Dancy is 5!

Dancy's first choice for birthday activity was Grandma's Museum, but I didn't want to commit Grandma to that, so I suggested we could do the zoo instead and invite Grandma. We also changed it to be the day before her birthday for scheduling needs. Lori surprised us that morning by coming down, too.

The wolves had just had a litter of 6 pups early in the month and the mom just happened to choose the one den out of three that had a camera hidden in it!

Dad was out on the prowl. We'd never seen the wolves in all the times we've gone to the zoo!

{Samson, me, Tommy, Katie, Dancy, Grandma, Thora, Lori}

{Samson, Megan, Tommy, Katie, Dancy, Grandma, Thora, Lori}

{Katie and Tom}

{Samson, Katie, Tommy, Dancy, Thora, Lori}

Grandma and Lori had to leave before we were ready to, so we rode the Sky Ride alone. Turns out that's not so easy for a mom with five kids under the age of 12: only four riders to a seat, kids under 12 can't ride without an adult. So we hitchhiked! I waited near the entrance until someone else came along to ride, then asked if they'd mind if Tommy and Katie, two fully functional kids, could ride with them. Then I took the other three. Same thing to get back down.

It was around 4 pm when we finally left the zoo, and you know a two-year-old is tired when he falls asleep with food in his mouth.

{Samson}

The following day was actually Dancy's birthday and Katie woke up early to help me decorate. Then I made homemade pancakes so we could have an IHOP breakfast.

Chocolate chip pancakes, REAL maple syrup, strawberries, and sprinkles for Sam...

...all of the above plus whipped cream for all the other kids.

So happy for an IHOP breakfast!

{Tommy, Dancy, Thora, Katie, Samson}

Katie fixed Dancy's hair all fancy while they were waiting for breakfast. Apparently that was a pre-arranged birthday activity for them. And Dancy donned a "cape". Aka baby-sized fleece blanket.

Fancy hair!

Dancy and Katie had art class that morning and Dancy's art teachers got her gold balloons, an emoji yo-yo, and a sucker. I asked why the gold and apparently Dancy has been branching out into other favorite colors beyond orange.

We always do a pie for the family birthday celebration, cake for the party with friends. We got turtle for Dancy and I had some sparkling candles in a drawer in the kitchen.

Olympic Training Center with Grandpa Wayne

After walking and climbing around Garden of the Gods, we ate lunch in the van while driving over to the Olympic Training Center. It was during a time that educators (including home educators!) could get in for free with their students. They also had a photo booth set up with props. I thought they were going to digitally add a flame to the torch, but I could be wrong.

{Back row: Grandpa Wayne, Grandma, me. Front row: Thora, Dancy, Katie, Samson, Tommy}

There was a gymnastics competition going on while we were there...the kind of gymnasts that they told us to watch for in the next Olympics!

I love how inspiring the Training Center always is to the kids!

{Thora}

Balancing at the top of the stairs

{Tommy and Thora}

"I can do it, too!"

{Samson}

Hahahaha!

{Tommy and Thora}

Videos from Garden of the Gods: 

Garden of the Gods with Grandpa Wayne

My grandpa came to visit my mom in May and she was looking for activities to do. I suggested Garden of the Gods and the Olympic Training Center, so they drove down and we did both in the same day.

There were three bighorn sheep on one of the rock outcroppings, but two moved before I could snap the picture.

Dancy wanted a picture with the bighorn sheep.

Tommy has a bit of a flair for the dramatic. Samson climbs everything.

Always with the phrase, "I got this, I got this!" Grandma (my mom) climbed up there, too, but somehow I missed the picture.

Gorgeous vistas

We stopped for the pull-off to see Balanced Rock.

Thora and Grandma so we at least had one picture of Grandma being adventurous with her altitude!

New rocks to explore!

{Thora, Tommy, Samson, Katie, Dancy}

Sunny D!

Strong man holding up Balanced Rock.

{Tommy}

{Dancy, Katie, Samson, Thora}

Katie was a little confused about the pose, I think.

{Dancy, Samson, Thora, Katie}

We found this cool overhang area with pillars!

{Dancy, Tommy, Samson, Thora, Katie}

Hang on, Tom!

Sambo!

{Tommy, Samson, Thora, Dancy}

Thora's new home

Finding Walt

Just another day in the forest (from May) and I decided to stretch my poetry muscles. These pictures don't fully match, but it's good enough for me.

"Finding Walt"

Sitting on boulders under the trees

Shadows flickering on the ground

Yonder runs a stream, not babbling 

or trickling, it's got no time for that 

Hurry! Run along! We've got things to 

see and games to play!

Barefoot babes ford the stream

They've got dandelion seeds and 

mud in their hair, but we don't care

Hurry! Run along! We've got things to 

see and games to play!

Squelching sneakers shuffle down the path, 

treading over snapped twigs and gravel

Snakes slither to escape through the grass

Hurry! Run along! We've got things to 

see and games to play!

Woodland creatures, hush! Hark!

Methinks fairies must live here--

Whispering grasses, clustered trees, fallen leaves

Oh, yes, the stream laughs with the voice of a thousand fairies

We lift our voices and sound our barbaric YAWP!

Sitting on the bridge swinging our dangling legs,

Dipping toes in the stream

It's stopped running now;

This is where it wants to be

We can lie on our backs on the bank

And watch the flickering light through the leaves

And lazily dream all day

For this is where we want to stay