Cincinnati

We went up to Cincinnati for the weekend and met our good friends the Toronto's there.

On the way up we stopped to let the boys run around and there was this old firetruck there. It was unlocked so the climbed around in it and on it and pulled all the knobs and pushed all the buttons. The perfect thing to entertain little boys.

Our friends have four boys so it's a lot of fun when we all get together. They are moving this summer and we are moving in the fall, so this is our last get together for a while.

We ran around the purple people bridge, played at the park, took a riverboat ride, and hit up the gap distribution center. The boys had lots of fun running around like wild things.

  



The museums in Cincinnati are really awesome. Even the building is amazing. It used to be the train station, built in 1931 and still has all the old signs inside, very cool. And such a great view of the city.

The museums were amazing. We spent most of our time in the children's museum. Everything a little kid could ever want to play with. They had a really fun tree house/obstacle course that was their favorite (including the big boys). Joshua was in heaven with all the building stations they had. We also did a quick run through of the science museum and that was pretty impresive too. They had a life size man-made cave and it was pretty realistic. They also had a recreation of the ice age including full-size animals and dinosaurs. Perfect for boys. I only wish we lived a bit closer so we could go again...and again...

The Osborne's

Daddy's boys

We did a little photo session with the boys the other day. They love to wear daddy's boots and hats and things around the house...

  

The Osborne's

Friends

Ethan has really been interested in making cards and letters for his friends lately. He came up with this all on his own and I thought it was really sweet.

The Osborne's

Fun in Kentucky

Sometimes it takes a visit from someone outside your state to help you really appreciate all the fun things you have just around the corner. My sister Sara, her husband Bryce and new little chihuahua/poodle came to visit us on their move out East. It was so wonderful to see them again (she was my partner in crime on our backpacking trip across Europe a few years ago). We really had quite a busy week traveling around seeing some of the sights and helped me remember what fun things there really are to do around here. Grant loved playing with the little dog but other boys are definitely NOT ready for a pet!

Her husband is a big baseball fan so our first stop was the slugger museum. It was fun even though we had just gone on Saturday. The factory tour was actually better this time because there were people working so we got to see them hand turn a bat and see the workers in action. I batted again and discovered that fast pitch softball is much easier than fast pitch baseball (you can see the ball when it's bigger!) Grant loved swinging his little bat around.

   

 

Then we went to the Louisville Science Center right across the street. And we all got in free! Our science center has a family pass but it's over $100. However, just 100 miles away in Owensboro there is a museum with a family pass for only $40 and they belong to the ASTC Passport Program. The catch is you can only get in free to museums that are 90 miles away (as the crow flies) from your home museum. So I bought mine online (didn't actually have to drive the 90 miles to Owensboro) and now I can take my family to the science center here for free (and when we go back to Utah we'll be able to get into the planetarium and gateway for free). The boys had so much fun playing with everything and the best part was I didn't have to clean up the mess!

   

    

We went to Abraham Lincoln's birthplace in Hodgenville. It is so green and lush this time of year and such a beautiful place to walk around. We played in the rain, went up to Churchill Downs and watched a few horse races, Grant passed out at the restaurant and slept the entire time... We sat by the Ohio River to watch the sun set then hiked the brutally steep hill at Fort Duffield for an even more beautiful view. Bryce caught a frog and Grant laughed hysterically every time it hopped. It was so funny.

  

 

  

  

 

 The Osborne's

Artist

Monday is art day and Ethan loves to paint. Here are some of his latest creations...his family, fireworks and dots "like Vashti" (from The Dot).

   

The Osborne's

a Wonderful Weekend...

Happy Mother's day to all you hardworking moms and to all you who want so much to be a mom! There is no greater purpose in life than to help mold and shape the character of little people who are the future of our world. 

We had a great weekend (warning: this is a really long post!). Anthony got off work early Friday so we went for a hike through the woods near our home. We saw lots of butterflies and little frogs. The boys love being outdoors and hiking is one of their favorite things. The last picture (bottom right) makes me laugh. Joshua is potty trained now but refuses to #2 on the toilet. I gave him some prunes so that he would have no choice, but then we spontaneously decided to go hiking. So...on the way back he had an accident...Anthony got a stick and strung his clothes on them so he could carry them back to the car. He looked like a little hobo, we couldn't stop laughing.

Saturday was our stake temple day so we took turns doing ordinances. It was awesome. I love the temple! I took this picture of the Louisville temple last year. You are welcome to download it for personal use.

After the temple we drove downtown. Joshua really wanted to go over the bridge and was so excited so we drove across to humor him. They have these beautiful murals on the Jeffersontown side. Our next destination was the Louisville Science Center, but apparently they have a box at the derby because it was closed. But fortunately right across the street was the Louisville Slugger Museum which we've been wanting to go to ever since we moved here. So we headed on over and had such a fun time! We really lucked out too- they let Anthony in free because he's military, the boys were all free and I was only $6! We went on the factory tour which was actually quite fascinating and we each received a little bat at the end. The boys had fun in the museum and especially in the little kids area where they could hit a ball off the tee. Anthony and I had fun in the real batting cages too (my arms were sore this morning- my first time hitting fast pitch!). We really had a great time and the boys enjoyed every minute of it. The lady in the batting cages brought us another three bats for the boys which had the emblem of the Lousiville Bats on it. So 8 bats in all, four rounds of batting cages, a museum, movie, factory tour, fun for the kids and all for only $10. I highly recommend it, especially for military families. You can see in the picture below just how tall the bat outside the museum is, pretty impressive. And yes, I forgot my camera again, all these pics are with my iPhone...

I've been wanting to take the boys on the mile skywalk system that goes through downtown for a while so we decided to do it after the museum. I have never been in a downtown area so deserted on a Saturday before (I guess the infield for Derby must have been pretty packed).  The boys love running through the skywalk tunnels though and looking down on the street below. We went to the end by the Galt House Hotel and saw the handprints of the Derby winners. Then walked down to the river. It's kind of hard to see but I took a picture of what was part of the waterfront a few weeks ago but is now covered with mud and tree limbs. We walked down to Joe's Crab Shack where we had a yummy dinner. I ate ribs while the boys enjoyed their lobster bucket (I even tried some and didn't hate it). Came home, put the boys to bed and read a good book with my husband. It was a great day. We're going to miss Louisville, it was kind of sad to think these are our last few months here!

Then my sweet boys and husband gave me this cute little card, a lovely dress from one of my favorite modest clothing companies Mikarose  (my other favorite is Shabby Apple) and lots of hugs and kisses. I love my family!

   

The Osborne's