Say What? Kids actually learn something on a field trip?

Yesterday we were down at my sister in law's house to have a dinner.  When we arrived they were watching some show on the Discovery channel about snakes in Florida.  All 3 of my girls love snakes, they aren't completely creeped out by those slithering beings, which is nice because I'm not either, I love snakes. 
Trinity keeps telling me "Mom you shouldn't be afraid of spiders, snakes seems like a more reasonable fear.  Cause snakes can actually kill you and spiders around here can't."
Words of wisdom and  almost perfect logic from an 11 year old child.  How do you explain that fear is not rational or reasonable? And its not really fear its more of a phobia.

At last I will get to the point.  I was sitting down cuddling with my nephew while he was chugging down a bottle, and Piper is sitting on the couch, closest to the gliding rocker I was using and starts rattling off information about snakes. 

I gave her a confused look and asked where she learned all these wonderful little bits of information.  "Did they say it on the T.V.?"  In response to her statement "Snakes can unhinge their mouths to help them eat BIG animals."

She frown at me and gave me an outraged "No."  Then smiled. "I learned it at The MOST."  For those of you who don't know The MOST is the Museum of Science and Technology, in Syracuse and the first graders took a trip there earlier in the year.  Needless to say I was astonished that she had learned something from the trip.  Why am I amazed?  Because when she came home from the field trip and we asked her about it she talked about the play area and the interactive systems of the body, like how she stuck her arm up the big nose and climbed into the heart.  Never once did this child mention to me that they had a live snake at The MOST and they were giving lectures about the animal.  WTH!

The information continued to flow from her little mouth, actually confirming she had not only paid attention but absorbed the information and stored it until such a time that she was able to use it in a conversation.   Her little face was all a glow with pride and knowledge, and I never stopped her even though I also knew what she was talking about. 

Sometimes being a parent is frustrating and you wonder what the hell are they learning in school, especially when you ask everyday and they say "nothing".  I guess it's not nothing, its just a matter of them finding the right opportunity to educate you! 

Missing in Action

So I have been missing in action, lots of stuff has been going on.  I have had my hands full with Miss Evangeline, Miss Piper and Miss Trinity as of late.

 We went on vacation and the girls learned some great lessons.

Here they are digging in the dirt.  It became an impromptu lesson in Zombie killing.  I showed Piper how the claw could be used as a weapon against a "bad guy".  LOL when I was done Evangeline brought me the trowel and asked me if it was her turn to kill a zombie, then I had to show her how.  

The weekend with Katie, Eric and Gavyn was awesome.  Evangeline had such faith in Mommy's ability to kill any monsters that came our way that when the older kids were running in the backyard yelling about monsters she told them that there wasn't any monsters.  "Mommy kill the monsters."  Awe how sweet.

Here they are enjoying monster free s'mores on Easter Sunday.  Yay!  Aren't four kids with marshmallows and a fire cute?

 

We hit the beach in Florida and here are my own "monsters" actually getting along and playing with each other.  Evangeline wasn't crazy about the water at first but the beach became her favorite place after about 20 minutes.  We keep having to answer when we will go to the beach again.  Trust me no one in this house was happy to see the snow this morning.

Evangeline's taste in bathing suits did not differ from her taste in clothing.  Tutu's are forever!  This has to be the cutest suit ever. 

 In Disney we had 2 goals.  Meeting Tinker Bell and Rapunzel.  Here we are after a very short 45 minute wait with Tink.  Tink told Evangeline "You look like you fell through a rainbow...was it fun?"  And she said she'd like to fly to Skaneateles someday. With a name like that she was sure to not get lost cause how many Skaneateles' are there?

 After Tinker Bell we were heading to find food and ran into Princess Tiana!  Oh YAY!!! we waited a half hour.  We had to explain that no Evangeline was born a whole year before Tiana's story was told.  My dorky Trinity wouldn't put her glasses up :) 

 After lunch we went to see Rapunzel.  Evangeline and I waited in line for about an hour and a half.  Daddy and the other 2 girls took off for Space Mountain.  We were 3 people away from her favorite Princess when Evangeline said "Mommy I have to go poopy."  ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME KID????  Well we didn't leave the line and there was no poopy pants so it all worked out in the end.  Rapunzel held a very nice one sided conversation with Evangeline including bringing up that her friend Princess Tiana has a friend named Evangeline.  Once again Momma felt the need to say Disney was behind the mark on using that name cause Evangeline had it for a whole year first.  :) 

 She doesn't look thrilled but the Disney Photographer got better pics.  I just have to order the danged disc from them....it's all a racket.  We did have fun in the happiest place on earth and can't wait to go back after all the renovations are done and see the new Fantasyland.

Eventually Mema and Poppop joined us in Florida and for 3 days Evangeline asked for her turn to ride in the Mustang.  Well it was turn and oh no she fell asleep!  Slept the entire ride to Orlando.  Then fell asleep again on the way home.  I guess SeaWorld kicked her booty, all we did there was eat and watch the luau show, see the sharks and watch the Sea Lion show. 

We appreciated Poppop's self control when a corvette went flying by them on RT 4....that's a very good Poppop.  :)  Although if he had to race at least it would have been the car seated kid.

Oh well, that's part of what we've been up too.  It's hard to write a funny blog when the kids are driving you to drink....not even with funny stuff, they are grouchy and that makes Momma pretty grouchy too. 

TTFN!