Welcome to OUR World!: Arizona Science Center Field Trip (April 22nd)

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Arizona Science Center Field Trip (April 22nd)

Yes I know I am slacking, I usually have the pics up the same day (or at least the next day) and I am being slow this time. Anyway, better late than never.

Brandon and I got a chance to go on the kids fieldtrip to the Arizona Science Center this week, it was a blast. The only thing the kids weren't crazy about was the IMAX show we saw, it was a little over their heads.... But the rest made up for it. They love the Science Center, and we havent been there in so long that they had some new things up that the kids had never seen. They left asking if they could come back the next day... LOL, I guess we are going to have to make a Saturday family party of it. Enjoy the pics.

Our Little Group
Me and Brandon each had two kids in our group, we spent most of the day together but got seperated occasionally. Brandon had the girls and I had the boys. It was GREAT, we enjoyed getting to watch them explore.

The Digital Room
Learning about computers and how things operate, how to create things in digital format.... It was pretty cool, very hands on.... The kids loved it.

The Music Room
Learning about music components and how things operate and sound. It was pretty cool. The kids enjoyed listening to the pipes make different sounds, controlling the line that ran into the ceiling (with sound waves), playing the strings and watching the fuzz balls dance to the music.... LOL, it was pretty amusing.

The Forces of Nature Experience
This was SO AMAZING the kids did it 4 times over. You stand inside of a gated in area on a metal pad while watching a movie on one of 4 big screens. Its all about weather; you get to experience what it would feel like to be in the middle of a forest fire (with extraordinarily HOT heat lamps that surround the whole platform), a hurricane (with wind and rain), a torando (with swirling wind), an earthquake (as the platform vibrates and trembles), a volcano (with hot air, water and wind), etc... ALL while watching these experiences on a BIG screen.... Its SO cool.

The Brain and Body Room
I dont remember what this room was called exactly, but all the stuff in the room had to do with the Brain and the thinking process and how your body works... It was pretty cool. The kids got to do things like watch movies on the brain function, play computer games that had to do with putting objects from a scene in the correct order to make a movie, dealing with personal space issues (how close is too close?), making pictures and shapes out of mulitple little shaped blocks, etc.

LUNCH TIME
We got to go outside and enjoy a nice lunch with friends.....

Home Building Exhibit
This was Seans dream come true, he loves to build things, tools are his favorite toys, and he loves trying to figure out how things work as well.... He loved building and destroying things in the block house.

IMAX
Waiting to watch our movie on Greece.... It was interesting but the kids got bored easy, it was pretty long.... Good information for them though since they are studying Ancient Greece in school.

Energy Exhibit
The last thing we got to go see before it was time to go was an exhibit on energy and all of its different components.... It was pretty cool.... It had things that dealt with electrical energy and also things that dealt with physical energy. The kids got to do things like make a windmill spin and learn about how that helps energy plants, they got to do an experiment on polarity and how electrical currents work by trying to make their own electrical currents, they got to use their own energy by spinning a HUGE disk in order to keep a lightbulb lit and a fan spinning, they got to learn about magnetic energy, etc. It was pretty cool, a good end to a long day.

(This is Mrs. Tengei, she will be the kids 3rd grade teacher, they are excited to be getting bigger and almost be in 3rd grade... Look out Mrs. Tengei, ready or not here they come ; ) )

THE END
To end this glorious day the Science Center Staff let the kids climb up and roll down the grass hill out front while they were waiting for everyone to gather to load the bus.... They were on cloud 9.... It was fun to watch them enjoy it ALL! We were exhausted by the end, but it was well worth it.

No comments:

Post a Comment

More About Us.....

Sean is doing AMAZINGLY well (considering), If you missed the last couple updates Sean has been diagnosed with Aspergers (High Functioning Autism). It was a tough road to get to that end result, but we are picking ourselves up and dusting ourselves off and moving on in the direction that is best for the little man. Always making sure that the end result will be in his best interest.

Sean was able to be a part of a program this last couple years that has helped immensely with his sensory needs, coping mechanisms, language helps and keeping him on track educationally without the chaos of a "normal" classroom getting in the way. He made so many friends, friends that understand him and his quirks and LOVE him despite them. He was finally able to see that there are people out there like him and he is not alone in the world. We were SO blessed to have that oppurtunity. After a couple months of waiting for the new school year and homeschooling he is back in the program at a new campus and loving it (Pieceful Solutions) they are a God send for us. This next school year they are going private BUT due to a scholarship program offered by the state we are able to continue him in this amazing program AND their new campus is right around the corner from us. Couldnt be happier for them or for our little man. New adventures on the horizon. SO exciting! Check back to see how our Aspie survives the new school year at his new campus!!!

Lexi has had a rough school year last year BUT she is LOVING her new school and her new teacher, her and her BFF (in Florida) are enjoying being pen pals still. Miles cannot come between them, they are still forever friends and always have each others backs. Its nice for her to have a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen from someone who is her "two peas in a pod" bud and will always get what she is going through. She loves her and misses her terribly, but they are making it through. They are both SO excited (AND so are us moms) that we will be taking a vacation to Florida in July to see them. Its been over a year and we miss them SO much. Cant wait. It will be a great adventure; first trip to Disney World, first flight and reuniting with great friends.

After a couple months of being homeschooled last year (which really turned out to be a great experience for both of us despite the added stress at times) Lexi is very excited about being back in a brick and mortar school. She is enjoying the cheer and dance club as well and chapel time on Fridays. Its been great for her to make new friends. This year has been tough again, ups and downs with friends. BUT she is learning to make it through and cope with the fact that not everyone is nice and kind all the time. She has had a boyfriend this year and they are adorably cute together. This year has not been without its drama, but we are expecting that to be the new norm as the kids get older. If we can just make it day by day, step by step we will make it through. Keep checking back for updates on her going ons at school and with her friends.

For both kids this new school year is a BIG change and an oppurtunity for them to grown in their own ways, It has been good for them to have much different experiences and growths. As much as they grow apart in some ways they are growing closer in others. Its been a struggle, but a good life lesson for Sean to be attending Lexis class for some parts of the day. Its good to watch her friends reach out to him, and to hear her want to stand up for him with the couple kids that dont understand him. Hopefully this trend will continue and they will remain close. As much as they get on each others nerves, they both know they have each others backs. We have made it through most of the year and in one peice, thats progress in and of itself =) Hoping this will continue next year as Lexi moves onto her Middle School Campus and Sean moves onto his new campus. This will be the biggest change ever for them, Two totally different schools, new adventures around the corner.

Brandon has been working hard and traveling ALOT (still, some things never change). We have been VERY blessed that he has been able to keep steady work this last couple years or so with the economy the way that it is. And we are hoping that it just stays that way. He is looking forward to our vacation this summer and a break from work. He is getting close to burn out but hanging in there. He is AMAZING and we appreciate the hard work that he does for our family. We love him dearly and miss him like crazy!

As for me: I have been enjoying just being a mom and having the oppurtunity to help my kids learn and grow this last year or so. I was blessed with the oppurtunity to give them all of me and everything they needed this last year. And they blessed me right back with a few lessons I needed to get out of life on perserverance and endurance. I love those guys to peices; and none of it would have been possible without the hard work of my loving husband. He is amazing, and although things arent always perfect between us he never gives up and always fights hard to provide us with everything we need. I love him more than words can describe.

I am looking forward to this school year and being able to take a more stand off approach. Still being involved but seeing how much they can flourish on their own. Still being there to help them with homework and attend their fieldtrips and events. Still helping occasionally in the class, but allowing them space to thrive. The stand off approach has been good for all of us, they are settling into that well. They know I am around when they need me but they are becoming much more independent. Love those little monkies!