Baby T. in the Big Apple--Part 1 of 2

The first place we went after the hotel was (drumroll please)...

Rockefeller Center!

It took a bit of walking to get there, but it doesn't really matter.  Just walked by a few stores and maybe a few hotels, but, that's all. The first part of Rockefeller Center will be the...

LEGO STORE!

Lego Replica of Rockefeller Center

Princess Leah v. Darth Vader

We saw a bit of Lego Architecture stuff.  There was this awesome thing that we saw--it was not a Lego set, just so you know--it was a Ghostbusters Scene! It had a library and in front of it were the guys.  There was a NO GHOST sign too (the ghost with the red line through it).  There was also a HUGE Lego model of Rockefeller Center, which I'll admit was pretty awesome. And guess what? In the bottom part with all the stores, there was Princess Leah and Darth Vader battling.  Not in real life, just in the Lego model.  Throughout the store, hanging from the walls, there were also a few Lego replicas of some of the statues around Rockefeller Center in there too.  This wasn't every single thing in there, but if we put everything in it would a very long blog post.  I mean, sure, you probably like long ones, but would you like a REALLY long one that takes like 10 minutes to read?

Leave what you think in the comments.

Baby T. Scales the Empire State Bldg.

Next, we waited in line to go the Top of the Rock, which is going to the roof of Rockefeller Center. There was a bunch of security there, probably to make sure you didn't get a fake ticket, scams, you know, stuff like that.  I really didn't like being up that high.  I mean, I sort of liked it, but it's a bit weird because when you ride up the elevators, my ears pop, and it's a bit weird, the way my ears feel when they pop.  I liked seeing the Statue of Liberty, even though the view wasn't that good from far away.

When we left the Top of the Rock, we got a few pretzels and just talked about where to eat.  Then we noticed people carrying bags from a Nintendo Store.  None of knew there was a Nintendo Store.  True Fact: I did know that there was one, but i had no idea where.  I saw people carrying Nintendo Bags, but I did not tell Mom and Dad.  Know why?

1. Would you like a surprise to be ruined?
2. I didn't even know where it was--it could have been in New Jersey and people could have been carrying those bags because they lived in New Jersey?

But guess what?  It was in NYC. One block away from Rockefeller Center.  I KNOW! Just one block!
So we went in.

I'm gonna leave a part out.  The American Girl Store.  Besides, I didn't do anything. Just sit.

Anyway, back to the Nintendo Store.  Nate got a Princess Daisy plush doll.  Claire didn't get anything because she wanted something from the American Girl Store instead.  I couldn't decide whether to get this awesome stuffed Goomba or what I thought was Mario in a P-suit (a P-suit is from Super Mario Bros. 3--the old school version--I think it's 8-bit but I am not sure).  So I didn't get anything... OR DID I?

Find out in the next post!

by GDGS

Baby T. at the Family Reunion (Part 2 of 2)

I am so sorry about this being such a late post! It's just that I had no idea what MS Word was (and my mom was gone all week) so I couldn't type up what we were doing.  Obviously we were with someone because Dad had work and Mom had meetings.

Baby T. in the Cornfields at the Reunion

Anyway, back to the reunion. I got to talk to a REAL scientist! Okay, my dream came true! We were talking about how ants can get food from so far away and get back.  See, they drop this weird stench-thing.  They also use the smell to find how an ant died (but it's much smellier). Then we were talking a bit about friction and how waves were made. I think we all know how waves are made: from wind.  Since we were talking about friction we were talking about shooting stars a bit too.

It was nighttime and so we were playing some Just Dance 5 or 4. There was a song by They Might Be Giants on it. I am not really sure what it was, but it's TMBG, so it's awesome. I danced to "Moves Like Jagger," "Distrubia" and "The Final Countdown." We went back to our hotel to sleep.

After we told everyone goodbye at the reunion, we went to NEW YORK.

by GDGS

Baby T. at the Reunion (Part 1 of 2)

Sorry about the late posts.  It was because we were at the family reunion and at another place.... I am not going to tell you what that was, you will find out in the next posts.  All I can tell you is: It was a lot of fun!

Anyway, we were going to the family reunion in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I cannot tell you the exact address (no idea what it was). Pretty everyone on my Dad's side of the family were there.  Sadly, Aunt Sara and Uncle Kelly weren't there, but they live in California, so what would you expect?

First, I greeted everyone, then I talked with my Uncle Kirk. We were talking about a game called Jetpack Joyride. It's a game. There was an update for it so we played it. We didn't play it very much.  Then we talked some more about Jetman and if Jetpack Joyride was in real life.  See, if Jetpack Joyride was in real life, you would either have to be Prometheus or Zeus so the jetpack joyride wouldn't hurt you at all.  There are zappers and lasers in the game--and also missiles.  Besides, how would you get the coins to float (did I mention there are floating coins in the game)?

Baby T. meets the Smiley Face cookie

Then I had some lunch (turkey and cheese sub). It was pretty good. I didn't eat it all though.  Guess what? I got to have a cookie for breakfast at the Eat 'n Park! Have you ever had a smiley face cookie? They are awesome!

Anyway, back to the family reunion.  All the kids went into the hot tub for a while. I think there were about 10 kids in there at once! There was also a water slide, which when I went in the water, it was super cold.  So I went back to the hot tub. The hot tub made me super warm since I was so cold.

I also practiced boxing with Uncle Dude, I mean Uncle Dave. I accidentally called him Uncle Dude when he was tickling me too hard so I could get punched -_- (annoyed / angry face).  So now his new nickname is Uncle Dude. And that's how accidents can be good!

Then me and Uncle Kirk played with game I made up where I used a big Frisbee as a shield.  We played with this foam ninja star thingamadohickey.  Uncle Kirk would throw the foam ninja star at me and I would block it with the frisbee shield. Sometimes I wanted to dodge them, but sometimes the wind took it.  With the dodging part, obviously, I didn't use the shield. In the game, the shield got upgrades for certain  amounts each time I dodged it (obviously the upgrades were fake).

That's all for now!

by GDGS

MAKER FAIRE!

Sorry for the late blog post; I forgot.

Sunday we were at the Maker Faire. The Maker Faire is hard to explain, but I will do my best. It's where you get to make some stuff and see some stuff that other people have made.  It's for kids. You can get food there. You can even listen to music.  The Maker Faire is at the Henry Ford museum

When we just got into the faire, we listened to some music. I asked the DJ if he could put on "Get Lucky," my favorite song. He had it and played it for me -- YAY!

Some of the people at Maker Faire were showing a corn mill and a few early engines.  Isn't that exciting? I thought the corn mill was, but not the early engines:  too much smoke.

I got to make an egg maraca. You know those plastic eggs that you can sometimes get? Well, I filled that up with rice, macaroni (by the way they can't be cooked) or rice AND macaroni (like I did). Then we got to use our egg maracas and make sort of a symphony. They had all these different things that were glued to some wood. We used a drumstick to pound on them and shake our little egg maracas.

 I also got to make a race car. I made it out of a VCR tape. I can't explain how, but you can also make it out of plastic, styrofoam, or cardboard cones. I raced the car, but it feel of the track each time: lack of stability.

We got to do some tye-dying. I did red, white, blue and a bit of purple on a really small cloth of fabric. The purple was a mistake.

Doctor Who, Batman, and GDGS!

My favorite part of Maker Faire was meeting someone who was dressed as the 11th Doctor. If you have been to Books a Million and seen the Doctor Who stuff, you would have seen a bunch of Sonic Screwdriver toys.  The Doctor had one of those too.  My Dad took a picture of me holding the Sonic Screwdriver. It was awesome! Batman was there too. (Obviously someone dressed  as batman.)



By: GDGS

My Excitements About New York (and thinking about Baby T)

So we are gonna probably go up to New York this summer. I've got a lot of excitements and two things that I am not excited about and a bit of talking about Baby  T. going up to New York.

I am thinking that I would like Baby T. to go to New York with us, but I am not sure what she would want.  I am pretty sure that she would want to see the Empire State Building though--who wouldn't?

View of the Chrysler Building from the Empire State
Building ... at night (Taken by Mom).

My List of Where I Want to Go To:
1. Empire State Building
2. Statue of Liberty
3. Rockefeller Center
4. Brooklyn (more specifically the Brooklyn Bridge)
5. Lego Store
6. Riding the Subway
7. Central Park
These are also my excitements.

It would be nice going to Coney Island though.  YUM! I love Coney islands, who doesn't?

Mom wants to take me to the Metropolitan Museum Art to see the Temple of Dendur. It sounds pretty awesome!

Here are the things I am NOT excited about:
1. American Girl Store
2. Pollution
Well, of course I could avoid some pollution by going in the subway, maybe. And I am not really sure whether we are going to bring Baby T. or not (Mom: We are).

By: GDGS

Baby T. in Columbus

So, Baby T. went to Columbus with us for a weekend.  In case you didn't know this, most of us (except for Baby T. and Mom and Dad) were born in Columbus.  Mom and Dad lived there for 12 years, me for 5). We went to Columbus to visit our grandparents and some friends.

Anyways, we went to a restaurant called Max & Erma's. The food there is delicious! Yum!

So the wait was only a minute or two. Then we went to our table. Then we ordered. I only remember what I ordered. Two corn dogs with french fries. Then pap-pap(our grandpa) arrived.

Skippidy skip skip skip. So our food arrived later. It was great! See, I could only eat two corn dogs if I do them as separate meals, So pap-pap ate my other side(fruit).

The food was great. I bet Baby .T loved it.
GDGS

GDGS: My 1st Day at Camp

This week I went to a science camp, called "Cranbrook Science Explorers." This is what my first day was like. 

First, my DAD had to sign me in. Not my mom.  My Dad. Then I found my friends, Daniel and Zack: I had no idea they were going there! I was really happy. 

So we went to play a game. I can't remember what it was though. I do remember that it was really fun! But on to the topic, what you have been waiting for (I think): 

Acids and Bases!

I learned that there are these pieces of paper that are universal indicators. A universal indicator says how acidic or basic (get it?) things are.  At that one we actually tested out some acids and bases.  Of course the volunteer who brought the acids couldn't get anything higher than ketchup and vinegar. Otherwise, he would have burned his skin! Ouch!  

We put the universal indicator strips into things.  Did you know that water is one of the few things that is neutral--7 out of 14 on an indicator. I think air is also.  The most acidic was ketchup and vinegar.  

After that, we got to actually do some painting, but not painting.  There was another paper that turned red when a base hit it and the acid, when put on the base, evens it out more.  So we drew stuff on it with the base, using Q-tips. And then trace over it with the acid (vinegar). I discovered that the acid didn't even everything out. You had to dip the Q-tip frequently in the acid.   

We also did a lemon juice trick.  Lemon juice can be used to write letters. Then when the lemon juice dries, the letters disappear.  It takes a while for the lemon juice to dry.  When it dries, the letters have disappeared.  When you hold the paper up to a light bulb, or candle, the letters will appear (the sun does not work). So if you want to write a secret letter to someone, you can write your note in lemon juice, wait for it to dry, then no one can see what you wrote until they hold it up to the light. Isn't that awesome?

Before lunch, we played a game outside called Acids and Bases.  The person who was the acid had to touch the person who was the base.  If an acid touches the base, the people have to switch being an acid and a base.  The other players had to link elbows (only two people could link elbows) and then the base could attach onto the other elbow.  Then the person on the other side could become the base. 

We played another game in the afternoon and then went swimming.  It was a great day! 

by GDGS

Note that there are no pictures because Mom and Dad weren't there. 

GDGS' Vacation Highlights

Change of Plans:
Now we are going to talk about something that Baby T. wasn't there for. In this blog post, we are going to talk about the Dunes and going tubing.

The top of the Dune Climb

One day, we visited Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.  I can see how Sleeping Bear got its name, because there are a lot bumps there.  The first thing we did was the Dune Climb.  I only saved enough energy for one hill, but I did two.  It was steep, but not as steep as another one we side.  If we had walked farther than the two hills, we could have walked right to Lake Michigan.  I did not have enough energy for a one hour walk, though.


Then we drove around to see different areas of the dunes.  There were some forests and some very steep dunes.  It was a very beautiful view, I must say so.  We had a view from the top.  I think it was about a 100 degree angle.  There is no way I would have had enough energy to climb up this dune!

People were climbing like bears up the dune!

Then in the afternoon, we went tubing.  Tubing is when you float in a tube on water.  Don't worry; the water is not supposed to be that deep.  However, if you missed Kittendorf Landing--where we were supposed to get off--you'd go straight into Lake Michigan! I don't think that is too safe....

My favorite part of tubing was the relaxation level. I was relaxing so much!  Going tubing is just relaxing.  I was tied to my Dad's tube, so he steered for me and I just floated along the Platte River.  I did pull my rope closer to Dad a few times because I was afraid of missing Kittendorf Landing.  

See you next time!

by GDGS

4th of July on Vacation (Part 2 of 2)

Leelanau Democrats

Well, it was 4th of July morning and we were going to go to the parade. We saw some cars. One was a police car, and Nate brought me a police badge: Thank you Nate! When the parade started, first we saw a few cars with the sirens on--the police cars, ambulances, and a police car or two. My favorite part was when the Democrats were going around.  Yep, just like before 1920, but in 2013, but different.  What I mean is, it reminded me when women were marching and holding signs. 

The BEST part of the parade was getting CANDY!  Yep, they threw candy. All I really got were the tootsie rolls. Claire and I did a little trading for a few jolly ranchers.  All was good, all was good.


Can you find Baby T?


by GDGS

Our Vacation with Baby T. (Part 1 of 2)

Baby T. on the shoreline.

So, last week our family went to Leelenau County for vacation. This is on Lake Michigan in northern Michigan.  We went to the beach with Baby T.  The beach was pretty clear of any rocks.  The bad part? They were dredging the marina, which meant the water was blackish sometimes. Well, not the whole lake, just the shallow part along some of the shoreline. Some days there was no black water, and those were great days.

We built sandcastles and walked the shoreline looking for petoskey stones.  Petoskey stones are actually kind of rare since so many people try to find them and keep them. That is what I really don't like about petoskey stone hunters: we can't find any!

For those people who don't know, petoskey stones have a bit of a hexagon shape on it with white lines around it.  They are fossils from about 350 million years ago!

Then we took Baby T. to dinner at the Bluebird restaurant in town. The dinner was really awesome at the Bluebird.  I gave Baby T. one of my pieces of pepperoni.

Baby T.'s dinner

Sorry for this post being a bit shorter than usual.  We haven't posted too much because we were on vacation.

By: GDGS

Baby T. Sees the Detroit Fireworks

Baby T. has been to Detroit, but this is the first time she had ever seen the Detroit fireworks.  Or any fireworks! 

They have delicious milkshakes at
the Mercury Bar. 

First thing we did is drive in to the City.  We ate dinner at the Mercury Bar, then we walked and walked and walked some more.  It was quite a walk to get there.  We went to an office building where my Dad works with some people.  They let us watch the fireworks from outside their office.  On the balcony of the 25th floor! Pretty high up!

Then we waited a while before the fireworks started... at 10 O'CLOCK! Well, it was worth it.  The fireworks were AWESOME! Honestly, there were a lot of them: red, white, blue green. They actually set them off on the river, the Detroit River, to be exact.  Man, I am lucky we put the seats close, other wise we probably hadn't been able to see them. 

See the barge in the River?
That is where they shot off
the Fireworks!

When the fireworks were over, we rode the People Mover back to our car. I really thought the People Mover was crowded.  There were like, 60, 50 people on the train. That's a lot of people! Sadly, from all that walking, I got a rash on my foot.  It hurts when something touches it.  But it was worth it. 

I believe that Baby T. enjoyed it. 

By:  GDGS

Visit to the Field Museum, Part 3 of 3

 Right around lunchtime, after Evolving planet, we went to an exhibit about  DNA. Sadly, It was a small exhibit. It's (DNA) kind of like the blueprints for the body. Without it, well, I dunno what would happen. All I know is that that would be bad. Very bad.  There were also a lot of dead animals that had been stuffed in a case.  No one liked those. 

After DNA, we went to Tibet.   Well not the real country, just the exhibit.  We saw a something that was like a mask of a face.  We saw a big bell, too. And there were a bunch of cloth squares strung together that are called Prayer Flags. It was not too interesting but not too boring.

Next were the gemstones and jade rooms.  In the gemstone room, I found out my birthstone is sapphire.  It's pretty pretty, I have to say.  I also found out Baby T's and Nate's (emerald) and Claire's (diamond).  I found out Mom's (garnet or bloodstone). Dad's is.... Well his birthday is in June: you can just look it up (but not on Wikipedia). My favorite gem was sapphire, although gold is my favorite metal. 

There was a lot of jade stuff in a separate room. I think that is why it was in a separate room.  There was actually a jadeite sword, which was made not of jade but of jadeite.  I had never heard of jadeite before.  Jade is also called Nephrite. The most valuable jade is called Imperial Jade, but it is actually jadeite. 

I think Baby T. loved the Field Museum.  After, Baby T. (and all of us kids) had her first ride in a taxi cab.  I liked it, but it was very small.  That's it for Chicago! 

Sorry for the Late Post! We forgot!

by GDGS

Visit to the Field Museum, Part 2 of 3

There was a special exhibit at the Museum when we went.  It was all about the Cave Paintings at Lascaux, France.

I don't know why, but there was a special painting that looked like an upside down horse.  I don't know why it was so famous. The horse kind of looked a bit fat.  The paintings are 17,300 years old and from the Paleolithic period.

Scientists remade the cave paintings for a traveling display.  The real caves are closed, so they remade them exactly like they are and now more people can see them.  true fact: there are info.boards with English and Spanish writing(or French) that explain everything about the paintings and the caves.

I really liked it, and I think Baby T. did also!

by GDGS

PS:  Next week's blog schedule will be a bit different than this one. Instead of being Monday and Wednesday, it's going to be Tuesday and Thursday.  See you then!

Our Trip to the Field Museum - Part 1 of 3

Disclaimer: This post was written by a seven year old boy.  We apologize in advance for any inaccuracies or oversimplications.  

The first place I visited with my new family was the Field Museum in Chicago.  It is a museum of natural history and was really cool.

Part 1 - Evolving Planet

The first place we visited in the museum was this HUGE exhibit called "Evolving Earth."  Basically, "Evolving Earth" is about how the planet evolved and how animals became extinct.  I learned that there were six extinctions and one is still going on right now.  :(

So the first one we learned about was about the amoeba, which was ONE MOLECULE!  ONE! That was pretty crazy.  And then we watched a video about climates (or something like that).  Take for example that a certain species had longer legs than a different species.  Then a new predator appeared.  The ones with the longer legs would have a better chance to survive.  

The amoeba evolved into a different species with three molecules instead of one: kind of a big evolution for the amoeba! Then we learned how the three molecules-species turned into the first sea animals.  Then the sea animals evolved to go on land.  Then suddenly, there was an extinction.  A meteor shower mixed with volcanoes erupting caused the first (or second) mass extinction. 

The amoeba was still around, though.  Then they somehow evolved into the dinosaurs.  The herbivores scared Baby Tabasco a little since he is made from tabasco peppers, which are plants, which herbivores love to eat.

Suddenly, on December 25th, some kind of comet or meteor came down, bursting into the magma, which rose up, somehow, and then the dinosaurs became extinct. 

Lucy (replica) and Baby T.

So then, we learned about the Ice Age, where we learned about Lucy. Lucy is believed to be one of the first human species. George stuck his finger up Lucy's nose (Baby T added this). From there, humans evolved into the people we are today.

The entire exhibit was really good.  By the way, there was one more mass extinction I forgot to tell you about: Since we keep on using the law of technology, that keeps making pollution.  Pollution keeps making the air dirtier, so it's harder to breathe (well, you get what I mean by that).  This is why we may go extinct.  

Stop using so much technology--OOPS, we are right now!

by GDGS

Baby T. In the Hershey Store

One of the places Baby T. visited in Chicago was the Hershey Store. Baby T. and I thought it was awesome. All I can say is there were about 500 pounds of candy! Hershey brand, of course.  I got some Twizzlers for me and Baby T. to share. Unfortunately, Baby T. didn't want any.  But she really liked the Hershey store.  

I did think she wanted a few Hershey Kisses!

By: GDGS

Baby Tabasco: An Adoption Story

May 27, 2013.

We were in a restaurant, The Local, Chicago.  Then we saw this small bottle of Tabasco sauce. My Mom and Dad started joking around and calling it Baby Tabasco.  Then they had us take pictures with her.

Then Mom said, "we're going to have a new baby in our family:  Baby Tabasco!" Then I said, "Really?" I don't really feel comfortable with this. And then Dad said, "this isn't stealing or anything. Would you feel more comfortable if we asked someone in the restaurant?" I said "yes."

So we did. They said that it wasn't stealing; we could take it.

And that is the adoption story of Baby T.

--by GDGS