Training Our Seals

Okay, you probably had to be there on this one but I have to post it......

Have any of you out there ever been to the Lincoln Zoo when they have the 'seal show?' They basically have two harbor seals that perform different 'tricks' and assorted stuff while the zoo keeper or trainer explains a bit about the animal. Several times during the show, the trainer uses some device that makes a loud 'click click' noise and requires the seal to touch its nose to the trainers fist and, if successful, gets a treat (fish).

I'm walking down the stairs this morning and hear Carson 'click click'ing in the dining room. As I make it downstairs, I see Echo and Ginger taking turns touching their nose to Carson's fist and get rewarded with a treat (not a fish). I asked Carson if he was training the dogs. He said that he was, just like they do with the seals at the zoo.

Observant and creative kid. And he has the dogs listening to him better than they listen to me.

A Week Off

This past week, we pulled the kids from daycare and spent the week doing different things. One of the days, we went to the Omaha Zoo and The Amazing Pizza Machine. Here are a few pictures from that day:

Here is Carson and Tara on the roller coaster inside The Amazing Pizza Machine:

Here Hannah is bowling. The cheer is for hitting at least one pin:
Hannah posing with the lion statue:

Tara and Carson on the Skyfari ride:

Carson posing with the lion statue:

Hannah's Dance Dance Dance Recital

This is a video clip of Hannah's Dance-Dance-Dance recital last month at her daycare. I forgot to upload it.....but here it is now. She is in the middle, back row.

School's Out

Carson finished up Kindergarten this week! We are so proud of him. We sure are going to miss his teacher, Mrs. Zettermen. She did such a great job....now we're curious who he'll end up with next year.

Carson and Hannah are both going to Williamsburg Village this summer. Hannah keeps doing what she's been doing. Carson, on the other hand, is attending 'Camp W.E.B.' which plans a bunch of activities during the week to keep the kids engaged. Stuff like going to a movie, going to the library, field trips to various businesses....he was in Camp W.E.B. last year and had a blast.

Currently, we are keeping busy running Carson around to various activities. He just finished up soccer through the Capital Soccer Association and is playing coach-pitch baseball through the Junior Saltdogs. He is one of only two Kindergartners playing on his team. The rest are 1st and 2nd graders.

AND......I would be remiss if I didn't point out who's birthday it is today.

A big 'Happy Birthday Tara (Mom)' is in order. We love you!!!

On Yellow

We picked Hannah up from 'school' yesterday and were told by her teachers that she was good for most of the day but ended up on 'yellow' at the end for pushing a friend. Of course, we had to address this and asked Hannah about it:

Hannah said that she pushed her friend Emerson when she was on the slide. "Why did you do that Hannah?" we asked. "She wouldn't go down the slide...I pushed her and she cried," was her answer.

We asked the perfect follow-up question, "How do you think that made her feel?"

Hannah's response was priceless...."It didn't hurt that much."

A Little Patience Please

We were getting the kids bathed last night and Carson was his typical self.....if you haven't realized it yet, Carson has two speeds off of the soccer field or the baseball diamond--slow and backwards. So, while I'm not on any time line last night, I tried to get the kids moving along so we can get some things done in the evening. Needless to say, this didn't work very well so I had to keep reminding Carson to hurry up and dry himself off.

Finally, Carson said to me, "Dad, do you know what the word patience means?" I tell him, "Yes Carson. I know what it means. Get dried off."

Carson says, "Jeez, have some patience please."

These kids are too smart for their own good.

New Addition

We welcomed a four-legged friend into our family today! Echo was a surrendered dog from the Capital Humane Society and in desperate need of a loving home so we brought the kids to interact with him and found that he is fond of both Carson and Hannah. He is very gentle and very passive....and he found a buddy in Carson. Actually, the two of them are practically inseparable. Here are a few photos of the two of them when we first brought Echo into the house: