California Science Center: Pixar Exhibit

I don't know if I've ever been to the Science Center in Downtown Los Angeles...maybe as a kid? Not sure. Either way, the kids have never been there and this week we got to go on a field trip there with our homeschool group.

The big highlight of course was the Pixar Exhibit and we spent quite a bit of time in there. It's really amazing all the details that go into putting an animated film together. I'll never look at a Pixar film again quite the same.

     For the boys of course field trips are a blast simply because they get to hang out with their friends!

The hall is loaded with so many hands on exhibits! It was so much fun for the boys to explore. They loved trying to figure things out and watching all the short videos on how certain parts of a film come
together.

We all felt like going home and watching Pixar movies!

Moorpark Zoo

In December we finally got to visit the Moorpark Zoo with our homeschool group. I've been meaning to get over there and check it out but have not had the opportunity to do so yet. Moorpark Junior College is one of two colleges/universities in the USA that has a teaching zoo on campus. It's actually quite difficult to get in to the program at Moorpark College. It's based off a lottery system and students wait years before getting in.

The day started off with a show of various animals from birds to reptiles. The students do a pretty good job but as I mentioned before it's a training zoo so they are learning as they go.

We then walked around the zoo and visited all the different exhibits. I am not a fan of animals to say the least but I often feel sorry to see these animals caged up. In this case though many of these creatures have been injured and are at the zoo because they wouldn't survive in the wild. They also have several animals which were confiscated from people who had them as pets. The zoo also gets transfers from other zoos. It was a fun little field trip and it was also nice to be on the campus of Moorpark College. It's a beautiful campus...who knows maybe one day I'll attend there and get my AA degree! I guarantee you though I will not be applying for the zoo program!!

Minecraft Party

Did you know that Minecraft doesn't give their license for party supplies or decoration? I didn't know that either and I found out two days before Nathan's party. Not only that, Nathan didn't decide on a Minecraft party until 4 days before his party! Fun times!!

Obviously, I could only do so much in regards to decor. Nonetheless, at the end it really doesn't matter how much you decorate a party because little 8 year old boys don't even pay too much attention to these things.

I made a huge Creeper from a green tablecloth and black napkins.

Some outdoor fun with water balloons, water guns, and slip n' slide.

I handmade this Creeper pinata and it was really so fun to make. 

Plus the pinata was so hard to break. At the end we let the kids hit without blindfolds.

Time for cake......we bought an Enderman toy and just put it on top of the cake.

 

I just have to post about something funny one of Nathan's friends said about the cake. He exclaimed how he could tell this wasn't a Costco cake because the frosting was so much better!! Hilarious! He told Nathan his mom always buys Costco cakes!!!

Nathan was one happy kid with all his presents!

Good news is his brother will have a party this month and he's thinking he wants a Minecraft party too!!!

Legoland

And another field trip! I can't believe how busy we've been the last few weeks. Our PSP had an awesome and very affordable field trip to one of the boys' favorite amusement parks. We decided to stay a couple nights and make it a mini-getaway! 

I'm so thankful that so many places make it affordable for homeschooling families to visit. Not only was our one day trip pretty cheap but they had an offer to get another FREE ticket to be used between January - March! Woot, woot!!!

Legoland has the actual set from the Lego Movie...very cool!

The boys love this ride.

The boys didn't want to be in this picture.

Jojo is having fun at least.

 

PSP buddies.

Gotta' have this picture, right?

Hawkeye and a Ninja

This year the boys picked fairly easy costumes for Halloween. They had a homeschool group fall party and plus some trick-or-treating.

Jojo wanted to use his bow and arrow that he and dad made over the summer. He had a variety of characters to choose from but he went with Hawkeye......we had to go totally homemade this year which was fun to create.

Hawkeye with Dorothy

Naynay wanted to be a ninja which was a cinch since we already had the costume from last year.....phew!

Can you find the ninja in there? If not then he is that good!!

And look who decided to show up this year......why it's Mary Poppins!

Celebrating Nathan

Nathan turned 7 on July 1! My little baby is growing up. Our transition from Russia to California hasn't been an easy for him unfortunately. About once a week he cries that he misses Russia. When we ask him what it is that he misses the most he always says his friends. Needless to say it has been a little difficult for him to make some new friends. I think he is a little confused or misguided about what a "friend" means. We are trying to shepherd him through this and as parents we are trying to be wise how we come alongside him.

On his birthday he really wanted a party but wasn't quite sure who he would invite. So, I suggested we have a special time with one of his Sunday school friends. So, on his birthday we picked up his friend and headed to the movie theatre to watch Rio 2. It was really funny and the boys loved it.

Bright flash.......oops!

After the movie we headed to TGI Fridays and had a yummy lunch.

Thankfully both boys had a lot of fun.  I made a collage of Nathan throughout the last few years. He was such a dark baby when he was born! He has changed so much. I especially miss his curly hair days.

Nathan through the years.

Fun Weekend

 I can't believe I haven't been here for so long! The latter part of January and all of February our Jojo was so sick. He was dealing with some awful asthma that progressed so quickly that he ended up on a nebulizer machine.......no fun! Then Nathan got sick and ended up with an ear infection.....like always! Then in March, daddy got sick. So, we have been hanging around home a lot!

Well last weekend we headed to our friends out in Lancaster (about 1 hour away from us). We got to hang out with one of my closest friends and her family. I've known Andie for a real long time.....since she was about 11. Even though I am 8 years older than her, she is a mature young lady and I have learned a lot from her!!! We get to stay with Andie's parents in their spacious home. Her parents are also dear friends of ours. They are a huge encouragement to our lives!!!

Here's Andie on her 18th birthday party!

Andie has 4 girls and my boys love hanging out with them. The week before the weekend they kept asking.......when are we going to see "the girls" EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

I love watching them grow up together.

Here's her youngest.....such a cutie pie. Jojo LOVES her.

Movie night.......we got our fill of Frozen......I have been singing Frozen songs all week!

We also went bowling. It was the girls first time.

Nathan is my competitive one and wasn't too happy with his scores.

When we would return from Russia during the summer time visiting these friends was  always a priority. Having to say good-bye was always so hard and sad.........but thankfully we can now see each other more often and not have that sinking feeling that it will be another year before seeing them again.