Summer Days

Yesterday, I took the girls to OMSI. It was a clear, sunny day, so as we crossed the Willamette River, we were treated to views like this of Mt. Hood:

Mt. Hood
Originally uploaded by Cartographer.
and Mt. St. Helens:

Mt. St. Helens
Originally uploaded by Cartographer.
The only disappoint for Emma and Kate was that neither volcano was erupting at that moment!

We had a great time at OMSI learning about sound and how we hear, searching through owl pellets for tiny rodent bones (which we got to bring home!), and seeing strange creatures like the axolotl, an amphibian that retains its larval stage throughout its life and displays an incredible ability to regenerate.

It was blissfully quiet at the museum, so the girls had ample opportunity to play in the science playground without waiting for turns in the sandbox or the water area. On the way out, we stopped by the store where Kate picked a school set of 2 pencils, pencil sharpener, and ruler all decorated with dinosaurs and stored in their own little box. Emma got a set of shark tattoos (temporary) and 'body bits' which are little rubbery nose, ear, hand, and foot that have a somewhat sticky surface and can stretch or cling to walls, windows, etc. I even got in on the action by making a quick stop at the Yarn Garden and picking up a couple of skeins of Tahki cotton.

We came home, had lunch, relaxed and played with our new toys, and then met Dennis at Pizza Roma for dinner. It was a good day. I hope everyone else is having such a lovely summer!