Butterflies

One way to keep Joel still for several hours is to get a butterfly kit and watch them emerge from the chrysalis. He sat there a whole afternoon just watching. 

Joel has this thing for bugs. He got so tickled when a huge carpenter bee followed him around the yard and claims that its his bug.  Also a firefly keeps following him everywhere (not sure thats the same bug but he thinks it is and is fun to watch)

He enjoyed watching the whole caterpillar to butterfly experience more than anyone. I loved watching them. Its such an amazing process... but also sad when you realize that the butterflies dont live for very long.  Such a short life for such an amazing transformation. 

 

Swim team

Swim team has started and I have two very excited boys. Joel is loving it this year so there is hope he'll keep with it this time. He even jumped in the deep end and swam the first day of practice. I was sure that would scare him into never returning but thankfully I was wrong. Colin loves it and just flies down the pool. 

This girl was SO excited too the first day and got her goggles on and couldn't wait to walk to the pool.....and the look on her face when we reached the pool. Priceless 

Broke my heart to not let her go in. 

Poor thing screamed and cried " I go swimming too!!!" Most of the first practice. It might be a long swim season for Norah. 

Shopping

Norah got to go shopping with Ant Ant.  She went straight for the shoes and necklaces. It's so fun to see how girly she is. Then she wanted all the bracelets.  ALL OF THEM! 

Rubber Ducky Your the One....

This past weekend we got to see Mary, Robbie and Sarah.  It was so much fun.  Made us not as jealous of mom and dad in europe visiting the wandering hokies. 

  One of the things on our list was going to see this huge inflatable rubber duck that was just in Norfolk for a week.  Joel was not impressed and Colin was just hungry.  But Norah keeps talking about the big duck or as she says it "bee ducky"

After we saw the duck the girls went and picked up Grandma to take her out to dinner and the guys took the grumpy, hungry boys back home for kid movies and food. Brent was really excited to hang out with Robbie. 

And Norah enjoyed being the center of attention with the girls. 

Gardens

Joel loves picking his radishes in his garden.  The boys love eating plain radishes.   

 Norah loves hiding in the tomato plants. 

Snow

 Sometimes when you get a box with a lot of styrofoam in it you just have to let the kids get their own "snow cloud" and pretend to be Olaf. 

I'm still finding "snow" all over the house

Naps on swings

She fells asleep napping on the swing with me

The same girl who fights and screams during nap times lately - making for some long afternoons and watching frozen for the millionth  time. Norah your brothers really love you to watch that movie over and over and over for the past few months.

Tomorrow when I'd love a nice long nap she probably won't. And if I try to get her to swing and fall asleep it probably won't work again. 

Kids. You never know what to expect each day. 

Artist

 He still wants to be an artist when he grows up.

Strawberry picking

 We went strawberry picking yesterday afternoon.  Its still a little early this year so we had to really hunt but were able to come home with close to 20lbs. 

 Norah basically ran around after the boys and would hop the rows. 

 Joel found mud.  Surprise surprise :)  Colin said Joel's middle name was mud. 

 Norah wanted Joel next to her 

 "JOEL!!!!"

 He was covered in mud.  Into the bath he went as soon as we got home. 

And now to eat our yummy strawberries.  We made strawberry shortcake last night and will freeze most for smoothies. 

walk

Norah loves to go play in the front yard.  Probably because we usually keep them in the backyard.  And she really loves to walk on the stones around this tree.

She says walk and then will go running through the fence.

And hold up her hand because she never walks by herself.  Brent or I or her brothers hold her hand.

And then around and around she goes.  Again and again.