Love - Day 5

I love federal holidays. Love 'em. It's an extra day that my husband gets off and my kids are home from school as well. It's sometimes hard being the wife of a mail carrier 'cause right now Jason works 6 days a week, 10-12 hrs each day. The only day off for him is Sundays, and on that day he's so beat from the previous work week that all he wants to do is veg out on the couch most of the day.

But on federal holidays, we get one extra day with him! The kids love it and so do I. Yesterday was Presidents Day so of course he didn't have to work. We decided to take the kids to the Whittaker Center, a kids science museum in Harrisburg. Normally the day would have cost us more than $60 for our family to go and visit the museum. However, we learned that on MLK Day and Presidents Day a local bank sponsors the museum and opens it to the public for free!

We called up Jason's sister and BIL and invited them and their kids (Jake, 4 and Summer, 2) to join us. Unfortunately his sister had to work but BIL, Andy, was able to come along with the kiddos. We all had such a blast, even my big kids. There were all kinds of hands-on activities for them to do. We got to feel what Category 1 Hurricane winds would feel like. We made giant bubbles, completed a simple electrical current, learned about our anatomy. We saw an experiment with liquid nitrogen which was awesome. There also was a Kids Place that was intended for children under 5. Andy and I took Matthew, Jake and Summer through that. They played with water, climbed up and down equipment, created vehicles using supplies similar to K'nex. Matthew's favorite area was the Farmers Market where he got to play with plastic fruits and veggies and food. I think I'm oing to have to buy the kid some playfood because I could hardly get him to leave that area.

I think the best part of the day was the egg drop. The kids had to use recycled boxes, balloons, newspaper, plastic bags and other assorted materials to create a contained that would allow an egg to be dropped more than one story without breaking. We all had so much fun creating it. Austin and I worked together, Riley and Jason worked together and Andy and the little kids created one as well. The museum employees then dropped our eggs to see which ones survived. All three of our eggs made it and the kids were all so ecstatic. It was fun watching the others' contraptions, especially the ones that just went *SPLAT*!

We all had such a great time together, playing and learning and just being together. I just wish there were more federal holidays each calendar year. Only three more months until Memorial Day!

Here's a few pictures from our day:

Matthew loved the water play table...

...and the Farmers Market

Riley and Jake learned about Sound Waves

My niece and nephew, Summer and Jake

Riley got to feel a tornado and learn about its formation

Matthew and his daddy

Egg drop!

Riley and Jason and their egg drop contraption

Austin and his egg container

I'm not the only idiot living in my house

Remember in September when I broke my foot egging my husband and neighbor? Remember how Jason wouldn't let up about me being such an idiot to run in the dark after throwing eggs at him? And how if nothing else, I should have at least been drunk while doing so? Well guess what? This idiot is married to an idiot, and oh man do I love him!!

Today Jason, Austin and said neighbor went to neighbor's cousin's farm to play Airsoft and Capture the Flag. I'm not a big fan of Airsoft guns but Jason and Austin always roll their eyes at me so I keep my mouth shut. I'm also not a big fan of Jason running around acting like a 12 year old boy when he's a 32 year old man. But whatever. Well today Jason had the flag and was running and ooops, his foot fell into a small ditch and rolled. He continued to play but when he came home limping I told him to let me see his foot. He told me that he just twisted it a bit.

Umm. No. It's purple and bruised and swollen in the exact same spot as mine was in September when it was broken. His is just the other foot. Big Dummy. He's on the phone with work now taking a couple of days off for medical leave. He's going to the doctor and will get it x-rayed tomorrow.

Well off to play nurse to my sick patient. Got the ace bandage out and some more frozen peas and a pillow. Poor guy.

Is it wrong of me to laugh at him anyway even though I know how bad it hurts?