Siegfried's Birthday Party!

Ever since we moved here, I don't even know how many pictures I have shared of the kids visiting Siegfried the Stegosaurus at our local children's science museum. Not only does Niko LOVE dinosaurs, but Siegfried is sort of an icon! We always have to visit him when we go there. And today was a very special day-- it was his 49th birthday! He has been at the museum ever since it first opened its doors, and they threw him a birthday party today!

We got there early and had a little time to explore and color some dinosaur masks. Then we all filed into the planetarium, and listened to the reading of the book Siegfried, read by the author herself! Then all the kiddos paraded down to the courtyard (where Siegfried is located) and sang "Happy Birthday" to him. And then we had cupcakes and punch. Cookie herself (the author) cut the birthday cake. And then my mom bought the kids an autographed copy of the book, which they insisted Gus read to them at bedtime.

Anyway, it was really hot, and we are gearing up for a thunderstorm, but it was fun!

Let's see, what else? This morning, Gus took my parents out on the canoe for a little lake exploration. Then we went to lunch at the place Niko has dubbed "the baseball restaurant" here in town. Then it was off to Siegfried's birthday. And then we spent the rest of the afternoon on the deck. My friend Caryn had given me her old inflatable pool, and I thought I would inflate it and fill it. Well... it has a lot of holes in it, apparently! It is now in the trash, and I think we're going to get another one. We shall see!