Wacky Wednesdays

I've decided Wednesday afternoons are going to be our day o'fun this year.
Wednesday mornings, we all have to go to school in the morning. Brett has pre-K. I have office hours at the college and Kate has 2nd grade, of course. But this year, Raytown schools have early release every Wednesday at 2pm. So I leave campus at 1, pick up Brett at 1:30 and get Kate at 2. Now we are free to play. It's like having a bonus 2 hours in the day just to play.


Our first Wednesday of Fun was a trip to the zoo. We hadn't been since late spring and we were due. It was the perfect day - overcast and not too hot.

Our first stop was Nikita - the newest addition to the zoo. She is beautiful.



We didn't have a lot of time, so we took the Asia/Australia path and went to visit the monkeys, tigers and kangaroos







and Buddha of course.



My monkeys climbed the big tree



We took a train ride, multiple carousel turns and even got free popcorn. I promised next time we'd go to Africa. So don't worry Nikita, we'll see you soon - maybe next Wednesday!

Meeting Nikita was Zoo-rific!

Nikita is the newest addition to the Kansas City Zoo. She is a Polar Bear! She is amazing and huge and wonderful. And we finally made it out to see her.

Back in the Swing of School

Katelyn returned to Norfleet Elementary for 2nd grade this year. She has a permanent substitue for the first quarter until her "real" teacher Ms. Bray comes back from maternity leave. Her name is Mrs. Hoover. Kate & I both really like her so far.

So we are back into the swing of going to bed earlier, getting up earlier and learning, learning, learning! I'm glad she likes school. It makes it so much easier on me. I'm pretty sure that isn't going to be the case with Brett.

Frustrated...grrr

So very frustrated! Why is it people can't discipline their own children and make it stick? Why is it I live beside these very people and nothing ever gets better? Why is it they don't see that it is only going to get worse as their children get older? Why do they not see it is already happening? Why? Why? Why?!

A HUGE thank you to my mother who always made the punishment fit the crime and stuck to it. One of the best parenting lessons I have ever learned. As hard as it is on parents to stick it out, it is so very important. How else will they ever learn? Thank you, Mom. Thank you.

Working the yard

We've been busy around here. Getting all the flower beds ready, mulching, mowing.







Busy, busy, busy.





Aren't these the cutest little chairs? I just love them! I was admiring them at Lowe's one day. Came home last week and Steve had gotten them for me - what a great surprise!

These are our little toad friends that reappear every spring. They live in the window well. Good to see they survived the winter. Must have been the Gogurt someone left down there.



These wild violets have been popping up all over our yard. More than I've ever seen before. This one came up in my wildflower bed. Nice addition I think. Aren't they so pretty? Make me think of my Sigmas and smile.

Thanks Easter Bunny!

What I heard whispered this morning. "Kate, get up. The Easter Bunny was here. Kate, the Easter Bunny - he was here. He left us stuff." That one got her up. A quick scramble of covers & running feet down the stairs. They are so funny!



The bunny definitely left the loot!





Goodies galore.



I happened to open the fridge & "notice" the dyed eggs were missing. I reported the news to the hunters. Squeals & a sudden scurry to the back door.





"I see one! I see another!"



Happy Easter every bunny!!

Trampolining!

For Christmas, the kids got a trampoline from CoCo & Poppa. They have been dying to have it put up. Due to weather, snow, snow and more snow, we just got it put up a couple weeks ago. They LOVE it! Everyday after school everyone flocks to jump.







They are getting pretty good. Katelyn is even figuring out how to do a front flip - yikes!