April was filled with so many fun festivals, birthday parties, random activities and, mostly, a lot of rain. It was a fun time.
UT Gardens Wild Bird Extravaganza/Egg Hunt
Well technically this was the Home Depot Kids' Clinic, but it was the morning of the UT Gardens event, so I am totally counting it.
I signed them up for an egg hunt and Anderson decided he wanted nothing to do with and refused to collect eggs. Then, he started frantically collecting them for Max & Reese once we were actually in the hunt.
The whole thing was so cute-the kids got to plant flowers, make a few different kind of bird feeders, collect bird seed, make seed bombs, etc.
Reese's attention to detail was so cute.
At one point Reese told me she was not walking anymore so I promptly picked her up. Her requests are really impossible to resist.
Then, because I love nothing more than an all day activity, we hit up a park where we ate lunch, played, explored and listened to Max cry for 3 hours.
I know. It is really just too much.
Everyone immediately fell in the creek (except the kid behind Max because I do not know him and by "Everyone" I clearly mean just my kids.)
Max was incredibly angry that I did not have an appropriate selection of back up clothes for him and proceeded to let everyone know about his feelings for quite some time.
Fountain City Egg Hunt
Bop was blowing up balloons at the Fountain City Egg Hunt, so we, of course, had to go see him!
And, of course, we brought Noni along with us.
You know how when you are little and you just hand your mom everything and she holds it for you and keeps up with it for you? Yeah, that is pretty much still happening in my life.
The egg hunt lasted about 8 seconds, but each kid did manage to snag quite a few eggs with candy and eggs with prize tickets that they were able to trade in for things like footballs. You know that if a football is available, it will make it's way into our lives immediately.
Max had a fun time picking up eggs. He is SO much less competitive than Anderson, which makes things easier at events like this. The level of expectation is just not as high and that is so pleasant. Granted, he basically cried the ENTIRE morning over the fact that Anderson had more trucks on his side of street when we were driving there, but that was clearly justified.
He was so proud of this rock that he made.
The funny part is that it was at the SAME park that we had spent 3 hours at the previous weekend. We do love being outside.
UT VET Hospital Open House
Anderson really does not love my festival hoarding, but I felt like I redeemed my horrible parenting in his eyes by taking him to the UT Vet Hospital Open House. It was not really a "festival" in any kind of sense, but there were all kinds of animals to see, touch and ask MILLIONS of questions about, so it was a total win.
Anderson is always the kid who has tons of questions at exhibits like this where there are bones, tools, animals, etc.
Max is always the kid who tries to stab people around him with the tools or break the bones or run away with the animals.
Life is clearly about balance.
They had an area where kids could pretend to be surgeons and operate for stickers.
The best part for sure was this room with all kinds of petrified/stuffed/dead/what is the word animals. Anderson was OBSESSED with all of them but mostly the Mako Shark, the Nurse Shark, the dolphin head, the tiger head and the polar bear paw. Yes, I said dolphin head.
Tennessee Aquarium
I am not sure if you knew, but I have a job at a school that I love and I pretty regularly like to sneak my own family into this world. I have been working with our Marine Ecology teacher to plan a field trip to the Tennessee Aquarium so he included me as a chaperone. And, because he actually knows Anderson from various interactions at football games, etc., he invited him along, too.
I did not tell Anderson until the day before the trip and he was obviously in heaven.
He even got a t-shirt!
If there is something to touch, he will basically climb on in the tank.
We really did have such a great time. The AE kids were so good to him and kept looking out for him and talking to him about the animals; I brought snacks for everyone and carried their things like I was actually everyone's mom; I got to spend an entire day with my kid WHILE still "working". All in all, there were clearly lots of wins.
Then, to make the day even more amazing, he stayed with me at work and attended testing proctoring meetings and we went to the AE track meet right after school. Anderson actually knows quite a few of our students and it's always so fun to watch him act like he is in high school.
Birthday Parties
Max went to a "Pony Party" in the POURING RAIN and basically the time of his life.
He played in the rain, jumped/swam in the puddles and basically turned into a slightly homeless looking, soaking wet camo child. It was amazing.
The sun did briefly come out toward the end.
I rarely attend a party with just one kid, but I really enjoy it when I do because it is nice to be able to jump on giant inflatable ponies.
After the party, we hit up a random festival in Turkey Creek.
It is not a weekend without a bounce house, you know.
Both boys got to have fun at Jack's Pool Party! I cannot believe that he is 7-Clare & I are have actual people as children now.
She did a really great job with the Minecraft theme!
I kept trying to get a pic of these 2 and this was the best one that I was able to take. I don't blame them for not smiling; the cake was pretty awesome!
I do love their friendship. I mean, any kid who can get Anderson to actually SMILE is clearly awesome.
The final party of the month included a giant slip & slide,
a pinata,
and A LOT of junk food.
We had an awesome month!
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