The Bug Lore Museum

Patricks preschool class went to the Bug Lore Museum for a field trip. Looking at the bugs was fun but it was kind of a joke too with one big room filled with bugs and toys so of course the kids wanted the toys more. Well at least mine did.

The field trip started out well, with kids sitting down listening to the lady talk about bugs.

Petting a Millipede

Then they started to get distracted, of course Elena was distracted the whole time.

The bugs were pretty cool but also creepy

These grasshoppers were giving each other piggy back rides, nice huh?

The ants

creepy scorpion

Even creepier scorpion

Creepy Tarantula

Another creepy spider

The kids checked out the ants

I hate cockroaches but I was able to go look at the Madagascar hissing cockroaches, except I found a dead one, the lady said it was old so she took him out for us to look at.

I did get up the nerve to let the stick bug crawl on my arm but only for a few seconds because it was freaky.

Afterward we met at a park and played and ate lunch. There was a dog wandering around that didn't have a collar and it was trying to eat every ones food.

The Annual Neville party

Once again we got to attend the Neville's annual summer party. I always feel so excited when every year when the time rolls around because we never know what surprises there will be.

This year they had a baby giraffe

And a zebra

A Baboon

A baby Leopard

A porcupine

A palm Cockatoo

A Toucan

A sloth

They also had a wolf but I didn't get a picture of it but it was huge!

Elena wanted to get her face painted so she waited patiently in line with Daddy.

And got a butterfly

I only saw Patrick maybe 3 times the whole night. He was running around with Stevie Gabbitas all night. He did stop by our blanket for a few minutes with a blue mouth from his blue icee.

The Randalls came so we got to sit and visit with them. Even Dad came this year which was fun.

I cant wait till next year!

Dragon Swimming

While the duck enjoyed swimming in his bucket, the kids enjoyed swimming in their new pool.

Their pool last year got a hole in it so we upgraded.

The took turns spraying each other

Patrick walked around pretending to be mean and shooting people with his water gun.

Elena was not a fan of being sprayed but she got used to it and ended up having a good time.

They kept jumping on the slide and now it has a hole in it but they enjoyed it while it lasted.

Soooo the duck

Yeah we got a duck. Why? Well let me tell you.

I have no idea. One of the kids in Patricks preschool found this baby duckling near her home so they searched for its family and couldnt find them. So they brought the duckling to school and let the kids see it. Patricks teacher said who wants a duck? And I couldnt think of any reason why I would want another pet or any other responsibilities seeing how I can't even accomplish the ones I have now. Well she said they eat bugs and lay eggs, if its a girl of course. Well I thought why not?!! So I went to the pet store and got a little reptile house and some food dishes then I went and got some food for him. So we kept the duck in there for a few days and let him get stronger.

Then we let him outside one day and he loved it! He ran around and ate bugs and followed the kids everywhere. Unfortunately the kids were very unaware of him and sat on him twice. Poor guy(or girl). We filled a shallow bucket with water so he could swim around and he did such a good job, he apparently loves water.

Elena loves holding him and even holds him when she's not supposed to. Patrick does not like to hold him and basically just runs around him. I do have some video of the duck following Patrick but no pictures. Ones of these days I'll get him to hold him.

He/she loves to be around us and likes to sit in our laps and on our shoulders. Its very sweet.

Hopefully we'll find out soon whether this duck is a boy or girl.

Enjoying popcicles and the garden

So the only thing I've planted this year are flowers and tomatoes. I have other vegetable seeds but I keep putting off planting them for some reason. However this what my flower garden looked like this spring after I first planted everything.

And this is what it looks like now

My strawberries were my only bust so I ripped them out and planted these. I would like to plant a bougainvillea in the back middle part of this flower bed but I'll wait.

My gerber Daisies survived and whatever that purple and pink flower is. And finally my Rununculus came through and are looking great circling everything else.

My favorite so far is the Dhalia. Its huge! I can't wait for it to bloom, I think it will be spectacular.

And my gladiolas are really tall but there aren't any blooms yet, soon hopefully.

And to enjoy the beauty of the earth and the lovely flowers blooming we sit outside and enjoy popsicles.

Hopefully I can fill in the dirt area with mulch and bushes and rocks but first we need to find rocks. Someday it will look like a real garden.