Columbian Park Zoo

We spent the morning at a small local "zoo". The boys jumped from playground to playground (I think there are about 5 in the vicinity) and then we went to see the animals.

There are several wallaby's here.

This little guy chased Macen around and around for food.

They both liked this tan goat. As we were leaving Macen said "It's like leaving your best friend". I think he would have stayed with the goats all day.

We finished up with a train ride.

Baseball Season in the Books

Macen had his last game yesterday. I'm pretty sure he was out there for the sliding into home and the slushies after each game.

Goldfish Challenge

With 16 different kinds of goldfish, they did the challenge.  They were blindfolded and had to guess the flavors. Macen got 6 or 7 right and Maddox got 4. Guess who is eating goldfish for snacks these days?

Vacation Bible School

The boys spent the week at VBS. They are showing off some of the things they made. They loved the dance party each day and were pretty happy with root beer floats and a pizza party on the last day. They had a blast and can't wait to go next year. Poor Maddox isn't use to 5 days of lots of activity. He came home grumpy and negative each day so I will be glad to get my happy little man back.

Little Kicker

Maddox's spring soccer wrapped up last night. He was eager to be out there each time and listened to the coach so well. He was super proud to get his first medal.

An angry soccer player

He is always right where the ball is. 

His happy dance after he made a goal. After warm up and drills they play a short game. Maddox pretty much makes a goal every practice.

Riding in the Rain

They didn't let the rain stop them!

Indianapolis Children's Museum

We spent the day at the Children's Museum - even got a membership so we'll be back often. So much to see, learn and do here.

They change out some of their rooms to feature different subjects. Currently, Transformers are on display.

Hot Wheels are also on display. Lots of tracks to play with. The boys also got to take a tire off and on with the big car behind them.

Macen loved the Amazing Mirror Maze.

Bulgaria

James is spending his summer facilitating a study abroad program for Cadets from across the country.  Here are a few of the pictures of their adventures.

Tzatza (fried smelt) and French Fries with cheese.  A Bulgarian summertime delicacy from the Black Sea area.  Shantel says she'll pass.

Bulgarian Soldiers standing guard at the Bulgarian Presidency.  They conduct a changing of the guard that is reminiscent of the changing of the guards at the U.S. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Sveti Alexander Nevski Cathedral (Eastern Orthodox) in Sofia.

Monument to the Red Army Soldiers, who liberated the Bulgarians from the Germans.  The Bulgarians have a love/hate relationship with the Russians.

Tsaravets Fortress in Veliko Tarnovo.  The capital of the 2nd Bulgarian Empire.

The light show at the Tsaravets Fortress in Veliko Tarnovo. The light show depicts the rise and fall of the Second Bulgarian Empire.

Chicken on a skewer at a restaurant in Shumen.  This was the small skewer.

Etar village.  A recreation of an 18th century Bulgarian village complete with working craftsmen and vendors.

Monument in Veliko Tarnovo to the Soldiers who had fought in the  the wars Bulgaria had participated in during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. (Russo-Turkish, Serbian-Bulgarian, 1st and 2d Balkans Wars, WWI)

A shrine in a limestone cave at the Madras Horseman UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Water bottles collecting holy water that seeps out of the limestone rocks at the Madras Horseman UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Madras Horseman stone carving dating from 300-400 BC with additional inscriptions from  600-900 AD.

Shumen Fortress.  Used almost continuously by Thracians, Romans, Bulgars/Bulgarians, Byzantines, Bulgarians and Ottomans from 300-400 BC to 1400AD. 

Cadets sanding down a kindergarten perimeter fence in Varna.

Even James can sand a fence.

A Cadet repainting the fence after it had been sanded.  15 Cadets sanded down and repainted almost 3/4 of a mile of fence in 9 hours.

James with his toes in the Black Sea.  It was a little chilly that day.

james standing in the Black Sea.

Roses from Bulgaria's Valley of the Roses.  Bulgaria produces the majority of the world's rose oil, which is used to make perfumes, body lotions, etc.  3500-5000 tons of rose petals makes 2 pounds of rose oil which is worth approximately $7500.

Fresco from the ceiling of a Thracian King's tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage site, dating back to 300-400 BC.

Our Bulgarian counterparts took us fishing.  They use different poles and the fish are of course a little different.  This was actually a good sized fish for what we were catching.

Team 1 and me under the statue of Vasily Nevski at the Bulgarian National Military University.