Mom's birthday weekend

Seth was coaching in California for just shy of a week recently and my mom's birthday was in that time frame (8/22), so the kids and I made a trip home to SC. 

We live very close to Adelyn's school and we always thought it would be so neat to walk. This particular Friday, we tried it! The kids ate a banana on the way (hence James's banana-phone). I knew going into it, it wasn't going to be the easiest walk and I was proven correct. There is a triplex of schools (elementary, middle, and high all beside each other), so lots of folks are on the road. Additionally, there is NO sidewalk! We probably won't do this again, and that makes me super sad!

Adelyn rides the bus home but on this day, I endured the carpool line and we left for SC from there. We got to my parents' house in time for dinner. 

On Saturday, we rode the Lynx (public train in Charlotte) downtown and hit The Discovery Place. As we walked there, there is a building that has handprints. When you line your hand up, the colored bars light up the side of the building. The kids loved it!

Adelyn is pressing a button that makes nails raise up on this bed. It's showing how equal weight distribution won't impact you. 

Adelyn is working those muscles on the pulley machine!

I sure wish James would clean up like this at home! Granddaddy and Uncle Joe are helping him pick up the newspaper scraps and throw them up this blower....only to repeat the process again and again again!

We saw a show about reptiles

They have a mini aquarium and we were all awed by the jellyfish

This room has lots of animals, microscopes, and life cycles. The kids are seeing life through a bug's eye.

There was a display all about rubix cubes. This an entire wall filled with them.

This machine could solve the cube in seconds. It was pretty cool!

We saw IMAX National Parks Adventure. Oh my gosh....I want to see every National Park in the US! The kids were excited that they had been to Glacier and Yellowstone. Great film (narrated by Robert Redford)

Adelyn looks so grown up here! Girl in the city, waiting on her train

James fell asleep on my mom on the ride home.

We spent Saturday evening eating at Local Dish to celebrate my mom's birthday. This is a new to me restaurant in Fort Mill. Main Street in Fort Mill has really changed, and for the better. There were cute shops and restaurants and I hope to spend more time next trip checking them out. On Sunday, my brother came home and we enjoyed a family breakfast before the kids and I headed back home. It was a great weekend with my family! :) Happy birthday to my sweet mom!