One SHELL of a weekend.

The weather for the last week has been absolutely astounding.  Just perfect.  It has been 25-27 degrees (76-81F) pretty much daily for the last week.  The only problem is that today it’s supposed to be 32.5 (91F) and tomorrow the forecast calls for 18 and rain (64F).  A huge swing.  Then, we get a week of that before more wonderful spring time weather.  It’s better (IMHO) than the hot, hotter, or raining and hot of BKK.  So, I’ll look on the bright side.

More bright side is that we mourned the fish, but we replaced them with two turtles.  Driving home with them, one was super active and trying to climb out of the bag and the other was docile and chilling.  The climber was named Everest and the chill one got named Granite.  They seem happy enough and Kiddo is loving having something a little more active and interactive than fish.  Not that she’s taking them out on walks or anything, but they will move, chill in the water, love the sun lamp, feeding is twice as day, and in a week or so we can start introducing little bits of things like apple or bits of bell pepper and the like, so it’s not just a shake of food and moving on.  They have their little turtle pellets that they eat, but everything we’ve read says it’s good to mix in little bits of natural foods.  So, we are very much looking forward to that.  

The other fun was getting to Century Park this weekend.  We were there for about 4 hours and still only managed to see about 1/3rd of it.  We did find the rides and (unpictured) got to ride some rides with Kiddo.  J and I loved the Rotating Swings thing.  Kiddo said it was her favorite.  I was in a position to see her during the ride and I wish I had gotten pics.  Her little face was a mask of terror at the start, but she settled in and loved it.  We all were laughing like loons the entire second half of the ride.  

We saw some people doing a dance thing.  Some version of a circle or line type dance.  Super cool to see.

I think that it can go without saying that treats were involved as well.  How could they NOT be?!?!  Besides, can it really be a day at the park without a clown smile of chocolate?  Kiddo would give you a resounding NO!

Other than that, the views were great.  It really gives some great views of this city.  It also was packed with the weather being nice and it really had an energy to it.  A pulse.  It was cool to just go and experience that and feel that.  

Part of what we love about our travels is enjoying those moments.  The local things.  The pulse and hum of it.  The energy of it.  Feeling the local feeling.  Taking in the views and seeing the planning of the parks, the areas, the flow of it.  Everywhere we’ve gone we’ve loved that.  In BKK we had that.  Traveling to Vietnam we had that.  Same over the summer in LA, SF, GB, and Zijua.  Just getting into the flow of the city.  Becoming, in our own little way, a part of that flow for a short bit.  As we continue our travels we are excited to feel that flow and energy in other places and to revisit some of the places we’ve already seen.

After the park, we did stop for dinner.  Pho was the pick.  Nothing special, but the best we’ve had since Vietnam.  Kiddo was a bit burnt out after a day of travel, trains, and people, so she retreated into her book as we waited on food.  I gotta say, having a bookworm for a 7 year old ain’t a bad thing; she will fall into books and just be.  Even on the train to the park…. She just gets into reading and that will fill up her time.  Makes it easy for J and I to read ourselves; or fall into our own convos.  Not that we don’t love Kiddo and want to include her, but when she’s a hangry grumpy monkey that’s just over people for the nonce, it’s great that she can fall into a book.

Sunday, before turtles, Kiddo did drums.  The video doesn’t want to play nice, so I will keep working on that, but she’s really getting good.  Like, I’m impressed with the good.  Not that I think she’ll become the next Phil Collins or anything (deep cut there for those who know), but for a casual player, she is good.  She’s gotten much better at keeping on time and her ability to sight read the music is also wonderful.  Add to that her math skills, her language skills, and her love of spacial puzzles and I can’t even imagine what she’s going other than go on to do with herself.  It’s fun to watch and wonder.  It’s fun to see her imagination and skills, her Kiddoness on full display.  She’s such a wonderful little thing and J and I have no idea how we got so lucky to have someone like her.  Sure, she has her moments, but we all do.  As a whole, we got a good one; at least, we think so.

Let’s go, Kiddo…. Spring has sprung and we’ve got a lot to do and see.  You will continue to learn and grow and Mumma and I love watching and experiencing with you.  Let’s go back to the park, see other parks, ride more rides, and just experience and take it all in.  Why not?  We have nothing but time and love, so let’s use as much of it as we can.  Especially with you!