Calling all Octonauts, family and friends!

What a week the Nutt House has had.  As I reflect on the pictures and events that took place the beginning of this week I cannot help but ask myself, was that really this week?  Our Nutt-y days are blurring together and going too quickly.  While slowing life and time down isn’t an option; enjoying, making the most of, and treasuring each Nutt-y moment we can is an option and one we work hard at. 

We closed out another set of swim lessons this week as Kara continues becoming more and more fish like.  She still has some work to do to fully be able to swim by herself, though most of what she needs is to believe that she can do what she knows how to do even when she cannot reach the bottom of the pool.  That said, the progress she has made in just two weeks is phenomenal.  I cannot wait to see what her skill level will be like at the end of the swim lesson session that starts tomorrow.  Along with swim, Kara attended multiple dance classes throughout the week to stay busy while staying cool.

Getting better at swimming without someone
right next to her!

Enjoying a drop in tumble class.
In her words, easy peasy compared to her normal class!

While Kara has been swimming and dancing to her heart’s delight Kaden has been jumping, swinging, climbing, kicking, and rolling to his.  He attended a play class at the gym where he takes his new sports class Monday late afternoon and had the greatest of times.  Fast forward to Saturday morning when his class took place and it was as if he was an old pro with how easily he was able to adapt to each task placed before him.  He exudes happiness each time he is able to participate in his sports classes.

 

He loves jumping in the ball pit!

My very own Rollie-Pollie-Ollie

This.  This is the smile!

Bubbles!!!

Food fun was on the agenda for weekly fun for the Nutt House this past week.  Earlier in the week we went to Chick-Fil-A for dinner where we were treated to a Circus theme evening complete with games and a show put on by a clown from Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus.  What an excellent performer Watson the clown was!  All Nutts, big and little alike were all smiles, laughing and engaged in his show. 

Game time!

They enjoy seeing the cow each time we go in!

They were mesmorized!

THE BEST Clown!

A day later we met up with friends for lunch at IKEA where after we ate the kiddos were treated to story and craft time.  The restaurant area of IKEA was crazy insane busy.  It was kids eat free day and chaos was the one item in abundance at the restaurant.  Having friends with us made it easier and the story time helped to make the outing worthwhile. 

Making scratch-away bookmarks following lunch and story time

 Not to be outdone, Saturday, we enjoyed a treat for lunch and went to Rainforest Café.  The atmosphere is such a hit with the kiddos that we find ourselves repeatedly enjoying the restaurant.  I’m not sure if it is inspired by the atmosphere or what, but when we are at Rainforest we are able to talk the little Nutts into trying different types of seafood.  Fun atmosphere, good food, ability to get our kiddos to try new things… good times all the way around!

Why not stick your tongue out at mom when she says,
"I want to take your picture"

Kara has been working on signing "I Love You"

Our weekly trip to the bowling alley was a success!  We found our Nutt-y selves improving over our past performance.  If this keeps up, the bigger Nutts may just be lucky enough to break 100!  Ha!  All scoring aside, we have fun each time we go and find we are each improving little by little.  Our games are getting slightly more competitive with Kara starting to ask if she is winning or how far away from winning she is.  Even with that, we are quick to cheer each other on after a good frame. 

Check out Kara's spare!  *Brent and myself both ended with
one strike and two spares each.  One point difference in the game!

Friday was the epitome of a busy day for the little Nutts and myself.  We started our day off at the movie theater enjoying the summer movie of the week.  After which we journeyed over to Mesa where we discovered a fun new cookie shop specializing is sugar cookies with royal icing where the kiddos were able to color their own cookie. 

Mr. Cookie Monster

Happily drew a self portrait, wrote her name and other designs

Since we were just a block away we could not pass up the chance to pop into the Natural History Museum for a few moments. 

Definitely a couple of Nutts!

Touch and explore tables are the best for little ones!

Following a short trip to the museum we headed over to the library for what we thought was going to be a show and exhibit from the Challenger Space Center Museum instead we found the event cancelled and replaced with Frozen Frenzy meaning an hour spent with Elsa and Anna.  As Kara corrected a librarian for incorrectly pronouncing Anna’s name I knew the activity was going to be enjoyed.  Elsa and Anna read to us, led the group in songs, played games with the kiddos then ended the event with pictures.  I do believe, it was the perfect story time for Kara.

Our Nutt-y fun did not end with our busy day Friday, oh no.  Saturday as a family we cruised on over to Sealife Aquarium where we enjoyed the different sea life exhibits.  Now, our little Nutts are well… nuts over creatures that are from the ocean right now in part thanks to Octonauts, a TV show about a bunch of characters who travel around the oceans researching, protecting, and helping sea creatures.  This show has become a favorite at our house.  The argument that they are learning more about sea creatures each time they watch it is one that is used quite frequently to get me to allow screen time with the Octonauts.  Anyway, not only did we get to touch star fish and anemone, see rays, sharks, octopus, and sea horses along with other creatures but two of the Octonauts were at the aquarium!  Kara and Kaden got to meet Captain Barnacles (the Polar Bear) and Peso (the Penguin) who is the medic.  Both little Nutts were so excited, especially to meet Peso!  Prior to meeting the Octonauts, spread throughout the aquarium were tasks put in place with signs from each of the Octonauts that as the children completed the tasks they were able to work towards becoming an honorary Octonaut.  Needless to say, both Kara and Kaden eagerly completed each task, having their picture taken, touching a creature in the touch pools, learning more information about a creature and more.  What an experience!  Less than 24 hours later the little Nutt’s are already asking when they can go back and meet the other Octonauts!  We’ve sadly explained no other Octonauts will be there and we’ll have to see when we can go back. 

 

Gently touching a starfish

Bravely touching an anemone

The lobsters whiskers were longer than Kaden's arm span!

Awwww!  A shark!!!

Love these little goofs

Next to the Octopod (where the Octonauts live and work)

She now says she wants to be a medic
just like Peso

Happy little man

With all of this, our week is now done.  Before I wither away, I better close up or I won’t have the energy to make it through another Nutt-y week!

***Addendum***

Warning, updating when feeling very tired results in activities that took place during the week being omitted, even events that had happened not even 2 hours ago!  Sheesh!!! 

So, after I completed my weekly update last night I shuffled my way into bed where as my eyes were closing I asked Brent what he thought of the update, a typical question each Sunday night to get his take and see how many mistakes I made.  Well, this one was a doozy.  I was so tired I forgot to comment about the pleasant evening we had Sunday night with Brent’s grandparents! 

We ventured over to AJ yesterday evening for an evening of visiting, playing a few games, and sharing in chocolate chunk cookies from Costco (Brent’s grandpa’s favorite).  The evening was so enjoyable!  Upon arrival we visited for a bit, while we did the kiddos quickly spotted Brent’s grandpa’s nesting dolls and went to town unstacking then restacking the dolls.  While the conversation was nice, watching the kids was just about equally entertaining.  After a while and a few toy changes later we moved over to the dining room table where we played a few rousing games of Go Fish, War, and Princess Dominoes.  Games that I am fairly certain the grandparent’s hadn’t played in a while.  With the witching hour approaching and attitudes starting to reflect as such we enjoyed a cookie then bid adieu.  I’ve said it before and it is worth repeating – there is nothing like time with family or friends it is simply the best!

Speaking of time with friends, I also forgot to mention that one of Brent’s oldest and closest friends came through town on vacation with his family earlier in the week.  We made a point to seek out time to visit and allow the old friends to catch up.   My favorite part of the evening was observing Brent’s facial expressions and the gleam in his eyes as the old friends reminisced and caught up.  His eyes would sparkle and genuine happiness and contentment filled his smile.  The evening and his look were what friendship is really about – such happiness.  I just wish I could have captured it somehow outside of my ever too forget mind.  Though, I know it was the type of moment that would have been ruined with the snap of a camera so with restraint, I held back. 

Now, with the priceless moments spent with family and friends included for the week, there is just one more forgotten item – a family photo from our aquarium trip with the Nutt House standing in an Octonaut Gup-A!

Now, on to a new week!