Camp Crystal

A few weeks ago the entire second grade at Parker's elementary school took a field trip to a place called Camp Crystal. I was lucky enough to go along as a chaperon. I always appreciate opportunities to spend time with Parker while he's around his friends because I feel like I get to see another side of him - and sort of peek into this other life he has at school.

Parker and S on the bus on our way there:



We went on a nature hike, stopping every couple of minutes to hear our guide (camp teacher) tell us lots of interesting things about habitats, ecosystems, plant and animal life, soil, and other things about our Florida environment.

Parker is on the far right and the guide is on the far left with the orange shirt and dark visor:



After walking around outside for a couple of hours (including some time by the lake where we took the first pic of this post), we were able to sit down and cool off in a tiny "museum" that was air-conditioned (hooray!).



The boy on Parker's right above (in the green shirt) is his other best friend and the three of them do everything together... in fact, now that I realize what good buddies they are I'm sad that I didn't get him in more of the pictures. For example, he was sitting next to Parker at lunch (below) but I only took the photo of the other two. :(



Finally, we got to take a hay-ride all around the camp:




The 2nd graders were disappointed that they didn't get to play on this climbing wall - but I, for one, was relieved:



After an exhausting day, the three friends fell fast asleep on the bus and stayed that way for the entire 40 minute ride back to school:

Butterflies in our house!

There aren't too many things that can fascinate a 3-year-old and an 8-year-old equally, but my mother-in-law found one. She sent us a butterfly-growing kit in the mail, which included live caterpillars & their food, a cylinder-shaped butterfly house, and everything you need to take care of the butterflies after they emerge.



We forgot to take pictures of the caterpillars, but they just ate and ate and ate. Then over the next 2 days or so after receiving the package, each one hung itself up from the fabric at the top of the jar and formed a chrysalis around its little body. So we took lots of pictures the afternoon we transferred the fabric to the butterfly house.





Both boys have been excited about the experiment from beginning to end. The little insects actually came out of their cocoons while we were in Texas, but Parker sent texts to keep us informed. This picture was taken the night we got back and saw the fully grown butterflies for the first time:



Eventually, though, we had to let them go free. We all got up early Saturday morning and took the butterfly house to the back deck:




I was really proud of Lincoln for being so gentle with the tiny creatures.




And here's Parker holding one with its wings open:



We'll probably do it all again when Anndra is older since she was too young to really know what was going on this time. She was more interested in playing with a bubble wand from our trip (thanks again, Erika!) than in watching the butterflies:



She makes the funniest faces every time she tastes the bubble mixture, but it doesn't seem to stop her... she still thinks she has to put it in her mouth to get bubbles to come out. Silly girl.



Speaking of bugs, Lincoln also got a bug mask/glasses and insisted on wearing them while he pulled the husks off the corn the other night. I just HAD to capture the moment:

Mother's Day in Texas

Being with my sisters made it a very special Mother's Day. I feel so blessed that we had these three little girls so close together. Since they will be doing everything at the same time (being in the same grade in school and such), it will help us feel connected with each others' lives no matter where we live.




Cousins having some quiet time with play-dough while 2 babies slept after church:


Aunt Jessie singing "No more monkeys jumping on the bed" with the little girls after they woke up:


On Monday the kids wanted to go outside, but it was hot, hot, HOT (I think it hit 100 degrees that day). No swimming pools were open yet, so we found other ways to keep cool outside.


Water balloon games:


Spraying the hose like a sprinkler for the kids to run through:


Even pouring a bucket of water over their heads:


Before we brought them in to take baths and put jammies on, we wrote messages with chalk on Erika's front walk. We knew Grandy and Grandpa Paul were coming Tuesday and wanted to make a fun welcome for them.


We had a small birthday celebration for Jane (who would turn 5 later that week). Since Lincoln considers himself an expert on birthdays, he watched over the candle-placing:


All 6 kids after Jane opened her presents on our last night at Erika's (Maren had already fallen asleep and didn't want to wake up for the party):

Sisters Reunion 2011

Let me begin this post with an apology to everyone I know who lives in Texas that we didn't stop to see on our trip. We decided to go about two days before we left and we were on a tight schedule - so I could get back to Parker (who didn't come with us) and be back to work (baby-sit Brooke). Please forgive us!



Jessie's husband was gone for training and she was going to bring her kids to Florida and spend a week at my house while he was away. But then we got the idea that we could drive together to see my other sister, Erika, in Texas (we miss her terribly and she may be moving very far away later this year). We decided this was our best chance for a sister weekend.



I drove with my two littlest on a Tuesday evening up to Alabama and we slept over at Jessie's house. Then all SEVEN of us (2 moms + 5 kids: ages 4, 3, 3, 1, and 1) piled into Jessie's van and drove all the way to Houston. We traveled the rest of the way Thursday and arrived at Erika's around dinner time. Erika was an amazing hostess. The weekend was full of good food, good fun, and lots of kid chaos. :)



The cousins enjoyed Addie's park:






We also went bowling at the Air Force base. This guy is one awesome bowler! Thanks, Brian, for putting up with so many women and children in the house for a few days.



These two are such great parents. Addie is a lucky, lucky girl!



Lincoln, Jane, and Maren (we referred to them all week as "the 3 big kids") did EVERYTHING together:






In fact, we had lots of groups of 3 - 3 babies, 3 big kids, and 3 sisters! Believe it or not, one of the very few pictures we got of the three moms was when Erika and Jessie treated me to a pedicure for my birthday:



Thanks for the great girl-time!

End of April

I'm getting excited to post pictures from our trip to Texas, but first I want to finish sharing the rest of our pics from April.

My favorite picture of the month:


Swimming:

The boys with one of Todd's friends (his wife took these pictures).






Fun times with Brooke:





Sleeping angels:




My other favorite picture: