Zoo Field trip!

There is a first for everything, and on a whim I decided it was time to have my first experience chaperoning a field trip!  I showed up bright and early to attend Eliza's 1st-grade field trip to the Zoo, and it was a breeze of a day!  The weather was perfect with a light breeze and warm sun,  I only had 4 kids to look after, and the schedule wasn't too rigorous or demanding.

Here is my crew:

Eliza saved me a seat on the bus and was practically bursting all day to have her mom with her. So sweet.  We spent quite a bit of our freetime at the Zoo playhouse.

Running...

...and playing...

...and running!

The kids loved petting the stingrays.

All around great day.  No complaints here!

Bedhead anyone?

This is Ashlyn on any typical morning.  I'm not sure I've ever seen such darling bedhead.

Springtime and Park days

Lately the weather has been absolutely delightful.  The kids and I have frequented various neighborhood parks in our thirst for frolicking.  All of them are getting so big now that I barely have to pay attention anymore--not that I would completely ignore them--but it's rather nice to be able to read a book in the grass and not worry that my little babe or toddler might fall off something or other. 

I made a seriously sobering realization though during one of our escapades.  I am officially old enough to get nauseated by the swings.  What, what??  I mean, prior to this particular park day, I can't remember the last time I actually pumped my legs on the swings to get some good height, but during this venture I felt that stomach-in-the-throat feeling every time I would swing forward!  I was so upset!  So upset that I forced myself to swing for a good 10 minutes as if to spite myself.

And I will probably do it again next time I go to a park with swings.

Ezra's First T-Ball Game

With wrestling done in December, Ezra has been looking forward to starting T-Ball.   He requested baseball stuff for Christmas and tried his best to figure out what to do with his glove, bat and ball.   By the time T-ball practice came around he squatted down like a "Pro" to catch whatever ball came his way.

Here he is at his first game:

The game was really more like a glorified practice in that the boys all took turns at the tee, then ran to first while the other team scrounged for the ball and threw it to first base as part of their training (no matter if the runner was already on base).   Each boy batted once per inning and all the boys got to home plate eventually through the inning (the last boy running a homerun by default).   They don't keep score in this T-Ball league, which I think is fantastic.  Ezra certainly doesn't know what he's missing by it, and in the meantime he is learning to hit and catch. 

Good stuff!

Oh, and did I mention that the girls got stuck in the mud during the game?  Classic.  Ashlyn kept stepping out of her shoes because they were swallowed up in the goo.  I laughed.  A lot.

Learning to Write

Being that Ezra is in Kindergarten and learning to read and write, he recently made an effort to test out his new skills.   How sweet is this?

Feeding the Ducks and other Adventures

We recently discovered the local Riparian Preserve and boy did my children love it!   The place is overgrown with tall grasses, weeds, wildlife and fish.  Apparently you can fish in the reservoir and go camping in the park--all in the heart of this thriving metropolis!

We brought some bread with us to feed the ducks.  Those ducks were well-acquainted with our kind and practically ate in our laps!  Good stuff.

After the entire loaf was devoured, the kids explored the park.  But, it wasn't long before Eliza managed to whop Ezra in the head with the old-fashioned water pump handle (on accident).  His head started to ooze blood everywhere and so I hustled him to the van to find the first aid kit, only to discover that all I had were small band-aids and nothing to clean up all the blood.  Fortunately for us, there was a boy scout troop at the park to go camping and they were more than happy to do a good turn.  They offered some clean gauze and a smile.

Ashlyn's Great Ideas

Ashlyn has always been a little stubborn and a lot determined but recently both qualities have come to a head with this overwhelming desire to make her own choices and do things her own way.  

Getting dressed in the morning is a fun ordeal every day.  I raise up shirts A, B, C and D and ask which she'd like to wear and inevitably she'll say she wants none of them and will choose option E.

Generally speaking when I ask her if she wants something her first answer is "No", but then after she has a couple seconds to think about it and make it HER idea, she'll say "Actually... I want that one." (The one I offered the first time.)

Normally this behavior can grate on my nerves, but last night made me laugh:

Me: "Ashlyn, would you like to say family prayer?"
Ashlyn:  "NO!  You say it!!"
Me: "Okay, I'll ask someone else to say the prayer."

[Ashlyn's face goes from stubborn devil to elated angel as she jumps up and down and raises her hand]

Ashlyn: "Oo, oo, can I say the prayer??"

I rest my case.