Zoo Trip!!

This was such a fantastic day!! I got to be a chaperone for Lucy's Kindergarten zoo trip. I love it when I get to have stay at home mom flashbacks. We got to spend the first half of the day with her friend Jocelyn, but after lunch she went with Mrs. DeMolet and Lucy and I were on our own for the rest of the day! It was such a special time together, just walking around the zoo by ourselves, going wherever she wanted and taking as long as we wanted. It really was a unique and treasured day!

 The gals were giddy and full of energy in the beginning. I encouraged them to pace themselves for all the walking, but (shocker) they didn't listen.

 It is hard to see, but there is a lion at the other end of that thrilled finger point!

 Lucy "Devolving"

 We stayed here with the baby gorilla for so long. We couldn't tear ourselves away! I wanted to hold it so much! It was achingly adorable. Their eyes are so expressive, they are impressive creatures.

 So is Lucy. This kid climbs everything!

 Snoozing in the polar bear "cave." 

 This was such a wonderful discovery. We had the whole place to ourselves. Lucy prepared a delectable mud pie with a side of corn and a delicious dirt smoothie. Then we made a pretend campfire and used the sidewalk chalk. That precious time with just Lucy was really lovely.

Lucy on her perch. . . climbing again. Lucy is such a special little girl. Her heart is tender, her body is strong, and her brain is bright. I am so lucky to be her mom and this day we got to spend together is tucked away in my heart as a real treasure. 

Salon de Daman

Lucy was done with the nightly hair tangle wrestle-a-thon that came with her long locks, so she asked Daman to give her a makeover. Daman happily obliged. Everyone was totally stunned that Daman had done the deed. It took a few clean up trims over the next couple of days, but Lucy is so happy with the quick brush and easy maintenance. Well done Dad!

It is tough to cut a wiggly gal's hair. I think they should consider sedation haircuts for kids.

Funny Faces

I asked Emma how big her brain was.

 She didn't know.

So, then I told her to take a look and see.

Here's what we got:

 I can't believe I get to live with this kid every day!

Then Lucy needed to show her mad facial skills:

 Special Note: She can pull off this Michael Jackson face with no hands! It is incredible!

Isaac never misses an opportunity to ham it up for the camera. He is such a hambone.

Moving Perks

The kids dug into our stash of moving boxes (I always get some interesting looks when I load my car with 20 liquor boxes from the ABC store) and built three separate forts. Then they played for about an hour in their "neighborhood" going back and forth between their little homes a la  "3 Little Pigs." They knocked on doors, borrowed sugar and threw a regular block party. These kids have the best imaginations.

Cannon Park Celebration

We had a great farewell bbq with Rich and Dawn. They are such wonderful friends!

 The Grill-Masters at work

 This is Isaac's "I'm so excited to eat meat" face.

 Rich brough his bat and ball and we had a great time shaggin' fly balls and hitting 'em out of the park (or at least really far across the grass) Daman was pretty impressed with my Babe Ruth skills. It's my secret hidden talent.

 These little ladies weren't that interested in the ball game. Instead, they found a toy that resembled one of Eden's "favorites" that had been chewed beyond repair. This, of course, called for a full state funeral, complete with floral burial. 

It was very tender.

And Dirty. 

Check out these mug shots:

(Ignore the dog collar. .  not sure what that is about)

Can You Spot the Difference?

Emma Can.

Emma insisted on taking these two versions of the "same pose." 

See the difference?

Hint: It's in the hands.

What is the same is this: One sassy girl in love with a camera, her big sister, and full of things to say.

Watch Out World.

Making Her Mark

You can't really see it in this photo, but Lucy found a push pin and secretly carved L+M on our fence, with a heart around it.

This "M" feels incredibly lucky to have an "L" like this one.

Try not to melt.

Dia de las madres. . . . and proof that I really love my kids.

 These are incredibly unflattering pictures of me, but it was, to date, one of the best Mother's day of my nine so far, so I'm willing to preserve them. Here's why:

**Opening really awesome cards the kids made in school and a beautiful letter from Daman. Teachers are so cool. People say that our country is falling apart, but I think that as long as teachers facilitate kids making presents for their moms, we're doing just fine. When that stops, I'm investing in a bunker. And the letter from Daman--even without a teacher involved, the boy delivered a letter that brought me to tears. He is so wonderful and I do believe that we make a pretty darn great team.                                    

**I had an incredibly yummy fruit salad for breakfast and a really wonderful experience at Church. I came away with several impressions of how I can be better and what a profound word "Mother" actually is.

**One word: N-A-P. I got one. And it was in a hammock!! It was seriously one of the best days I'd had in a long while. I love being a momma.

Painting Faces and Catching Fish

 We enjoyed a great "First Friday" event in downtown Southern Pines. Few things bring as much joy to this family as FREE face painting! Especially the delightfully neon butterfly kind.
The band was ska and Emma obliged me for awhile as a dance partner/excuse for me to be the only dancing adult. Then she had the audacity to start playing chase with a friend from school, so I was left towering above all the kids playing tag to the thumping base. I really wanted to boogie, but my self-assurance has some limits.

Isaac and Daman had a successful Father/Son campout. Behold the bream-whisperer

Happy Birthday Luke!!

 These two goofball cousins are peas in a pod. I don't get their sense of humor at all, but apparently saying "I like pie" in assorted voices and creating "epic fails" in a variety of activities is incredibly entertaining.

Boys. Go figure.

We'll miss that Houseman crew!!