First Eggs!

We heard excited screams from the backyard one morning last week as Jenna ran to the house triumphantly holding our first egg!  ("So, that's why they've been so interested in going in there!" she says, referring to the little building with an open window in our backyard)  Upon further inspection, Jenna found a couple more eggs rolling around on the floor and by the end of the day, she had to accept that the big black chicken she was so determined and so hopeful was a rooster, was most definitely, not. 

All three black hens are laying.  Not in the nice, new nesting boxes Bryan whipped up a few days later, though.  They are now quite attached to laying the building.
 
Jenna spends time every morning transfixed by the whole process.  She likes to sit patiently and quietly in front of them and can tell you exactly when the hen is laying based on her position.

We have over a dozen now.  Tonight we will eat them for supper so I don't have to go to the store (the eggs, not the chickens).  :)  Thanks, ladies

38!

Awoke to some homemade wrapped presents and cards from my girls.  Also a Garmin running watch from Hubby and in-laws. 



Delivered 38 balloons during the day, most to the nursing home.  :)

And went skating that night.  AWESOME fun. 

A Butterfly Funeral and a Dixon Springs Slide

 

Caroline found a just-barely alive butterfly in the driveway.  She was intent upon making her comfortable, feeding her, examining her "sucker" under the microscope, and on saving her.  She seemed to calmly accept that the butterfly would not live, but she could at least make her quite comfortable and happy. 

 But when the lights were out and we were tucked into bed, she began to cry and cry that this butterfly was dead.  She tearfully told me her plans to bury her, to write her name on a note that included that she was the "most favorite moth she had ever had."  I hugged and  patted her and listened.
  I  told her that the "state" the butterfly was in was very peaceful and comfortable.  It wasn't scary; it must be like lying down on your sheets at night--cozy, safe and comfortable.

To which Caroline sobbed: "You can't think when you are DEAD!"
Me:  "Maybe we can, Caroline.  Maybe we have all kinds of good thoughts."
Caroline remained quiet, yet unconvinced.
She finally went to sleep after asking me to stop talking so that she could think "wonderful thoughts."

In the morning, she asked for the box as planned.  I gave her a box she was very happy with.  She asked for a shovel, but I suggested she bury her in the garden where she wouldn't need a shovel.
Caroline wanted a tight hug after the butterfly was buried.

 She dug her up about two hours later.

*Initially I uploaded the wrong video for this post.  Since it takes so long to upload these files, I decided to keep the wrong video here.  Here's Jenna going down the slide at Dixon Springs, earlier in the afternoon:

Silkie Baby

"Silkie Baby was sooooo glad to see me.  When she sees me, she talks so much!  It's like she's telling me everything that's happened to her while I've been gone.  She talks and talks until she gets hoarse."

Friday, July 19th

1.  I woke up late at 7:30.  3-5ish insomnia.  :(  No morning run as planned. Caroline woke up first requesting to get out of bed.
2.  Found a box for Caroline's butterfly she tried to save yesterday.  She wanted a box to bury her in.
3.  Bryan woke a groggy, but smiling Jenna around 8:20 to say goodbye to her.  Caroline buried her butterfly in the garden and then I gave her a big hug when I noticed her tears.  I
4.  I weeded around the sidewalk.  Kids took apart the cornstalks they collected at Pop and Grandma Rita's last week.  They were excited to find "baby corn."
5. Grapefruit and cereal w/frozen blueberries while I read the "Barn Book." (Actually a true, modern story about a New Zealand family.)  We finished our library read aloud yesterday, so we always go digging for through the selection of owned and favorite books we've read before.  We all love the barn book--it's just so sweet and family-centered.
6.  I printed an intricate coloring sheet Jenna requested that looked like one Aunt Lori sent her in the mail.  Kids colored.   Printed our tooth chart for us to aim for two solid weeks of family morning and nighttime brushing without missing one brushing (reward:  going skating together).  Jenna taped them on the door for everybody.
7.  Jenna let out the chickens/fed and watered them.  Caroline fed the cats--inside!  I picked up cat food to move to the deck.  Caroline carried two unhappy cats out underneath their front two legs.  I cleaned up kitchen while Caroline put up/played with and talked to/built with/smacked and talked about the silverware.  When she finally finished, she cleaned the dining room table.  We talked a lot during her clean-up.
8.  Jenna colored.  I helped Caroline practice her violin a couple of times.  Caroline went outside to dig up her butterfly.  
9.  Jenna and I talked about her question of how bridges are built without collapsing.  Both girls built a couple of designs.  Jenna said she figured out how the columns underneath are dug into the ground and hold the pieces up.  She then moved on to building this house:

 


10.  Caroline asked me to keep building her bridge.  She was so thrilled with the finished results.  Jenna made a few suggestions and this was the final product, which Caroline described as "stable,"  and "like the real bridge."
 

11. Jenna said she wished she could see a real bridge being built.  I looked up a couple of videos about bridges and the girls were enthralled with this one of bridge collapse simulations from the History Channel.  Will see how freaked out they are next time we cross the bridge!!
12  Girls sorted a load of laundry.
*Re-heated leftovers.  Made Caroline and I a salad.  
13.  I wrote three blog posts while the girls played.
14.  Jenna asked me to make popsicles.  The three of us worked together to make Strawberry Creamsicles. We all cleaned up kitchen
 15.  Girls switched out some more laundry. I folded and hung laundry.  Girls put away all of their clothes.
16.  I cleaned the bedroom, put up a load of towels, and did some general pick-up around house.
17.  Made a month's worth of calendars for the girls to fill out.
18.   Had girls do some cleaning up in the living room. 

Mommy, I made this for you.

"Here, Mommy."  Big Smile. 

"This is for you."  I picked this flower and I found the yard in the yard and I wrapped it all around the flower."  Using hands to do a lot of the talking.

"Thank you, Caroline.  I love it." 

"You're welcome, Mama."  Big Hug.

A Lake Day...Finally!!!

 
 Today...

We drove to the lake after Bryan and I each went for separate runs and Jenna had cleaned out Silkie Baby's cage. 

It's been over two months since we've been to the lake.  It's been too long since Pop felt like going to the Lake. 

But Today...

We ate ham sandwiches at the campground, then loaded up on the pontoon boat.  We pontoon-surfed (and Pop knocked me and the girls down several times).  The six of us dove in for a swim.  We floated and laughed, flopped noodles around, blew into the noodles like spouts, and assured and re-assured the kids about sharks, alligators, and snakes. 

We took a swim break and all laid down on the boat.  "This is so peaceful," Caroline said. 
 

Me, Bryan and the girls got back in for another dip.  The grandparents took a nap on the boat.  The four of us in the water made a family "sandwich," all hugging each other, laughing and smiling, cheeks to cheeks. 

We drove the boat back to the campground in the sun, the peace, the beauty and the happiness of everybody being together.  

 

Pop said it was "outstanding" that we came today.  

We hugged goodbye to the Grandparents and I read Pinky Pye on the drive home.  Jenna was unable to eat her Wendy's chicken wrap because, well, it just hits too close to home nowadays to bite into a chicken breast.  :)

Oh...and Bryan and Jenna played with the Panoramic function on the phone.  Here's some cool ones: