Catching up on my blogging!

I'm sorry that I haven't been blogging as often as I should but it has been so nice out that I want to spend every waking moment outside. I last blogged about our trip to the zoo so I'll back up to Mother's Day. In April we all got new bikes (except for Billy because he is leaving soon). On Mother's Day Chloe was sick so she and I stayed home from church. After church Billy took the kids to Target and they all picked out cool accessories for my new bike! I got a bell, a water bottle that mounts on my bike frame, a basket that is removable in case I need it at the farmer's market or library or wherever, and a lock. I have the prettiest bike in Highland Park!

Last week Grace also got sick. I took Chloe and Grace both to the doctor and they were diagnosed with strep throat. Grace got pretty sick one morning and had to be given a breathing treatment at the emergency room. They said she had croup. Chloe and Grace were both on antibiotics and Grace was also taking a steriod for the croup. Lawson was also on antibiotics for an ear infection. That's a lot of dosing to keep up with! Megan wasn't feeling well, she had a sore throat. So last week we took off school because only Lawson was feeling well enough to do anything. This weekend I planted 119 flowers. I planted one geranium that Megan's friend (and our neighbor) Skylar gave to me on Mother's Day. The rest are petunias which are my favorite flowers to plant. I also planted a couple of pots. Billy put down three stepping stones thru a part of the flower bed that people are prone to walk through anyway. The pictures don't look like much but once the flowers fill out it should be really pretty. I did all red, white, and blue to be patriotic. I really hope I get hard of the month! But you should see the yard across the street! Her yard at the last place that she lived was in Sunset magazine! I don't have a chance!

Lincoln Park Zoo - May 9, 2009

I know, I know, I haven't blogged in over a week. I'm sorry, it's been a little busy here and I was waiting for the camera fairy (Megan) to transfer pictures from my camera to my laptop.

So, to catch you up...

Saturday, May 9, 2009 we went to the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. We took the long way in order to take the scenic drive on Sheridan Road. It was absolutely beautiful!

Lincoln Park Zoo was really nice. We got to ride the carousel and tour a farm in the zoo. The farm was my favorite part. They had a farm house, barn, animals, dairy building where you could watch them milk the cows, and my favorite part was the garden. On Saturdays the garden is open to visitors and they have Master Gardeners there to give you a tour and let you help out. Grace and Chloe got to plant Morning glories. We got a tour and a lot of good information about planting and tending a garden, organic pest control, composting, etc. They had the most beautiful compost bins I've ever seen! Only my mom can understand me calling a compost bin beautiful. It was chilly but we had a wonderful day. There is no admission fee to the zoo but we wound up spending a hundred dollars! It was ten dollars for me and the kids to ride the carousel. It was forty five dollars for a very unhealthy lunch. And it was thirty dollars for parking. And of course add bottled water to that. Wow! Next time we are packing our own water and snacks.

To Answer Gena's Question...

Gena, you asked what "Chloe clothes" were per the March 24 blog titled "Go Against the Flow". In this blog I stated that "I have never had to buy Chloe clothes." This is rather embarassing considering that my children rely on me to insure they don't grow up to be stupid. I intended to say "I have never had to buy clothes for Chloe." Thank you for reading my blog and I look forward to meeting you, too!

Where has the time gone?

I cried on Chloe's first birthday. Not once, but all day. She has been a "big girl" since that day, June 7, 2005. I struggle to hold on to babyhood with all my might. I still let her crawl in bed with us in the middle of the night. She likes to sleep on top of me by the way. I still push her in the stroller. I even bought a new stroller a couple of months ago. I still lift her up and put her in the shopping cart even though her legs are much too long. I still walk through the baby department at Target even though I don't need anything in that department. I decided on Chloe's first birthday that babyhood wasn't going to end that day. Instead, I decided to stretch it out and make it last until her 5th birthday. Well, that day is near. Chloe will be 5 in a little over a month. Are those blisters on my hands? I am still holding on to the rope of babyhood. Will I let go on June 7, 2009? Or will I tighten my grip? I told you last week that Chloe is reading. Yesterday Chloe learned how to ride her new bike, without training wheels. It only took a few minutes, just long enough for me to run in the house to grab the camera only to miss the whole thing. So, enjoy these pictures. I'm going to go look at wedding dresses because I don't have as much time as I thought I did. I love you Chloe, happy birthday.