This part of the Gardens is decorated with a working model train track and buildings from old-time Grand Rapids - all made from natural materials!
We took advantage of the holiday special exhibits at the Grand Rapids Public Museum on Saturday 20 December. The museum was all decked out for Christmas, including about 20 Santa Clauses dressed in different cultural traditions. It was a great time; we were there for over three hours! Here the kids are cutting out snowflakes in the shape of dinosaurs.
Every time we visit the museum, the kids take a crack at polishing this rock, and they see over time (as lots of other kids do it, too) that it gets closer and closer to gem quality.
In the streets of Old Grand Rapids, Aidan rode the old-fashioned bike - but his feet don't quite reach the pedals!
Jim's feet reached the pedals, though!
On the top floor of the museum, we saw the Whodunit! exhibit, and tried to solve the murder mystery they had laid out for us. Here the kids were able to pose for their own mug shots.
Esme thought she should try to look mean, like a criminal!
As always, our last stop before leaving the museum was a ride on the carousel. Both kids are 5 and up, so I finally don't have to ride the carousel with them, and can sit quietly while not spinning around!
Esme had this horse picked out way before the previous riders got off so she could get on!
Our friend Danielle, from Australia, has never forgotten the children at Christmas or on their birthdays. She always chooses things they really love! When her package arrives in our mailbox, the excitement reaches its peak. Here the kids are fresh from the sledding hill, opening her cards:
Esme was having a little trouble getting hers open!
So Aidan gave her a hand with the reading.
Aidan loves science, and Danielle is a scientist by education and trade, so she encourages his interest! She sent a terrific book of science experiments for kids...
...and a kit to grow purple crystals!!! He's thrilled, of course!
Danielle knows we love books, and also that it takes several years for children's books by Australian authors to arrive in the States. We have some really terrific ones that she's sent over the years - and Esme just received some more! We've had the Wombat books since Aidan was really small, and we noticed yesterday that they've just arrived at Barnes & Noble!
On Christmas Eve, Jim started the day by clearing the mountains of snow from the driveway - while it was raining - and then, after the county trucks went through, he cleared the mountains of snow from the driveway AGAIN. Then we loaded up our new pepper white Mini Cooper Clubman (we call her "Minnie Pepper") and headed for Grandma Margie's house. It was wonderful to see Grandma; Gary, Wendy, David, Sonya and Samantha; Joy, Ken, John, Jenilee and Chris; Eddie and Mariah; Shawn, Lori, Jessica, Kelsey, Jake and Jordan!
While we were getting ready for our Christmas Eve dinner, Grandma Margie unfortunately cut her fingers quite badly with a knife she was using to cut the roast chicken. Jim, our hero, took her to the hospital to have them stitched - 5 stitches in her middle finger and 2 in her ring finger, on her left hand. They were gone for a very long time, but everyone pulled together and we got the meal on the table and very much enjoyed the food. It was hard for the kids to wait, and eventually we did our present-opening around 5 pm - Jim and his mom arrived back at home, safe and sound, about 6 pm.
Here Esme and Aidan are posing, just before tearing into their gifts.
Esme, opening her new Build-a-Bear! Nee-Nee and Mom helped her assemble it on Christmas Day; she's named her Theodora!
Here Jenilee is opening her baby Chloe's new quilt. We're looking forward to meeting Chloe, who is due to arrive 1 April (Jim's birthday)!
Esme was thrilled with her new dress from Grandma Margie: "It has Queen Crowns on it, Mommy!"
Aidan loves reading about anything, but he was really happy with the set of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" books.
As always, Aidan is happy to see a new Lego set - Star Wars, even!
Busily tearing at wrapping paper!
Both kids will be set for good books for a while at least!
The roads weren't too bad on Christmas Eve - a little icy but nothing Minnie Pepper couldn't handle! We made it back home with no problem, left cookies for Santa and made sure the stockings were hung by the chimney with care! The kids were up shortly after 7 on Christmas morning...and discovered that Santa did indeed visit our house!
Along with lots of other cool things, Santa brought both kids a pair of slippers.
At home, Mom and Dad gave Aidan and Esme each a nice, big Lego set - Aidan's was a Coast Guard set and Esme's a Belville horse stable. They also received books and Life is Good shirts. I was the happy recipient of a beautiful picture of the kids' clasped hands, edited to look like a chalk-and-charcoal drawing. It's quite lovely.
After breakfast and a bit of playtime, and a visit to Marge's Donut Den (what a bizarre experience!) we headed for my parents' house. We had a great time all day, visiting, coloring, playing, baking, and seeing all the newest renovations! Scott and Megan arrived in the evening (Cathy had to look after Zippy overnight) and us 5 grownups played high-stakes poker with Payday game money, after the kids went to bed. What fun! We also learned that Megan's little sister, when she arrives near the end of April next year, will be named Emily Anne Hollopeter, a lovely name!
In the morning I got a good picture of the three kids in their jammies by the Christmas tree!
Aidan and Dad, relaxing on the couch after an amazing tasty breakfast including eggs, raisin toast, sausage, bacon, and country-style hash browns. Mmmmmm. Thanks, Dad!
We never get tired of hearing "Fat Cat".
Nee-Nee made Esme this super cool skirt, and also gave her a black long-sleeve top to go with it. She will be the high-couture kid in Sunday School!
Nee-Nee made Esme this super cool skirt, and also gave her a black long-sleeve top to go with it. She will be the high-couture kid in Sunday School!
Aidan's showing his dad his new set of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books! It is now less than 24 hours after he opened them and he has already read them both!
Aunt Melissa sent all three kids a super-cuddly Travel Bear. Megan slept with her brown bear first, at naptime Friday! Aidan and Esme had to wait until bedtime but they slept with theirs, too. What a sweet gift! Thanks, Aunt Melissa. Here's Esme giving hers a big snuggle.
Esme was very grateful for her new kangaroo WebKinz, so she made sure to give Aunt Cathy and Uncle Scott a thank-you hug right away.
After all the present-opening mayhem, Megan looked about ready for a nap!
Papa, just after almost getting impaled with a marshmallow from Jim's new shooter. Scott got one, too - Cathy said "Looks like Nee-Nee wanted ants for Christmas!"
Aidan is reading the card from Aunt Melissa, with a poem she wrote telling everything that the snuggly bears are good for, and including pictures of her own snuggly bear on all his adventures!
A test snuggle:
Aidan with his new 15 puzzle:
The weather warmed up quickly on Boxing Day, and we had a safe trip home. Now it is raining, setting a record in Grand Rapids for precipitation in 2008. Jim has been out a couple of times to clear the sewer drains in the road of snow and ice, so the river of water in the street can escape. Our area, and indeed much of Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, is under a flood warning. We were out for a short time today - the fog is extremely dense, the rain is still shooting down, and anywhere there is a low spot, it is filled with water.
We are going out to Red Robin and a Griffins hockey game tonight with our friends the Fortunas, so we're hoping for a letup in the precipitation!
Happy New Year, everyone!