  The lazy river was just the right size.  My son was too afraid to go on the water slides, but the other kids didn't mind.  Other than the tunnels being really dark, no one complained and lots of fun was had by all.  There were plenty of lifeguards, and the area was really clean.

The kids really enjoyed the vaulted ceilings, which was just perfect for shooting rockets high up into the loft in the Wood Duck Cabin on Yogi Circle.  The boys would shoot them up, and the girls would catch them.  

 Other than the temperature varying 10 degrees by levels, the cabin was clean, and spacious.

We were pleased with the stay, and the kids were VERY happy to meet the Three Bears.

If we weren't always up for trying new things, we'd return to this water park.