Sometimes we play with science

Once upon a time we were all really, really tired of being cooped up inside. But, go figure, it was March in Utah and it was raining. Again. And you can only splash in so many puddles before you need a new activity. Anyway, T-Bone is BUSY. Like, only stops moving for Daniel Tiger busy. "Hm," thought Mommy, "does this kid ever sit still? Probably not, but CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!" So, Mommy got busy thinking of ways to keep T-Bone busy, and then she remembered that science is really cool and really fun. Plus, it's messy, and what little boy doesn't love making messes? Seriously, though, we had so much fun with this activity and it's super easy. Also, you probably already have everything you need on hand. 

First, put a hefty layer of baking soda in a baking sheet. I'm kind of a baking soda junkie, so we had plenty of this.

Next, fill some bowls with plain old white vinegar. I put food coloring in ours, just to add a little spice to life.

Next, use a medicine dropper to make mini-volcanoes all over the baking sheet. 

Sometimes, you need to get your hands all up in it, too. 

Not only does it teach about acid/base reactions, you can practice mixing colors and see what happens.

And then, if you really want to get crazy, put the bowls of vinegar right on top of the baking soda and go to town.

T-Bone loved dropping the "powder" in the "water" and making them bubble over. 

And you know what happened? He was quiet, and happy, and entertained... for a whole hour!  I even heard giggling and squeals of glee instead of "No!" and whining. Amazing!

Do you know why they named it Yellowstone?

Cause I do!  Anyway, I'm a little late on this post, but the first weekend in June we took a family trip to Yellowstone.  I'd never been before, and it had been a long time since Greasemonkey had been. I was a little worried about how T-Bone would deal with all that time in the car, but he handled it like a total champ.  We stayed in a cool little cabin in Island Park.  It had the makings of a disaster with only one shower for 14 people, but it wasn't bad at all.
We had a good time catching bugs, getting eaten by bugs, looking at animals, and taking little mini-hikes. We let T-Bone take a little dip in the river, but he wasn't a huge fan of that.  Then the river claimed his favorite turtle hat.  That was a sad moment.
We saw some awesome animals, ate good food, played some cards, and had a lot of laughs.  All in all, a successful trip.  And now, some pictures:

 NERTS!

 At Mesa Falls

 Catching some bugs

 The cutest dang thing in the whole world: T-Bone signing "boat" while sitting in a boat.

 Bye-bye hat!

 Ready to roll

 Buffalo!

Waiting for Old Faithful in the snow

Parentals

#3-Describe your relationship with your parents.


I have amazing parents. I didn't fully appreciate them until I became a parent myself. Let me give you a few reasons why my parents ROCK.

1. They taught me responsibility. For as long as I can remember I have been offered choices, and with these choices I have been allowed to reap the consequences. I have always been held accountable for the choices I make, and I was rarely bailed out of bad situations. If I owed them money, I was expected to pay it back in full (unless the debt was written off as a gift). If I was failing a class, they would help me get the help I needed to pass... but ultimately it was up to me. They had expectations of me that helped shape me into the person I am today: I was expected to bring home no less than a 3.0 GPA. I was expected to attend school, church, and family functions. I was expected to keep a job and pay for my own "fun". I was expected to be kind and respectful to my family and friends. I love my parents for teaching me to be a responsible, functioning, contributory member of society.

2. They lead by example. They are a fantastic example of communication with each other, and with their children. Everything I know as a parent I learned from watching them. They are always there to offer a helping had, a word of advice, or just a shoulder to cry on.

3. They love me unconditionally. No matter how many times I screwed up, no matter how many terrible choices I made, no matter what I said or did, they still loved me. I know, to this day, that if everything else in my life is completely falling apart I can always go to my mom and dad because they love me.

None of this is to say that we haven't had our issues. Because, honestly, with people as strong-willed as we are you're going to butt heads every now and again. We're always able to talk through it, though. I'm so blessed and lucky to have them as my parents.

(I know I promised honesty in answering all of these questions, and all of this is the honest truth. Every last word.)