another set of "multiples"

Earlier this month we noticed that a mama duck made her nest next to the house and a small bush right outside our door.  I imagined the work it would take to keep the boys from going out to the front yard to play.  After about a week we ventured out front and played in the yard but tried to keep it quiet as we went in and out of the door so not to disturb the mama. After another week it was even harder to keep us and the neighbor kids quiet, but mama duck just kept to her corner and I made sure no one made any motions to go towards her and her 12!!!! eggs.

So after doing some research on the web about ducks I learned that they hatch around day 28...which would have been when Mike and I are in Hawaii.  I was a little bummed but perhaps they would hatch after we got back.  Perhaps I had miscalculated ;-)

Every morning I would go to the front window to see where "mama duck" was.  Sometimes she was there and sometimes she was out doing what ducks do.  I would check again around 10:00 to make sure she was back and doing her mama duties.  I'd check on her throughout the day.  It became a habit for the past 4 weeks.

This morning Mike said "I see two baby ducks."  After I scrambled to the window we decided we could see 3, maybe 4.  I took a few pictures which didn't turn out because they were so dark.  While trying to get 3 kids feed and getting dressed for the day (Lauren was still asleep) we kept checking on our new arrivals.
I was in the back of the house when I heard "Jill, come quick."  I made it just in time to see Mama duck in the front yard with her 9 ducklings!  I was snapping pictures with my digital camera and wasn't getting the pictures that I wanted, so I rushed back to get my DSLR and by that time she was close to the road.  I open the door and go out to the yard to snap some more pictures and realize she is going to take them across the street.  I live in a subdivision and the road that I live on is a thoroughfare for the area and it was time to take kids to school, so it gets a little too busy and fast in my opinion.  I'm still in my pj's..which consisted of cotton shorts and a tank top.  I don't care...I'm going to make sure they get across safely.  About the time she is in the middle of the street and I'm just stepping into the street, I can hear a car coming around the corner....whew....it was a policeman.  He saw exactly what was happening and stopped to let mama duck and her babies cross the street.  He waited until she was across and all ducklings made it up on the sidewalk.

After all the babies scaled the curb, they all waddled down the fence line and were on their way to the water!

 

Bye mama duck!

 

I find myself checking her nest to see if she is still there.  Someone pointed out that I now have empty nest syndrome.  I'm sure it will get better over time, especially since I have a trip to Maui in a few days ;-)

Bluebonnet Pictures

Bluebonnets are the state flower here in Texas and they are beautiful when they bloom in the spring. Due to all the rain we've had this year they bloomed early, making the photographers scramble to open some mini sessions. I was undecided if we were going to do them this year with a favorite photographer and thought we would just go out to a field with our DSLR - well that didn't happen. One of the photographers that I've used in the past was having a mini session and was going to be donating the proceeds to her summer mission trip. The field she chose to take pictures at was about 5 minutes away, and it was on a Friday that we didn't have any planned...so it was a win/win/win for me!

Easter 2012

The boys had 4 egg hunts this year. Perhaps next year I need to tone it down. Two of the functions required that each kid bring 12 filled eggs...which really isn't that bad when you have one kid ;-)

This is the bunch of kids from our Early Childhood PTA group.  The wooden structure behind the kids was being torn down the following day.

The boys Mothers Day Out program had an egg hunt.  No picture of that - as I was the one playing the role of the Easter Bunny and had to hide after my job was done. 

The boys are in line for yet another egg hunt. This one was sponsored by the city.  We've gone every year since Lauren was 4

Waiting for the bullhorn...

And here are the kids coloring Easter eggs.  I didn't buy any dyeing kits this year.  I tried using water and kool-aid and that worked great.  I also used vinegar, water, and food coloring - worked like a charm too!

Here's the shorties from our Easter Brunch.
Logan, Travis, Lauren, Ian, Harper, Ava (cousin) and Maddie

This one just cracks me up.  Nana and Lauren listen very well!

The boys first Home Depot Kids Workshop

Last month we took the boys to their very first Home Depot workshop. We started taking Lauren when she was a little over 2 and she has dozens of pins from all the things she built. We even still have some of the things she built. Now it's the boys turn to continue the tradition. Lauren is old enough to where she can help one of the boys build so we have one on one coverage!

Logan and Travis showing off their race cars (team Mom and Ian are a little behind)

Ian making in time for another picture!

HD will be having another workshop this Saturday...not sure if we will take them to that one since they have a blastball game that morning.  We will have to wait and see how attitudes are that morning!