Backyard Treasures

Some new swings from a creative Daddy:


And the tiniest baby turtle I've ever seen:

Short Hair and a Long Visit to the Nurse

I decided that Sadie's long hair was too much of a bother and it doesn't stay in a ponytail for longer than 10 minutes. Therefore, she's going for the short look, like her sister. Her hair isn't styled perfectly in this picture but the leotard and tutu make up for it.
Here is a conversation Noelle and Sadie had in the backseat of the car yesterday.
A little background first: Eloisa is a doll (a Cabbage Patch doll that was mine, thus explaining the atypical name) and the girls are discussing a fictional day.

Noelle: Was Eloisa in school today?
Sadie: No, she had to go to the nurse.
N: Oh, why did she have to go to the nurse?
S: She had a bad cold.
N: Was she there a long time?
S: Yes, they had to cut open her leg.
N: Oh, why did they do that?
S: To check out her bladder and make sure it was working. Then they put her back together.
N: Is she doing ok now?
S: Well, she's still sneezing and colding a lot.

'A' is for Ants and AAAGGGHHH!

Does anyone else have unwanted ants in their house due to all the rain? (At least I'm going to assume it's the rain. I'm sure it doesn't have anything to do with the crumbs on my floor or the regular occasional sticky spots on my counter).

They're the big ants and they don't seem to be coming from anywhere specific or going anywhere specific. If they're looking for their fellow ants they should be obliged when I squish their crunchy little bodies and deposit them in the trash with their fellow, paper-towel enshrouded friends. I've definitely gotten more violent in my 'squishing' as the days continue.

Anyone have any good remedies?

Friend's Zoo Pass = Cool Mom

Noelle didn't have school today and thanks to Stephanie Fister and her totally awesome zoo pass, I got to be the cool mom that had a totally awesome day planned. The girls and I went with Stephanie and her two boys, Luke and Samuel, to the Cincinnati Zoo for the day. Despite the occasional drizzle, it was our best zoo experience yet...the animals were actually moving! (shocking, I know!)

This was one of Noelle's favorite animals; a cockatoo
that could say a few words. (It's the white thing in the tree above our heads)

Merry-Go-Round ride thanks to Stephanie's totally awesome zoo pass.
Noelle is on a hummingbird and Sadie is on the ever-so-speedy manatee

Noelle and Luke in the rain forest mistSadie, Noelle and Luke studying the map - aren't they cute?

Samuel, in deep conversation with a monkeyMe and the girls on the train - thanks to Stephanie's totally awesome zoo pass (see a theme?)

Stephanie and I both wore red shirts over long-sleeve white t-shirts. I thought it would be cute to get a picture of the two of us together in our coordinating outfits. Note to self: Never get a picture with Stephanie (who is about a size -2) unless there is a large land mammal in the background. Otherwise YOU look like the large land mammal.

Garage Sale Season

I sure do love garage sale season. Of course I'm rather selective - I only go for ones that are street sales and are a short drive from my house. I can usually do a drive-by and if I see pink, I stop.
Noelle usually scores big at garage sales. I get her "new" clothes and toys and then Sadie inherits them 3 years later. But today, Sadie was the big winner. She got her very own 2-wheel bike and a backpack. Isn't she such a big girl?

What's the Opposite of a Green Thumb?

Is a brown thumb the opposite of a green thumb? Is so, I definitely have a brown thumb. I manage to kill just about everything I try to grow despite my genuine effort to care for them. My sister-in-law, Elizabeth are equally talented in this area so we're competing to see who can keep their plants alive longest. I think I'll have to concede defeat.

This year I thought I was starting out right. I planted some tomato, cilantro and cucumber seeds in March, thinking they would have a strong start before I planted them in large pots on our deck.

I was thrilled when they sprouted and I carefully monitored their sun and water exposure. Then I cautiously acclimated them to the outdoors, but now after several weeks, they look like they would rather die.

This tomato plant is so pathetic that my camera wouldn't focus on it. It found the dirt a more worthy subject to focus on.
I think I'll be visiting a greenhouse in the near future to go with Plan B.

I'm thinking that maybe a brown thumb is a sign of someone who is good with chocolate. I DEFINITELY do well with chocolate!

Watch Out for Lightening Strikes

Yes, we had some pretty serious storms last night, but the lightening bolt I was afraid of this afternoon was one I expected to come straight from heaven when Noelle declared she was almost as perfect as God.

Here's the conversation:
I just got the mail with an advertisement from Victoria Secret. I was throwing it away when Noelle caught a glimpse of the scantily clad women and asked what it was. I told her the women were not appropriate to look at so I was going to throw it out.
N: What's wrong with them?
Me: They have a bad look (I wanted to let her know it's not just the lack of clothes, it's the seductive look that's also the problem. A very basic lesson on modesty without too many details.)
N: Do they look like they're better then everyone else?
Me: Sort of
N: Well they're not better then God
Me: No, their not
N: I'm not better then God either; although it's surprising.
Me: (hmmmm?) What's surprising?
N: That I'm not better then God.
Me: Why?
N: Because I really like how I am. I'm almost perfect.

WHOA! Watch out for lightening!!! Obviously we have some pride issues to deal with.
I made sure to point out just how far we all fall from being perfect.

My Tattoos

This is what happens when it's not quite bedtime and I've run out of ideas for the kids:

Apple Blossom Festival in VA

Brad and my hometown hosts an annual event that we like to get to as often as possible - the Apple Blossom Festival. There's 2 parades, a 10k race, the circus, dances, carnival, and lots of parties. It's a lot of fun to partake in some of the events while visiting with our families. Here are some highlights from this year:

Friday night is the Fireman's Parade where there are dozens of firetrucks and rescue vehicles.

Here are the girls with their hero who bought them cotton candy.

Saturday morning is the 10k. Brad ran, along with his Dad, brother, sister-in-law and my brother

Here are the girls, waiting for the runners to go by. We're with my mom (a.k.a. Grammy)

Brad and his dad in the yellow shirts

Noelle got a ride in Pappy's convertible

Pizza at the Spence's - yum, yum! I think I caught Cousin Ethan, mid sentance.

Saturday is the Grand Feature Parade. Here are the girls with Grandma Spence.

2 Happy girls in their Pink and Green - a must for all Apple Blossom Attendees.