Caterpillars

So, we took some beautiful Easter pictures last Sunday, which you can see here.

But the big word around our house lately is, "CATERPILLAR!!!!"  The trees have been raining Eastern Tent Caterpillars for the past several days.  These critters turn into rather unexciting-looking moths, but for the time being, they have provided hours of entertainment for the children.  Literally.  Hours.  They have caterpillar races, compare and contrast their different "pets," etc.  So, as a homeschool project, we have collected several of these little guys and set them up in a terrarium to observe until they form a cocoon and complete their transformation.   This is on Charlotte Mason's list of things that all 6 year old children should do, so I guess we're on track. :)

Lots of Milestones

Over the past week, we've had lots of milestones.  Ben played his first t-ball game last Saturday.  His team name is The Green Hornets.  Ben is playing with our church league- Idlewild Baptist.  Monday night, while eating ice cream (ok, it was actually just chocolate sorbet), his tooth fell out.  Yes.  In ice cream.  Brad said he must have bitten the gluten free cone.

Anna had a visit from the Stufflebeams on Sunday afternoon.  Tuesday, she went into the hospital for orthopedic surgery.  Dr. Frick removed two bones from each foot, then cut through her tibias, rotated the feet out straight, and put them back together with plates.  In two weeks we'll x-ray to see if she is healing properly.  We were at Levine's until Wednesday evening.  Anna insisted she was well enough to come home, so we let her.  Are you surprised that the casts are bright pink? 

Hello. Do you like my hat?

My title is best explained to those who are familiar with the book, Go Dog, Go.  Periodically, two dogs appear in the story and have a dialogue about a hat.  It is kind of random and arbitrary.  That is how my posting has been recently.

So.  Now I am resolving to post something or other every Friday.  I will try to make it different than what you might find on facebook, to make sure I don't bore you.  And I will include pictures, because that's what grandparents want to see anyway.

Last weekend, we spent time in Washington, NC, with my family.  Emily had an early birthday party, since we will not be seeing Granny and Pa-pa in April.

While there, Ben acquired some banana trees for planting- which we are using as part of our home school experience.  He is charge of their care, and we will be measuring and recording their growth.  Ben also has his first loose tooth.

Anna is having orthopedic surgery at 8am on March 30th.  They will be removing the cuboid and tailus bones from her feet, to help flatten them out.  They are also cutting through her tibia, rotating her feet out, and putting them back together with plates.  We will be in the hospital for several days, and she will be in casts for quite a while.

Caleb is just doing his own thing.  Running to catch up with his siblings, cutting more teeth, learning new words, etc.  He is very. very. busy.

Happy Saturday!

If every moment could be like this...

Fun on the Playground

I just posted about 40 pictures to a facebook album, so I would recommend you go there to see all the cuteness....

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=190154&id=777599055&l=9cd4289cd2

Organized Chaos

It seems Ben has inherited some of my genes. He was quite proud of his arrangement of mini-tacos...

Despite the apparent organization, these guys are actually crazies....  Ask them to smile for the camera, and you get a variety of interesting looks.

 

Is There A Baby Gate Around Your Christmas Tree?

What the child sees:
A barricade
A hindrance to the acquisition of good things
A beautiful vision- just out of reach

What the parent sees:
A door that will be opened when the time is right
A help during a time when self-control may be lacking
A beautiful vision, protected until the day it can be experienced in full

Has God put a baby gate around your Christmas tree?