Bowling for Father's Day

For Father's Day this year we started off the morning walking to our local Turtle Bread for breakfast. It was a beautiful morning that made it hard to justify going indoors to go bowling, but with a bowling groupon that was to expire the next day, we hit the lanes. Wearing their handmade fish t-shirts we made for Father's Day via Creative Kidstuff, the boys and Randy were all set with their bowling team attire. We bowled at Memory Lanes in our neighborhood and the boys loved it. As you can see from the scoreboard picture, Soren and Sevi are born bowlers!

And the bike tricks are just beginning....

2012 Nature Valley Grand Prix Kiddie Race

This is now our second year in a row that we have meet up with our friends Laura and Rob and their  boys to race at the St. Paul leg of the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Soren, Gus and Mason did the full crit loop, a little shy of a mile total. Sevi did the two block little kids loop. They all had a blast and we look forward to next years race.

The racing team of Gus, Soren, Mason and Sevi

Racer's # 75 and 74 lining up

Mason and Soren at the big kid line up to start the race

Sevi is out of the saddle racing to the finish!

Whoa, there goes Soren

All the racer's received medals

Watching the pro's race by

Back Together Again

I think the brothers are happy to be together again.......

Life on the road with three 5 year olds......

The Good

The REALLY Good

The Ugly

Grand Canyon

Our big adventure on the drive back to Minnesota from Arizona was visiting the Grand Canyon. We spent a night at Mather Campground on the South Rim. Wendy joined us which meant that there was 6 of us sleeping in the camper! The next morning we took the shuttle to the western viewpoints and then hit the watchtower on the eastern side before getting back on the road.

"Auntie" Wendy with Lucy, Soren and Isobel

Goodbye Space Camp

We are on our last day of Space Camp. The kids have adjusted marvelously, considering none of them had spent any longer away from home for more than a three hour preschool stint and space camp went from 9am-4pm. It has been a good test for the long days of Kindergarten they will all be in this Fall. Some of the highlights for Soren have been the variety of art related space projects (making space books, comets, helmets, jet packs, and planets), playing with the blocks and lastly: lunch!

Sitting on the blocks in the rotunda of the Challenger Space Center

Astro Tot's Teachers Natalie and Mr. D with Lucy, Isobel and Soren

Cracking the Geode

Soren picked a Geode rock from the space camp store to add to his rock collection. It was a pleasant surprise for all the kids to find that when he cracked it, it was full of crystals. Soren was very proud of his rock selecting skills.

Thunderbird Park Hike

A hot, tired and "no more pictures" Soren

Personal message to dear Sevi

I wish you were with me today so that you too could EAT HERE! I love and miss you (and papa too!).

How to cool down when it is 101 degrees

Transit of Venus

It is a fine time to be at a space center. Today Venus appeared as a small dark dot crossing the sun's face for the last time in this century. The next Transit to occur will be in 2117. The space center had about 8 telescopes set up for viewing the Transit that were open to the campers and the public. It took a bit to get some decent shots, shooting through the telescope eyepiece, but below you can see the action.

Venus at the 1 o'clock mark

Venus at the 8 o'clock mark

Looking through one of eight telescopes set up for viewing. This is the telescope that produced the first image with the sun looking white.

Soren wearing the solar viewer glasses

After three day's on the road, we arrive at our destination!

Day One of Space Camp

In the Valley of The Gods, Utah

Checking out the view with his trusty binoculars in the Valley of The Gods

Hiking the 3 hour hike up to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, Utah. Soren was amazing, leading the pack all the way up and back without a single complaint. Soren also hiked the whole trail with his lovey Mr. Bear.

Rest break to make trail cairns on the hike to Delicate Arch

Just around the bend to Delicate Arch

Taking in the view

Soren and Andrea at Delicate Arch. 

We all made it!

Isobel and Soren napping through Colorado

Newfound friends from Oklahoma, Laura and Rowdy, at Pepper Pod Campground in Colorado

Riding the train at Stolley Park in Nebraska

Our first morning on the road waking up in Stone Park, Iowa. Alex and I sleep in the top section of the camper that folds out over the cab of the truck. The kiddies sleep on a platform in the bed of the truck.

Snug little bugs: Isobel, Lucy and Soren