Pumpkin Rolling at Relleke Farms

Relleke Farms.

FRENCH TIP MANICURE

Driving away from the house, I noticed my nails.  I gasped...2 days before, they were lovely and newly manicured.  Now, after a couple busy days at the hospital and sometimes even busier nights at home with Wyatt, the paint has chipped from them.  

Wyatt, in the back seat, says' "what's wrong mom?" Feeling a little bit silly, I tell him anyway.  I always want to be honest to him, as much as I can and to discuss even those little things that I find silly.  Someday, my hope is that he learns we can always talk, with honesty, about complexities and unanswered questions in life, but most of all, about the little every day things that he may find silly or insignificant.  

After I told him what was behind the gasp, he sat forward in his booster seat.  Luckily we were stopped at a red light because I was able to look directly at him and see the genuine seriousness on his face when he said, 'well- when we get home, we can paint your fingernails again and fix it.'   

This little three year old boy, a pint sized problem solver, telling his most often times frazzled mom in his own what that he pays attention to her silly worries and he has a plan... he has a plan to take care of her.   

Henry Doorly Zoo

The Boy and The Rocket

Cicada Molting

Cicada's molt.

Cicada is an insect with large eyes wide apart and veined wings. They are colloqially called 'locusts' although not from the same family.  They are best known for their remarkable acoustic talents. 

They begin their 3-5 year life cycle as nymphs and burrow beneath the ground and have strong front legs for digging.   

In the final nymphal stage, the insect climbs the branch of the tree where it attaches its strong front legs and constructs an exit tunnel. 

 They then MOLT (shed their skins) and emerge as an adult. The abandoned skins remain, still clinging to the bark of the tree.

yellow leaves and maple trees

"I had always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one-second isn't a second at all. It stretches on forever, like an ocean of time... For me, it was lying on my back at Boy Scout camp, watching falling stars... and yellow leaves, from the maple trees that line my street... Or my grandmother's hands, and the way her skin seemed like paper... and the first time I saw my cousin Tony's brand new Firebird... and Janie... and... and Carolyn. I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me... but its hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world.

Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life... You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... you will someday."

-Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham.

Imbalance of Positive and Negative Charges

Collinsville Park

St. Louis Zoo for Peyton's Birthday

Happiness is as a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp. But, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.

-Nathanial Hawthorne

St. Louis Zoo

Potty Training Wars

" The poop doesn't like this potty"

"I think the poop got scared and ran back into my bottom."

"BUT MOM.... the pee isn't ready to come out yet!"