Bye Bye Butterfly

So you think Mr. Phillips is the only scientist in our house.  Well, I'm here to tell you differently.  Santa has a rough time in our house choosing what to bring young Sebastian.  He has never, yep never, learned to play by himself.  So cars, Lego's, dinosaurs, skateboards, bikes, the list goes on really doesn't hold much value in his world unless Curt and I are there to play also.  Learned lesson with child 2 - let her play in corner by herself, she's FINE!

Anyway, Sab has a love of science.  So, Santa decided a bug habitat would be boyish, educational and time consuming.  My sister had one a few years back.  She missed her calling as a cruise director or camp counselor.  So you send away for the caterpillars after buying the habitat.  It occurred to me while in bed one night that I should mention to the post office that a box labeled bugs was coming through.  Sure enough this was on the box:

So they arrive and you think caterpillars - fuzzy, woolly, somewhat cute?  No these babies were little bitty wormy things - YUCK!  Once you have them for a few days, they crawl to the top of the shipping cup, hang upside and spin themselves into chrysalises - a big word I learned from my very bright niece (she was like 4 when she taught me :))

 After this stage they make their way into the big net.  This is their WASTE after the transfer:

Sick right?  I would never be a good home schooling mom.  The pig dissection or frog whatever - would send me over the edge.

Here they are Kate - in their chrysalises.  I thought of you a lot during this stage.

In this shot, they literally bust out of the brown yuck bags into beautiful butterflies.  This was like watching a bird hatch - I was fascinated.

 So a little known fact the life span after all this is only TWO WEEKS!  I couldn't bare to let them die in this net.  So after feeding them sugar water off of cotton balls, a trip to Sab's class for show and tell, a temp over 55 (today was in the 60's!) we let them go.

Here is Sab holding the habitat.  He said this was heart wrenching.  What words from a 6 year old - Jeepers.

Success!  Look how great this butterfly is!

The Phillips Kids Take On Richmond Zoo

Sometimes I ask myself at the beginning of an adventure is this a good idea?  Today I was unsure as to whether I could handle it.  At one point I asked Curt so if I break down either mentally or the car does what should I do?  In both cases he replied 911.  Curt was unable to attend our adventure due to a track meet (the team finished 3rd and broke a record!!) so it was just me and the little people.  I always try to anticipate what could possibly happen with these two and fail most times.  For instance we went to the Bounce N Play (wonderful place for kids) last weekend with my parents.  We had been there before so I thought no big deal.  I wished everyone well and let the fun begin.  In 15 minutes time Sab comes running over telling me he was going to puke.  WHAT I asked.  Keep in mind it took 40+ minutes to drive there with my mom wedged into the backseat between these two angels.  So we rush to the bathroom, my mom is wide-eyed watching Mia, my dad is on alert with all the coats and purses (mom, most men would not do this!).  We arrive to the bathroom, Sab proceeds to tell me he hit his head on his knee while sliding down an inflatable slide, knocked himself out cold and felt ill.  In two minutes time he peeled himself off the floor, requested a Gatorade, and an on-sale stuffed dog.  Hard to keep up with the flow.

So off to Richmond Zoo we go.  An hour and a half ride. Packed to the hilt, stroller, extra sippy cups (Mia consumes her calories thru drink), juice, squeezable yogurts, extra clothes (they find every water puddle, mud pit, natural disaster wherever we go) and camera.  Well, the camera wasn't charged of course.  The weather was nice, a bit windy and we are in line!!!  My BFF Maggie Magellan GPS led me there without a hitch.  One, let me repeat ONE cashier was working the line of 40+ adults and children.    Sab immediately says ARE YOU KIDDING me!?!?  Gee, I wonder who taught him that?  Oops.  So with any wait Mia has a breakdown, Sab is trying to capture her while I pay and contemplate rounding up to the nearest dollar for a zoo donation.  Will it pay for an additional cashier?  Enough bad talk.

Pre-Fit in line.  It's brewing though.  She usually yells cheese when the camera is rollin.

Sab is tickled.  Outside.  Animals.  Possible mayhem.

WE HAD A DELIGHTFUL TIME!!!  Sab is collecting bird feathers (he can't understand my disgust) and Mia is transfixed by all the different types of monkeys.  We have feed so we randomly hit animals with it and some take it.  I couldn't believe how many endangered animals they housed - NICE.  We arrive to the "gentle giants" aka the giraffes.  This giraffe's head immediately comes thru the fence .  His head seemed bigger than Mia's body.  She screamed, grabbed Sab's hand and didn't let go the rest of the day.  He fed the giraffes and she watched giggling.

The adventure worked today.  Now if you ask Sab he'll tell you the wind blew dirt in his eye, he got a splinter by grabbing on to the fence (which you weren't supposed to do) and his mom let him ride a train where the animals weren't fenced in and approached the train.  Tough critic that kid.  I'm beat and bed time is fast approaching!!!!

Sab trying to lift Mia to see the prairie dogs.  He really put forth a lot of effort today.  The little girl beside us was pretty geeked up about it all.

Nothing to do with zoo.  I took it yesterday before going to the playground.  She has monkey (which we almost lost to an overeager boy in our bible study group) and he is dusting off his halo with that smile.  Both with Popsicles - all the time.

All things crafty

Normally this blog pokes a little humor at the Phillips ranch.  I am sorry to say this post is going to disappoint.  I promised my friend Shelley (not to be confused with my sister Shelley), I would post some of my latest crafts minus all the knitting blunders!!!  OK, I did just catch Mia standing on the coffee table.  I asked her what she was doing and she instantly laid down and said "I'm sleeping".  This kid is sly - possibly more so than her brother?!?  But he has broken me in well, she will need to do better than this.

Before I continue I must say none of the ideas are mine.  Colors, patterns, sizes - yes.




A set of You're a Hoot cards



A stationary set - so far just the holder and the bookmarks

A Bowl of spring paper balls - seems silly but it perks things up a bit

Alphabet Letter Board - for a nursery

Sab's robot valentines.  The one has been maimed for a minute!  The body is a hershey minature wrapped in paper.

Little Owl Notebook

I'm really into owls.  Seems crazy considering birds freak me out.  Traumatic incident from my childhood!  I couldn't find a picture of the counting book I made.  I might make another one to use up the scraps.  Well, this is it Shelley.  I keep thinking I'll open an etsy shop but I need the time to produce.  My dad said "Are you going to hire employees."  See where my imagination comes from?

BFF's

I spend my day with two two-year olds (give or take a few months each way).  No, Mia does not have a long lost twin and we certainly didn't adopt another child for the zoo.  Here she is -

For those of you who know Curt - you are suddenly wondering how this pooch entered our house.  I'm not sure, other than a long drive to Richmond's Pets Mart (she is from a rescue league) with an anxious Sab (Sab anxious really?).

So back in PA I have a friend named Amy who owns two labs. (Amy, are you reading this?)  Amy would talk about her dog Sadie who had anxiety disorders.  I would laugh hysterically because Amy would just shake her head as she talked about it.  This dog would even eat through her cage.  Well, London is not that bad, but she was offered Prozac today by the vet!!!  I felt bad making my dog a pill pusher so the vet said no worries, it comes in a handy doggy treat!  Skittish is the word we use to describe London.

We named her after Sab's heart throb London Tipton on Zac and Cody.  Originally Sab wanted to call her Sweetie.  Curt said no way in you know where is he yelling out Cutie on campus!  So Mia felt like calling the dog Ruff Ruff.  No dice Mia.  So London came about.  Her original name was Paula?!? 

My day consists of a lot of talk concerning bathroom habits and sharing food.  This can be a bit much but look at why I put up with it -

London  - where u are (yes, she says it a little backwards)- is the very first phrase out of this child's mouth each morning.  This poor creature is so patient.  Mia often dresses her up with hats or her beloved goggles.  When London is missing I know to look on the couch underneath a mountain of pillows. 

Yes, they are in there together and happily so.  I'll take this dog, her skittishness and prozac.  Mia is saying Bye, Byeeeee, Night, Night.