over break, emily (who is giving away a camera strap today on her blog!) and i organized an outing with the kids to the new children’s museum in downtown san diego. except one of the kids, who decided at the last minute to stay home with her dad. i did my best to change her mind, but she is happiest shuffling around the house with her catalogs and her ipod, so i didnt take it personally.
the slogan at the museum is think, play, create. i love it. its the most inspiring space EVER. this huge warehouse space they modified. i want to live in it. they have details galore. really cool, humorous, clever details. my favorite, i think, were the vacuum cleaners attached HIGH on the wall and connected to harmonicas. they come on randomly and you’ll hear a blast of harmonica. so fun, so cool. oh but my other favorite is the rain house. you go in and it sounds like there is a huge rainstorm happening all around you. i want to live in it.
on our way down anna was grumpy, so i handed her my camera to cheer her up. she mostly took photos of clouds, and more clouds, and blurry trucks, but these i love. (passing oceanside, drew, stocky legs, me with my ipod)
we got there and everyone wanted to go off in separate directions so we wrangled them all up to get in line for the pillow fight room. while in line, they climbed the walls. and drew found his name.
the pillow fight room is really gorgeous in a weird way that possibly only i appreciate. there are old mattresses lining the walls (i need that) and the vintage-y prints on them made me drool. they have all of these awesome foam tires and the kids stack them up around their bodies and then ask someone to push them over, its hilarious. yindi even got in on the action, brave little girlie.
we followed them around mostly, and took turns chasing yindi mostly, and enjoyed watching them all have fun.
when she crawled into that wall we couldnt stop laughing.
drew rallied a bunch of kids and they created this huge fort. i said, “pose in front like the king of the castle!” he did.
had to get in front of the chalk wall. hurry quick before yindi runs away again! and before someone comes up the stairs and kicks my camera!
there is an outdoor patio where you can create anything you want with clay, or you can put on an apron and paint on an old VW bug. someone wasnt too thrilled with the apron.
i drooled again over the oilcloth covered tables and stools. simply made out of some probably recycled wood barrels that look like they once had rubber tubing wrapped around them at home depot.
santa, can i have these for christmas?
Love it! And I am cracking up at Yindi in that wall. :-) What fun! Wish I was there!
OMG! I want to go there. That looks like the funnest place ever!!! GORGEOUS photos. I TOTALLY dig all the fabrics and prints as well. What a great place.
Um that is the coolest place EVER! Can I be a kid again? That would be a great place to do a family shoot!
Fun. I see a road trip in my future.
Splendid! Love it! Thanks.
What an amazing place! That mattress room is pure genius! I wish you lived there too–and that I was your neighbor. :)
I had a mattress JUST like that twin flowery thing! Looks like a fun place to hang out no matter what your age.
a pillow fight room may just be the coolest concept ever!
Oh Tara! These shots are awesome…love the baby crawling through the wall!!! So cute!
tara, i love all the pictures you post,
but i always really really really LOVE the ones
you post of your kids! these are so FUN! thanks for sharing!
what a cOOL place! my mil has some oilcloth tablecloths like that!
they are cooL!
tara
i want to go!…every city needs something like this!…such fun
They have that VW bug you can paint in the Palm Springs children’s museum and Ben LOVED it. Loving the photo of Yindi in the tubes, but my favorite is the one Anna shot of you in the driver’s seat because you have your trusty Big Gulp (or some other iteration of it) by your side. I am so taking a road trip with you. We would have to stop every hour for refills and to pee : )
Oh Santa, can I please have a Yindi. I swear every time I see that kid I just want to eat her up and give her kisses on her chubby little cheeks. This place has some serious eye candy going on, doesn’t it!
Oh my goodness. I want a stack of oilcloth drums and tables! I am so on that project.
Anna did a fabulous job in the beginning — love the picture of Drew — she must get her talent from her Mama! The museum looks amazing — the pillow fight room looks like a place I could live. We’re headed to San Diego for the holidays, I definitely have to find this place! It looks like a blast. Oh, and I especially love your group picture because even with the timer and not looking through the lens you knew you had to cock your head to the side to be in the picture. funny. Thanks for all the gorgeous pictures of the great adventures you have with your family.
Well Santa won’t come if you don’t publish his comments ;)
Ooh, love that mattress room. I’ve never commented before but I read your blog daily and absolutely LOVE YOU!
How cool! I’m totally jealous–there’s nothing like this in my area.
I’m just a sad, cold Midwesterner! ;-)
Very nifty shots, too, as always!
so so fabulous.
i have so much to say.
i love how you are always doing something. living.
i need to find a way to get back to wanting to do something. anything.
looking at your photos always inspires me. i know i’ve said this before, but some day, i must meet you. and emily.
OMG…I must visit. Love these shots. Been wanting to take csrson.XOXO
My sister works at that museum!! :) She did her senior project there and they ended up hiring her. She
loves it there. It is truly a wonderful place for kids and adults.
Melissa V.
oh i love the FUN!!! and those chucks combined with these vintage dresses, hehee!
Awww! man! I feel like I was there… your descriptions are so vivid, but I guess I only wish I was. I am so excited to have a new place to visit in California. Loving the pictures. Did the kids throw themselves against those mattresses in the pillow fight room? The whole place is so creative. It’s always fun when you are there for your kids, but you can have fun too! Yindi looks so big! Anyway, love ya
theses photos = happiness!!!
what a treat for mine eyes…
that one of us altogether is so yummy!
Love your pictures, as usual! You take the ordinary and make it extraordinary.
Oh these pics are just superb..I want the bottom photo thingos for chrissy too!
I am having a giveaway to celebrate my etsy store opening, please come enter..
cheers
http://www.jogirlsjourney.blogspot.com
Oh My Gosh.. how fun.. looks like you all had a great time
what the heck?! I saw a picture of that pillow room somewhere and thought ..i need to go there! That place looks amazing! and freakishly cute!
Tara. Once again you wow me woman. I can’t explain it. You make me want to take pics of me & my kids & I am NEVER in a photo….btw…what were your settings for that timed group shot? Maybe I could try that for starters & actually be in a photo now & then!
oh my gosh, this looks like so much fun! I always love your photos. What a wonderful way to spend the day. :) Thanks for sharing!
Awesome photos as always. We love the childrens museum. You’re lucky I wasn’t there that day…I probably would have screamed with excitement like a freak and been “that creepy blog reader” LOL ;)
Hey! My older DD has that same Laughing Out Loud shirt (which she loves because she is all about LOLcats right now), and we LOVE the new museum. My pics don’t look as great as yours, though =)
Oh so glad you posted. My family and I are heading out there Wednesday. I really can’t wait now. Looks like so much fun!
After seeing these pics I’m dying to head down there – what a fun outing!
Wow….I can see you already are cherishing these days and times with your kids…..I so miss the days of visits to “my” museums and other places that my 5 and 7 years old girls used to so enjoy. Alas, they are now 13 and 15, and though they won’t readily admit it, I might be able to take them to a place like this, and if I turned my back, know they would be having a ball ( as long as there were no cute teenage boys in sight that is!) I’m not sure even my girls would be able to resist cloaking themselves in those cool foam tires and having a good ole bouncing battle!
oh my…what a gorgeous place! i’m going to be in san diego in the spring and am going to make sure i go there!!!
thanks for sharing…i really enjoyed this post and all the beautiful images!
I love these photos Tara. Love the colors. And I loooove this place, OMG, I have to go visit that place if I’m ever down in SD. (I live in SF) I also love how talented Anna is with your cam, that ipod shot of you reminds me of myself when I’m driving… Ha. Keep up the lovely work. Btw, do you use any actions editing your shots? Love the colors.
Thanks so much for sharing these great pics! I’ve been planning on taking my boys to this museum to get a year pass in hopes of going often. This sneak peek is exactly was what I wanted! :P I’d love to meet you one of these days. Ciao!