Picture Scavenger Hunt

Do you ever have a day where you think to yourself, "Truly, I hit it out of the park today.  I am.... the.  best.  mother.  EVER!"  Not to sound too arrogant, but I had one of those days yesterday.  It doesn't happen too often here, rather, rarely, but it really was a perfect day.

It was a holiday, Family Day, and it started out that I thought Art was going to be working, so I would do school with the Girls.  Well, he changed his mind, and so we started tossing around ideas of what to do.  I had been thinking in the back of my mind that it would be fun to go on a drive, but then Art pointed out that it's not super fun for kids to sit in a van for hours on end with no destination in mind, just aimlessly driving around.  So, I thought that we should do a picture scavenger hunt.  Monday morning, we decided to go with  it.  While Art & I were making the list of things that they would have to take pictures of, he thought that it would be nice to have a bit of a destination, where we could take a break from being in the van.  Seeings how it is the middle of winter here, (although it was a beautiful balmy -5C), I remembered hearing about the Reynolds Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin.  So, part of the scavenger hunt items were things that the Girls wouldn't be able to see just anywhere, like a classic car, a biplane, an old barn - oh wait, this is Alberta!  Those are everywhere.  Art also added in a few fun conversation items for later, the last one being, "Something you think it cool", as well, some things to get them started, like "a toothbrush".  We told them that whoever got everything on the list would get a prize.

Ellie Mae was quite concerned that she didn't have a camera, so on penalty of death, we told her that she could very carefully borrow ours (and careful she was, surprisingly for a 3 yr. old!!), we loaded up the Girls with their lists and pens and cameras, some snacks, and headed out for the adventure.  Let me tell you, adventure it was!  One of my favorite quotes of the day that we heard probably 20 times was when someone would call out that they saw something on the list, they would all get their cameras ready and take pictures, and Ellie Mae would say, "I got it!  What number is it on the list?!".  She was so ultra confident that she could keep up with her sisters.  At one point, Molly was playing, and I asked Ellie Mae if she wanted to play for a bit, and her response..."I want to win the prize!!"....that's my girl!! 

Anyhow, we ended up at the museum (which happened to be free because it was Family Day and we didn't even know that until we got there!), which was a total surprise to the Girls, and it was very cool to walk around.  There were many old cars and planes and farm equipment, and I couldn't help but think that my Grandpa would've loved that place....maybe he's even visited there, I don't know.  For me, the most interesting thing in the whole museum was ready about Stanley Reynolds, who was a mechanic and had the highest grossing car sales lot in Alberta for more than 10 years I think through the '50's and '60's ("...cars cost less in Wetaskiwin..."), was in the Canadian Forces, was a pilot, started the airport, started a business of crop spraying and became known around the country for his love of avionics, classic cars, farming equipment and native collectibles.  He would fly over rural areas and if he saw something that interested him, he'd land and ask to buy what he saw.  He had an extensive private collection and in the '70's wanted to open up his collection for others to enjoy.  That's originally how the museum started.  Then, the government, for lack of a better term, 'took it over' (in a good way), and he donated/lent much of what is on display today.  Really, a remarkable story....his whole intent for collecting what not for monetary gain, but rather, to be able to share with people how this province has changed, and to show where we've come from.  I must say, I was quite inspired by his story.

Anyhow, enough of my rambling....although at one point during the museum trip, I thought to myself, "Oh my.  I've become that...  I've become that Mom who excitedly reads signs at museums and wants to show her kids, and for them to 'get it'.....Ahhh!"

After the museum, we continued our drive to Ponoka for the prize....happy meals at McDonalds.  Nothing but the best for our Girls....!  After that, we headed home using secondary highways and country roads.  It was a fun, great, tiring, fantastic, family day.  When we got home, the Girls asked, "Can we do that again?!"....and that's how you know it's been a good day by all.