Coral Gables Museum(+potty training)

A couple days ago there was the most VIBRANT little rainbow I have ever seen. This picture doesn't do it justice. I would enhance it, but Sterling updated my operating system, so I switched to Adobe Bridge per the suggestion of my sister, and now I don't know how to do any editing. Ruff. I don't know if I have the time to figure out new things these days! Is it really worth it?!?

It's Labor Day Weekend! Sterling is smack dab between two weeks of one of his harder modules, so we only had a couple of hours with him today, Saturday. Monday the plan is for him to study ALL DAY LONG while we....play at the beach with friends, of course! Haha. So for our two hours, and because we didn't want to do all the hauling and clean-up of the beach, and because it is MUCH TOO HOT to be outside, I got some free museum tickets from the library. 

Now, the librarian told me the mini-golfing at the museum was also free. It was not. It cost us $10. While I know that is cheap, it was a tiny little mini golf and I was annoyed we had to pay at all. But we did have a really grand time, and it was a beautiful exhibit, so I suppose it all worked out.

Coral Gables Museum is small, adorable, and everything perfect for a little outing with little kids to get a flavor of Miami. I loved it! 

This wall was my favorite. And that flapper dress in the glass case to the left. Who doesn't love the '20s?!

University of Miami, once upon a time.

This picture. This is why I could never even imagine being a pioneer here. Miami is a crazy jungle land where things grow to giant proportions overnight. I can't imagine trying to build a road. Or upkeep it. Or try to drive on that road in the afternoon after a typical Miami thunderstorm. We get regular lakes in our parking lot--what would it do here?!?

I like this because in-between all of the mapped out homesteads are several, several squares labeled 'swamp'. Typical. 

On to the more exciting and interactive exhibit-mini golf!!!

I guess a bunch of different art groups (student projects, etc.) put these mini golf structures together. Apparently, they tour the world, which is impressive considering they actually let you play with them. I thought they were so unique and fun! The kids of course, were not that great at hitting the ball with the stick. But they did LOVE putting their balls down the holes to see them come out at different ends and through tunnels. It kept them entertained for almost an hour, which I consider a win. Molly was hilarious, she just tried to gather everyone's balls before they could hit them--and she is QUICK. It was such a fun morning.

Pyramids.

I don't remember what this structure symbolized but it was really hard. None of us got our ball in the hole legitimately.

Go Ruthie!

Aww, daddy helping is always such a sweet thing.

These are different types of rooftops from around the world. The Spanish type is representing Coral Gables, but you see it EVERYWHERE in all of Miami. It's on our house.

Golfing in Washington, D.C.

We had the whole place to ourselves the entire time, and that was definitely part of the charm. It made us feel so much more relaxed and our kids could pretty much be on any exhibit at any time.

This is a water tower in Coral Gables. Now I want to go see it.

Random crazy biking monster. I love it. So, so much. 

She was in heaven putting balls practically everywhere the entire time.

Cool PVC guy. 

Daddy helping Will. 

I really, really love this picture. Sterling wrangling the trio. HAHA. This is the good stuff.

Oops, haha. 

Even Molly got a turn! She loved it so much she wouldn't let go afterwards, ha.

Will especially loved this Mayan temple. He'd push his ball through the hole and run around to see where it came out.

Molly was putting all of our balls that she'd captured down this hole and then peering over the edge to watch them come out. Adorable.

This one was tricky. You had to pull the pipe back, hit your ball at just the right time so that the pipe hit the ball up and into the hole. We just played with the pipe knocking our pre-set balls.  

Walking the half block back to our car completely melted us, so we stopped at Target for slushies and dollar popcorn. Ruth called them "flushies" the entire time and I couldn't stop laughing about it. It was a great time and I'm glad we went! 

On an unrelated note, we've been potty training for a week now! The first day we only had two accidents, the second day was a disaster, the third day we put him in a diaper for church, which meant practically the whole day, and since then he's only had 2-3 accidents until yesterday just one, and today ZERO! He LOVES getting two m&m's after he goes (which means sometimes he sits in the bathroom on his potty for up to fifteen minutes in hopes he will go enough to get a 'num-num'), he LOVES his train undies, specifically the red ones (it's very sad when those ones are wet and not washed yet), and he LOVES going on his RED potty. He seems very motivated and hasn't had any major hiccups. He goes on the big potty when we're out and about, which is great since that was a huge deal for Ruth. At the museum they had blue cleaner in them, and he was ecstatic to go on a BLUE potty. He only has an accident when I have forgotten to ask and he is busy for an extended amount of time (so my fault, I know) and he has come up to tell me he has to go several times. So, here's to hoping to that going onward and upward!!