Springtime Sightings

Spring is definitely here! We have been outside every chance we get and the boys are soaking up every ray of sun they positively can. It's amazing how much of a difference good weather can have on your entire outlook. I find myself much more eager to start the day when the sun is blazing through our windows. I'm very, very glad spring is here and even more excited that the boys can finally do what all children are born to do...be outdoors! :)

I'm so happy the boys have seen so much wildlife in the past few days. Last week we visited my mom at her house and just walked around the sides of the house digging around. I was so excited to see, just about 5 feet high in Grandma and Grandpa's juniper tree, the nest of a Mourning Dove family!! Since we've found this nest it has become the first thing we check when we get to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We've checked on it probably 3 or 4 times now and that mother dove has yet to leave from her nest. There's good reason, though...she's sitting on 2 of her baby doves! At first, my mom and I thought there was just one baby in her nest. But once I lifted the camera a little bit higher from where I could see to take a picture, it actually looks like there are two babies in there. And those maternal instincts are in no shortage even for birds! This mother watches us get extremely close to her nest, yet refuses to fly off and leave her babies. I think she's just trusting that we won't do any harm to her or her babies and hopes that we take a quick peek and then leave her alone! We've been very nice, I must say. The boys have only looked, never touched, so I think we're on good terms with mama bird! :) It will be fun to continue our check-ups with this nest and see what happens next time...

Bunny season is also here!! We spotted a toddler-aged bunny in my parent's backyard and the boys were able to get good, long looks at the cutie-pie because he was hanging out under their deck. Nolan really wanted to pet the little guy, and I did my best to grab him, but he was just too darn fast. My parents always have bunny nests around their place, so I'm sure catching one for their petting pleasure won't be too tall an order later on this spring.

This morning we drove over to Antelope Park and played there for probably 20 minutes before the boys were just wanting to chase after birds in the grass. I had to chase after the boys in order to get them back!! We then took a wagon walk across the street to check out the zoo, but the long sidewalk where all of the animals are lined up against is under major construction and the whole thing was closed off. Worked out, though, because they just as much enjoyed chasing squirrels from pine tree to pine tree and even found a duck hanging out under a pine tree! They thoroughly enjoyed tormenting that duck and chasing him through the trees as well. The thing would get pretty ticked off, start quacking at them, flap it's wings, and then take off, but never too far because the boys went after it again once it landed! It was quite entertaining and many passing bicyclists thought so as well! :)

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A few cute Nolan quotes:
1) At dinner the other night, Carson began his usual screaming-at-the-top-of-his-lungs bit. He did so several times when Noah gave him a stern look. Nolan must have saw this because he said, "Daddy, don't worry. He's just playing."
2) It seems I can no longer get away with calling Nolan things like, "honey" or "sweetheart." The other morning I was saying something to him and ended it with, "honey." He said to me, "I'm not honey, Mommy. I'm a boy actually. I'm not honey."
3) Last night I was exhausted and ready for bed when Nolan woke up. I tried to get him back in his bed to sleep, but he didn't seem like he was going to fall back asleep for awhile. I told him it was time to go to bed probably 3 times before I just said, "Let's go to Mommy and Daddy's bed and go to sleep." He responded with, "I think that's a great idea, Mommy." I had to laugh! :)

The Mourning Dove's Nest. One baby's head is sticking out right under mom's and I think another baby's tail is sticking out right next to it. Guessing it's head is burrowed under mom.

Nolan playing in the leaves on the side of my parent's house. Also where my mom and I found big money! I found a $5 bill under the leaves and a concert ticket from 1999! Later that day my Mom found a $10 bill!

Climbing on a bike sculpture by the Lincoln Zoo.

Nolan explaining that he was in the "Captain's Chair," meaning Captain Jack Sparrow. He then breaks into song with...you guessed it! "Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life For Me!"

Talk about a goofy face!!!

Love that expression! :)

Carson preferred the pedal as his sitting spot :)

Nolan taking a "nap" on the bike.

The duck under the pine tree.

Bookin' it from those wild boys!

On the hunt...

Rounding a corner.

"Are you under here, duck?"

Mom says it's time to go.

Nolan napping this afternoon. I loved the position so had to take a quick snap :)

"We're Going On A Duck Hunt..."

Today the boys and I, along with their friend Savannah, walked to a lake in search of some ducks to feed. We brought plenty of old bread and were ready to throw it! Luckily, there was a nice old duck that came close enough to the kids so they could really see it and watch it eat the bread. It was fun and I know they enjoyed it.

This last weekend Uncle Seth and (almost) Aunt Martha (Noah's brother and soon-to-be wife) flew in for a visit. We pretty much spent all weekend hanging out with them. There are a few pics included of their visit.

Last Friday, April 1st, I took the boys to McDonald's playland and we had the place to ourselves so that was fun. The boys were really enjoying it and we ended up staying for over an hour. Did have a somewhat creepy experience with the manager. I was halfway up the play equipment helping Carson because he still needs a boost to get to the next levels in order to get all the way to the top. The manager came in and started talking to me, asking if I was going to get all the way up there. He wasn't mad or anything that I was inside the equipment, he was just kinda teasing me about it. Then, he proceeded to ask me if he could climb up there with Carson to go down the slide with him! I was a little weirded out by that request and sorta played it off like, "Ohhh, he's such a Mama's boy that I don't think he'll let you go up there with him..." He replied, "Oh come on, let me take him down the slide!" Let me just say, I would NEVER actually allow this to happen but I looked at Carson to see what he thought about the whole idea and he had this look on his face like, "Mom, don't let him take me up there!" Then I barely distanced myself from Carson and he started screaming, "Mommy! Mommy!" I think the manager got the point pretty quickly because he said, "Ohhh, okay. Well, have fun!" And then he left. I really honestly don't think he was trying to be weird and creepy, I think he was just trying to socialize with his customers and maybe didn't know that what he was asking was a little inappropriate. Especially if you could visualize the equipment, you would understand why I felt so strongly that he not take Carson up there by himself. It's seriously hard to crawl up the pillars to get to the top and there are about 4 of them to climb, all within a net enclosure so there's not much wiggle room. Then, once you even make it up to the top you have to crawl through a narrow tube to reach the slide, which is also totally enclosed. Who knows what could happen on the way up...YIKES! It was just such a weird experience.

On Tuesday we went back to The Children's Museum. We haven't been there in two weeks and the boys had such a great time. We ended up staying for 2 hours and they slept heavenly that afternoon! :)

And here is the following conversation the boys had a few days ago. This is the most endearing, heartwarming conversation I have ever heard from them. I was in our bedroom while they were playing in a fort on Nolan's car bed. I was listening ever so closely and this is what I recorded. (You may want to grab a tissue, Barb!)

Nolan: "Carson, will you always be my friend?"
Nolan: "Carson, will you always be my best friend in the whole, wide world?"
(Couldn't hear if Carson responded to this or not).
Nolan: "Will you always protect me from monsters?"
(Again, couldn't hear anything from Carson).
Nolan: (And in his sweetest voice) "Carson, don't ruin this, this is my fort."

--Here's where Carson starts chiming in--
Carson: "Who's that?" (Pointing to some imaginary thing on the bed...didn't even have to see him to know that's what he was doing because he does it all the time!).
Nolan: "The sheets on Nolan's bed."
Carson: "Who's that?"
Nolan: "The bed where Nolan sleeps and Daddy leaves and goes to work."
Nolan: "Carson, where are the monsters?"
Carson: "Right THERE!" (Again, imaginary pointing).
Nolan: Carson, are you sure  those are the monsters? Those are not monsters, Carson."

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Nolan duck-watching.

Nolan practicing his bread toss while Carson decides to sample it!

Carson duck-watching.

A brave, brave duck for swimming so close...

Nolan pulling Princess Savannah.

"You're kinda heavy, Savannah!"

Pirates in their Jungle Gym :)

"Bubba, is it my turn yet?"





Yummy mud-pie at Grandma Barb and Papa Victor's.

Nolan enjoying it as well.

Carson playing with Uncle Seth.

Nolan and his cousin Nate having a lightsaber fight!

The fight continues...

Carson extra cuddly after waking from his nap :)

And Dad taking it all in.





Fun times standing on laundry baskets!

So cute :)

Spaghetti night! (Bath night, too!!)

Such a cute picture I just had to post it, even though our walls are disgusting and juice splattered. I really need to get to those!

My Little Dragon at The Children's Museum.

Yes, even dragons drink their juice :)

...And carry their shields.

Dragon Twins!

Haha...Carson attempting to put his dragon suit back on.

First shorts day of the year!

A cheese-ball snack.

"Such a beautifully crafted snack."

Didn't even ask them to pose, they stood by the fence together!

Another tough guy shot.