Butterfly Garden

A few weeks ago I purchased a butterfly garden so my kids and I could watch caterpillars eat, grow, build cocoons, and eventually turn into butterflies. I hope that we can make a Spring tradition out of it. I bought mine for less than $15 on Amazon, but a friend of mine found them at Walmart as well.

By this point all the caterpillars had built their cocoons. 

Many mornings it was the first thing the kids checked on when they woke up.

Even though we watched them pretty carefully, we never saw any of the caterpillars emerge from their cocoons. They were pretty fast and would suddenly just appear in the garden, flying around.

A couple of the butterflies, just after leaving their cocoons.

Getting ready to release the butterflies from the garden into great wide open.

Even D wanted in on the action.

I tried to capture a photo or two of the butterflies leaving their garden, but they were too quick! We were lucky enough to see all 5 of our painted ladies turn from caterpillars into butterflies.

One of the more exciting educational experiences I have had with my kids. I would highly recommend it!

Maybe He Really is Paying Attention?

As Ryan was reading stories with the kids tonight I noticed that they were all paying attention and enjoying the story at the same time, so I deemed it a Kodak moment. I sneakily pulled out the camera and hoped to snap a shot without any of them noticing. Just as I was taking the picture, Davis looked up and belted out "CHEESE!!!" as cute and clear as can be.

Who knew he has actually been paying attention to us and what we say?  There are definitely times when he could have fooled me, that's for sure.

It cracked everyone up to hear Davis get so excited about the camera. Here they are laughing at him and his new word.

Mothering Manipulation

My two-year-old firecracker, Maddie, has been Dora's most devoted fan since before she turned 18 months old. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING rivaled her compassion and love for that little Latina. And to be honest with you, I loved it! Spanish-speaking role model, friendly and kind, loves her abuela, talks to monkeys and other animals...

But ever since Disney's Tangled came out on dvd, Rapunzel has been slowly but surely creeping deeper and deeper into Maddie's heart. At first I loved it---the music is seriously catchy, Rapunzel is smart and sassy, and could Flynn Rider/Eugene be any cuter? I think not. And then all of a sudden I realized that the long-tressed blonde was really winning Maddie over. While I have no problem with Rapunzel (I did buy her the DVD for her Easter basket, so according to Ryan I have no one to blame but myself), I just don't want her to be into princesses quite yet. Is that too much to ask? Dora just seems more age-appropriate, more little-girlish than 18-year-old Rapunzel.

Call me crazy (pretty sure Ryan thinks I am), but I DO have a problem with this Disney princess:

Maybe I'm a little old-fashioned, but I can't be the only mother in America who has issues with this scantily-clad redhead who blatantly disobeys her loving father and ends up selling her voice (soul) to the sea devil for the chance at wooing some punk she's never even met. I'm just sayin'. Not exactly the type of role model I want for my not-yet-three-year-old little girl.

Enter manipulation. I talk constantly about how awesome Dora is---I sing her songs throughout the day and mention often how smart and fun she is...and I try to coerce my daughter into choosing to watch her over the Disney girl instead. So answer me this: Is there anything wrong with that? All I really want is for my baby girl to stay a baby for a few years longer!

And just for the record, the manipulation doesn't seem to be working too effectively.

Whenever I Hear the Song of a Bird

Here is the latest favorite primary song in our house. In an effort to give Maddie equal air time (Ike seems to unintentionally drown her out when they sing together), I videotaped them separately, Maddie singing the first verse and Ike the second. The only problem I ran into was that little Mads didn't want to stop at just one verse, so you get the whole song from her and just the second verse from Ike.

I wish I could have fully captured Maddie's outfit today---Sparkly Unicorn shirt, Princess skirt, and Dora snow boots.

It's 80 degrees outside today.

These are for you, Corey!

Tulip Fest

Yesterday morning we packed the kids in the car and headed south-east to the Dutch town of Pella. Every year, on the weekend before Mother's Day, the city puts on a Tulip Festival, complete with thousands of flowers, parades, and Dutch food. We decided to pass on the festival (and the crowds) this year, but thought it would make for a fun Mother's day drive to head out there before church. The flowers were gorgeous, and we even found a fun park where the kids could play. It was a beautiful morning.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!"

Remember these old-school slides that burn your leg when the temperature creeps up in the heat of summer?  Luckily yesterday it was a brisk 55 degrees in the morning.

Maddie took this picture---not too shabby for a two-year-old, eh?

Ike's favorite flowers.

Ryan took a picture with me and each child in front of their favorite tulips. Maddie is partial to the color purple as of late.

I loved the big orange ones.

The tire swing was the hit of the park.

My daredevil little boy. A couple of days ago he ran right off the apparatus at the playground, tumbling five feet to the ground. One of my scariest moments as a mother. Luckily I was the only one hurt by that fall.