Biosphere and Cold Pool

It's spring break for the Elementary kids. We did the Moab trip last week as our family spring break activity, so I was thinking I'd take it easy a little bit this week and we'd try to just go to Thanksgiving Point a few times. Today I delivered on that by taking them to the Butterfly Biosphere. Look at my bugs in a jar!

Over in the biosphere - 

This was as close as we got to a butterfly today - 

There were quite a few of these big blue ones. We didn't see any monarchs, sniff! I hope the Monarch butterfly population is ok. That would be so sad if they went extinct. I remember when I was a caterpillar farmer of those cute caterpillars!

And amazing chrysalis'...

Monarchs are beautiful. I hope we get some this year. 

Peter's favorite place at the Biosphere today was the Costa Rica Climber. The bigger kids liked that too and they explored up the stairs in the activities up in the canopy. Peter was content on the baby slide on the ground level.

After a fun day at the Butterfly Biosphere, we went to Federation rehearsal. Sophi and Natalie both practiced their songs with the pianist that they will be playing on Saturday. They took turns rehearsing and watching over their younger siblings who were coloring. 

They each did their songs 3 times. 

Here's Natalie's 

And Sophi's - 

That rehearsal was at the pianist's house, which was kinda half way downtown, so after that was done, we drove out to a store to look at a few machines that I had seen on the classifieds. The kids had fun exploring through the isles of appliances. 

It was almost as good as a corn maze! I decided to buy a set that was there, new in the box, a large capacity Samsung washer and dryer. 

I had looked and looked for good price but wasn't set on a particular brand. But after buying this, I found it at Home Depot for less expensive than what I had just paid. Oh well. Part of the selling point for me was that I could get it delivered tomorrow. So I called and am working on arranging that delivery and installation. It will be great to have a new washer and dryer! $1450 plus $110 for the delivery and installation and haul away of the old ones (goodbye and good riddance!) 

And final story from today. After we got home from the rehearsal and buying the washer and dryer, the kids went on a bike ride with Corey. It was really cold outside and their hands were freezing. Daniel came in and showed me his poor frozen hands, and to help him recover I held them against my warm torso. It made me gasp briefly at how frozen his fingers were. I just did one hand. And then he held up his other hand and let me know that that one was cold too. Yikes, ok!! Here we go - brace myself as I hold it next to my skin - brr! It was a sacrifice I was willing to make for my little boy. The kids were laughing that I was breathing hard. I said "I dare you to go jump in that pool in the backyard!" I had bought this blow up pool when I took Daniel with me to Costco. They wanted to put it up on Monday. Sure the sun was shining, but it was still freezing cold outside and I knew it was too cold for a pool, but I filled it up for them anyway. Well, this is what it looked like this morning:

So as I was gritting my teeth at Daniel's cold hands, I dared them to go jump in the pool so they could feel what cold is like too. Lily was like "I will!!!" and just like that we were all laughing and she ran over to the pool and with a 1 - 2 - 3 she jumped in!

Way to go Lil! I'm impressed! She's a little dare devil just like Ethan! I love it. Then she dared me or the kids did and I was like Allright, but I went and changed into my swimsuit, and Abi got wet with me (twice)...

It was very cold and refreshing, like the cool river in Costa Rica.

...then Sophi and Natalie did...

...and we spent the rest of the evening being crazy like that. 

Poor Natalie got pushed back head over heels by Abi, which was sad, which is why this video above ends abruptly, so that I could comfort Natalie as I scolded Abi. 

But Natalie took it well and she won the master prize for her being dunked twice. 

So it was fun and I'm sure will be something that the kids remember. Owen toying with the idea of jumping in... then he opted not to, funny kid. 

I was ok with getting wet and soaking up towels, because I knew that I had a new washer and dryer coming tomorrow so I'll be able to take care of all these dirty towels, yay!