Why We Love CMOE

(aka The Children's Museum of Evansville)

Where else can you.....

Dig for prehistoric dinosaur bones?

Create a masterpiece gear wall?


Paint a colorful butterfly on your face?

Build an impressive Lego town?

Compose a beautiful piano concerto?

....all on the same day?!? :)

Easter 2011

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
A fresh morning dewed with rain
Bright faces filled with sweet joy

Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Purple tulips blooming in a vase
Baskets overflowing with candy and cheer

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Soft voices singing happy words
Scouring the house for brightly colored eggs

Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!
A quiet, humble church and joyful songs
Sharing meals with special family

Indeed, He is risen! Happy Easter!

Yes, we had a sweet, traditional Easter with our families. No, I chose not to lug my camera along this year. Mainly due to the torrential rain the Midwest has been receiving, but also because it was simply nice to be myself. With family. At Easter.

Also, I saw this hymn idea on another blog somewhere (can't remember where), but I thought it was a nice alternative to photos. For me, words can often carry just as powerful an image as photographs. Hope you and yours had a magical Easter as well.

USI Day at the Zoo 2011

Yeah, it was THAT fun!

(Despite cold temperatures, drizzling rain, and one unexpected goose attack!)

Sh*ts & Giggles

We don't normally use foul language in our family (I promise!), but when we do, it seems to catch us off guard in the most amusing of ways....

Erik(dropping something): Oh, sh*t!

Hudson: Sh*t!

Ava: Did Hudson just say sh*t?

Hudson: Sh*t!

Lori: Great! We just taught him sh*t.

Hudson: Sh*t!

Ava: Sh*t!

Hudson: Sh*t!

Erik: Well, sh*t.

Lori: Sh*t!

Together: Sh*t!

And then we giggled. Like hyenas. Cause that's how we roll. Why? Cause we're the sh*t.

Creative Play

So, my son has discovered stickers, and let me just say that it has been quite an accomplishment in his own sweet mind. He's excited about stickers! And he wants everyone to be excited about them too! In fact, he has been so proud of his sticker project (the paper-plate-covered creation above) that he has (1) hung it on the refrigerator, (2) shared it with anyone who happens to stop by the house, and (3) has a routine with our immediate family in which proper acknowledgment must be paid. Frequently.

It goes something like this:

Hudson: Look, Mama, look!

To which I ooh and aah and giggle and point. Of course, if I'm busy and that fails to work, then he turns on the charm. I'm beginning to realize this little man really knows how to turn on the charm. Not just a pretty face, people!



Hudson: Kiss, Mama, kiss! (adorable kisses) Look, Mama, look!

It works every time. What can I say? He's irresistible!

But stickers aren't the only creative play going on at our house right now. In the wake of Ava's birthday, and as the weather warms up, both of my children have been gearing up the imagination. I wish I could share all their interesting ideas, but here are a few I happened to capture in the last week or so.....

Not sure what this was all about, but she played there for much longer than I expected!

Trust me when I say Yo Gabba Gabba toys are difficult to come by, but we managed to find Brobee at K-Mart! Go figure! So now Hudson has his own "doll" to play with

Look closely. Both parents are freaking out because their girl child has climbed atop the tree. The only unrealistic part? The Hudson figure is calmly swinging, when he should probably be running and screaming off the parameter of the drawing.....Ha!

Apparently Hudson wasn't thrilled with posing beside his masterpiece, but this was another project he repeatedly shared with us

P.S. I love creativity!