Spring Break! Family Vacation to

Indianapolis has never occurred to me before as a place to vacate my reality and insert some fantasy. Luckily, my husband goes to conferences for his work that I would never consider, and we all tag along.

First day was cold, and the two year old was sick. I forgot the camera, but it was my 9 year old daughter, Sweet Pea's favorite day. We wandered around the park across from the hotel, and finally ended up at the Eiteljorg museum where they had an Ansel Adams exhibit. The Native American museum had a full size wigwam upstairs that you could play in, made of bark, the real, authentic thing. They also had doll-sized teepee's to build. The art was incredible. I've never been too inspired by Native American Art, mostly because I'm from the West and I think I was just saturated by it. Living away for a few years has made me more appreciative of this art.

The basement was amazing with an old western interactive display with a Chinese emporium, a stable, and a real stagecoach that they let us play in. If the two-year-old hadn't been sick, it would have been perfect. As it was, I had to hold her and the baby at the same time. Whew! That really worked out my arms.

The next day we walked across the bridge to the zoo.

This is the bridge we walked across. The kids were saluting the sun.

It was a very long walk, cold too, but a much nicer day than the previous freezing one. The zoo... it was the best zoo I believe I've ever attended. We held butterflies, pet the sharks, frolicked with the penguins, roared back at the tiger, and watched the dolphin show. 

The next day we headed downtown and hung out at the state capitol with our friend Senator Kruse. 

Great guy. Homeschooled his own four kids. Gave us a tour. If you're a native, vote for him. That felt almost like I was a real homeschooling mom or something, until my kids kept playing in the phone booths. They were pretty cool.

We went through the soldiers monument museum, took the elevator to the lookout roof instead of climbing 362 steps. Cheating really, but with a baby and a two-year-old... At any rate, it was a very educational day.

Our last day, we went to the IMA   Where we met a charming lady and her baby who happened to have a husband who is in my husband's department. She recognized me by my 5 children. It's better than an I.D. badge. The museum was great with wonderful guards who didn't mind it when the kids set off the alarms, opening and closing the curtains in the Rembrandt room. One of my favorite rooms was the Pointilism room where they showed all the artists influenced by Seurat, the same Seurat we saw  in the Art Institute of Chicago. I love it when the kids create links from all their different experiences.

So that, minus a gyro and a tea party pretty much sums up our 'vacation'. Hauling around the baby was fantastic exercise. I can't wait for the conference next year, in FLORIDA! Taking the kids while my husband sits and thinks ponderous thoughts with a bunch of other weighty minds isn't for the faint-hearted, but luckily, all my hiking has given me good endurance. Also, my older ones have begun to take on some of the gear that comes with it. They did wonderfully and hardly ever complained. 

I have to put in the little adorable independent fabric store I found on our way to the LEGO store (10 year old  boy's favorite part of the trip). The French Seam where I bought 1/3 yard of Liberty print for my 2 year old. It had elephants! I will have to post when I finally make something out of it. I also knitted a bit on the driving parts of our trip. That turned out quite cute.

Anyone else do anything for spring break?