Five!

G is five! My boys have been changing so much - I see so much more in them every day, and am in awe at how amazing they are. G has been so excited about turning 5. And it really is a great age - going from a little guy to a young boy.


G has always been the graceful creative boy. He loves movement, rhythm, performance, creativity, color. He is the one who loves to smile, laugh, tell jokes, be silly, dance, try new things, and for the past several months I rarely can get a photo without him crossing his eyes, winking, or making a crazy face.


He is an amazing boy and as we say in this house, I love him .


We had a lovely two days celebrating with him. Happy Birthday my sweet G.

solid gold!

A has moved up to solid gold. Lots of practice, hard work, and enthusiasm! Sweeeeeet!

good days.

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child.
There are seven million.
~Walt Streightiff

Insectivorous...

A has had a long time interest in carnivorous plants. Our local botanical garden has a nice indoor conservatory with a small collection that we always love to visit in the winter. This fall, however, they have had a special exhibit throughout the conservatory with a few new plants and lots of information.


We have returned again and again over the past week to read and re-read, explore, and examine those plants.


A has been becoming a much stronger reader, and loves being able to study all of the signs that go along with the exhibit without needing me to decipher everything for him. He has discovered a few new plants too - he saw the cobra plant, and read that there is a pitcher plant that is so large monkeys have been seen drinking out of them (monkey cups)!


It is nice to get back into our conservatory visits - as the temperatures drop and it gets dry and cold having a place to walk which is lush and green and thick with moisture is heavenly.


And lots of fun!

Sssssssnakes!

We have been hanging low, working to keep G (asthma boy) virus free. November is always his first big month of ER/Urgent Care visits, nebulizers, and breathing problems. This year we are being extra (extra, extra?) careful. Last weekend was Snake Day at a museum in Milwaukee. The boys REALLY wanted to go, so we all made an exception to our 'crowd' aversion and went. I'm so glad we did!


Snake Day is an annual event - but this year they expanded it quite a bit. There were dozens of volunteers there with so many types of snakes, lizards and other reptiles. So cool.


The boys were in awe. We spent hours going around and around over and over again.


They got to handle snakes, ask questions, see so many types and learn a lot. They were so interested and gentle with these creatures - and admired their beauty.


I am sure this was a day they will always remember!

to sunshine.

While I am dreaming of colder weather, the boys have really been enjoying this burst of warmth and sunshine in November.

The past week has been nicer, it seems, than most of the past 6 months. Such ups and downs with the weather this year, but we'll take this last gasp before the cold arrives.


Ahh, sunshine.