Swimming and Fun

We spent some time with friends over the weekend. It was great to see them of course, but the kids seemed most pleased with their swimming pool! Nate's become a pretty good swimmer and can make it from one side to another. He even finally mastered the cannonball! Here he is in his cool swim goggles as he prepares to dive down below the surface again.


Sean spent some time in the pool too, although he's not one to like getting his picture taken. This was about the best we could manage. He still wouldn't look at the camera but it's a nice profile nonetheless.


They also spent a lot of time playing with the toys in the backyard. This was a little crocodile teeter-totter they enjoyed in particular.

Discovery World

Next it was on to Discovery World, along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Milwaukee. There are lots of activities to keep the kids busy, and the first one they hit was the aquarium. Here, Sean gets up close to one of the critters that ordinarily would be swimming around in the lake. There was also a touch tank where Nate and Sean got to pet a shark and a stingray.

There were many interactive computer displays for experiments. Nate posed in front of a computer with two cameras side-by-side. The computer then combined the digital photos into a three dimensional object on the screen that could be moved in any direction.

There was also a camera that detected ultraviolet light in the form of heat radiating from the people who happened to walk by. This is probably the strangest portrait of Nate and Sean we've ever taken. They are standing in front of papa who is wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

Circus World

The next stop on our vacation was Circus World in Baraboo, a large museum operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society. This is the location where the Ringling Brothers got their start and where they used to winter their famous circus in preparation for the next performing season. Quit clowning around, Nate!

It's unlike any other museum we've ever visited because it's not just a bunch of unchanging exhibits. It includes live performances, which really adds to the overall atmosphere and helps tell the circus story. The afternoon performance lasted almost an hour and included several acts including a dancing elephant.

There was even a huge shed devoted solely to circus wagons that have been restored to their original grandeur by craftsman who work on the premises. Nate and Sean liked the wagon that used to house giraffes. They also enjoyed the one that played songs using several different instruments, similar to an old fashioned player piano except a whole lot more complicated.


When they got tired of walking around it was time to get some wiggles out on the playground. Now mom got to do all the work! We were all sorry when it was time to go home.