time again my friends

..for some fresh strawberries.  We noticed the open sign to our local strawberry farm earlier this week.  Penny and I just had to get in on the action.  We went Thursday morning to pick our little hearts out.

Penny loved to help search for the red ones and to pick them. She is such a good helper.

We gave some of the freshly picked strawberries to one of her Speech Therapists, for her birthday. These were some of the ones that we gifted. Penny was so very happy!  More strawberries were sliced and eaten that night over some freshly baked angel food cake. yummy!

Changing the topic here...the picture of the babies was taken this morning around 11, with 5 already hatched and one more to go...

When we checked again around 3ish, all 6 had hatched.  Mama bird is too quick and skiddish for pictures.  She loves to chirp and squawk at us whenever we steal a peek at her new babies. We are so excited to watch them grow. (Mama bird is a sparrow.)

birds are hatching

When we accidently scared the mama bird off this morning, we were gladdened to see a baby bird! I am so excited and I know the other Wardlings will be too when they get home from school today.  So, we'll be on the look-out for more babies hatching!

side of caution

Yesterday I had a bunch of children in my care.  When we got home from speech and emptied the 5 carseats, I had one baby in a carseat on my arm, Penny by the front door of the van and another toddler by my legs.  Penny closed the front door and right as I closed the van's door, she moved her hand and I slammed it in the door. I caught her left thumb, from the thumb itself to the wrist, in the door.  It hurt horribly, so I iced it, made a sling for her, gave her ibuprophen and within 30 minutes she put herself down for a nap. She seemed fine for the rest of the afternoon, but began complaining of pain again in the evening.  It was really sore this morning.  So, to ere on the side of caution, I took her into an urgent care today to have it x-rayed.  Good news is that it isn't broken. Bad news is that her hand was slammed in a door and will be bruised for awhile.  The bruised picture below doesn't give the bruising any credit.  It will be nastier.  I feel like a lump of poo for closing the door on her hand.

handlebar mustache

Last week was national 'take your daughter to work day.' That was a busy day...2 orthodontist appointments etc... anyway, we dolled miss Penny up and took her to Clyde's classroom.  There she was such a hit.

She got to play teacher, as well as passing out crayons and helping students with their assignments.  It was a fun bonding moment for she and Clyde

Penny, Clyde and Toto went for a drive last week to get the girls from school.  He loved being outside and tried to sniff everything he could.

Now that some time has passed, Libby was willing to have her picture taken with her new hair cut.  speaking of hair cuts...look what Clyde did...

That is right ladies and gentlemen...a handlebar mustache.  I DO NOT like it.  He said he was going to have his goatee grow back in, but that sucker shaved it this morning.  He promised to let it grow in, but he didn't say when.  He also got a new pair of glasses, I like them.  I just think his new look, looks so 1970.

Thanks Ed! :) (BTW- this was taken @ Clyde's baptism.)

braces...again!

Today's the day!! Today's the day...that Erin got her braces back on.  She had to have them removed in February to have her annual MRI.  (No metal!)  After several doctors notes, and a few months waiting, our insurance approved her to get them again.  Their only stipulation was that she get all plastic brackets.  That took another 4 weeks to order and they didn't have them all today.  She'll have to go back in 4-6 weeks to have more added. The only metal in her mouth is the wire, which can easily be sniped for her MRI and replaced right ofter. At least the braces are back on and her smile will be as beautiful as she is!!

This one is just for fun. Thanks Maylee for posting this picture of our 6 week old baby Erin!

nest of birds

We have a family of birds in one of the cedar trees in our front yard.  The mama bird is such a scardy cat when it comes to the Wardlings taking a peak.  We noticed 2 eggs one day, then 3 the next, 5 the next, and now there are 6.  This'll be so much fun to watch! We had a nest last year in the same tree. The birds grew so fast. Hopefully I'll be able to get some pictures of their hatching and growth!

just a singer

Josh earned his 3rd 9 week A-B Honor Roll medal on Thursday. We are so very proud of him.  His school held such a nice honor roll breakfast in celebration.  Josh's name was the first one called out that day.  Way to go Joshua!! You are awesome!

That same night, Jacob was in his very first kindergarten program.  He is directly under the 'a' in and...second row.  He was so nervous but sang his little heart out. I love these programs! He didn't want to be a character, just a singer and boy did he do a fab-tab-ulous job!

I just have to say how much I love my sewing machine.  I have so much fun creating and using my imagination.  This beauty rocks!