The Forget-Me-Nots: August 2013

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Ice Cream Days

We had a great summer in Bremen. Lots of outings as a family, and plenty of time with friends. One of the great aspects of the summer was that the weather was wonderful (not a typical statement about a Bremen Summer, but very true of this year). It was not uncommon for us to pack up a picnic dinner and head out for a bike trip. Like heading out to our favorite organic farm for a little freshly made ice cream.

The fact that this is how we kicked off our week, with a bike trip to the ice cream farm (as the kids call it) is why I love sunshine. Not to mention all the fun outdoor activities we get to do as a family.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Ubersee Museum Bremen

Well, it took us 2 years to see every single thing in this lovely museum, but we finally did it! And we all loved it. If the kids didn't love it so much I'm not sure that it would have taken us quite so long to see everything; every time we went to visit the kids had to see all of their favorite things from our previous visit (which turns out to be a lot). It's all fun though and they walk away with lots of new little tid bits of information and I get to see their curiosity grow a little bit more. It's great. Here are the pictures from our last couple of visits.

The kids thought this was the greatest thing ever. You had to turn the handle in the middle to power the unit and it would slowly count how long each of the pictures displayed typically live. We were there for some time and still didn't get to the end! But we did learn that the Galapagos Tortoise lives over 300 years (and it is theorized that under the right conditions they could live to be 1000 years!).

Atticus and the tortoise.

By far one of our favorite discoveries of the day. The kids used this computer that had tons of different eyes, face shapes, hair etc to create a face that looked like Jason. I think they picked pretty well.

Milayla was a little cautious of the "red apple". Can't say I'll be campaigning for us to go live in the Arctic anytime soon...

Milayla LOVES the old Celica that they have in the museum. As soon as it was in eye sight, nothing else mattered.

Watching a chinese opera. They were pretty enamoured.

Atticus thinks the Mongolian round house is really neat.

Examining the world map.

So glad to have had this museum right at our fingertips for exploring!

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Botanika Gardens Bremen

Change, particularly in the form of moving, always seem to bring about a slightly awkward time where 'lasts' and 'firsts' collide. As we close our chapter of living in Bremen, we have get togethers with our friends in this setting for the last time (I specify 'in this setting' because I'm sure that we will see them again soon - when they visit us in chilly Canada :) ), we visit some of our favorite places to make a few more memories and take a few more photos, we try our best to make sure groups we have initiated or places we have serves are taken care of (and of course, they will be). And we prepare ourselves for everything to change. I say everything and that seems to come across slightly dramatic but in truth, everything does change. Our surroundings change, our home changes, our group of friends evolves and grows - we change. Some changes are immediate. Some are gradual. In either case, we do our best to ensure they are positive changes. Though one should only expect positive changes when you are moving in the direction that you feel is best for your family.

There is a funny thing about 'lasts' that seem to make everything just a little bit sweeter. Moments are sweeter as we try to savour them a little bit longer. Places are sweeter as we know it is, quite possibly, the last time we'll be hanging out there. And it even goes into the realm of ridiculous when places that you never particularly cared for before even become a little bit sweet. Maybe it's just me. Me wanting to remember everything being good. That said, there certainly has been a lot of good here. And for that I am very grateful.

And with that very long introduction, I bring you our 'last' trip to the Botanika in Bremen.

The kids love this place. It's a nice mix of cultures, gardens and science to keep us all intrigued and in an exploring spirit.

When we first moved here I wrote this place off, thinking it was only a generic green house, but I went upon recommendations of friends and I am glad that we did. It's been a favorite of ours ever since. We even got to check out some reptiles and exotic birds this visit.

The things that I particularly loved about this visit were: seeing the kids really explore every nook and cranny. Since we had been here a few times already, they began to see and notice things they hadn't before and asked a lot more questions. I love their questions. I love their curiosity.

And I loved seeing Milayla proudly walking around with their little back pack on. That was Atticus' backpack when he was Milayla's age and he would wear it when we visited museums back in Leiden. That cute little backpack has now won favour with Milayla and despite me having packed both their waters in that backpack (making it a tad heavy) she would not part with it, nor even let me lighten the load. She is determined.

I loved the fish. Not because I am particularly fond of fish but because the children are. With noses pressed against the glass I have to wonder what exactly they look like to those little fish..

I loved having the kids cuddle up to me while we watched a little video (projected on the ceiling) in the science portion of the Botanika.

And I loved seeing the kids take initiative to explore the stations around them.

In the long run, I'm not sure the children will not remember much of their visits here as the years pass on. They likely won't remember that they first learned about color mixing here, or the video that was here, or the flowers they smelled, but I do hope that it fed their thirst for knowledge just a little bit more. Because, really, that is what will help them learn all those other things.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Playing at the Rhododendron Park

We sure love going and exploring new parks (or ones that we don't frequent quite as often). The kids call it a 'Playground Adventure'. Love it.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

July iPhone Photos - part 2..

So I can't help but laugh at myself. Yesterday I proudly stated that I had managed to keep iPhone photos down last month. I didn't. I just missed seeing the ones that were from earlier in the month. I thought there was a lot missing...a lot of lovely little moments too.

Like Atticus' run in with the floor that resulted in this lovely fat lip.

Thankfully, he heals fast.

And there was Milayla deciding that our bathroom floor mat would be absolutely ideal for carpet rides. I love her creativeness.

And then there are these two, who think the world of one another.

And Milayla with her love of green smoothies. Though, she likes them best when stirred in with her oats and yogurt. Can't say I'm a fan, but both kids love it.

And Milayla and her love of trying on as many pieces of clothing as she can.

Oh how I love the personality that radiates through this girl's eyes.

And surprise packages in the post (thanks again, Grandma and Grandpa!).

some classic bath shots of Milayla and her dutch duck (that she got when she was born).

I had a very bittersweet parting with most of my German books. Lots of work went into studying those things. But I'm afraid they won't do me much service in learning french.

Cooler days at the swimming pool.

Atticus "baking" cakes in the play kitchen out of helicopter and airplane pieces and serving it to Milayla and I for dessert. He was so genuinely pleased with his creativity (and so was I!) and it cooked in the oven for hours! Man, I've got to give this boy credit; he was so dedicated to making a fun surprise for us girls for dessert. It was a lot of fun.

Lots of trips to visit the animals.

Jason was gone for the weekend so the kids and I stayed busy with a museum visit in the morning and pizza and a movie in the afternoon.

Milayla is determined to turn out home into an obstacle course.

So we built a fort on a humid rainy day to keep the exploration going.

Atticus seems to have inherited my sleeping habits (sleeping on the far edge of the bed), at least for the moment.

Here's a closer look at that..

And Atticus had his first dentist appointment. Jason took him to that and I had been told that I would get to see at least one picture! I didn't. There were no pictures to be seen. But I did snap this picture of Milayla trying to open the door to the dentist building when we came to meet the boys afterward!

Atticus was pretty concerned about that dentist appointment but with his Berenstain Bears 'Go to the Dentist' book he said that he felt prepared. It was most definitely very cute. Of course, Lion went with him.

We've sure been loving summer!