Mulberry Street

It is no wonder that designers get their inspiration from nature.  I love to admire the differences in plants; their colors, shapes, patterns, and sizes are always intriguing.  I don't believe that I posses the creativity to create such splendid plants!  It is hard to pick a favorite, but it might be the first cactus plant with the spine detail.

We were lucky enough to get into another Sprouts class at the US Botanic Gardens.  Genevieve loves it.  Emory loves it.  I love it.  It is such a great opportunity for kids to learn about nature in a fun setting.  I have also found teaching opportunties to reinforce the lessons she has already learned.  This time around we learned about trees, seeds, nests, and plants on the different continents. Trees   We learned the difference between deciduous trees and evergreen trees.  We learned that it is easy to identify these trees in the winter since the deciduous trees are missing their leaves.  We read a book about owls and learned that you must be quiet to spot them in the forest.  Genevieve made an evergreen tree with branches and pine needles.  Then she glued paper feathers onto her owl.   Seeds   We learned that seeds come in all shapes and sizes, they can be found inside or outside the plant, and that they are nece...

...to get Emory up on all fours.  It all started on January 12th.  The rocking soon became furious attempts to thrust his weight toward the remote, a phone, or the camera.  The rocking taught him inertia and he began to drag himself forward with his arms.  Eventually he mastered staying up on his hands and knees and, although it is a bit robotic, Emory is officially crawling. Unfortunately, he is also pulling himself up onto everything within reach - the bathtub, the couch, the chest, the toilet, a stool, the piano bench, the dresser.  We dropped the crib mattress and now need to baby proof the house.  Although, something tells me that we'll need to take a few steps further than we had to with Genevieve.

I think I have mostly lost my ambition to blog.  I suppose it is a natural cycle for me to take a break during the holidays.  With two kids who rarely allow me to neglect them, or piles of laundry crowding my bed, or training runs to endure - I haven't had a lot of time at the computer to "hit the keyboard hard."  It doesn't help that I feel overwhelmed at the thought of "catching" up from November.  But, for some reason I can't shake the feeling that if I don't post about all the wonderful things that took place over the past four months, the memories will somehow be lost forever.  (Sorry to be so dramatic, but it's truly how I feel.) For example, I paid a fine of  $19.20 to the library for overdue books.  Let me repeat that - Nineteen Dollars and Twenty Cents!  I didn't think library fines could go over fifty cents!   The real drag is that the books weren't even fine-worthy-books.  Like a novel that I couldn't put...

We allowed Genevieve to try out her photo "skillz" with the camera and this is what she came up with: It's interesting to see what she focuses on or what she sees at her level. She loves the fact that if she holds down the shutter button the camera (given enough light) will take picture after picture after picture.  Click.  Click.  Click.  Click.  Click.  Click.  Click.  Click.  Click.  Click.  Click.  It sounds like a runway shoot.

They DO exist.  Complete with ponytails, lipstick, and bows.  Thanks Aud.  Genevieve loves to change their hair pieces and accessorize them with briefcases and assorted fruit.  They often take rides together. 

We went to the zoo.  It was cold.  There weren't many animals out, but what we saw was great.  Every time I go to the zoo, I manage to forget about the fact that I have to hike back up that giant hill to get back to the car.  Despite the hiking, we had a good time.   Cheetah Oh, you magnificent cat.  I wish I could see you in the wild, rather than against the backdrop of a fence.  Someday.  Someday.   Otters These guys and gals were having a lot of time splashing and swimming about.   Red Panda I took so many pictures of this little guy, but never once caught his face (at least not in focus).  His coat is such a beautiful color, I especially like his two-toned paws.

With hats and gloves we stay warm enough to ride bikes, swing at the park, or just go for walks outside.  We can't wait for warmer weather to stick around.  Genevieve continually asks when we can set up her splash pool.  My response turns into a teaching opportunity about time - seconds vs minutes, months vs years.  She'll get it eventually, although she might not like it once she does. Genevieve is getting better at riding her bike and is a pro at steering.  Her daddy couldn't be more proud. I mentioned before how much Emory loved the swings.  Here is the evidence.  He especially loves it when Genevieve does the pushing.  They are going to be great friends.