Portrait of a Chicken

When the chicken is this cute...

~Lone Butterfly )i(

A Sheepy Day

GO and I went out to visit the Sheeps today to have a day with them before GO and I watched Baby Sheep (Little Sheep had his third swim lesson tonight).

We decided to head to the library with the kiddos - I am pretty sure this was the first time that GO has been.

She and Baby Sheep hung out on the floor next to the board books (I actually checked out a few for me to read to her at home).

Then Little Sheep helped me check out the books and a cool bag for him (all about Space).

BooSheep and I found a couple of caches on the way home, which was fun! I liked working together with BooSheep to search out the tiny micros!

All three kiddos went down for a nap (at the SAME TIME), so Boo and I were able to have an hour or so of real adult conversation.

It was a good day and I enjoyed staying with the two little ones by myself. We managed to have dinner and get clean and all in pajamas before BooSheep and Little Sheep got home. Then BooSheep and I stayed up to watch Big Brother 11 (YAY!) before I took GO and headed home.

I so much enjoyed spending the day with the Sheeps.

~Lone Butterfly )i(

Learning to Sit Up

GO is practicing sitting upright - the Boppy has been a huge help (thank you, Edelweiss!).

She really enjoys sitting up for a short amount of time and watching the 10-15 minute TV programs (she is loving Franklin, Blue, Bob the Builder & Pinky Dinky Doo). She can't do much more than that for now, but it's a start.

She's building those tummy muscles!

~Lone Butterfly )i(

Another Room Bites the Dust

Mum came over and helped me finish another room today - I can't imagine doing everything by myself!

The good news is that the pantry is still in pristine condition, so I have high hopes for the garage.

Step by step photos of the work:

GO was an angel and sat in her swing and her rocking chair while we did what needed to be done.

~Lone Butterfly )i(

Swimming Sheep?

Little Sheep had his first swimming lesson tonight! Uncle Firefighter was at the station, so I came over and hung out with Baby Sheep.

GO and Princess came with me and we had such fun! Both little girls ate dinner and were clean by the time Little Sheep and BooSheep got home.

Princess was such a big help with the babies. She read book after book to them.

Little Sheep told me all about how he could put his head under the water (without holding his nose) and jump in from the side! I LOVE hearing about his big boy adventures!

We'll be back on Thursday to watch Baby Sheep again, Little Sheep is growing up so fast.

~Lone Butterfly )i(

At the Lake

Hubby, GO and I spent the weekend at the lake. Hubby's mum and stepdad have a lakehouse, large enough for all the brothers to visit. (At the same time!)

I greatly missed having B10 and CW with us and Uncle Marine was by himself - meaning we didn't have any of the girls from the Flower Garden or Aunt CC. Uncle Firefighter and Aunt Teacher were there, along with MoRo and Abberdabberdo and one of Aunt Teacher's cousins.

Uncle Ricardo came with Granny and PapaB, who also brought Tug (the huge puppy).

We had a blast riding in the boat:

Tubing:

Attempting to waterski and wakeboard:

GO even got on the boat and wore a life jacket - she wasn't impressed, but she wore it! Look at her angry eyes!

For the evening of the 4th, we took the boat out (all of us inside) to the dam to watch the fireworks. GO slept happily in her daddy's lap!

We hung out on the dock and just let the breeze swing us.

Hubby took GO into the lake water ("fish poop, fish poop") and she loved being with her daddy.

Hubby and I did a little geocaching - we even took Uncle Richardo and PapaB with us to "search for hidden treasure".

GO got a lot of cuddles, especially enjoying napping in the playpens outside.

I think her favorite was sitting in the exa-saucer with the fancy purple elephant!

It was a good weekend, with only minor sunburns to show. Hope everyone else had a Happy 4th of July, too!

~Lone Butterfly )i(

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Birthday to the United States of America!

Hope your 4th is wonderful!

~Lone Butterfly )i(

Traitors

I recieved an email from my Dad, one he had sent to many of the people in his office. My father's office building has a small cemetary on it's property (one of those very old ones that cannot be moved) and he reflected on one of the gravesite. I asked his permission to share it - and I hope it helps everyone get into the Fourth of July frame of mind:

OK ... Please bear with me here if I get a bit philosophical as it is nearing Independence Day ....

We call them Patriots. They were the originals giants of our country. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hancock, Franklin, Revere. We learned all of their names and their actions when we were in school.

The English called them traitors.

And if England had won the Revolutionary War each of them would have been hanged and we would be talking about "our" queen.

The fact is that these people did something remarkable. They saw the need for an entirely new nation and they were willing to give anything ... including their lives ... to make that nation possible.

But I want to mention the other "traitors" ... the more than 200,000 farmers, shop owners, ministers and clerks ... who took to the battlefield to fight the greatest army in the world. There were young boys and there were old men ... all wanting to help start a new nation.

I believe that Benjamin Bridge was one of these young men. He was lucky. He survived the war and then he decided to move west to the frontier to help this new, young nation grow.

Benjamin Bridge moved to Ohio ... and today he is buried about 100 yards from my office. As you get ready for this holiday weekend, I urge you to remember those unsung heroes who got us to this point. You might even consider a walk out to the cemetery behind our office building to pay tribute to one of those heroes. A medallion with "1776" is at his grave ....... He, too, was a Patriot.

I hope your weekend is wonderful and that you remember the soldiers who followed the great leaders to make this country what it is.

I am so thankful that I have parents who taught me how to be grateful and aren't ashamed to share that with others.

~Lone Butterfly )i(

Swimming Caterpillar

GO and I went out to the Game Family's home for another pool date.

Hide and Seek were running around playing, but JJ was sweet enough to let GO borrow his swim toy so she could float in the water.

Getting to swim is always fun in the summer. I'm pleased that GO is showing all the signs of being a water baby!

~Lone Butterfly )i(