You know, I have online friends who swear that Carl looks just like Lew. I guess they have not seen enough photos of Big Ken.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
recognize this face?
You know, I have online friends who swear that Carl looks just like Lew. I guess they have not seen enough photos of Big Ken.
Friday, April 19, 2013
flowers, foxes, "Feed me, Seymour!"... Friday
Why not go for an alliteration theme today?
flowers.
taken at the local gardens on Friday April 5th
This tree blooms in our backyard.
foxes.
Yesterday, I went back to those same gardens (I have a membership - I go often, actually) with a nature photography friend to look for the baby foxes. She took some amazing shots of their mother as well as these babies. There were 3 of them with Mom when we first approached. Then Mom headed to the pond for a drink and she didn't return before we headed off. She wandered back by - and that is when Connie took some gorgeous shots of her, but she must have felt her babies were safe with us because she didn't rush back to their side.
I enjoyed watching them play, but don't have the equipment to shoot close up nature photography. My thing is more people. I don't have the patience these nature people have. Connie said she sat at this den a few days ago for over 2 hours and never saw the foxes. See - patience. So, here are a few of my fox photos.
Where is Momma going?
and finally... "Feed Me, Seymour!" ... a reference to Audrey, the blood thirsty main character from Little Shop of Horrors. These Venus Flytraps grow wild here. If you look closely at the one close-up, you will see the little hairs on the pink part. At least 2 of those hairs must be triggered in order for the plant to close. Having that back-up helps the plant save energy and not close for false alarms.
You can see how many of them there are... above. Below, you can see how close to the trail stepping stones they grow. Gotta watch where you step. Stay on the trail.
The stones led you through a kind of wet area to see the carnivorous plants. There are flytraps, but also 5-6 species of other plants here as well.
After the nature walk, we were heading to a birthday party for another set of twins in my twins' class at school. They had a great time!
flowers.
taken at the local gardens on Friday April 5th
Yesterday, I went back to those same gardens (I have a membership - I go often, actually) with a nature photography friend to look for the baby foxes. She took some amazing shots of their mother as well as these babies. There were 3 of them with Mom when we first approached. Then Mom headed to the pond for a drink and she didn't return before we headed off. She wandered back by - and that is when Connie took some gorgeous shots of her, but she must have felt her babies were safe with us because she didn't rush back to their side.
I enjoyed watching them play, but don't have the equipment to shoot close up nature photography. My thing is more people. I don't have the patience these nature people have. Connie said she sat at this den a few days ago for over 2 hours and never saw the foxes. See - patience. So, here are a few of my fox photos.
and finally... "Feed Me, Seymour!" ... a reference to Audrey, the blood thirsty main character from Little Shop of Horrors. These Venus Flytraps grow wild here. If you look closely at the one close-up, you will see the little hairs on the pink part. At least 2 of those hairs must be triggered in order for the plant to close. Having that back-up helps the plant save energy and not close for false alarms.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
berry picking
We picked berries yesterday for the first time this season. Gretchen ate only 1. (???) Carl doesn't like strawberries, but he is still good at picking them. He did point out where the blueberry bushes are growing. He loves those!! Me, too!!
"over there are the blueberry plants!"
It was a beautiful afternoon.... a bit muddy down the rows, though.
first picking of the 2013 season!!
These were on the way out of the farm. Carl's favorite color.
I already have 2 batches of strawberry walnut muffins baked. 1 will go to the coffee pot with Lew and another will go to school with the kids. Gotta kick off strawberry season with some baking - but not with diet cheating!
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
more azaleas
Yup, they can both roll their tongues.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
drive-by "shooting"
It is azalea season and we have been burning up gas driving all over town azalea peeping. This season makes up for the loss of autumn colors, you know. When they get in the van after school, Carl's first question is, "Can we drive around looking at azaleas?" Now, I am not naive - I know he asks this because he loves roads and maps and he is looking for an excuse to dictate directions to me. I let him call out the roads and directions because he knows his way around this town better than some locals do by now. He is so into Google Maps right now. I have to limit his time on the computer or he would spend all day just "driving" around town. he loves "street view" and he even found that you can enter some businesses! We got to go inside some art buildings in a nearby town. He is branching out somewhat - "Mom, did you know if you take the ABC bridge over the river, you are in XYZ county?" He keeps me on my toes because he expects me to know as much as he does. But, secretly, I don't have to pay attention now because when we go somewhere, I can just ask Carl the best way to get home. He is my Human GPS.
Here are a few photos I took the other night just to show what it looks like all over the place right now. Right out the car window.
Here are a few photos I took the other night just to show what it looks like all over the place right now. Right out the car window.
Happy Birthday, Grandma!
Happy Birthday!! We love you!!!!
Cupcake clothes - perfect to celebrate a birthday! They look tried because this was before school.
Cupcake clothes - perfect to celebrate a birthday! They look tried because this was before school.
Monday, April 15, 2013
new dolls
You saw Gretchen's new doll, appropriately named "Gretchen" or "Gretchen Jr" as Carl and Grammie refer to her. This bugs Gretchen (Sr?). Anyway, Gretchen's doll is not an American Girl doll, but rather, a well researched 18" doll. At the time of purchase, her friends wanted to play dolls at the playground and I just couldn't wrap my brain around $125 doll in the dirt. Plus, Gretchen wanted to buy her doll soon and making her save her allowance until she had that much money would take all year. She loves her doll! A lot!!!
She and Carl have been playing dolls a lot recently. Carl has been using some of the Fisher Price baby twin dolls we have. I looked briefly, but aside from the American Girl doll toddler twins, there are no 18" boy dolls. Or so I thought.
Last week, I was in Tuesday Morning (junk discount store if you haven't been in one. And, if you manage one... I mean, a discount store with lots of varied items) and I saw a Madame Alexander 18" doll. She was an African American girl with such a sweet face, I wrote down the name of the doll to go home and research quality and to see if this price was indeed a good value. I discovered that all reviews were glowing (as were the madame Alexander different doll line that Gretchen bought at Walmart. Apparently, you can be safe buying an 18" madame Alexander doll.) and I also found the price there was very good. There were only 2 of her, so I went back on Saturday and bought her. Kind of for Carl, but kind of for both kids to have her to play with. This is how I justified not making someone use allowance monies to buy her. Maybe she would be my doll and I'd let them play with her, I told myself.
My second stop was Hobby Lobby to look for NC State flannel. The kids had a twin birthday party to go to on Sunday and they are a big Wolfpack family. I was hoping to find flannel and make 2 pillow cases to use as wrapping paper. I had checked 2 other fabric stores and found no NC State fabric at all. Odd for this region. Someone must have cleared them out! So, Hobby Lobby had Wolfpack fabric and fleece, but no flannel. And, it was $12 - 15 a yard. Way over wrapping-paper-budget prices. Then, I decided to check out the doll aisle. I was specifically hoping to find socks or tights. Instead, I found this:
photo from Hobby Lobby website.
A little blond haired blue eyed boy doll! You have to stuff him yourself, but he has a velcro closure on his back to make that easy. Of course, I came home to research him, too. He is only $20, but Hobby Lobby always have a 40% off coupon available to print, so how much quality was I going to expect for $12? And, even if I found him to be somewhat lacking in quality.... I was only out $12. But, turns out, he had decent reviews - all taking into consideration his price. But, I also kept in mind the fact that I knew he was not going to get much real hard play time from Carl anyway. He had been already asking me why there are no American Boy Dolls. Plus, truthfully, this little boy looked a lot more like Carl than the sweet African American girl doll I had purchased at Tuesday Morning. Now, in real life - his hair was much worse than this photo shows. Much worse! All of the dolls on the shelf had horrible hair. But, it was so long for a boy doll that I was convinced you were supposed to cut it after buying him as part of the making process. Well, you know I'd be too scared to do that... so, I bought the doll - let's call him Carl Jr - and headed directly to the kids' hairdresser, Teresa. The salon was empty except for her and one other stylist. "I have a weird question", I opened with. "Can, or will, you cut doll hair?" We pulled him out of the bag and package and were amazed at the shaggy mess of hair he had. Finally, she said, " Sure!" I wish I had brought my camera to get him "before" as well as "during". We giggled through the whole thing. I know you are wondering.... nope, she didn't charge me! I'll bring her something home baked at the next appointment.
So, after school, I brought him out, a little worried that Gretchen was going to be upset that she had to buy her doll, but I was giving Carl one. I did tell her it was so they would have dolls to play together. So, she knew in a way, she was going to have more fun with this. Carl was so excited! Both kids helped me stuff him up and we dressed him right away. I will make him some more clothes, but my patterns are all girls clothes. I'll have to find my cool boyish fabrics for a shirt. The pajamas and bath robe pattern will be unisex. Now, we want bunk beds. Gretchen suggested using cardboard boxes and paper towel tubes. Thinking creatively!! Yay!! There is probably a good pun in there about thinking outside of the box, but I am not finding the words quickly to spin it.
Now, the twins have twins! and everyone is happy!
And I think I am going to keep the sweet girl doll I bought Saturday morning at Tuesday Morning. She will be my doll to join in on the playtime.
Remember Alan Alda & Marlo Thomas's performance of William Wants a Doll from Free To Be... You and Me? I totally do. I can sing it word for word. Many of you are probably humming it already now. Wasn't Free To Be...You And Me just an awesome collection of songs and videos? If you are too young, trust me - it was. Check to see if it is on Netflix and enjoy!
She and Carl have been playing dolls a lot recently. Carl has been using some of the Fisher Price baby twin dolls we have. I looked briefly, but aside from the American Girl doll toddler twins, there are no 18" boy dolls. Or so I thought.
Last week, I was in Tuesday Morning (junk discount store if you haven't been in one. And, if you manage one... I mean, a discount store with lots of varied items) and I saw a Madame Alexander 18" doll. She was an African American girl with such a sweet face, I wrote down the name of the doll to go home and research quality and to see if this price was indeed a good value. I discovered that all reviews were glowing (as were the madame Alexander different doll line that Gretchen bought at Walmart. Apparently, you can be safe buying an 18" madame Alexander doll.) and I also found the price there was very good. There were only 2 of her, so I went back on Saturday and bought her. Kind of for Carl, but kind of for both kids to have her to play with. This is how I justified not making someone use allowance monies to buy her. Maybe she would be my doll and I'd let them play with her, I told myself.
My second stop was Hobby Lobby to look for NC State flannel. The kids had a twin birthday party to go to on Sunday and they are a big Wolfpack family. I was hoping to find flannel and make 2 pillow cases to use as wrapping paper. I had checked 2 other fabric stores and found no NC State fabric at all. Odd for this region. Someone must have cleared them out! So, Hobby Lobby had Wolfpack fabric and fleece, but no flannel. And, it was $12 - 15 a yard. Way over wrapping-paper-budget prices. Then, I decided to check out the doll aisle. I was specifically hoping to find socks or tights. Instead, I found this:
A little blond haired blue eyed boy doll! You have to stuff him yourself, but he has a velcro closure on his back to make that easy. Of course, I came home to research him, too. He is only $20, but Hobby Lobby always have a 40% off coupon available to print, so how much quality was I going to expect for $12? And, even if I found him to be somewhat lacking in quality.... I was only out $12. But, turns out, he had decent reviews - all taking into consideration his price. But, I also kept in mind the fact that I knew he was not going to get much real hard play time from Carl anyway. He had been already asking me why there are no American Boy Dolls. Plus, truthfully, this little boy looked a lot more like Carl than the sweet African American girl doll I had purchased at Tuesday Morning. Now, in real life - his hair was much worse than this photo shows. Much worse! All of the dolls on the shelf had horrible hair. But, it was so long for a boy doll that I was convinced you were supposed to cut it after buying him as part of the making process. Well, you know I'd be too scared to do that... so, I bought the doll - let's call him Carl Jr - and headed directly to the kids' hairdresser, Teresa. The salon was empty except for her and one other stylist. "I have a weird question", I opened with. "Can, or will, you cut doll hair?" We pulled him out of the bag and package and were amazed at the shaggy mess of hair he had. Finally, she said, " Sure!" I wish I had brought my camera to get him "before" as well as "during". We giggled through the whole thing. I know you are wondering.... nope, she didn't charge me! I'll bring her something home baked at the next appointment.
So, after school, I brought him out, a little worried that Gretchen was going to be upset that she had to buy her doll, but I was giving Carl one. I did tell her it was so they would have dolls to play together. So, she knew in a way, she was going to have more fun with this. Carl was so excited! Both kids helped me stuff him up and we dressed him right away. I will make him some more clothes, but my patterns are all girls clothes. I'll have to find my cool boyish fabrics for a shirt. The pajamas and bath robe pattern will be unisex. Now, we want bunk beds. Gretchen suggested using cardboard boxes and paper towel tubes. Thinking creatively!! Yay!! There is probably a good pun in there about thinking outside of the box, but I am not finding the words quickly to spin it.
Now, the twins have twins! and everyone is happy!
And I think I am going to keep the sweet girl doll I bought Saturday morning at Tuesday Morning. She will be my doll to join in on the playtime.
Remember Alan Alda & Marlo Thomas's performance of William Wants a Doll from Free To Be... You and Me? I totally do. I can sing it word for word. Many of you are probably humming it already now. Wasn't Free To Be...You And Me just an awesome collection of songs and videos? If you are too young, trust me - it was. Check to see if it is on Netflix and enjoy!
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