Earth Day 2017

 This year I did a lot with my class in observance of Earth Day.  We read lots of books about recycling, reusing, and reducing.  We wrote thank you letters to Mother Earth and we also presented projects where my children reused an item by turning it into something else.  

My favorite was a giant piggy bank that was made out of one of those giant plastic barrels that cheese balls come in.  

Earth Day was on a Saturday this year and the weather was gorgeous.  Genevieve chose to visit her favorite spot,  (besides the mall-Lord) the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

The new Audubon exhibit was there.

Although he killed every bird that he subsequently painted, at the time he was known as a conservationist.

I tried not to focus on the dead bird aspect, but more on the beautiful artwork:)

There was a little display about helping the Earth, and G decided to write recycle.

I dictated how to spell it, and she wrote it.

Look at that sweet concentration.

She insisted on clipping it herself.

"I don't like where it is, Momma!!!

Why won't you help me???"

Cue the Sybil routine.

Good grief, she wears me out.

We spent most of the time exploring the gardens.

They just added a beer garden to the greenhouse, so that's a win win for everyone.

T had a beer and I had some Riesling and a Bavarian soft pretzel.  It was divine and I insisted that he call me Frau.

Now I have always considered myself a body double for Big Bird, so this photo worked out well.  

Our next stop was Nicey Popsicles for a treat.

Mango for G, key lime for me, and something spicy for T.

The day concluded with a bike ride, which is how she will be getting to school from now on to conserve the Earth's resources.

Minnie and Jacques will be her chaperones on her trek to preschool.

I will be riding on a solar powered rickshaw, drinking Kombucha, and eating kale chips on my way to school.

I wish.

Happy Earth Day!  

Easter 2017

Trinity did not have to work on Good Friday, but G and I had to go to school.  Meh.

We decided if we had to go, we might as well look like human Easter eggs.

My bunny ears were on my desk at school, but I did wear them all day.

On Saturday morning we attended the egg hunt at our church.

Genevieve and Kate worked together as a team.

Since we certainly did not have enough sugar after eating donuts at church and finding candy, we decided to share a cookie at The Flying Cupcake.  Fun fact...I now buy only cookies from there.  Weird, right?

When we arrived home after our bunny cookie lunch, Abby and Papi had arrived.

Genevieve rip snorted her way through her gift from Aunt Shirley.

Shirl buys shoes and clothes for gifts.  

This is yet another thing I love about her.

We enjoyed the evening outside with some BBQ.

Easter morning brought this display.

Actually Patsy brought it.

G was tickled with lots of candy, art supplies, toys, shoes, and a new outfit!

 I was pleased with G's behavior in church.

She enjoyed yet another hunt for eggs in our yard.

It was a lovely Easter,

but let's not forget my favorite...

Camping and Such

The last Saturday of my spring break included a visit to the Easter Bunny.

Genevieve let him know that she wanted anything with a unicorn on it, and marshmallow bunny chocolates.

We met Meghan and Li'l Robby.

He's balding a bit, but that hasn't affected his preciousness.

 The precious cousins nailed the bunny picture.  

I mean, have you ever?

I want him for my very own.

Seriously, I do.

I think I could pass him off as my own.

I don't think his parents would like that.

After bunny shenanigans, we met Marinda and Camille for some sweet stuff at the Cake Bake Shop.  

Sweet Camille was a sport as my child sang, colored, and did anything but sit quietly.

Marinda was helping G decide what to eat, and I photogged the glorious hair that Camille has.

It is the most beautiful hair I have ever seen.

I settled back in to work that week and then the very next weekend we went for an overnight camping adventure with Katie, Chip, and Caroline.  

Our friend from IU, Melissa, came with her husband and her daughter.

Mel set up egg dyeing.

Hadley and Genevieve spent a lot of time playing Anna and Elsa in the camper.

We did a lot of eating.

Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear dined by the campfire.

 We camped in Sullivan, near my parents' house.

Now I'm not an avid camper but even I knew that the campground was terrible.

It was like camping in a trailer park.

There were no trees and we had a primo view of what appeared to be a mental hospital.

Bob and YaYa came for dinner.

Todd had smoked pork, so naturally I ate potato chips and pineapple.

We played yard Yahtzee.

Genevieve and I reenacted the Kate/Betsy Indiana University Alpha Gamma Delta Teeter-Totterthon of 1999.

Our weight wasn't too even.

Kate and I signed on to teeter and totter for an hour representing DG for that philanthropic event.  We didn't take into account our large weight/height difference.  I thought my thighs would burn off and Kate just wiggled around in the air for an hour.  When I told this favorite story years ago, someone asked why one of us ( I can't remember who) didn't move closer to the middle to even things out.  We weren't physics majors, people.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure Genevieve and I needed to update our tetanus shots after playing on that rusty playground.  

Caroline was in charge of the s'mores.

I then slept on the top bunk on a mattress that was similar to what one might tumble on at a gymnastics center that caters to toddlers.

I also had a knee in my kidneys most of the night.

I woke up with limited mobility in my lower back and neck, and smelling like I had survived a house fire.

I rolled off the bunk to discover my better half lounging in the lower bunk.

We did have fun and Genevieve loved it.

She is ready to go again.

I may be able to go after a few sessions at the chiropractor.

Pirate Night and Final Day at Sea

I had to wake my child after a 3 hour nap to go to dinner on Tuesday night.  

She was one cranky Snow White.  

She perked up when I told her she was going to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique to get pirated up.

She loved her experience, and I loved it far more than the ridiculousness that we experienced in DisneyLand. 

The process was a lot simpler, and a lot less expensive.

Note her father's pirate reflection in the mirror!

Caroline did not do the dress, so she sat only for hair and makeup!

They were ready to swashbuckle.  

Pirate Night involved dancing and a party on the top deck, complete with fireworks.

I didn't love it.

I would have preferred another show while I downed peanut M&Ms.

This might be my favorite picture of the entire trip.

The show did not start until 9:30, so it was a late one for us.

Wednesday was a day at sea, so I was ready for a more low key day.

We had breakfast and saw Goofy in his nightgown.

Genevieve visited the Oceaneer Club for a Doc McStuffins activity.

I spent a few hours relaxing on the deck with a rice krispie Mickey pop.

I was so excited that I closed my eyes.

I was wishing I had 3 more.

Mother and Sister took the girls for a meet and greet with Anna and Elsa.

Our final night was my favorite dinner at Tiana's Place.  

The food was spicy and tasty.  

We met my favorite princess, Tiana of New Orleans.  

Tiana sang with her band, the Crawdads, and all of the wait staff participated in a little dancing parade.  We danced too, and also did the limbo.

The men also ordered as many appetizers as they could.  

We loved our Disney cruise, and I think Genevieve was the perfect age for it.  Caroline had a marvelous time, but G still believed in all of the magic of the characters.  It was a very memorable trip.