Silly bands

Do you know what "silly bands" are??? Here is a picture of one.... They are just plastic bracelets that are in the shapes of animals and other things.
This one is a frog. Connor asked me to take a picture of it and then he said, "Ok, now go put it on Facebook so every one can see them."

Whoever invented these bands is RICH! Kids are going CRAZY for these things.

Yesterday when I was driving by a drug store I noticed on the sign it said "We have silly bands" so I made a quick turn in to get some.

This morning I gave a couple of the packages to Connor for his birthday. He was beyond thrilled! He quickly took them all out of the package, lovingly looked at each one, shared a few with his sisters, and finally put the rest of them on.

The frog one is his favorite and he thinks the glow in the dark ones are really cool!

(Boy, I wish I had invented these things!!!)

Did you know.... Connor???

Did you know...

That Connor is my second born monkey but my first born son?
He was born on June 6th, 2004?
We named him Connor after watching the show "Angel" and heard that Connor was what he named his son?
That his middle name is James after his great uncle that died?
That the epidural didn't work when I was in labor and I had a "window" of pain?
The doctor that delivered him was watching the soccer game on tv while basically catching him with one hand?
That he was born at 1:53am?
Connor has a birthmark on his back that is identical to his dad's birthmark?
He weighed 8lbs 1.5ounces and was 20 inches long?
Was born with a FULL head of dark hair?
He almost didn't leave the hospital with us when he was born because he wouldn't pee, but luckily at the last minute he finally did?

Did you know.....

That Connor has loved ALL animals since he was very little?
He absolutely LOVES frogs and toads?
There isn't a bug or creepy crawly thing that he doesn't like?

Did you know...

That when he was four and first played soccer he didn't like it one bit, but when he was five he loved it and is really good at it?
He scored at least one goal every game except the last when he played really good defense?
In January Connor started swim lessons for the first time and didn't even want to put his face into the water.
Now at swim lessons he has advanced two levels and is a fantastic swimmer, and FAST, so very FAST?

Did you know....

That last September I would have to pull Connor off my leg and some one would have to drag him into school for kindergarten while I walked away almost in tears so many times?
That Connor doing AMAZING in school with his social skills and his academic skills?
That he has matured so much in the last few months?

Did you know....

That Connor loves his sisters and brother so much?
He and Maggie are the best of friends and the worst of enemies all at the same time?
That he and Maggie are only 19 months apart?

Did you know...

That Chris and I are so very proud of Connor?
We are so lucky to be Connor's mom and dad?
He is such a cuddle bug and sitting on the couch with him curled up in our lap is one of life's best pleasures?

Oh, and did you know that he basically lives off of chocolate milk?

Happy Birthday Connor!

Our baby birds

Right outside our door, above our little deck, in the branch of the tree that holds our swing, we have a Mama bird and her four babies.

We saw the mama building her nest a few weeks ago and then noticed she was spending a lot of time just sitting there. We were hoping there was some eggs under her. Then one day I watched her fly to her nest and saw the tippy-top of little, wide open beaks waiting for food.

We don't have a great view to see into the nest but it didn't take long before the babies got big enough that we could see their whole heads. Which is just so funny because they are so heavy that the babies can hardly hold them up. Kinda like a human baby. We are pretty sure that there are four babies in the nest as that is how many heads we have seen at one time.

So, I thought that human babies ate a lot but this mama is CONSTANTLY feeding her babies! She must be exhausted! Off she flies only to return a couple of minutes later to four wide open beaks begging for food. How do you think she knows which one has already been fed? I will say, that mama deserves a nice long nap!

Today we had a thunderstorm. Complete with lightening, thunder and pouring rain! I was in awe over what I saw in the bird nest. Mama bird was standing on the nest with her wings open wide covering her babies. Keeping them dry. Protecting them from the storm.

Maybe we aren't so different then animals after all.

Although I have tried and tried I can't get a good picture of the nest. It's so hard to see here but the orange in the middle of the picture is the babies big beaks and heavy heads.

I can't wait to see these babies take flight for the first time!!!

A weekend of frog hunting

The weather this past weekend was PERFECT for frog hunting! And you know, or maybe you don't, that our children LOVE frog hunting!



Hours were spent at Nana and Pa's big puddle frog pond hunting for frogs and tadpoles.

Maggie just loved bringing her finds out in the drive way to show Ben.

Although he is a big time animal lover he doesn't seem to be a huge fan of frogs at this point. Which, quite honestly, I totally understand, they are a bit slimy looking!

He was much happier when Maggie was spraying him with the hose!

(Gotta love the outfit Mags has on!)

Baby Mousey

Meet Baby Mousey...

We found this very tiny little guy in our driveway and have no idea how he got there.

His little eyes weren't even open yet!

We brought him right next door to the "animal rescuers".

Laura and her family tried so very hard to take care of this tiny guy.

They woke up every two hours during the night to feed him kitten milk with a medicine dropper and to rub his belly like his mom would have.

They even made a cozy place for him to sleep on a sock filled with warm rice and a surrogate mommy mouse.

Sadly little baby mousey didn't make it and passed away two days later.

We will miss the little guy!!!

Look who is climbing trees now

Or maybe just hanging from trees... Although I am sure it will be climbing before I know it!

Ben has begun tree climbing just like his big brother and sisters!!!

Maggie giving Ben some pushes