Tulip Killer Found!

This morning, Megan and I heard quite a bit of bird song as we were coming down for our morning juice and coffee. I walked over to the window to see how many birds I could spot at our bird feeder. That thing is such a source of entertainment around here! It wasn't there. Looking around, I see it on the ground. Grrr. I just filled it yesterday. Then I noticed that it looks like there had been a party in our front yard last night. I glanced the way of my tulips, not really wanting to see but having to anyway and sure enough, they are completely eaten. Remember the pictures? Most of them were half there and there were even a few not eaten on at all. Not any more. Every pl;ant is eaten down to the dirt.

Who would do this? There's tender grass everywhere! Why won't they eat my clover?!?

I walked into the kitchen and got my answer:

Look at that innocent look! "Who me? What'd I do?" Grrrrr

WHAT?!?

Someone HELP! Something has eaten my perennials! What kind of demented critter would do this to me?!? It doesn't look like an insect, although I'm not ruling that out entirely. If you know what does this sick, twisted thing to plants, please tell me so I can KILL IT!

 It likes tulips {cry} and hostas {which it ate to the ground. I couldn't even get a good picture to show. There's nothing left.}but has steered clear of my daylilies.

Melissa and Doug Sale!

Barnes and Noble is having a sale on their Melissa and Doug toys! 45% off online! (not sure about in stores, but I'm hopping to find out soon ;))

Just thought I'd pass that along :)

Yesterday was Yucky, but...

Thinking She's All Grown Up

Today was co-op day. The kids have REALLY been enjoying their classes. It's so much fun to see our friends and share in some learning and fun.

I blogged before that this is Megan's first semester taking the "big kid" classes. I was a teensy bit concerned that maybe she wouldn't have the attention span needed for five, hour-long classes in one day, but oh how I was wrong ;) She is having a ball!

Today, after lunch, I was going to walk her to class and she INSISTED on walking herself. I let her after she convinced me she knew were her class was.

Here she is, grinning about her independence :)
And I got this picture while I was checking to make sure she made it to class ;)
Stinker!

Sweetness

Yesterday, after we were done with school for the day, we headed outside. (Of course! It's gorgeous!) After dragging out some bikes for the kids, I settled on the front porch and witnessed an adorable scene. Nicholas is learning to ride his bike. He's very frustrated. Megan gets on her trike and immediately jumps off calling for Nicky because she sees a spider. Nicholas drops his bike and runs to his sister:

"Yep, that's a spider," he tells her. LOL!
He then stomped all over the place until that bad bug was dead :)
Then he goes back to his frustration. But see that grin on his face? Satisfaction!
Maybe he can't quite ride the bike yet, but he knows how to kill a nasty spider and be his sister's hero :)

She decided then to tell him how to ride a bike:
Even though she never has ;) Such a little woman!

Later, when they came in, she couldn't resist playing with his hair:
Nicholas and Brandon went to the "lot" to play basketball with some other kids in the neighborhood and when Nicholas gets sweaty his hair is very curly. So cute!

Such sweetness :)

A Friendly Game

We had a really busy day yesterday! Not only did we have a play to attend, but shortly after we got home, we had a surprise visitor! My dad was in town for the day and dropped by for a few hours. We chatted for a bit, then wandered outside. We ended up in what the kids call the lot playing basketball. (It isn't a lot, it's a road with a dead end that the developers put in just in case they ever get the chance to buy the woods that run behind our house. I hope they never do.)

My dad played basketball in highschool and also while he was in the marines so it was fun to get him out there with his grandkids. A great time was had by all :)

At first it was just the guys:
Watching Brandon's shot. Dad called him "shooter" for the rest of the game :)
Here's Nicky's shot. I can't remember if it went in or not but it looked good :)
Megan wanted to play to.
I tried to entertain her on the sidelines:
She would not be consoled. So she got to play :)
She guarded her grandpa :)

Another shot from the "shooter".
Happy, little camper:
She needed a little help to make her shot:
It was good to see my dad with a basketball again.
They were all pooped afterward :)
It was a really fun afternoon!

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

Yesterday, our co-op had a field trip to see a play based on the book series, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. When we found out on Wednesday that all three little kids had strep, we almost dropped out, but we were told that they wouldn't be contagious after 24 hours on the antibiotics so we started them up that night so everyone would be able to go. (We dosed the boys from Megan's prescription because the pharmacy couldn't find theirs! UGH!) We had a great time! We've had Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle on our bookshelves since Kristen was in first grade so this was really a treat! (Kristen was disappointed that she couldn't go. Darn college!)

Here's the set. It's blurry, but you get the idea. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle lives in an upside down house and all the kids in the town love her! She has cures for whatever trouble kids are getting into like "the fighter/quarreler cure", "answer-backer cure", "Cry-baby cure", and what was the other one? "Won't take a bather cure" or "radish cure"? I can't remember which it was called. Very funny stuff!
Everywhere we go, our kids sit with Margot's kids :)
Such sweet friendships there :)

Angi, you were missed! Thank you for setting up this field trip! Everyone had a great time :)

Fun in the Sun!

What a gorgeous day it was! We've been very lucky lately in the weather department!

Brandon had a book club meeting today (more on that in a second) so we decided to head over early and visit the zoo for a bit! Since we were planning a fairly short trip, I asked the kids for their number one destination in there so we'd make sure to head there first. Asia Quest won! Tigers and monkeys...that seems to satisfy everyone :)

The monkeys were performing all kinds of acrobatics for us:
The kids were loving them!
Until they got a little too "frisky". Then it was time to go see the tigers ;) (Good grief! Get a room!)

The tiger was taking a nap today so we moved on to the lion who did not disappoint! He was so close!
And then guess what we saw?!? The cubs!
Can you see him? He was looking right at me! Megan really wanted to bring him home :)

The obligatory picture on one of the statues :)
And of course we had to visit the aquarium:
They seriously could watch the fish for a very long time.

After that, Brandon went to my friend, Carla's house for a discussion of the book, Cracker, with her book club. This was his first time and he had so much fun! Carla, thank you for having this! We will be back for the next one for sure ;) (It was also so nice to visit with you for a bit today!)

I'm hoping this weather sticks around for a while! It's so much more fun getting out for all these great things when the sun is out and we don't have to wear all our winter gear!