Sunday, April 24, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Happy Earth Day!
This is more of a journaling entry - I wanted to remember our day.
For work, I helped plan a tree planting/river restoration project that will take place at the end of the month, however, I wanted to get outside today to do something to celebrate Earth day. So Cadie and I braved the drizzle to visit the Wetlands Research Park on campus and take part in a "wild-egg" hunt. This was not the normal egg-hunt with 200 kids on the edges of a soccer field waiting to pounce on the egg-strewn field. We were shown pictures of the birds that visit the wetlands and told that the birds had left 92 eggs throughout the (52 acre!) park and that we should try to find them along with Olga the sneaky muskrat (stuffed animal) who was hiding. Kids under age 5 could look around a smaller pond area and the bigger kids had free rein on the remainder of the park but most of the eggs were around the trails and large ponds. Cadie and I started walking around the little kid pond and somehow all of the other little kids went around the pond in the other direction. Without competition, needless to say, in about 10 minutes she had found about as many bright eggs.
Pink one in the trees!
Easier find in the grass:
Not wanting to be an egg-hog, I recommended going for a walk and looking for Olga the muskrat. We were having a great time - we saw lots of birds, found holes "Olga's home?", and climbed a tower to an observation point. Then we found it. Not Olga, unfortunately, but a dead muskrat. Right in the middle of the trail. I saw it first but realized I couldn't do much to stop Cadie from seeing it. After I explained that, no, this was not Olga, we had quite the conversation. In fact the entire walk back to the education center was devoted to answering the question "Why did the muskrat die, Mommy?" It was sweet in a way to realize that her 3-yr old mind couldn't process death. Back at the center we opened our eggs to find pictures of birds that we then matched to a poster and found out what prize each egg gave us. Cadie came home with bird food, wildflower seeds, earth day buttons, a pencil, and a huge African violet!
Back at home with her loot:
Well, the dead muskrat wouldn't leave her mind. She even asked one of the organizers why the muskrat died and this conversation continued on the ride home. Finally, after talking about sickness being a possible cause she was silent for a while. And then, "Mom, I'm going to be a muskrat doctor and fix sick muskrats in my home with my doctor tools." You go girl.
This is more of a journaling entry - I wanted to remember our day.
For work, I helped plan a tree planting/river restoration project that will take place at the end of the month, however, I wanted to get outside today to do something to celebrate Earth day. So Cadie and I braved the drizzle to visit the Wetlands Research Park on campus and take part in a "wild-egg" hunt. This was not the normal egg-hunt with 200 kids on the edges of a soccer field waiting to pounce on the egg-strewn field. We were shown pictures of the birds that visit the wetlands and told that the birds had left 92 eggs throughout the (52 acre!) park and that we should try to find them along with Olga the sneaky muskrat (stuffed animal) who was hiding. Kids under age 5 could look around a smaller pond area and the bigger kids had free rein on the remainder of the park but most of the eggs were around the trails and large ponds. Cadie and I started walking around the little kid pond and somehow all of the other little kids went around the pond in the other direction. Without competition, needless to say, in about 10 minutes she had found about as many bright eggs.
Pink one in the trees!
Easier find in the grass:
Not wanting to be an egg-hog, I recommended going for a walk and looking for Olga the muskrat. We were having a great time - we saw lots of birds, found holes "Olga's home?", and climbed a tower to an observation point. Then we found it. Not Olga, unfortunately, but a dead muskrat. Right in the middle of the trail. I saw it first but realized I couldn't do much to stop Cadie from seeing it. After I explained that, no, this was not Olga, we had quite the conversation. In fact the entire walk back to the education center was devoted to answering the question "Why did the muskrat die, Mommy?" It was sweet in a way to realize that her 3-yr old mind couldn't process death. Back at the center we opened our eggs to find pictures of birds that we then matched to a poster and found out what prize each egg gave us. Cadie came home with bird food, wildflower seeds, earth day buttons, a pencil, and a huge African violet!
Back at home with her loot:
Well, the dead muskrat wouldn't leave her mind. She even asked one of the organizers why the muskrat died and this conversation continued on the ride home. Finally, after talking about sickness being a possible cause she was silent for a while. And then, "Mom, I'm going to be a muskrat doctor and fix sick muskrats in my home with my doctor tools." You go girl.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Veggies we love you
We worked in our community garden plot this morning. It was good to work in the dirt and I am really excited about the overall garden plan. Cadie asked if we were going to grow garden burgers. She is enjoying gardening much more than last year. Especially digging, making mud, and finding worms. This morning we found a little snake curled up in the straw. I definitely asked another gardener if there are poisonous snakes in the area before moving it with a shovel to the grass. I don't mind most of the critters that visit the garden but this year we put up a small fence around the area for our greens. Last year the rabbits ate all of our chard before I could get to it.
We worked in our community garden plot this morning. It was good to work in the dirt and I am really excited about the overall garden plan. Cadie asked if we were going to grow garden burgers. She is enjoying gardening much more than last year. Especially digging, making mud, and finding worms. This morning we found a little snake curled up in the straw. I definitely asked another gardener if there are poisonous snakes in the area before moving it with a shovel to the grass. I don't mind most of the critters that visit the garden but this year we put up a small fence around the area for our greens. Last year the rabbits ate all of our chard before I could get to it.
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Hawaii Miracle
Hawaii was so great and we did so much, I can't possibly cover everything so I will try a top 10 list.
The top 10 awesomest things about Spring Break in Hawaii:
10. Being with friends. Actually this should be at the top but I had to introduce it early so I could post pictures with these great people. We stayed at McA's in Mililani on Oahu. We have been friends with Ted and Cindy since before we were all married. Since then we have followed each other across the country from Logan (UT) to Corvallis (OR) to Silver Spring (MD). I guess this means our next move will be to Hawaii? They have crazy 7-yr old Kai. Mutual friends Matt and Christina flew in from Colorado to join us.
9. Visiting with sea turtles.
8. Lots of fresh fruit and ono grinds (good eats). Here we are eating pineapple soft serve at the Dole plantation.
7. Watching all the extreme activities. Surfers on the big waves at the North Shore, sky-divers, boogie boarders, kite boarders, and wind surfers all catching big air and doing crazy stunts.
6. Trying out new sports. Eric rode the boogie board on the calmer waters and Ted, Eric, and Matt went spear-fishing.
5. Exploring new places. Byodo-In Temple, Bishop Museum, Contemporary Art Conservatory. Here is Cadie ringing the big peace bell at the Byodo-In Temple (Buddhist).
4. Sunset cruise and whale watching trip. Humpback whales breaching everywhere! Cadie trying out the view from the Ted seat:
3. Snorkeling and swimming with amazing fish larger than Cadie. (no pictures of the actual fish but here we are at Hanauma Bay).
2. Sitting on the beach everyday. Sun, sand, water. What more could we want? Cadie would wake up in the morning and say, "let's go to Hawaii" meaning: "let's go to the beach!"
And finally... drum roll please... for those who have stuck through this whole post, here is the Hawaii miracle, the #1 most awesome thing about our Hawaii trip:
1. (Sorry for the graphic nature of this one) E not vomiting! No trips at all hours to the bathroom, no dehydration, no IV fluids needed! Totally a miracle as this was my life for the 8 weeks leading up to our trip. I'll admit that the week before Hawaii things were improving but I did not expect this. Yes, I'm pregnant! Due date 9/11.
Hawaii was so great and we did so much, I can't possibly cover everything so I will try a top 10 list.
The top 10 awesomest things about Spring Break in Hawaii:
10. Being with friends. Actually this should be at the top but I had to introduce it early so I could post pictures with these great people. We stayed at McA's in Mililani on Oahu. We have been friends with Ted and Cindy since before we were all married. Since then we have followed each other across the country from Logan (UT) to Corvallis (OR) to Silver Spring (MD). I guess this means our next move will be to Hawaii? They have crazy 7-yr old Kai. Mutual friends Matt and Christina flew in from Colorado to join us.
9. Visiting with sea turtles.
8. Lots of fresh fruit and ono grinds (good eats). Here we are eating pineapple soft serve at the Dole plantation.
7. Watching all the extreme activities. Surfers on the big waves at the North Shore, sky-divers, boogie boarders, kite boarders, and wind surfers all catching big air and doing crazy stunts.
6. Trying out new sports. Eric rode the boogie board on the calmer waters and Ted, Eric, and Matt went spear-fishing.
5. Exploring new places. Byodo-In Temple, Bishop Museum, Contemporary Art Conservatory. Here is Cadie ringing the big peace bell at the Byodo-In Temple (Buddhist).
4. Sunset cruise and whale watching trip. Humpback whales breaching everywhere! Cadie trying out the view from the Ted seat:
3. Snorkeling and swimming with amazing fish larger than Cadie. (no pictures of the actual fish but here we are at Hanauma Bay).
2. Sitting on the beach everyday. Sun, sand, water. What more could we want? Cadie would wake up in the morning and say, "let's go to Hawaii" meaning: "let's go to the beach!"
And finally... drum roll please... for those who have stuck through this whole post, here is the Hawaii miracle, the #1 most awesome thing about our Hawaii trip:
1. (Sorry for the graphic nature of this one) E not vomiting! No trips at all hours to the bathroom, no dehydration, no IV fluids needed! Totally a miracle as this was my life for the 8 weeks leading up to our trip. I'll admit that the week before Hawaii things were improving but I did not expect this. Yes, I'm pregnant! Due date 9/11.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Hawaii - pictures now, talk later
It seems a little weird to follow up the last icey post with pictures at the beach but that is about how it went. We left Columbus with new snow on the ground on the morning of the Japan tsunami, spent nearly two weeks in paradise with lows reaching 68 and highs of 83, and then came home to barely above freezing highs and a broken furnace. I want to go back! Details to follow...
It seems a little weird to follow up the last icey post with pictures at the beach but that is about how it went. We left Columbus with new snow on the ground on the morning of the Japan tsunami, spent nearly two weeks in paradise with lows reaching 68 and highs of 83, and then came home to barely above freezing highs and a broken furnace. I want to go back! Details to follow...
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Winter Blahs
I've been in hibernation this winter. The ice and cold had me a bit blue and not wanting to leave the house. Today's sunshine and the promise of an upcoming warm vacation has gone a long way to improve my attitude. Gratefully, we've had friends and family with fun invitations to convince us to get out.
In January we went on a shortened version on the Hocking Hills Winter Hike with friends and about 5000 other crazies. The normal version is a 6 mile snow trek in the forest past waterfalls and caves with a lunch stop along the way- free bean soup and corn bread. Our version was a leisurely walk around Old Man's Cave with plenty of stopping for pictures and fun and an awesome lunch at a BBQ joint on the way home. And of course Cadie's highlight: riding the school bus that was shuttling people from the parking lots to the hike start. The frozen waterfalls were spectacular and it was great to be in the woods.
In February my brother came to the air force base in Dayton for a week. We were able to head over one evening after work and have dinner with him. Cadie convinced him to play the arcade games with her and now wants us to save all of our quarters for Micah's next visit.
Here's to warmer weather and more happy sunshine.
I've been in hibernation this winter. The ice and cold had me a bit blue and not wanting to leave the house. Today's sunshine and the promise of an upcoming warm vacation has gone a long way to improve my attitude. Gratefully, we've had friends and family with fun invitations to convince us to get out.
In January we went on a shortened version on the Hocking Hills Winter Hike with friends and about 5000 other crazies. The normal version is a 6 mile snow trek in the forest past waterfalls and caves with a lunch stop along the way- free bean soup and corn bread. Our version was a leisurely walk around Old Man's Cave with plenty of stopping for pictures and fun and an awesome lunch at a BBQ joint on the way home. And of course Cadie's highlight: riding the school bus that was shuttling people from the parking lots to the hike start. The frozen waterfalls were spectacular and it was great to be in the woods.
In February my brother came to the air force base in Dayton for a week. We were able to head over one evening after work and have dinner with him. Cadie convinced him to play the arcade games with her and now wants us to save all of our quarters for Micah's next visit.
Here's to warmer weather and more happy sunshine.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Trains, Gingerbread, and Snow
We went to a faculty member's home for a holiday party and there were a zillion trains set up in the house - most of them kid-friendly for grandchildren. There was even a train in the basement that Cadie could ride! She was in heaven - best work party ever in her view. This prompted us to head to the downtown library on Saturday where there is a train set up for the holidays - we hit the library just in time for a train story time.
Last week we had playgroup over to make gingerbread houses (out of graham crackers). The houses were totally for the adults, the kids just wanted to sneak candies and then go back to playing.
We finally got some snow on the ground last week (lots more today). Cadie was so excited when she woke up - she wanted to make snow angels. I had been explaining the concept and we had been practicing on the carpet indoors so I couldn't let her down. We pulled on all of our snow gear to go roll around in the lightly dusted grass. Snow angels were ok, the snowman did not work out. But C was happy. There is supposed to be a few inches on the ground tomorrow morning, so I think we'll go for round two.
We went to a faculty member's home for a holiday party and there were a zillion trains set up in the house - most of them kid-friendly for grandchildren. There was even a train in the basement that Cadie could ride! She was in heaven - best work party ever in her view. This prompted us to head to the downtown library on Saturday where there is a train set up for the holidays - we hit the library just in time for a train story time.
Last week we had playgroup over to make gingerbread houses (out of graham crackers). The houses were totally for the adults, the kids just wanted to sneak candies and then go back to playing.
We finally got some snow on the ground last week (lots more today). Cadie was so excited when she woke up - she wanted to make snow angels. I had been explaining the concept and we had been practicing on the carpet indoors so I couldn't let her down. We pulled on all of our snow gear to go roll around in the lightly dusted grass. Snow angels were ok, the snowman did not work out. But C was happy. There is supposed to be a few inches on the ground tomorrow morning, so I think we'll go for round two.
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