Tidbits From The Past Week

On Friday I helped at Gigi's school for Field Day. 

They have bounce houses, play games, watch movies, and run around like the crazy maniacs that they are. 

On Saturday Zoe had dress rehearsal for dance. 

The recital is in a few weeks. 

This is her tap outfit...they will be tapping to Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. 

I realized when putting this together that I didn't take a Sunday picture. 

Gasp!!

We (Chad, Zoe, and I) went to see the new Godzilla movie at The Avon Theater. 

It was fabulous!

This picture is from their website. 

Then we met Grandma, Grandpa, and Gigi at Pizza Hut. 

Monday was Field Day at Zoe's school. 

Chad and I both volunteered to help and we were assigned to arts and crafts. 

Chad helped the kids make origami frogs. 

Tuesday was Gigi's field trip to the zoo. 

Her teacher had rearranged the schedule to go on this day. 

We were originally to go last Tuesday, but a cold, rainy forecast had her teacher reconsider. 

I'm glad because today was beautiful! 

More 365 Pictures For Ya!

Monday, Tulip and I had "a moment."

She's a real lover. 

She likes to bury her head into whoever will sit with her and just be petted and petted and petted. 

She's tried to climb into my lap before. 

She loves being with people. 

Her sister is not nearly as sweet. 

On Tuesday Zoe had her Spring Millikin Preparory Concert. 

She played two piano pieces. 

The ages in this season's recital varied from a 5 year to some silver-haired gentlemen. 

We heard piano, trumpets, a violin, and three singers this year. 

Wednesday I went to Target. 

I keep my bags very close to me in the car cause I love them so. 

Thursday I had a lunch date. 

With a super gal who stuck her face in her bag, drooled on her crackers, poo-pooed the applesauce she was offered, waved to the patrons and gave me high fives. 

My friend Jill's niece, Ruby. 

We've had a few lunch dates and she's getting cuter and cuter each time I see her. 

Poison Ivy And The Newsroom

Thursday. 

The poison ivy is here!

The poison ivy is here!

Ack!

Already?!?!

On Friday we went to Charleston, home of Eastern Illinois University. 

Zoe won 2nd place for 3rd grade in the PBS Kids Writers Contest. 

Her story was about a mysterious house that held adventure behind every door. 

We got a tour of the WEIU PBS studios afterwards. 

The kids got to see how a news program is made and did a weather forecast on the green screen. 

And the radio DJ was on the air and the kids got to yell out "PBS Kids Rock" into the live microphones. 

It was a very cool tour!

Saturday after dance class we headed to Millikin University. 

Zoe has a piano recital in a few days and there was a rehearsal in the chapel where the recital is held. 

I'll be a nervous wreck on recital night. 

My stomach will be in a big knot, I will feel slightly nauseous. 

Just hoping she doesn't mess up her two songs. 

Sunday. 

Mothers Day. 

The two amazing reasons I'm a mother today. 

Monday-Wednesday

It was super warm on Monday and the chicks were out sunning themselves in their outdoor run. 

It was funny to see them sprawled out, wings opened up and legs stretched out. 

Chad found this skull in our side yard. 

Along with another skull of a different animal. 

It's odd to find two skulls in the same area. 

We aren't sure what this one is. 

The front teeth are dark and very rodent like. 

Wednesday, Zoe's 3rd grade class took a field trip to Springfield. 

A mom friend of mine who went sent me this picture of her daughter with Zoe. 

They are great friends!

Both very smart and caring young ladies. 

Almost A Week

Tuesday.  

Cali. 

One of our barn cats. 

The only female in the group. 

She likes to lay on the pool deck and meow at us as we walk by. 

Wednesday. 

My lunch dates. 

Zoe and her BFFs Emmy and Ally. 

Thursday. 

Zoe has been complaining of a sore left knee. 

We went to see the pediatrician. 

The doctor who was quick to get Zoe in for an appointment on September 7, 2010 and who cried when he told us her diagnosis of leukemia. 

We think he's the bees knees...speaking of knees, he didn't know what was up with Z's bum knee. 

We got X-rays. 

Friday was the hubs 42nd birthday. 

We went out with my parents for pasta and had cupcakes and ice cream at home. 

Saturday we went to Chicago.

Went to the zoo...

Got a bubble tea..."Sir, your receipt!!"

This picture cracks me up for some reason!

Hung out with the Wons and Lauricella families. 

Sunday we had breakfast with our friend Don.

Then headed to The Field Museum. 

Another Week

I was laying on the couch Thursday night watching something on television (probably Teen Mom or a PBS show on crows) and this foot was in my face. 

Don Diego. 

Never more than a cat paw away from me. 

On Friday I let a chick out into the run area my dad created outside of their coop. 

Yogurt and Tulip ran right over to look at this odd creature on the other side of the fence. 

On Saturday the girls and I went to the zoo. 

Chad had to work. 

It was their Earth Day celebration and it was very hot. 

We got a free tree before we left. 

A White Spruce. 

3 actually. 

That have been planted in our yard already. 

Gigi wanted her picture taken in this cutout. 

Zoe was not impressed that once AGAIN she had to be the cow. 

Sorry, you're the taller sister. 

Moo. 

Sunday. 

A tulip that has bloomed in our yard. 

With some photo manipulation added. 

Looks like it's underwater!

Yesterday (Monday) I made bread for our dinner. 

Gigi wanted to make bread, too. 

She mixed up her own mini loaf and it turned out great!

3 Days

I finished watching this on Monday. 

It was an HBO miniseries starring Kate Winslet. 

It was really good. 

But be warned, there was a lot of sex. 

And lots of shots of Kate's boobs. 

I doubt there were lots of boobs in the original production starring Joan Crawford. 

The pasture is ready for eating. 

So on Tuesday I let the horse out to graze. 

She hasn't been out in the pasture to eat since probably October. 

Maybe early November. 

We have to gradually let her out into the new spring grass. 

New spring grass contains a lot of sugar.

A horse who eats too much spring grass at once can get colic. 

And colic ain't good. 

It's like having a super-duper bad stomach ache. 

So, this week I'm gradually putting her out on pasture. 

The goats aren't affected like the horse. 

Wednesday Gigi and I planted carrots. 

She wanted carrots so that's what we planted. 

And some Zinnias her teacher gave her. 

I'm not doing a big garden anymore. 

And I'm not doing tomatoes this year. 

I've not had any luck with those. 

I'll be going to the plant sale at the community college in a few weeks for basil and cilantro. 

And maybe I'll get some onions. 

From A Horse To A Shoe In The Head...

On Tuesday I had to trim Buttercup's tail. 

It had grown so long over the winter that she was going to step on it!

On Wednesday Gigi made me a snack. 

The list of ingredients with zero idea of measuring were:

Flour 

Water 

Salt

Pepper 

Cloves

Cheddar cheese

Peanut butter

Garlic topper

Everyone in the family had a small taste. 

Thursday. 

Pigeon flyover caught on camera. 

On Friday the girls' cousins came over for the afternoon. 

Emily and Hanna. 

I caught them playing hide and seek. 

Emily was the last to be found. 

Notice how she's creeping around the tree trunk as they approach?

It was so unbearably hot for Gigi on Saturday that she just had to fill a plastic pool up with water. 

Of course it was so cold that she never sat in it. 

Easter Sunday. 

Chad and I in our Sunday best. 

Why is it that I always feel thinner than I photograph?

Anyway, in these three sequential shots that Zoe took, the following happened...

Gigi saw a bug on her leg. 

So she kicked her foot up into the air. 

Causing her wedge heel to fly off of her foot. 

It soared up into the sky and hit her sister, the photographer, right in the side of the head. 

Looking at Chad's expression, it would seem as if nothing had happened at all.