Week at the Science Museum

Thursday morning (July 16), we went to the main Pasadena Library to see the storyteller Karen Golden. Before the show started, the librarian advertised the summer reading program w/prizes, so during the whole show, the kids were mostly thinking about the summer reading program bag w/prizes. The show was about a girl who goes on an adventure around the world on a paper boat. The boat docked several times and each time she heard a new story. Karen Golden kept the kids interested by having them join in with sound effects (perhaps Laura was a bit young for this program). After the show, Grandma helped the kids sign up for the summer reading program. The program ran later than I thought it would, so we were late to meet Daddy at In 'n Out Burger for lunch and then the kids were late for camp.

While the kids were in camp, Grandma, Laura and I explored the Natural History Museum and the Butterfly Pavillion. Benjamin brought home the planets project that he made in camp and said that he launched a rocket today and he caught it. Then he showed us a paper rocket that he used. I assume the paper was taped to a container and then a vinegar-baking powder solution or something like that was the actual rocket. Joshua was thrilled to leave camp with a couple of ladybugs today. We were discussing whether or not ladybugs can come on the airplane home (I would like to see them survive until then in captivity!).

Today (Friday), I wanted to take the kids to see the dinosaur show at the Natural History Museum. So, we dropped Grandma at the bus station so that she could go exploring downtown and headed to the museums. We got to the Natural History Museum early enough that we could see the Dino Lab and the birds and rainforest exhibit first. The bird and rainforest exhibits were really impressive! We felt like we were walking through a piece of an actual rainforest. We rushed through these exhibits so that we wouldn't be late for the dinosaur show. The kids were nervous around the baby Tyranasaurus Rex. Joshua still bravely volunteered to check out the dinosuar's teeth. Joshua got picked to check the T-Rex's teeth because the performer was the instructor from Benjamin's camp last week and he recognized us. Then the dinosaur chased Joshua in little circles up on stage, which was really funny! Finally, we had to go back to the science museum to eat lunch and drop the kids off for camp.

While the boys were in camp, Laura played with the toy exhibit and we went to see the butteryfly pavilion. We met up with Grandma at camp pickup time and then ventured back into the museum. Benjamin wanted to show us the air and space section of the museum, but it was closed. When we went into the main building, Joshua first wanted to try rock climbing, which he did very well. Then we went to see the communication and structures part of the Creative World exhibit before I dragged everyone back to the car to leave. Benjamin enjoyed building on the earthquake table and Joshua enjoyed the exhibit that "blinks if you are close enough to someone".

Joshua here to tell us about camp. "They gave us ladybugs on the fourth day and they also gave us stuff for our ladybugs to eat. We made ladybug gliders. We made ladybug shapes and ladybug wings and colored them and we paperclipped them together and then we flew them. Oh yeah! We got our ladybugs on bird day. We started bird houses. We just talked about birds, took a break, we started our birdhouse, and then we got our visitor--a tarantula and a snake and a lizard with no legs. A few lizards have no legs. Some people mistake them for a snake. We touched the tarantula. It felt soft. On the last day, we finished our birdhouses and got birdseed. We touched a guinea pig. We fed the guinea pig."

Benjamin "I saw Joshua fly his ladybug from the megatower. I flew my helicopter from the megatower."