Port Townsend

Just wanted to share some pictures I took of the family  in Port Townsend while my parents were visiting.  My grandparents lived there for a couple of years when I was growing up and I have such awesome memories of taking a ferry and going to visit them. :)  Even though I enjoy crying like a little girl about how homesick I am for the Eastside, I DO really like the fact that all these places from my childhood are within a few hours drive.  Where else can you find a beach or be driving up the most gorgeous mountain in the world just 30 minutes from your driveway?  The PNW!  My photography skills are still a work in progress so please judge silently my slightly out of focus pics, blown out skies, and underexposed images...I'M ON A LEARNING CURVE!!!  GEESH!!!

 

We drove over to Fort Warden and down to the lighthouse and the beach.  What an awesome place!  It's also where they filmed the movie "An Officer and a Gentlemen", which ironically was on cable a few days ago so of course I had to watch it.  On a side note, Richard Gere was kinda hot back then...in a 80's pre-gerbilgate kind of way. ;) Yes, I went there.  Couldn't help it.  It's in my nature.  Plus, it's wasn't true.  So there.  TEAM RICHARD GERE!  

Love these people!  Koa has been the resident photo-bomber lately and I've just had to embrace it.  

 

Yes, we roll out in footie pajamas and a vest.  Is anyone seeing a pattern here?  

 Koa is also our resident go-go dancer.  He dances.  Everywhere.  Here is his showcasing his funky fresh dance moves.......beach style.

 

This picture makes me giggle.  Thanks for the face, Dad!  

 

OMG......LEWIS???  CLARK???  IS THAT YOU!?!?!?

 

 And there you have it.  Port Townsend.  Good times, good times.  I forgot to mention that on the way up we were stopped at the Hood Canal Bridge to let a nuclear sub go through.  It was pretty cool.  I wish I had pictures but it was too far way. :(  Steve and Isaiah were in Spokane so hopefully we will get the chance to take them up to P.T. sometime soon.  On a side note, if you ever find yourself in P.T., go eat at Waterfront Pizza.  It will NOT disappoint! 

 

 

Tornado in a Jar

Koa is reading "A Pair of Red Clogs" for his FIAR study so for our science day we decided to learn more about weather.  We began by reading "Flash Crash Rumble and Rumble and Roll" by Dr. Franklyn M. Branley.

Koa loved the pictures and enjoyed learning about how air pressure changes during a storm.  He's also an expert on lightening safety. 

To finish up the day we made possibly the EASIEST science experiment of all time, and it pretty much made Koa think I was the smartest mom of all times!!!  I'm not gonna argue with him because it's been my experience with some other unnamed children of mine, that this opinion will change with age.  Here is the original link I found on Pinterest.  http://elliemoon.typepad.com/blog/2012/02/tornado-in-a-jar-diy.html.

 

I present to you......TORNADO IN A JAR!  

 

Here are the magical ingredients.  Dish soap...check.  Jar with residue from an impossibly hard label to remove...check.  Jar lid...check.  Now fill that baby up with water!

 

Pour in a little dish soap, put on your lid, and SHAKE THAT JAR UP.  Here are some lessons we learned from this super simple experiment because in our house NOTHING is simple.  1.  Use clear dish soap or it will be a cloudy hot mess.  2.  Glitter is a bad idea.  I'm actually learning that glitter is ALWAYS a bad idea.  :P  

 

SHAKE, SHAKE, and SHAKE!

 

And then if you've shaken it enough, and you look at it with a super serious look of concentration.....a tornado will appear...like magic.  

And yes, we DO do school in footy pajamas.  It's our school uniform, and is functional as well as classy....CLASSy...get it!  HA! I crack myself up.