I had a odd hour appointment so I asked Gramps to watch the boys. They were finish up a bit of school work when I zipped off to the dentist. This is where the boys pick up the story. As told by them:

Jr age 8: Grandpa fed us lunch. Then Grandpa said we should go look for tadpoles and eggs. So we got all our stuff on and went down the lane. We looked by the metal tube thing that in the ditch and I (Jr.) found a duck egg! I left it there cuz it might be yucky. Then we remembered we needed a bucket so we went to get one. We looked in the ducklings box. We checked them and gave them water. Then we went further down the lane and to where the geese go to be in the water. I was looking in the big puddles.

LilB age 5: Then Jr. stepded in a big hole and filled his boot up with water (hilarious giggles)

Jr: Yeah. I did. But my leg and foot took up so much space there wasn’t much water. Then we looked more and Gramps saw a scummy spot. So we walked over there then I fell in the water!! I got went up to here (indicates his shoulder).

LilB: Grandpa scooped up some water and found a tadpole!

Jr: then LilB wanted to scoop.

LilB: so I scooped and then I fell in the water! But not my head!

Gramps: He was soaked through (chuckles)

LilB: I tooked off my boots and dumped lots

Jr: Then Grandpa saw a FROG!

Gramps: so I hollered to LilB to toss me his boot.

Jr. and LilB THEN GRAMPS PUT THE FROG IN THE BOOT! *giggles* and chants of FROG IN THE BOOT. FROG IN THE BOOT!

conversation dissolves into various levels of hilarity.

The very wet little party made their way back to the house and into the shower to wash off the scummy pond water. The creatures along with their water went into our tank. We’ve got two teeny little tadpoles for certain. And lots of other small creatures too. There was such excited discussion and chants of best science ever!

Finally I heard Jr. say “You should have been there mama!”  Perhaps but I think it wouldn’t have quite been the same had I been home. I don’t think it would have been one of those memorable moments shared with their Grandpa.

Today we visited two of our libraries to return overdue books and to pick up more things to read.

Today my children practiced riding bikes or more precisely practiced attempting to ride a bike.

Today we counted the goose eggs in the nests we found (15 if you were wondering).

Today my youngest ran around the house four times to “practice” his running to he’ll get fast.

Today my oldest dragged out his roller blades to skate on our newly snow free yard.

Today we butchered a few chickens and the boys saw real body (chicken body) parts.

Today my oldest worked on his math at 7pm.

Today my youngest practiced his math with Grandpa.

Today my boys came outside a 8pm to help me get the eggs out of the duck enclosure.

Today my boys ran around in the dark while we talked about the moon phases.

What was your today like?

Budget talks make me look at what I’ve purchased in the last year and evaluate whether it was worth the money spent. Unfortunately there are many times that the answer is Nope Not Worth It!

This next year I am considering adding our Gym membership back. That’s a big chuck of money but this winter was long. Long and cold with nowhere to run (literally). I’m still a little surprised we didn’t have a major meltdown with all the excess energy that was stockpiled during the cold, snowy days of January.

Anyway I’m making my list and so far I have this:

1. Laser Printer ($$ not $$$$$)

2. Gym Membership (maybe)

3. Science Center membership??

4. Piano Lessons

5. Curriculum (duh)

6. Book Budget (support materials)

7. *this space reserved for some really neat and necessary thing that I have yet to think of*

This got me to thinking about what we use and love.

1. Whiteboard also known as a piece of Melamine board from Menards cut to fit our space (6ft by 4ft). We spent $20 three years ago and it’s still working fine. My only addition would be to magically make it magnetic because that is super cool.

2. Chalkboard table. Absolutely the best “stole it from a friend” idea we’ve done. It is great to just be able to write the word or problem right next to the child. Not to mention that the paint is black so it hides a lot of hideous paint splotches. A fresh coat will go on this summer and all the paint splotches from last years craft projects will be “erased”.

3. Stereo Microscope. Okay I didn’t really buy this one. It was a present. Or rather it is really grandpa’s but he’s letting us use it. Unless we don’t take care of it then he’s taking it back. Wouldn’t you know the boys take really, really good care of it. There is really nothing more fun that finding a speck – that moves – looking at the speck and finding another smaller speck on the speck. Did you get that? Well just know it was really neat.

What would you add to the list?