So Much To Do, So Little Time: Altamont Fair and a museum trip

Last week we went to the Altamont Fair to "visit" Maddie's exhibits and work at the snack shop....and eat some fried dough and ride some rides (well one of us any way!). We had a great time! For the third year in a row one of Maddie's entries was good enough for the state fair! The owl box will be travelling there in the coming week so soon we will be on our way to Syracuse!

Is she excited or what? That big green box in the background is the owl box.

Upper right is Maddie's achievement book--pink teacups on the cover.

Chick hatching!!

This is our group display about the jumping jack a thon the kids did to raise canned food for the SICM food pantry. We got a participation ribbon and a blue ribbon!

I was so proud of the kids. They all did a great job on the projects, explaining them to the judges and working at the snack shop. Maddie pitched in to do 2 shifts...thats part of the price for being the leader's kid!

Aren't they cute?

This goat was so funny. Every time Maddie petted him(her?) he wagged his tail! Then he would get that glazed eye look that dogs do when you hit that just right petting spot. I think Maddie would've stayed there most of the day.

One of the last things we did was visit Twiggs the giraffe. He was not interested in eating our carrots though--see Maddie below. I think by the time we arrived Twiggs had enough of people in general and was ready to run around the track. I hope at some point he got to run somewhere! Very neat to see one up so close!

After that we had a regular week of day care, schoolwork and work for Daddy. One of the funniest things this week was on our dining room table. Whenever things like this happen I really have to wonder about other moms of scientists. They must've put up with this too.

This one is Maddie and Emily during their reading time after lunch. Escape to the backyard or bedroom is very necessary so no one under 5 expects to be read to by Maddie!

This week we are having a bit of a mini vacation. Some work, some days off! Today, saturday, we went to the Springfield Museums. They are having a display of Lego Castles through the beginning of September. A trip to see them was Maddie's reward for a summer of reading.

She is just a little excited!

It was very cool. There were parts set up for younger kids and other parts for older kids. Maddie didn't care...she did it all. She jousted and built with both legos and duplos!

A welcome from the princess!

Jousting!!

entrance to the main exhibit

building with duplo

Brian and one of the Lego knights standing guard--yes its built out of Legos!

Building with Daddy with Legos

Maddie and the other knight standing guard!

This was a part of a castle that could be climbed on. It appeared to be made out of giant Legos.

There were many displays of Lego castles already built. This one is to show the parts of a castle.

This one and the one below are based on a real castle in Europe. The wheel below lets you turn the castle so you can see the whole thing.

After seeing this display and visiting our other favorite parts of the science museum we had lunch outside near Yertle the Turtle. Maddie wanted to go say hello to Yertle when we were done so we walked over. They had quite a lot of HUGE butterfly bushes and there were a ton of monarchs and painted lady butterflies. It was so very cool and we were the only ones there! One landed on my hand and then walked over onto Maddie before flying away.

Momma's hand

Maddie's hand

gone!!!

Monarch

Painted Lady

Thanks Yertle!!!

We went through the quadrangle to go to the next museum and there was a "Stickworks" exhibit! One that you could wander through or, if you are 8, find other kids to play hide and seek in it!