Play Ball!

I took my camera along to Rob's softball game on Tuesday. He went early and the kids and I stopped at Sonic on our way for 1/2 price burgers. (I love a deal!) The weather was great, and the hour-long game was just right for the kids' attention spans.

^ Eating burgers ^

^ About to get a base hit ^

^ Mr. Softball ^

^ Eating ice - sticky hands & dirty legs! ^

Erin watched most of the game from the dugout, and Robbie loves yelling "GO GO GO" after someone hits the ball. (Regardless of what team they're on.) That kid loves sports, just like his daddy!

Paula's Party

Erin cracked us up the other night. We were watching one of Paula Deen's shows on the food network, Paula's Party, and after about 20 minutes or so, Erin says, "I don't think this is a party; I think it's a rip-off!"

We found out later that it was because she thought there should be more cooking and less talking.

Sorry, Paula.

Happy Easter!

We hope you all had a good Easter!

We spent Friday with my parents and my brother Chris and his family. We don't get to see Chris's family very often, so it was fun to get together and see the cousins playing at the park.

We got together with Rob's family at his sister Stephanie's house on Saturday night. We had an Easter egg hunt and a good dinner of turkey and funeral potatoes! The kids had a nice time with these cousins, too, and it was fun to see everyone.

This morning, we woke up to find that the Easter Bunny had come! After the kids checked out their baskets, they went outside to hunt for eggs. Robbie really liked that part.

After church (and a nap for Robbie!) we hid the eggs and had another hunt. Then I decided the kids should stay outside to eat their Peeps.

Tres Rios Festival

This morning, we went to the Tres Rios Festival. Not far from our house is a BLM wildlife area where three rivers converge (tres rios, you see...) and once a year they have this festival where you can see all kinds of wildlife and learn stuff; crafts for the kids, food, etc.

The kids got to see a lot of different birds. Hawks, quail, a hummingbird, different kinds of owls, a baby pigeon, a crane. For some reason, "owl" is one of the first words Robbie mastered, so that came in handy today. He knew which ones were owls, too, because he didn't say it to the other birds. I didn't get any pictures with the birds, but they were pretty neat.

They also liked all the snakes and lizards. Gila monsters. One table had this huge, scary scorpion in an aquarium and they were letting the kids shine a black light on it to see it glow. Here's Erin with the rattlesnakes:

The kids got to feed some mesquite beans to a burro & feel its big hairy lips tickling their hands!

They had a fishing clinic to teach the kids to fish, but we kind of avoided that because of all the lures & hooks flying everywhere. Maybe next year.

We did paddle a canoe up the river and back, though. My first time in a canoe (and it showed). I was not cut out to navigate a canoe! I caused the suffering of several plants & shrubs who were unfortunate enough to make their homes in my path. Poor Rob had to work twice as hard to undo what I was doing with my paddle! He's the reason we're not still floating down the river. The trail of destruction was minimal, though, and we had fun.

It was a nice way to be out in nature for a little while without leaving town.

Worms!

Spring has sprung!

The kids and I were pulling weeds in the back yard (well, I was pulling weeds and they were running around) and I discovered that we have a lot of earthworms in one part of our yard. Erin thought they were a little creepy at first, but then she warmed right up to them. She liked when they wrapped around her fingers.

Robbie was interested, of course, but I was scared he would either eat the worm or squish it in his hand! So I told him "soft" and I showed him how to hold his palm open. I put the worm on his hand and he just stood there watching it and giggling. And saying stuff to the worm that has yet to be translated. Now he likes to hold his palm up at people and rattle off a bunch of talk - apparently about worms.

The next evening, I was back at the weeds, and Erin was collecting all the worms in a plastic cup. When I realized how many there were, and that they were winding themselves into this creepy, wiggly worm-knot, I put an end to the collection! One worm is kinda cute, but a worm-knot is another story. We separated them and put them all back into the ground. Where they will stay! That was enough science for me, for a little while, anyway.

If I Knew You Were Coming, I'd Have Baked a Cake

Several nights ago, Erin was reading a library book about baking a cake. She thought it was weird that there was salt in the recipe, so I had to show her a real recipe. By the time she was through with the book, I decided a chocolate cake sounded pretty good!

Erin got her step stool, I put Robbie on a chair with a bunch of kitchen utensils, and we went to work! Erin was pretty happy that she got to use the mixer. Robbie can say "cook", so we heard that plenty of times. "Obbie cook!" He also informed us that the mixer says, "rrrrr!"

We poured the batter into the pan, and Robbie decided to poke his potato masher in it when we weren't looking. Not too bad of a mess, though. And the cake was good!