This and that

So many pictures from the past week.  Let's see...

The little guys use backpacks for art and other classes and they are so proud of their new backpacks that reflect their interests.  Charlie- superheroes, Tucker- space.  :)

Tucker and Julia both take science classes at the zoo once month so we end up going to the zoo twice a month.  We've had such a great time enjoying the beautiful weather. 

On Thursday morning we went to see a play at the Children's Theater called "African Tales".  It was basically the story of Rumpelstiltskin told in Swahili with a lot of drums and an African folk tail about a sneaky rabbit. 

On Friday we went on a really fun field trip to a working farm.  They mainly have goats and make goat cheese and facial products for their spa.  It was fascinating. 

 We learned all about natural gardening and about how to plant using bulbs. 

Digging up a ginger plant-

She also gave each of the children live, helpful insect larvae to put in the planters in order to rid the plants of the bad insects. 

We learned all about goats-

And we got to compare turkey, duck, chicken and goose eggs.  We even cracked them and looked at the yolks. 

Then we fed the chickens-

Lastly we learned how to make cheese and tasted some delicious goat cheese and preserves. 

We had a picnic on an extra long table that accommodated the 80 people with us!

On the way home we ran by Dairy Queen for a treat with friends.  They are playing train with the chairs. 

Driving home from the farm we passed field after field of cotton.  Tucker said, "Gee- that is just so beautiful!  When I get home I am going to make origami corn from three sheets of construction paper."  We hadn't walked in the door five minutes before he walked over with this-

Oh and he made a little birdhouse home for his bear Lovey Brown.  Charlie made one for Sheepy out of a box. 

This weekend Marky went on a two-night campout with Fraternus.  Big Marc was out of town for a work function so I just had the three amigos for Friday night.  These guys play SO WELL together.  Here they are playing "Spot It" and laughing. 

 In the morning after breakfast I found them playing happily in the sandbox. 

When Daddy got home Saturday afternoon he took the boys hiking.  Our creek behind the house is completely dried up. 

I will say it was weird having Marky at a campout without his Daddy.   I so wondered what they were doing and how it was going.  Apparently they had over 60 men and boys and had a ball.  Here's the only picture I was sent-

I know he was happy to take his hammock and to finally use his "camping" pack he got for Christmas.  He packed everything all by himself and had it all labeled- Mr. Responsible!

A few pics of Julia after church- we had Little Flowers so by the time she and I got home the boys were out of their church clothes.

Tucker, Charlie and Lovey Brown enjoyed climbing the fig tree all afternoon. 

At one point Charlie came in and said, "Daddy, Tucker needs yellow paper, tape, scissors and a sharpie."  We found out he was making a bee hive for Lovey Brown. 

Tonight Julia wanted to read Charlie his bedtime story.  She is such a sweet little Momma.

And that's all folks!