Voyage on the Parkway

Today was the "Voyage on the Parkway". We visited the Boonshoft Museum which had all the activity tents set up outside and the Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark. Wegerzyn had activity tents set up as well as the Gourds & Ghouls Festival going on. There was a shuttle between the two locations.

The kids and I left the house at about 10:40am. Travis went to the rifle range with some guys from church. He met up with us after lunch. When we got to Boonshoft we got these Passport cards. The idea was to go to each activity tent, do the activity, and get a stamp. When you filled up the passport you could get a free book! The activities were geared toward pre-schoolers entering Kindergarten.
The kids had a lot of fun. First, they went to a storytime and got a bag of food to feed the squirrels.

The next station was all about rhyming, which Trouble loves to do. Dynomite didn't do too bad herself!

We then went over to a both for Cassano's pizza. The kids liked playing with the pizza dough.

The lady at the booth asked some older kids if they wanted to join 'The Anchovy Club', but only if they ate a piece of anchovy. I thought of one them was going to puke!! Trouble wanted to try and he ate it up no problem!! So he got a membership. Dynomite tried, but didn't get past picking a piece up and licking her finger. So I gave her piece to Backpack and he also ate it right up! They must take after Daddy on that!!

Next tent was for knowing your ABCs. They had to roll the ABC block and find something that started with that letter.

They then made paperbag puppets! They love to do crafts, so they were excited about this.

They also experimented with balancing objects. Here they were trying to balance pumpkins in buckets. Not a success until they held the buckets level!!

Then some stamping to get to know your 'ABCs'.

And the last activity at Boonshoft was making these scarecrows. That was a little hectic and I was hungry, so we rushed through and I fixed them a little when we got home. So here they are in front of the house:
So after that harrowing craft we ate lunch and waited for Travis. The kids were very good! When he arrived the kids got on a Halloween Trolley. According to Dynomite, "It really freaked her out!"

Then we got on another Trolley and went to the Wegerzyn Gardens. The had a +500 lbs pumpkin:

Again we went around to the activity tents.

This one was to encourage reading to your kids and your kids to read to you or others. Dynomite read to Elmo:

Trouble read to Backpack and a koala bear:

I read to everyone:

Backpack read to Dynomite and I:

Backpack, now a shoulderpack:

There was an Irish band playing. So the kids got into the spirit of it and danced. This is where all the dance lessons for Dynomite have paid off:

Daddy showing her a thing or two:

Wait, I don't remember this in ballet?!?!

So on our way to get pumpkins we saw sandboxes. Coveted by all children, we had to stop. A good way for Mom and Dad to get some rest too!

So here is a sequence of pictures:

1) Backpack is saying he has sand is not afraid to use it!

2) Daddy is saying, "Don't you throw that sand, but it down!"

2) Backpack: "What sand!?!"

Perhaps that is a look we should get use to!!

Trouble with a tractor...he's in heaven...tractor and sand!

First Sister builds:

Then brother builds:

Finally we get to the pumpkins. We thought this would be a lengthy process. The kids ran in, basically picked up the first one they saw and colored on it. It was that easy!!

Here they are at home:Of course the sleeping kiddos. No activity is complete without the picts of sleep kids. Which means as parents we did a good job!!

We finally arrived home after 4pm. It was a long day, but the kids did really great! We had a great time. Have we mentioned that we love Ohio and all the things to do. There were two other festivals going on today, but we knew the kid would love this on the most. There were tons of people there today, but it didn't feel crowded. That is why we love it. There are things to do and you can actually enjoy it!