I was going through some of my pictures from this past year and came across this funny one: 

We went to the zoo last fall and when we were feeding the birds (they have that really cool area that birds fly around you and you can feed them)  one landed on my head.  Griffin had a huge fit, as you can see by the expression on his face. 

"Mommy get that bird off your head!!  It is going to poop on you!!!!"    He didn't like it one bit!

I had forgotten about this picture.  That is easy to do since I probably take 1000s of photos a year, I tend to forget about some.    But as I was looking through different months I noticed that I don't have a lot of pictures of me.    Obviously, I am the one taking the picture so it is hard for me to get in the picture.    But that got me thinking...  When I am old or worse dead the kids won't have many pictures of me to remember what I looked like while they were young.    

I have to admit I am not much on getting my picture taken.  I've gained too much weight....  no make-up...  hair not right.. whatever the reason   and I really don't like seeing myself in photos.     But  my kids probably would one day.    And they see me everyday  even if I have gain too much weight... no makeup....hair not right...etc.    To them I will look like Mommy, the way they remembered me.   Not to mention when I am 93 I will probably want to look back on the time when I was almost forty and say "Damn I was good looking back then"    ;)

So I am going to make an effort to get in more photos with my kids and alone.    Maybe even frame one or two,  (big step there)  and I am sure that one day far far away from now my kids will thank me and when I am 93,   I will thank myself!

a Hummingbird feeder was just for humming birds?    

Well I have had my feeder out for a  month or so .  I put it right outside our kitchen window where we sit and eat so I could watch the hummingbirds.   We watched and waited and no humming birds.   

I put it out all clean before we went on vacation and when we got back all the nectar was gone and I thought,  "Oh Goody!  Humming birds came while I was gone!"   So I put fresh nectar in it and waited....   and waited...  and waited for about a week and no humming birds.      What happened did they get pissed off and find another feeder?

Then last night while the kids and I were eating supper I looked out the window and this is what I saw....

Bees!!   Lots of Bees!   I thought there was a Bee shortage?    If there is a bee shortage then all the bees were at my house last night.      The kids and I watched the bees eat the hummingbird nectar for about 30 minutes.   

They would get all clumped up and then the whole pile would fall off.   Then they would just pile up all over again.      They had emptied the whole feeder in about 30 minutes.   Then they left.

   Left heavy.    Poor things I am surprised they were even able to fly.   

I was looking through the archives  to see when the Monarchs came to visit last year.  And it was this time last year.   

  So I went outside yesterday and checked my milkweed.   

And sure enough I found 6 eggs.     Brought them in and this morning three have hatched.

These little guys are so small I had a hard time getting a good picture of them. They will grow so fast!!

This little guy is about 5 minutes old.    So sweet...  O.K.  so not everyone will think that... but I do! :)

Someone asked me how many Milkweed plants I have and that they pulled up the vine milkweed because they were told it would take over their yard.    

Well I guess I agree the vine could take over the yard  but not if you plan for it.   I have my milkweed growing on everything.     And I have  a lot of Tropical Milkweed this year that I grew from last years seeds.   So I should have enough to feed the caterpillars this year.  I ran out of Milkweed last year.      

This is Tropical Milkweed.   Isn't it pretty?   Monarchs love this plant and will lay eggs on it before they will lay eggs on the vine Milkweed.   

This is before I weeded  the bed. 

  My fence is full of vine milkweed.     The  honey bees and June bugs are loving the little white flowers that the vine milkweed are producing.  Last year's milkweed didn't have this many flowers.   

See.  Now isn't this weed beautiful?   Why would anyone want to pull it up??   

So stay tuned,  this is just the beginning my friends...      

We made it through the first week of Kindergarten.    He really only went three half days,  but it is a start.     The first day was really the only big problem.     The 2nd day he was so excited and he had made a friend.    So I sat him down next to his friend and he was holding on to me.    But when his new friend turned around to look at him, he stood up and laid a big kiss right on my lips and he sat down and said bye.    I about fell backwards.    There is something to say about that peer pressure.   

Now today he wasn't as brave and his teacher had to hold him while I ran out of the room.    I don't get upset anymore about running out of the room while he is crying and trying to reach me while a teacher is holding him back with all her might.     He has been doing this for three years.     Ever since I started taking him to preschool he has held on to me not wanting me to leave.     I would leave him crying and I would feel so bad.  It is like trying to keep a dog from getting out of it's cage.   You keep trying to let go while trying to shut the cage without catching it's paw in the cage door.  Then after 5 minutes he is fine.   No one problems.    

So one good day out of three is not too bad.  But how did he do the first day??   

Well he was so excited that morning.   He woke up at 4:45 am .  At some point in the night he had gotten into bed with me.   (I don't even notice anymore)  He woke me up and his eyes were as big as Kiwis  and he said, " Do I go to Kindergarten today?"   

He got dressed and when Brian got here he was so happy..    Even while we waited to go inside he was happy.   

No  really he is happy.  I know he doesn't look happy but he is.    (above)

Brian had to give him a gentle talking too.    "Now Griffin, Be brave.. Your a big boy. "   feels like saying, "Son if you don't get your butt in that room  I am going to.....

Daddy is not used to this crying and not letting go stuff.     He feels bad.   At this point I am at the door trying to get Brian's attention to tell him to throw him down and run!!   Run Brian Run!!!

One of the  teachers is standing  there patiently waiting for Brian to peel him off and quickly hand him to her.   He is caving.. I can see it in his face...  Then Brian, finally seeing me jumping up and down,   waving from the door mouthing  " Hand him over and RUN!!!"   Does just that.    We leave him  crying.     But I know it won't be long.    He will make a friend , have fun and will be O.K.   

When I picked him up that first day he was so excited and told me about all the things he had done and all about his new friend.    He couldn't wait to go a full day so he could eat in the cafeteria.   And there was a really cool play ground outside.    

Griffin is going to be just fine.....  in Kindergarten.      

My son,  my baby, has been sucking his thumb since the day he was born.   Well actually he was probably doing it before he was born.    

Anytime he gets tired, in goes the thumb.   

Now we have been talking to him for about six months that sucking his thumb is going to have to stop soon.     Not only is going to Kindergarten without his thumb in his mouth a big deal but his dentist is concerned about his teeth.     So the dentist suggested we call his thumb "Mr. Thumb" (you must imagine saying the "Mr. Thumb"   in a deep voice with echos  "Mrr. Thummmbb")

So while we were in Florida we started telling Griffin that Mr. Thumb doesn't like dark places.  Mr. Thumb doesn't like to be all wet.    etc etc...

One night in Florida we were driving down the road going to get something to eat. It had been a really long day so he was tired and he was sitting in his car seat sucking his thumb.   

"Griffin, I know you are tired but you need to think about Mr. Thumb, he doesn't want to be all wet right now. "

Griffin doesn't say anything for a minute then in a quite voice he says,  "Yes he does"

Brian says, "Oh no, Mr. Thumb is scared of the dark and when you suck on him too long he gets all wrinkled.  He doesn't like that." 

In a quiet voice, " Yes he does"

A few minutes had gone by and the thumb was still in his mouth I asked,    "Griffin how do you know  if Mr. Thumb likes it?"

There was silence in the car because  really, we all wanted to know what Mr. Thumb thought. Because lets be honest, who or what would want to be in a child's mouth that long.   

Then Griffin, in an mad, tired, irritated voice, said,   "Because, "Mr. Thumb" told me he liked it.   He is tired and wants to go to sleep.  He is happy in my mouth because it is dark and my tongue is his bed."

Silence fell in the car full of people.    I mean what can you say to that?    I guess Mr. Thumb knows! 

So no more Mr. Thumb...  I guess Griffin will be sucking his thumb until he is in middle school.   Or maybe until one of his classmates makes fun of him...  But they had better watch out, cause "Mr Thumb" might just tell them how it is if they mess with his Griffin!!

Tomorrow is the big day... First day of Kindergarten!!