An Urban Campus in a Park-Like Setting

On August 18, we  made a trip to  Pittsburgh  to get my husband's books that he needed for his classes in Duquesne University's  graduate program.  He is taking Master in Leadership in Professional Administration.  Last year, he  attempted to do his masters  through online school but he did not like the  setting so he cancelled his enrollment.  Then we  enrolled our daughter  at City Music Center in the same university, he decided to do his  schooling there as well.  I admire  my husband's perseverance in  continuing his education.  

Driving around in the city of bridges is very relaxing.  You can see beautiful  old buildings and modern ones as well.   Then as you enter Doquene University, you'll be amazed to see that this is an urban campus in a park-like setting.  It is beautiful inside.  I love how you can comfortably walk around the campus, it's friendly out there and it has the family-oriented atmosphere.  We have been in Robert Morris University several times when my husband was  having his under-graduate there but every time we were there, it feels very different there.

The Power Center is where we picked  his books at.  Instead of buying a new one, he rented it at their bookstore.  There is a skywalk that connects between the Power Center to Doquesne Square where my daughter's music program is being  held at Mary Pappert School of Music building.  

For the next coming weeks, only my  husband and daughter would go there.  I will be  staying at home with my son so he won't be so bored  over there when  his sister is  having her music lessons.  It would also give my husband  some time to do his homework at the library. Hubby is taking advantage of the education benefits that the company is giving to them.  He has to shoulder 10% of the expenses but it is so much better than paying  100% out of your pocket.  

Till next time folks.  

Energy @ Carnegie Science Center

 Oh boy, a lot of activities and events  keeps happening but I never get to  post them all.  Just like our adventure in Carnegie Science Center, I never get to finish posting everything that we did that day.  It's a shame but I don't have all the time in the world to really sit down and  post things on the blog.  Ever since, the kids got back to school, I have been busy doing stuff at home (projects, cleaning, organizing).

Anyway,  here's another  feature  that our children  participated into  during our recent visit.

 These two were truly engaged to these activities.  Here's my son listening to the sound of the digital drums.

 Here, my daughter is trying to build something in a way that it won't  fall but she didn't succeeded on it.  It's just so many things to do there that when one doesn't work right away, they move to another one.

 On these PVC pipes, they worked together to connect a path  where the ball could continue   go down without stopping.

 Communication and teamwork makes this activity a lot easier.

 And they did it!  Great job kiddos! Shadow Shots

It's amazing how kids have so much energy when they like  to do something.  I am glad that we took them there, it was a fun-learning experience.  We still like the Art Museum that we visited in Cleveland though.  Carnegie is one  good museum to visit as well.

How to Start an Amazing Collection With the Kids

Time with the kids is important. Spending time with them is critical, but it can be difficult to know what to do with them in order to gauge their interests. After all, they already have a lot of toys and games. What you need is something new and exciting that can engage everyone in the family. After all, it is vital that family time is just that. Something that all of the family can enjoy and share together.

One of the best ways to interact with your kids and share something special is to start a family collection. There is a multitude of ways that this can be done.

Why Start a Collection as a Hobby?

Collections are a fantastic way of bonding. You can discover more about each other and share the excitement of adding new components to your collection. It’s the perfect way to spend time together as a family.

Amazing Collections That You Can Start

With the kids in tow, it is important that you have a collection that interests you all. This is the perfect hobby to have. It certainly beats watching the televisions. Here are some our favourite collections that are family-friendly.

Trains

.

For households with boys, this can be a great collection to start. The die cast trains, and tracks are sturdy enough for robust and boisterous play. What is more, dads will love this collection too. Trains are great for teaching children about the history of vehicles. There is a lot of sentiment and history attached to trains. Boys of all ages will enjoy starting this collection. They will adore adding magnificent trains of all colours and sizes to play with on their track.

Cars

Pixar has ensured that cars have a firm place in the heart of all children. You can collect a wide range of different cars too. Supercars, luxury cars and Formula One style cars are a great way to start a collection. Everyone in the family will love this, and it will teach children a great deal about how to care for their new collectibles. Atlas Editions UK have a wide range of information on caring for your collection.

Dolls

Of course, little girls may want something more feminine in the home. A doll collection is a perfect collection to start with a household made up of little princesses. China dolls in particular are a firm favourite with many. Their historical costumes and fine, lifelike hair are simply exquisite. They look beautiful when arranged in a child’s bedroom and can be a real talking point amongst friends.

Rock Collections

If you want something a little more educational, rock collections can provide this. Pick up stones and pebbles from visits to the beach. Study them in more depth. These are not only a fun way to collect items, but a wonderful educational tool to use. Identifying, labelling and cataloguing rocks can be fun. It will teach them more about the earth and how to sustain it.

Collections, Galore

Starting a collection with the kids is a great family hobby. Gauge their interest and have years of family fun times ahead. 

My Father In Law's 92nd Birthday

My father-in-law turned 92 years old on the 14th of this month. His very active lifestyle back when he was younger is probably the main reason why he is still healthy considering his age. He live by himself at his own house, a home where  my husband grew up.  He said that his parents bought this house when he was about two or three years old.

I feel bad when Dad wishes that his wife is still around.  He said that he misses her terribly.  My MIL died of  cancer ten years ago.  I was able to talked to her on the phone  but  wasn't  able to meet her in person as she passed  one year before I came here.  

If you would meet him in person, you wouldn't think that he is 92 because he looks younger than his age.  We visited him  on the morning of his birthday.  I hope that God will still bless him with more years of healthy life so  we could still enjoy  his company.  

Travels and Dining, Ocean City Adventure

Sitting on a traffic for more than two hours makes you tired, grumpy, and hungry. So the moment we arrived in Ocean City and got settled in, our first priority was to find a decent dining place. Through the guide and manual at the hotel, we visited one particular restaurant as recommended by the book. When we entered, the servers were just looking at us and not saying anything, no greetings or anything like that. So we turned around as we didn't like the atmosphere and it stunk in there anyway.

As we walk along the  streets, we found some really neat  places that we can't take but to stop for a while and take some photos.

When we visit  an eating establishments, we look for a warm welcome first.  Nothing can beat the feeling of  being welcomed on your first visit.  So if we don't get that, we immediately lose our interest to eat in a place like that.

Anyway, it was a good experience because it gave us the time to walk around and enjoy the view.  We got the chance to see other restaurants and fabulous hotels.

Traveling is fun especially when you  have your family with you.  It's one way of  building memories that would last for generations.  Which reminds me, I have to  order some  copies of pictures of our travels this year.  I haven't done that yet and hopefully I could, real soon.  Will post some more photos of our   Ocean City adventure soon. Shadow Shots