Science Center & Old Friends

I was able to see both of my bridesmaids while I was in town last weekend. Yes, I had two of them at my wedding. Why? Because they have both been my best friends for so long, I can barely remember life before them (seriously).
Friday night, my bestie Jenny came over to spend some time with my family. She is so great with my kids. They call her "Aunt Jenny" and Payton just adores her. He loved looking at her vacation pictures from Niagara Falls and learning about how she has rollerblades (this definitely took her up several notches in his "coolness" book). :) I guess I was having such a great time, I totally forgot to take any pictures while she was visiting. But we sure did enjoy our time with her!
On Sunday after church, we headed to the Orlando Science Center. This is one of the BEST kids museums I've ever been to. It was always a fun place to go on field trips when I was growing up, but they've renovated it and added SO many wonderful exhibits over the years. The kids had an absolute BALL!

There was this magnetic wall with PVC-like pipes that stuck to the wall. The kids could make all sorts of designs with the pipes and then send wooden balls down the design to see if they connected them correctly. 

I'm pretty sure Payton would have stayed there most of the day if we let him. He LOVED it.

 Parker liked it too! :)

 

There is a "Kid's Zone" area for the little ones that has an "Orange Grove" where these orange balls float down pipes into trees that have holes cut out where the balls come through, making them look like oranges. The kids "pick" the oranges and put them into crates and then deliver them to the large box. You can also ride the bike to deliver the oranges up a conveyor belt and back into the tree area.

(It doesn't feel like I gave a coherent explanation of this area, but trust me, they had so much fun playing in here). 

Here are the boys "picking" oranges out of the holes:

 And here they are riding the bike to make the orange balls go back into the trees:

There is also a nature area filled with baby alligators & turtles (and snakes and other creepy crawly things):

And other kinds of archaic creatures:

And Payton even got called up on stage to participate in the show we went to called "Kaboom! The art and science of explosions."

Of course Parker couldn't sit through the entire show, so I took him out to do some other fun things. Like...

Pushing enormous pool balls around:

 And running on a huge backgammon board that lit up and played music when you stepped on it:

 Needless to say, when we left we were all happily exhausted - both physically and mentally. It was a wonderful experience and I can't wait to go back!

Remember I said that I got to see both of my bridesmaids while I was in town? Well, my other bestie, Ash, was in town with her two boys. She came over for some swimming and BBQ.

Her youngest son is 3 months older than Parker:

 Her oldest is a few years younger than Payton, but that didn't seem to keep them from enjoying swimming together:

 How cute are they??

 Love this girl! (and her family!)

 That about wraps up my weekend in Orlando.

Now we're back in the normal routine of things... back with Brian at home...back to summer laziness. Life is good!