Take Me Home, Country Roads

No photos today. I have not uploaded the recent shots to the 'pooter. I have just been hanging out with the kids this week here @ the house, mostly. I wanted to get some of the cute things they do stored so, one day, seemingly far from now, we can all re-read this and say, "Oh yeah! I remember when so and so used to do that!" And smile, or laugh, or cry, or whatever, as we read.

We went to visit a creek located @ a park yesterday. The first thing I would like to note is, while we observed many kids @ the park, after school, we were the only ones in the creek. Not bc none of the other kids didn't want to play in the creek, but because apparently one cannot play in a creek in one's school clothes. I will add @ this point, why doesn't one just remove one's school shoes and school shirt? Surely a pair of school pants can be sacrificed for a glorious afternoon of playing in the creek? I mean, half of my kids were almost completely naked. I don't think some of the parents were happy when I suggested they just take off their shoes and join us. No one did anyway. Luke stripped his clothes off as soon as we arrived and jumped in flinging his shirt around. It was pretty funny. We explored the creek for a couple hours. Then, we went to swing for about 30 minutes. From the swings we observed a beautifully inviting shade tree. We all jumped off our swings to lay under the shade tree and discover huge "water bugs." I think they are really just caca (yes I spelled it that way on purpose) roaches, but some people like to call them water bugs...I'm not sure. Note to self, look that up.

Ezra walked through the creek picking up trash. Niki helped Mady catch minnows. Mady was extremely adament that we all leave her alone so she could concentrate. The boys kept running up to Mady to see the minnows, in the process, they were scaring them away. This was very frustrating to Mady, who is, in fact, very patient with her younger brothers.

Before we even made it to the park some amazing discoveries took place right here in our yard. Mady found praying mantis' mating in the front yard. We watched this for @ least an hour. We saw a special on mantis on Discovery a few weeks ago. We know from that show, that mantis can stay attached for hours. We had to remove them from my truck before we could leave for the park. I kick myself for not putting them in the terrarium we have Then, Niki located some fungus in the backyard. The child is very observant. Our grass is so tall from all the rain, I'm not sure how she located them.

The boys are practically living outside these days. Niki loves everything Nick (as in Nick.com or TV shows.) I don't. I feel some of these shows effect her attitude. I watch them with her, even though I dislike them. We talk about the shows, but I must be missing something bc she likes to portray some of the persona's she witnesses on these shows. I am sure these are my own issues I need to let go of. It is difficult sometimes though.

We took some cues from some of our friends and cleaned out the kids closets as much as humanly possible so they can use them as places of peace for themselves. The boys love it. The girls don't seem to care so much. We had fun doing it though!

Ezra is very serious when he explains things to us. Much of what he says sounds like jibberish, but it is very important, I can tell. Luke is taking toy cars to bed with him. He is constantly talking about modes of transportation. I think it's pretty cool. He points out every tractor between our house and Jessie's. I wasn't aware of how many there actually are in the world until my 27 month old son began pointing them ALL out to me. When he begins talking to you about tractors, you get that feeling you get when you are watching a fire. @ first, you look @ it bc it is so interesting and pretty, it pulls you in. After sometime, you realize you are just looking @ it bc you have some inner burning urge to stare.

More of my amazing kid observations recorded later, after a nap maybe.