CT Science Center

1.  I decided before bed last night to go check out our new science center in Hartford.  Wow!  We weren't disappointed!  It's a gorgeous facility and the kids had a ball.  We spent hours there and had lunch in the cafe.  We're so impressed with instituion food these days-it's getting really good!  They support local agriculture and list the names of the farms where their products that day came from!  On the way up we stopped at "Timmy's" for hot chocolate and coffee.  For those not in the know, that's Tim Horton's, the Canadian chain that serves coffee, doughnuts and light lunch-type food.  It's named after their famous hockey player.  We love the place and went there everyday when we were in Niagara Falls for a week last summer.  We have at least 2 Timmy's that we know of in CT and stop when we go by!  We saw a sign for Hometown Buffet at the same exit.  So, on the way home we stopped there.  It's always an interesting experience going to one of these buffets.  The people watching is outrageous!  The people sitting across from us were coming from church and they were decked out in their Sunday best.  The woman had on a huge red hat, purple dress and red shoes.  When she smiled she had gold caps on her front teeth.  The guy looked like the guy on The Jeffersons-Sherman Helmsley, I think was his name.  They looked like caricatures.  Many people were speaking Spanish.  (I keep looking for a class as it's my dream to learn Spanish.  I took French and loved it, but think Spanish would be so much more useful!)  Throughout the meal Lola kept pointing at the lady in the red hat.  She loved it!  We all chowed down.  After the meal Lola proclaimed that she "ate like a pig!"  Pretty funny!  So, why when it was bedtime did both kids have to have a snack?!  When we were leaving the buffet, we asked the general manager for balloons.  He was sweating  profusely.  He probably weighed in the neighborhood of 500 lbs.  I'm not exaggerating and was thinking that was not the place for him to be working and that I'd love to see him go on Dr. Oz to work on his weight.  That poor man is not going to live long at this rate.

2.  Lola's final team roster for soccer has come out today.  She's on a team of 2 girls and 5 boys.  I hope she's ok with that.  She should be fine and, hopefully, will love it.  I always call her my "ball girl."  The kid adores any kind of game with a ball.

3.  Swimming lessons start up again tomorrow.  I'm happy that Grace will be able to go again as the pool is freed up by the time elementary school lets out.  It's so convenient to have her take the bus over to the pool.  Lola will have her lesson and then she'll change and then we'll go up and watch Grace and then take Grace home.  I'm always looking for ways to make my life easier!  I'll only have to go to the pool once a week.  Maybe I'll break out the Leapster for Lola if she gets bored-and, of course, snacks!