The Festival of Science in Pictures

lovely pine trees

our home for 3 nights

fiona playing with ice

the kids played on this for HOURS every day

breakfast with friends

lots of scootering everyday

fiona and her snack

filtering water 

more filtering water

learning about clouds

a CLOUD

an actual dinosaur fossil in it's "jacket"

campfire and marshmallow roast

fiona looking cute

sagan "banana" biking

more banana biking

cae and a friend banana biking

sagan pushing rowan on a banana bike

on the swings playing games

checking out the moon at lowell observatory

meeting the meteorite man!

talking with Ian, the best lowell museum guy!

the ride home

so lovely

just a glimpse of the filth of my children

at a rest stop look out

relaxing at the rest stop

cae and fiona rosy

the beautiful clouds

checking out the valley

What a great time we had at the Festival of Science in Flagstaff this last weekend. We camped at a KOA campground that had a great little playground. I think, honestly, the kids like that as much or more then the science things we saw and did. Every morning right after breakfast they were all off at the playground playing with their friends and other children at the campground. We met all sorts of interesting people, two families from "Down Under" even.
The days were lovely and cool and busy, busy. The night were cold as all get out. I did not pack enough bedding, all three nights Fiona nursed constantly and Rowan slept in a ball with his knees in my back. Sagan woke up every night confused and cold. I think only Caelan slept well at least some of the nights. I must get to an Army Surplus store and buy a couple 100% wool blankets so we can be warmish next year.
Saturday we went to an outdoor science in the park event, which was lots of fun. We learned so much and met some really great people. One woman sat with Rowan for a good 15 minutes and talked to him all about trees and tree rings. He loved it.
Sunday we all went up to Lowell Observatory to hear Geoff Notkin (one of the "Meteorite Men") talk about meteor hunting. Sagan was so excited, back when we had a TV that was one of the shows he loved to watch. I bought one of his books, the one on meteor hunting, for Sagan and Geoff signed it. Then we looked through one of the HUGE telescopes at a star cluster, and went to the Lowell Observatory museum where we met Ian, the best darn volunteer I have ever met. He talked with the boys for half an hour, answering all their questions, explaining all the equipment in the museum, we learned so much. It was an amazing night.
Monday after we packed up our camp the kids played for a couple more hours and then just as it started to rain we hot the road for home. I have to say, I was so happy it was HOT in Phoenix, I was a bit tired of upper 30's at night in a tent.
I think what made this trip so much fun was having so many of our friends right there in the camp ground. The kids were so busy all day long. Up at 6:30 AM and out like lights at 9 PM every day. It was so great to have friends over every morning for breakfast, eating lunch in the next campsite, running up to the playground 100 times a day, a children's paradise. So looking forward to next year.