NEW YORK! NEW YORK!

Spring Break was the best! Loved us some family time even if the family time was in the car. All littles traveled pretty well. Paisley was a bit fussy but considering she had an ear infection that eventually ruptured she traveled amazingly! 

 

My kids pray in gratitude for Hotels every single time so appropriately that was a highlight of their vacation. 

 MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY:

I prepped my kids super well for New York by watching the movies, "Night at the Museum" and "Troll in Central Park". Consequently, the kids made sure to verify that we would not be walking over any bridges where trolls might hide and that we would only be visiting the museum in the daylight. The museum was so MASSIVE! We tried to find many of the main characters in the night of the museum movie, but since we didn't ever find the Easter Island Head Daphney says we have to go back. 

That magical dinosaur in the Natural History Museum sure knows how to make the babies smile! Look how huge some of those dinosaurs were!

 Our kid dominated crew got quite a few stares, and when I would push the twins people would tell me congratulations. Do you think I told them they were not mine? - NOPE!! Why thank you, yes I am great for carrying twins. Thanks for all the compliments and "God Blesses". :D

Sorry we didn't get a picture of the whale room... Demitri says that is why we have to go back. It is settled!

LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER:

Can you read it?! If not then Paisley made it!!

 STATUE OF LIBERTY: 

 Sadly a huge snow storm came in and destroyed our plans to do lots of picnics, but the kids did get to go sledding using card board boxes. So grateful for dads!

We didn't let the snow kill our Statue of Liberty plans, but we definitely felt and looked more like homeless immigrants waiting in line for our ferry to Ellis Island.

 While on Ellis Island we were able to watch a movie about the Immigrants that came to the island. Demitri was able to catch a quick snooze to hold him over, but Daphney never stopped commentating the movie. "Oh that person is happy, that person is squished, that person is going to America to visit her sister I bet. Do you think her sister is getting ready for her and cleaning the house... "

During the movie there was an emotional appeal where the immigrants were quoted stating what they had with them. "You were lucky if you had one suitcase. I only had my shoes, dress, coat." There were several examples like this and Daphney turned to me unsympathetically said, "Mom they still have Heavenly Father and Jesus!" She could not understand why they were so sad even if they had nothing else. Her faith was touching.

Yes that is my son!

World Trade Center Memorial- 

was a sacred experience. Interesting to see how different even tourists act when in that area. 

  Trinity Church

What NY trip would be complete without feeding PIGEONS??!!

Sibling Bonding

Story Time with these littles is SO SQUISHY! 

In this particular building there is a hallway that the kids can walk around to complete a circle. I told them they can only do it by themselves if they held hands the whole way. They were so proud of themselves that they could take care of themselves that they kept doing that circle over and over!

Driving the get away car!

Such a weird spring with park fun and fishing one day and sledding the next.

Daphney has been praying for all dads to come home safely from work. So I had to explain to her that not all moms stay home, some work too! A few days later she came back to me and asked whether she was going to be a mom that stayed home or a mom that worked. I of coarse said you can be whatever you want to be. To which she quickly responded, "I am going to be a WORKING MOM, because I want to give my kids candy if they are good like daddy does."
She very much knows how hard dad works and often saves up her candy so that when she hears him in the morning getting ready to leave she runs out of bed and says, "Hear Dad, this is for in case you get hungry while you are working SO HARD!"
But I am glad she still loves the role of motherhood whether she is a working mom or a stay at home mom.

Don't worry not poker just GO FISH and GOLDFISH!

He is a very protective brother and loves his side kick!

My Heroes! 

Nerf Guns

I will be honest.... My son has a lot of ENERGY!! And he is a huge magnet for noticing and remembering VIOLENCE! 

So I am trying to learn how to match that personality level, so that I can help him learn by example when it is appropriate to be more aggressive and how to harness that energy.  Don't worry!

What does this entail: Many reps of-

Snowball fights

Nerf Gun Wars

Lots of Wrestling

Dinosaur Attacks

Superhero Races

Tickle Fights

and Running from Monsters

I am not sure if my theory is actually working, so don't take my advice, but I do know that he is teaching me how to play, and that during which he is happy so that now every action of aggression or violence does not a carry with it a negative connotation. 

Tough Dilemma: When to shoot and when not to shoot!

This is a game that we play as part of our "school". I love it because I can work with both of my kids at the same time. I will say find a five and Demitri has to locate and shoot the number five before Daphney shoots the math problem that equals five.