Summer fun

Summer started with Libby's graduation from Pre-K/Daycare. I can't believe that next year she will be in Kindergarten. We don't really think she's ready to go but I hate for her to spin her wheels in Pre-K again so we will give it a try but are completely prepared for her to repeat Kindergarten next year.

I have been trying to plan at least one outing a week and our first one was to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas.    It was very well done and I loved seeing the reproduction of the oval office as it was when Bush Jr. was president.  My personal favorite was the displays of some of the gifts that were given to George and Laura Bush by the visiting dignitaries.  There are some amazing pieces of jewelry and precious metals as well as more humble gifts like pieces of hand painted pottery and even gifts that were given to their dogs.  The cherry on top was when we saw Owen Wilson (his family lives in Dallas) going in as we were leaving.  I tried to play it cool and just ignore him but Michael had to give him a wave and he did wave back so now Michael says they are "boys".

They have a wall of magnetic slogans and stars, etc. that kiddos can use to create their own campaign posters.

Not really related to a summer outing but I did order these large engineer prints for Libby's room from Parabo press and just wanted to share them here in case anyone is interested.  They cost $20 each and the site was very easy to use.  Just upload your image (I used some from Facebook) and they ship it within 48 hours.  

Here is a panoramic view of Libby's room.  I need to get a better photo of her gallery wall.  The room color also does not read well here.  It's Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore and is much more grey in real life.

Now on to another adventure.  One day I decided to take the kiddos to NRH2O which is a water park here in North Texas.  It was AWESOME!  We have been to a smaller water park in our home town which is okay but I was really really impressed with NRH2O.  There are so many different little "areas" that are great for smaller children who maybe can't swim so great like Libby but that also cater to larger kids like Ezra who want to go and swim like a fish.  We had a great time and I definitly wish that we lived closer b/c I would be investing in a season pass for sure.

I am also in the market for a new vehicle so I decided to take Ezra with me to look at some Ford Explorers.  He was more interested in the Mustangs though!  

We have also been to the U.S Mint/Federal engraving and printing something or the other here and honestly that was a bit of a let down.  The security measures in place were something to behold though and I have no photos of that trip b/c you are not allowed to bring in a cell phone.  You have to leave it in your car.  These guys are NOT playing around.  There is a self guided tour of the factory where you can watch as money is printed and made which is really neat.  I didn't get to listen to the tour though b/c we brought Libby with us and that was a fiasco so we had to kind of rush through it.  Seeing those HUGE stacks of money was nuts and I couldn't believe how the workers were so detached from it.  They would just be printing sheets of $100 bills and were loading them and unloading them from the presses like they were nothing but a big sheet of paper, which they are but still I was just in awe.