Fledgling

We have been watching our little fledging learn how to fly. She half-flew from the hanging pot where her nest is to the chestnut tree, only to fall on the ground and sort of fly to the swing. She sat there peeping for about an hour. 

Savannah couldn't take it anymore, so she went out to visit, with a promise not to touch the birdie.

She somehow made it back to the best, but we didn't see her leave the nest for a few days. Apparently that excursion was a bit much!

A few days later, though, she was stumble-flying around the front porch. We went outside to sit on the step, and this happened.

We spent about 40 minutes with this little cutie. 

And then she made her way back to her nest...

Where she hung out with her sister.

The next day, both these cuties were gone!! We keep hoping that we see them again. It was so neat to watch this whole process. We saw mama and daddy building the nest, we saw them grow up, and watched them learn to fly. It seemed like such a special thing to watch :-)

Boogie on the bricks

Boogie on the bricks was HOT this year. 

While dad and Jess drank beer, we made giant bubbles, made paper dragon crafts...

Then the kids and Jess got henna tattoos. Unfortunately....we also went in the pool that night. So...henna tattoos washed right off!!

Monster cupcakes

Another "summer to do" was making mister cupcakes. Check!!

Venus fly traps

Our friend Kathleen is studying plants and trees at OU, and she works in te university greenhouse. She invited us to help feed the Venus flytraps one day. Although the kiddos were a little nervous about handling maggots (that's their food), they had a blast. And, the maggots were so tiny they weren't even gross!

Jess' new puppy

Jess got a new puppy...Springsteen:-)

New swing

Our new spider web swing seems to be a hit!

Ice cube painting

One of the things Savammah added to our "summer to do list" was ice cube painting. So, we smashed up watercolor paints and water in ice cube trays and froze them. One very hot day, we used them to "paint" in a flour sack towel. 

Ladybugs

We've always done butterflies as our "grow a bug" summer project. This year...it was ladybugs!!  It was pretty cool watching these little buggers grow inside ladybug land :-)

New glasses :-)

Look who got new glasses!!! 

We had an appointment with a new doctor to follow up on her eye muscle surgery. All is well. She said that Savannah has an incredible ability to fuse the images she sees from her left and right eyes, which is keeping her from seeing double. As long as she isn't seeing double, she probably won't have another surgery. 

Her eye sight also got a LOT worse, which apparently coincides with growth spurts in kids. So, a new pair of glasses was in order.

She loves them!

Savannah's expander

Savannah's dentist suggested that she for for an orthodontist consultation. I fully expected hook to say that she needs braces in a few years. And indeed, she does. But, she also needed to correct her cross-bite...now.

So, the poor thing has gotten an expander. This piece of apparatus is supposed to help widen her upper jaw, and correct her cross bite. So, we have a little key that we use to turn it every day...which expands it by .2 mm everybday. We turn it once a day for 14 days and then we are (hopefully) done. But... Then it stays in for 12-18 months until the bones at the top of her mouth grow together and firm up (much like the soft spot on a bab's head does). 

We have had some tears, but overall she's been a trooper.  We have 10 days left to go. The morning turn is the worst part, but she bounces back quickly and then if doesn't brother there for the rest of they day. We're going through lots of popsicles and Motrin, though!! I think the days of smores, corn on the cob, apples, and gummy candy are gone for a few years :-(

Elephant toothpaste??

Today, we planned to do A science experiment. It was called elephant toothpaste. A little yeast, dawn, peroxide,  water and food coloring was supposed to create a huge foam explosion from the water bottle. Gage was convinced it was a dud.

Savannah was more hopeful.

Turns out...Gage was right!! It was a dud!!!!! But, it was fun :-)

New glasses

We had Savannahs eye checkup and found out....her eyes have gotten considerably worse this past year!! So....new glasses were in store for her. 

Paper airplane day

Paper airplane day. Pepper didn't even eat one plane!!!!!

Camp invention

The first camp of the summer was Camp Invention. This was on the last day...when we went to the kids inventor's showcase.

This is Gage's solar cricket - pockey Von splat. They built them at camp, and when you put them in the sun, they move around!!

Santa Fe

Our last stop was Santa Fe, NM, which we liked way more than Albuquerque!

Pagosa springs

We spent one day around town, in Pagosa Springs. We drove out through miles of dirt roads. 

Stopped at some beautiful spots 

Did a little fishing..

None of us caught anything...except mama...she may have caught the attention of the park ranger...and gotten a ticket for not having a fishing license!!!

Oops. Oh well, the fun most go on. So...we went to a waterfall!

And then went back to our condo to grill elk and mountain lion. And...maybe some hotdogs and hamburgs for the kids. Savannah did try both (and liked the elk). We rounded out the day with a game of beanbuzzled 

The game of tasting jelly beans that may be good, or may be flavors like vomit and stinky socks :-/

The Four Corners

Since Mesa Verse was about an hour from the four corners, we thought we should zip over. 

It's not often that you can stand in two states at the same time - here they are straddling New Mexico and arizona

And then..we had one kid in each of .four states - AZ -NM - UT - and CO!!