Pittsburgh: Carnegie Science Center

Last Friday's trip to the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Maya & Seth building cells. The first area we toured was anatomy themed. Riley loved this area, but Maya and Seth are a little bothered by thinking about internal workings of their bodies. Maya said it made her feel like she had butterflies in her stomach, and Seth said it made him feel like his bones were going to break.

They all did enjoy the giant Operation game, though!

Riley learning about stem cells.

Maya learning about wings.

And sampling wing motion.

Seth attempting to build a sturdy log cabin at the earthquake table.

One of Riley's favorite exhibits, experimenting with airplane maneuvering.

Another of Riley's favorites -- sound waves

Beautiful reef system exhibit

Learning about Ozone

We moved through here really quickly -- interesting and historic, but just a very heavy atmosphere for me and a bit too closed in for Maya.

We could not even begin to imagine sleeping on a cot hanging over a bomb like this.

What's a war without a little propaganda? Tied in nicely with things we had been talking about earlier in the week about Christopher Columbus, things we had been reading from Mysteries of History, which addresses some of the holes in various stories from history, and with the ongoing conversations we have about advertising of all kinds.

Last stop: The cafe.

Scenes From In and Around the Van

OK, so it's no RV, but for now it gets us where we're going.

Here's our van loaded down in Franklin, PA at the end of our week-long trip to Pennsylvania. 1 Fickle Skateboard shipment; 1 Leopard Gecko; 1 Black Lab; 1 large suitcase; 6 bags of toys, games, books, paper, markers, etc; 2 laptops; and 5 people

Decorating the van with window markers at one of our rest/food stops

Pablo along for the Pennsylvania trip

Snow in October in Franklin, PA

Allegheny Mountain views -- Pennsylvania

Dozens and dozens of windmills along this little stretch of land in Indiana along the way between home and Chicago. This is the only place I've seen windmills other than pictures/tv/internet.

An Oscar-Mayer weiner-mobile!

Maya drawing.

Riley reading

Seth playing

On the road

I just figured out how to send pictures from my phone to the blog. Below are pictures of just some everyday hotel living from a couple of our recent trips. Right now we're in Beaver Falls, PA -- just outside of Pittsburgh. Last week we were in Harvard, IL -- an hour or two away from Chicago. We are feeling out what it's like to travel with our dog, which ties us to our hotel a bit more than if we left him with my sister, though he's done way better than I thought he would with staying in his crate while we get out to the restaurant or pool or indoor playground here.

Friday is Matt's work-at-"home" day. We usually are driving home on Fridays, and it is really tense and frustrating for everyone. He can't hear his conference calls if there is *any* noise at all, and the kids have a hard time being *silent* for phone calls that last an hour or more. This Friday we're thinking of using some of our hotel points to get a room in downtown Pittsburgh so Matt can work from the hotel (and hang out with the dog) while Riley, Maya, Seth and I go to the Carnegie Science Center and hopefully the Andy Warhol Museum, too.

Strangest pool rule ever: No breath holding... Really??

The whole rule reads "No breath holding or prolonged underwater swimming."

"Call me Kyriu" (the Japanese name for Mechagodzilla)

Goofing around on one of our treks around the hotel to walk our dog, Pablo.

Wooly worm/tiger moth caterpillar

Yay for dog-friendly hotels!

Checking out the wooded area that borders our hotel. This was taken before she and Riley found a snake. I didn't get to get close enough for a picture of that -- we were afraid Pablo would scare it away.

Indoor playground in our hotel

Bendaroos

After breakfast at the baseball themed restaurant in our hotel

Helping Seth as he learns to read

RV Dreamin'

I never claimed any talent for drawing, LOL!

Matt is at work right now working his last full day in the office. After today, he will officially start his new job with his same company & will work from home with regional travel. Yay! Yay! Yay!

When he travels, we can go with him or stay home while he goes. Right now if we go, we have to leave our dog behind. And even though he has the World's Best Doggie Sitter (my sister), the kids have a really hard time being away from him for days at a time. And, of course, when Matt travels without us, we all have a hard time with that.

We've talked off and on of living in an RV full time. My big dream for a lot of reasons and an idea that seems to be growing on everyone else. It's an idea that always sort of hangs out there in our minds. The kids often build Lego RVs. Maya draws a lot of RV pictures. Riley is least sure about it and back and forth about whether he wants to try it.

So, with the combination of flexibility and travel that comes with Matt's job change I'm feeling one big step closer to the RV dream becoming a reality.

Here are links to the FOTR website (Families on the Road) and blog roll -- two great places to hang out and fuel the dream.

Now, do we dare seriously consider selling this house?

To Be Continued...

Biking the Busse Forest Preserve

The Busse Woods Forest Preserve has become my favorite place to go while we're hanging out in the Chicago suburbs when Matt goes there for work.


We brought our bikes this time so we could bike the trails that run through the woods. It is just beautiful when you get back in there.

Views from the parking lot.

Part of the little herd of elk that live in part of the preserve in the town of Elk Grove.