Birds & Bees

The bees were busy today!

The birds were busy, too! This is nesting season, and I've seen lots of birds collecting supplies for their nests. We have 2 pairs of chickadees that visit regularly. Occasionally they'll check out Tyler's nesting box, even pop in for a second, but they always fly away. I think they were just house shopping. Today it looks like one of the pairs has decided to buy. I read that chickadees like to excavate their own cavities, so I filled the box up with wood chips (hamster bedding) when I hung it up. Today one of the birds was busy removing the chips. He would either spit them out right outside the hole or fly over to a branch and spit them out onto the ground. It was very interesting to watch. In one picture you can see his lady friend supervising his work. Hopefully they will stick around and lay some eggs. I would love to see some baby chickadees! (In case you're wondering, the wire and tacks are a homemade house sparrow deterrent...and it works wonderfully!)

"Woodland" Creatures

Although Ron tried his hardest, he wasn't able to completely finish the first section of flooring before leaving for a business trip today. He wasn't able to finish the bathroom or put the transitions or molding back on. So, although I have a nice floor to look at, I don't have a toilet downstairs. Oh well. I think the floor looks really nice, but it's so different. It's going to take some getting used to. It also needs a nice, big rug to break up the shine a little. Apparently it's a good play area for Legos, though, and has been dubbed "Woodland". Here is a before and after shot, although you can see there's still work to be done.

Speaking of Legos, here are some bug creatures Danielle made today (ladybug, bee, ant, caterpillar, and butterfly on a flower). I thought they were great!! I love how creative both our kids are, and how differently they express it.

Morning Chores

I took the kids to a program at one of our metroparks this morning. They have a working historical farm, and we went to help the farmer with morning chores. We attended a program last summer and really enjoyed it. In fact, we were supposed to attend this program last summer, too, but had to cancel. This was just as good, and I'm glad we finally fit it in!

It was rainy and ugly out (which is why the sky looks so horrible in the pictures!), so I think that cut down on the turnout. Registration was full and there was a waiting list, but only one other family showed up. I have to admit that was kind of nice. We were the first ones there, so the kids brought in firewood and water for the house while the farmer was getting ready.

Once the farmer was ready for us, he kept the kids busy. They checked for eggs in the chicken coops and fed the chickens. Tyler & Danielle found 3 eggs. They were amazed that the eggs were still warm. They fed the horses, let the sheep out to pasture, milked the cow, fed & watered the pigs, and shelled some corn. They also checked for turkey eggs. The hen hopped off a nest as the kids walked in. She had just finished laying an egg, and it was still wet when the farmer picked it up. The kids had a great time. We walked around the farm a little more when the program was over, but couldn't linger too long because Danielle's softball practices started this afternoon.

We're looking forward to going back sometime this summer when the skies are blue and we can finish off our outing with a picnic lunch under a shade tree.

This & That

I tye-died some fabric yesterday and saved the leftovers for the kids. They each tye-dyed a shirt after school. I think they turned out pretty good!

I took these pictures a few days ago. I thought the insect ridges in the tree stump were especially interesting. Don't know what kind of flowers those are. The bird is an eastern meadowlark. They have a really pretty song.

Ron started working on the floor today. The kids wanted to lend a hand. Tyler is an especially good helper. I'll post before and after pictures later this weekend. It's not done yet; the job was a little more time consuming than Ron thought it would be. It looks really nice, though.

This & That

Long after we put the kids to bed the other night we continued to hear feet running across the floor upstairs. Later than night, when I checked on the kids before going to bed, I found this. There were only a couple stuffed animals on her bed when we tucked her in. (Yes, that's a barf bucket in the corner. We're very pukey around here.)

The sun finally broke through the gray clouds around dinner time tonight. Danielle didn't want me to stay with her at Girl Scouts, so I stopped at the park for a few minutes. I teased her that she didn't want me to stay because she wanted to sing the "naked" song.

A Little Sunshine

(It was a little windy today!)

Tools

I invaded Ron's "workshop" this evening.

Uneventful Updates

I'm not doing too well this month with my resolution to post more, am I? There's just not that much going on around here! We are trying to make it through the final 8 weeks of school. Sometimes I'm not sure we're going to make it!

Here are some rather uneventful updates:

Danielle's baton group is practicing for a variety show at the school. I'm amazed at how quickly Danielle picks up new routines. It is so fun to watch her.

Danielle is moving up to coach -pitch softball this summer. Practices start next Saturday. Hopefully we have seen the last of the snow.

We are getting ready to put new flooring down in our entry way, 1/2 bath, kitchen, and dinette. We can't install hardwood because it wouldn't withstand the dog's claws, so we are going to install laminate. It took us 3 weeks, several trips to several flooring stores, and over $100 (which was refundable) in samples to finally find a color we love. We had to order it and expect it to be delivered on Monday. Ron is going to do it all himself, and I'm sure he'll do a great job. I can't wait to see how it will look when it's all done!

Tyler made a really cute pop-up book at school. Tonight he showed Danielle how to make one. I thought her title was awesome: Dogs Fetch, Horses Sing, and Unicorns Don't Exist. Doesn't that make you want to read more?!

I have discovered the absolute best time of the day to talk to my children is after I've tucked them in. Lately I have lingered awhile longer with each child after they've been tucked in and the lights have been turned off. It's amazing how much more talkative they are, and their attention is undivided...as is mine. I've known they like to chat when I tuck them in, but I'm usually in a hurry to get on with my evening and want them to get a full night's sleep. I don't know why, but a week or so ago it hit me that these moments won't present themselves forever. One day their rooms will be empty and I will wish I could sit on the edge of their beds and listen to their stories just one more time.

More April Fools Fun

The kids really enjoyed their "breakfast" this morning. Danielle said she was fooled by the orange juice and had to look twice at the eggs. Tyler said he wasn't fooled at all because, "I know you, Mom. I just know you!"

We had fun with some other food pranks today.

Danielle's lunch

Fake dog poop

This one was probably the most believable. After Ron "found" a pile on the floor, he sampled a piece. That just about pushed Danielle over the edge. :)

Spaghetti dinner

Of course, I never put that much food on the kids' plates, nor do we have pizza with spaghetti, so they were automatically a little suspicious. From a distance the spaghetti looks pretty believable. I need to find something else to use for sauce if I ever make this again because I don't think it looks real enough close up. (I forgot to take a picture of that part - it's strawberry ice cream topping.) Both kids thought the noodles were real, though, and they were excited that I did something "foolish" for dinner.

I hope some day when they're older and have their own families they will smile as they tell their kids about the silly things we did together when they were little.

And that's no foolin'.