Zoo Trip

Today's trip was definitely not about the zoo animals. Although we did look at a few! The kids had fun swinging with their Uncle and playing in the splash pad.

Of course they had to sit on every tractor too!

Who doesn't love to brush goats.

They were so excited that they were able to ride the camel all by themselves.

The View from my Kitchen Window...

A few weeks ago I put a bird feeder with finch food on my kitchen window. It took about a week for the birds to find it, but now there are generally 5-10 finches in my back yard all the time. They are so beautiful and the kids love to sit on the kitchen counter and watch them (and yes I know that you would be able to see them much better if I washed my windows occasionally!).

Success...

We finally have grown something this spring. They are actually big enough now that we had to transplant them, which with the amount of water my kids poured directly on them after the transplant may be the end of the plants!

We have a Butterfly...

Just before breakfast this morning we discovered we had a butterfly! We are not sure if they others will be born as I can see holes in the cocoon's, but we will wait a couple more days and see. So the new butterfly held my kids attention for about 15 minutes, but this held their attention for about 2 hours...
I don't know what it is about worms that my kids love, but there must be something that I don't see. Big man was so cute today too when they were playing with it, he tore it in half so that little man would have one to play with too:)

Quote of the day...

We were sitting at the car wash today, big man was watching the people dry the car. After a few minutes he turns to me and says: When I grow up I want to be a car wash cleaner, just like them. Then little man of course turns to me and says: Me too, car wash cleaner too. It makes me so proud to know that they have such lofty career goals at such a young age.

Fun Color Activity

At story time this week at the library the kids were learning about colors and rainbows. The teacher then did this activity where she put milk in the bottom of a plate, then put 2-3 drops of different food colorings, then in the middle she put 2 drops of dish soap.

It then Magically turns into a color volcano, where the middle keeps erupting for several minutes and the colors swirl. Kept my kids busy for quite a while!

Another Attempt at Gardening

This will be our 3rd attempt this year to grow something! I am pretty optimistic this time as I read what to plant and how on the internet. So, we planted mustard seeds and sunflower seeds. Fortunately the kids just like to put the seeds in pots, they usually forget about the plants if I don't remind them, so they haven't even noticed when I have thrown away the plants that died.

Still hangin' in there

I moved the caterpillars' into their new home today. It is just amazing how much silk they spun in their cup they came in. I had to cut the silk with scissors. I am just in awe at how they can stay attached to their little piece of paper. I was really moving it when I transferred them and one of the caterpillars got angry and began twitching. I was nervous one of them was going to fall, but they didn't. Now we are just waiting for The Big Day.

All is forgiven when...

you go in and find your cranky 2 year old has fallen asleep looking like this.
It just doesn't matter anymore that in the last hour he has dumped several glasses of water onto the carpet, peed all over the bathroom floor, and then screamed for about 15 minutes straight because his brother flushed the toilet instead of him (even though none of his pee made it into the toilet!)

Our newest pets

Last month when we visited the butterfly garden at the Botanical Gardens, I bought a butterfly garden for our house and sent away for the caterpillers. We received them last week and the kids check on them virtually every hour that they are awake (and yes we took them camping!). Wouldn't you know that as soon as I put the kids to bed tonight I walk by and there they are hanging upside down. The event my kids have been waiting for and they aren't even awake. I think I will just act surprised in the morning when big man goes to check on them first thing. I tried taking pictures of them, but the container they are in won't let me. I will be moving them to their new home in a couple of days and will take more pictures then.

Kites = $4, Hours of Entertainment = Priceless

You can never be too careful when flying kites according to big man.

Of course the kites have to be Thomas!

Then there is the marshmallow roasting to end the night.

Another Day Camping

We came across some very intersting bugs today doing some interesting things on our nature walk.

Then we took a walk to an abandoned mine.

Our new home (away from home)

This is our first weekend out with our new trailer! Can you still call it camping when you have a shower, bathroom, portable dvd player, laptop with internet and cell phone? Either way this is my kind of camping.

The kids have had such a good time riding their bikes and hanging out with their Grandma and cousin. They thought it was pretty cool that they got to share a bed too! Today we have also seen 4 baby quail that just hatched, a diamondback rattlesnake and many birds, insects and lizards. Needless to say the kids never want to go home and big man has asked several times if we can live in the trailer forever.

Dinosaurs

Yesterday Big Man had his monthly science classs at the science center. This month he got to learn all about the different dinosaurs and fossils. He had the best time!

Like Father Like Son

Hopefully he will enjoy mowing this much at age 10!

New Bikes

We had to bribe big man to stop wearing diapers by buying him a new bike that he could only ride when he wasn't wearing diapers. So, now that little man isn't wearing diapers anymore, he got a new big boy bike too!

Could it be that I am diaper free?

After 4 years of changing diapers, with 18 months of those 4 years changing 2 kids diapers, I have not changed a diaper in a week! Little man has decided he is not going to wear diapers anymore at all, only Thomas underwear. And to think, I was going to wait about 3 more months to even try! I do have to sneak in when he is asleep, though, and put on a diaper. He hasn't had an accident napping, yet, but at night he definitely needs a diaper.

You know they are up to no good when...

You realize they have been quiet way too long!

A New Record...

The hubster always jokes that if I am not good he is going to take away my vehicle and give me a bike with a basket. That may not be too bad of an idea right now! Either that or he can get a second job.