Children's Museum

Every year in October, Oregon schoolkids (and teachers) get an extra day off from school thanks to what's known as "Statewide Inservice Day". As a teacher, I could engage in some sort of professional development--either a workshop or a seminar--OR I can just enjoy a day off. I mean I love my career and all, and it's important to me that my methods and strategies stay current, but who am I kidding? A day to hang out with my kids and stay in my pjs 'til noon if I want to? I'll take it! Every time.



In fact, actually, the last couple of years there has not been much lazing around in pjs during this particular weekend. No time to be lazy at Disneyland! Yep, that's right, the last 2 years we took advantage of some great deals and headed south to see Mickey and friends. But not this year. So instead I started dreaming up a multitude of ideas. The one that seemed most likely was an overnight stay at Great Wolf Lodge up in Washington. But then, well, this happened:



Molly, of course, was FINE after her accident, but our bank account? How much does a CT scan cost anyway? Ha! Ha! That was the question that, at the time, we didn't know the answer to, so we decided it was probably best to save our pennies...just in case. (Today, because this post is only like 1 month late (!!!) I can tell you that a CT scan plus a level 4 ER visit (whatever that means?) is exactly $2,641.15. Thank goodness we have insurance! Though our portion to pay was still hefty enough. Sigh.)

So, long story short, we scaled back our plans and stayed local, spending much of Saturday at the Children's Museum in Portland. It had been quite awhile since our last visit there, and I wasn't expecting Grayson to seem so big! I'm definitely not saying that the place isn't appropriate or geared toward a 6 year-old, but for our boy, there was no sense of wonder or the look of amazement in his eyes like there was when he was 4. He still had fun, but I think he, too, was surprised to feel so grown up amid all the wild toddlers and preschoolers. Since when is 6 too grown up?!



Molly delighted in everything, especially the face paint. Multiple times. Who knew that face paint could last on one's face so long? :) It must have been the multi-layer factor.

All in all, a good day. But I'll be honest. It's hard for me to stay put during a 4 day weekend! So next year, honey, we're gonna hit the road! Or else...




I know, I'm hilarious.