Fair warning this story is sad! I do not usually do sad but our home has become such a “zoo” that it is so odd that I had to share. So last week it was the chicken and this weekend it was the turtle. Brad just happened to glance out the window and see the little guy as he crawled out of our yard and was headed across the street. He was cute and probably about the size of a dinner plate maybe. He was a good size turtle. We decided to take Charis out to see the turtle because even though we had just gotten back from the zoo the turtles were off exhibit so we thought that she could see one in her very own yard. We pointed the turtle out to her and she had the wonder and amazement in her eyes of this new creature I heard a car coming. Yep! The car was flying down the hill and there was no stopping it. The turtle had made it half way across the street there was no hope for the little guy. I heard and awful crunchy noise and I remember shouting OOOOHHHHHHH! Then I pretty much lost it and started crying. Yep! Poor Charis did not know what to think with mom crying so she thought maybe she should cry. Poor Brad was left with us crazy women and I am not sure that he knew what to do with us. I made a beeline for the house I could not stand to see the little guy so flat. The sweetest part of the story is yesterday I was out mowing and this little girl (elementary school aged) saw the turtle still in the middle of the road and she found a stick and scooted him to the side of the road. It totally grossed her out she would move him a little and get a super disgusting look on her face and help him a little bit more. It was a sweet to see her sadness for the turtle and to know that there is another generation that will care. I am hoping that there are no more random animals lurking in our yard. I think that I have had all that I can take for a good bit.

We had a family outing to the zoo today! It was so much fun to just get out of the house and be together as a family. It was a special treat! It was amazing to see how Charis responded to the animals just the look in her eyes trying to figure out what these big animals were! I longed to know what her little mind was thinking. She loves being outside so just to stroll around outside brought her great joy. Brad would pick her up and show her the animals that were not on her level it was just such a sweet thing to see them together also. They have an incredible love for each other. We are looking forward to many more fun trips to the zoo. We had such a good time!

Zoo Pics

Come on think back to when you were little and you will remember them. The little craft eyes! You know plastic clear bubble with a little black ball that rolls all around when you shake it. Ah see you remember. I started thinking about Charis’s birthday and decided to journey to the craft store for some ideas. I just could not ignore the little package of googley eyes that stared at me. They just add so much whimsy to any project! Therefore Charis’s ladybugs have googley eyes on her invitations! I am sure that if she were old enough to care she would just think they are the best things ever! Anyways, I pulled them out of the package last night and I just have to say that the ladybugs came to life with a lot of whimsy! I think that I even giggled as I attached them. Brad looked at me a little funny when I explained but it was fun to be taken back to childhood when everything could come to life before your very eyes. I am so excited to encourage imagination in Charis even with a few googley eyes!

It has been raining here for about two days. That is really not so wonderful when you have a teething little one. I had been passing the cranky times with a good stroll around the neighborhood, which always helps since Charis LOVES being outside. With the rainy days we have been stuck inside with little quick trips just to get out of the house in between downpours. The rain has been a beautiful blessing though as it has brought out all the incredible deep colors of green in the grass and the trees. It is amazing how the rain makes everything so fresh and just so vividly green. God is constantly showing His beauty all around us! Even if we are cooped up inside it is nice to be able to open the blinds and see that all this rain is bringing beauty!

Well, I am not sure why she was crossing the road and I am not sure exactly where she came from. We do not live on a farm and we totally do not live in a rural area. I had just finished mowing the yard and I was trying to put everything away when I first saw her waddling up the road. I blinked a few times and got closer for a better look. Maybe I got to hot while mowing or something. Sure enough though plain as daylight there was a chicken in the road minding it’s own business just waddling along. When I tried to get even closer she headed for the neighbors yard. It made me think back to the time when I was still living with my parents and there was a turkey in the front yard! No kidding! I took a picture that time because I knew that no one would believe me. I had proof. This time no picture just the knowledge that I saw a random chicken in the suburbs. I went about my business cleaning up trying to figure out the best way to tell Brad because I knew he would not believe me but the story was to good not to share. I was getting ready to head in the house when out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of the cat across the street looking quite excited. Next I saw the poor chicken waddling as fast as she could to escape the gaze of the cat. I am not sure how the story ended except to say it was a little hard to convince Brad that there was really a chicken out there. He knew the turkey story from before and said that I just have a thing for random birds showing up in my yard. All I know is that the chicken was really crossing the road! Whether she survived after crossing the road I do not know but she did cross the road to get to the other side.

Charis is just full of new tricks so I thought that I would share two of my favorites. A few weeks ago Charis caught onto the whole peek-a-boo thing and she started lifting a small blanket up over her face then waiting a few minutes before pulling it off. She thinks this is so funny which of course it is. It is also super cute (unbiased opinion)! She has also learned the ever important skill of putting her hands on her cheeks and saying aaahhhhh like a crazy woman! This is so funny and it always makes her laugh! Oh, the things that we teach our children!

I finally made a dress for Charis! I have never made clothes before just diaper bags and little blankets but I happened to find a “super easy pattern” and figured how hard could it be. Well it could be pretty hard but with a little explanation and a lot of help from Brad (the instruction reader in the family) I made the dress. Nothing is perfect about it at all the buttonholes do not line up with each other and the hem is coming unraveled etc. but you have to start somewhere though and I must say that it was a good learning experience. I am excited to make the next dress for Charis and hopefully it will be a little closer to perfect. Charis wore the dress for the first time to her friend Drew’s birthday party and we posted a few pictures from the big day at Charis’s website.