happy Earth Day!

We loved our Earth today!

Carmen and I spent part of the afternoon at the second grade gardens planting a pollinator garden with one of the classes.  Check out our new cedar boxes!  Aren't they beautiful?

The bed has tons of plants that we are hoping will attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and yes, even bees.  Some of the things we've included are yarrow, coreopsis, lavender, milkweed, aster, bluestar, begonias, alyssum, oregano, bee balm, lantana, and lamb's ear.  I think I include lamb's ear in every garden, just because it's so cool.  The kids always think so, too.

Here it is after they planted it.  We added a little landing spot with rocks for the butterflies to warm up  on and there's a thermometer and rain gauge, too.  

I made that bamboo teepee for the sweet pea plant.  They are so easy to make.  I can't wait to see it covered in flowers.  Pollinator.org has lots of great information on creating these gardens.

Last weekend, we went to Crestwood Elementary's Nature and Plant Fair.  Diego saved some of his carrots to feed the bunnies.

Isabela caught a very unusual chicken.  We're still working up the nerve to get our own backyard chickens.  I think it will happen one day soon.

I thought this goat was so cute kneeling down to chomp on the grass.

They always set up lots of interactive stations for the kids to learn more about nature.  Good bugs vs. Bad bugs is always good to know.

I bought this sweet pea that was planted at our own school garden....check out the bee on Isabela's finger.  It's a yellow jacket and would NOT leave us alone.  I was freaking out a little, the kids were fine.  I was very thankful for the VCU Bug Lab that captured him and put him in a bottle to display.

Diego is still fascinated with insects.  He pet a horned caterpillar...these were being eaten from the inside out by some parasitic wasp.  Pretty gross.

And does anyone remember Isabela's pygmy goat love?

FLASHBACK to 2011!

And sweet Diego!  I miss that baby!

How did you celebrate Earth Day?

happy spring and belated birthdays

Happy Spring!  And happy birthday to Diego!

Diego was looking forward to this paper birthday balloon from his teacher the entire month of March!


Instead of a party, we took him to his most favorite place of all time...skyzone.  Bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, miss!



Diego makes this look WAY more fun than it actually is.  I tried a flying belly flop into the foam pit (no picture necessary) and nearly cracked myself in half...backwards.  Plus those blocks suck big people under and make it very embarrassing to try and crawl your way out.  Just warning you.

And just a few days later, it was Carmen's birthday!

I convinced JP to build this frame house for her.  I may like it more than her, but it just needs a few more touches, like this mud kitchen, to make it feel like home.

I also thought it would be cool to build a new sandbox, but my wise husband convinced me to just use the plastic one the neighbors had given us.  

It already had a cover and was just the right size.  Carmie likes it....

...but so does everyone else!  Have you ever seen a bunch of giants crowded around a tiny sand box?

Last week, I took my two littles to the park.  

We tested out Diego's new fishing net, but those teeny tiny fish in the creek were too fast for us.

When I was little, I used to catch crayfish in the creek behind my house.  Now wouldn't that be magical today?!

Carmen gave her new red boots a try.  

I need to get some of those so I can stomp around in the water, too!

We had the little playground all to ourselves, so I let the kids play as long as they wanted.  Diego loves to swing and tried his hardest to make it go full circle all the way around the bar.

Carmen is fine with a gentle push.

She looks so grown up here....

...and just like my mom in this picture.

Carmen's favorite thing is the slide.  This one is only three feet tall.  It doesn't matter to her.  It's still just as fun.

“I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.”

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Diego has been gifted with curiosity and it's wonderful.  It leads us down new paths and new experiences!  Happy Birthday, Diego!

"Why fit in when you were born to stand out?"  Dr. Seuss

Yep, this quote is perfect for Carmen.  You can hear her coming a mile away.  Happy Birthday, sweet girl!