Getting an early start on Halloween

On Sunday afternoon, Curt and I took the girls to the UofM's Exhibit Museum of Natural History for their 15th annual Halloween Party.

I can't believe this is the first time we've ever made it there, but I have a feeling we'll be back. We only hung around for more than hour of it (it was packed and hot in there) but it was still a ton of fun and a nice addition to our Sunday afternoon.

The museum has recently been hit with controversy surrounding their Native American dioramas --which have made those exhibits more popular than ever. I'm glad I got a chance to see them one more time before they're gone.

Here are some snapshots of our visit on Sunday.

We ran into Tate and MacKenzie (and their parents) as we were coming in and they were going out.

A quick shot with Mom before we head into the dinosaur room.

Posing with Dad next to the stuffed wolverine.



The live lizard was really cool.

But the snake was even cooler!

The Bridge is Mine

Audrey has been displaying a very creative flair lately -- both in her dramatic abilities and in her writing.

The drama, I could do without.

She has recently concocted a series of "illnesses" that get more and more alarming with each incident. This is all in an effort to yank me out of work so that I can take her home and thereby get her out of school early.

I bought it the first two times. I mean . . . what else are you gonna' do when the school secretary calls and tells you that your daughter is sick and wants to go home? However, by the third phone call in as many weeks from the school office, I was done. I don't even remember what the first two illnesses were but the third call was about her "arm hurting." There was no accident or anything . . . her arm just started hurting. Oh geesh. Thank goodness the school nurse wasn't buying it either and Audrey stayed in school that day.

The very next day, we got a call that her hips were hurting.

Seriously??

At least she is venting her creativity through music and dance in a much more positive way. Not only is she heavily involved in her tap and ballet classes on the weekends, she has also taken to music-writing like her Dad.

She recently composed this beautiful song. I hope to get a video of her singing this song and will post it soon.

She has plans for many more songs. She commented that she wants to make a "CD of 29 songs." That is -- if her injuries don't get in her way.