It was another amazing break week at Camp Sophia for Steven, Sammy and Amaya. So many adventures each day.

Monday started with a visit to Buddy’s pizza and glow-in-the-dark mini golf. When they wrapped up, they headed over to a bowling alley. Bowling was toward the top of their list for the week.

Mini golf + glow in the dark… a kid’s dream.

Sophia smoked them! Amaya was the “kid winner” as we call it around here.

Bowling! I don’t love bowling and I’m not good at it but the kids looooooved it so I may give it another shot. Sammy and Steven each got a strike and, as the boys tell it, Amaya got a lot of splits.

Sammy, jumping in the air after a good roll. (Is that what it’s called? A roll?)

Steven has this smaller rubix cube that he’s been working on. He said, “I got all of the colors on each side! But not at the same time.” lol

Tuesday was a visit to Stemville in Northville. I haven’t been here yet, but it was the kids’ second visit and they had a great time again. Places like this are right up their alley. Hands on STEM fun.

On Tuesday night, the kids had a chance to Facetime with Grandpa Homey. <3

Wednesday was a trip to the zoo! I don’t think I can do the cold in grey, 30-something degree weather but Michigan folk are built of stronger cold-weather stock and Sophia and the kids had a blast. Sophia said they had almost as much fun in snow piles as they did seeing the animals.

Giraffes! I’ve never been to the zoo in the winter so I didn’t know you can see giraffes indoors at the Detroit Zoo. So cool. A giraffe even came over to say “hi” and the kids report that two of them “kissed on the lips.” (Amaya loves it. Steven says he likes romance but never wants to kiss on the lips because it’s gross. Sammy had no comment.)

We ended the day with Crab Fest. For Mommy, Daddy and Sammy only. 🙂

Thursday was a visit to Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum. The kids had a blast playing the games, including some “old timey” ones. Sophia said, “It’s so cute when Sammy is excited and he jumps and runs around and smiles. He’s been doing that a lot here.” I can absolutely picture it.

This girl came home with a lot of lollipops.

On Friday it was my turn for an adventure with the kids. We went to the Michigan Science Center in midtown Detroit. We’ve never been but saw it next to the Detroit Institute of Arts and were excited to check it out. We were there for about 3.5 hours and the kids were non-stop the entire time. I was busier than it looks in pictures but empty enough that the kids didn’t have to wait much for their experiences.

This was set up like a pinball game with a spring loaded trigger. The goal was to arrange the metal tubes in a way to get the ball to return home. Steven and Sammy both spent a while on this.

Amaya spent ages creating the perfect path for her ball.

We made paper airplanes and threw them through targets. (Or tried to. None of mine made it.)

A chemistry tutorial, making slime.

My girl <3

Snowboard racing! Even I got in on it.

Really for New Year’s!

Amaya was a volunteer at the science show. She helped demonstrate how lasers are used to remove cataracts.

We got home in more than enough time for a great New Year’s Eve celebration! This year, the kids were determined to make it to midnight and 2/3 did it.

Such little babies….growing up.

We watched football, played Blokus, and had a great game of Super Mario Kart.

I did not win.

By 10:30pm, this boy was tired.

Just before 11pm, we headed up to the big bed to watch NYE celebrations, while Jason finished the football game. This was at 10:56pm and sweet Sammy was still awake.

By 11:02pm, he was out.

We tried to wake him for the ball drop but he was o-u-t.

I literally held Steven up in my lap to help him make his goal – and we did it! At one point he said, “this is torture!” Someday he’ll learn the joy of being asleep at 10pm on New Year’s Eve. 🙂

Before bed, he turned the clock to midnight.

Yesterday was mellow, mellow, mellow. We were tired and up for a lazy day at home. A game of Set, some tv time…nothing of note – just what we needed.

First real snow of the season for the kids! It’s still amazing to me how kids can play in the cold snow for so long. Five minutes and I’m done for! It wasn’t great sledding snow but that didn’t stop them.

Sammy, the stinker, got a kick out of piling snow up against the back door so we can’t open it. He got a real kick out of cackling at us through the window while he worked. <3

The rest of the day was mellow – sports, science kits, hot wheels, jewelry crafts. I think we’re all (sort of) ready to a return to the regular routine tomorrow.

Have a great week!