What's Black and White

and smells real bad? Finally, the culprit has been found and captured! That's what's been digging under our playhouse! We had our suspicions that the holes being dug were created by this smelly animal in the pictures below. Several weeks ago, Alex had seen a couple skunks messing around behind the playhouse, and just this week we noticed this big hole. Alex borrowed a trap from our neighbors across the street and had it set right outside the hole.

This morning before work our neighbors' dog was barking and when I looked out the window at him, he was looking towards our playhouse. From his vantage point, I knew he must have been witnessing some action over there. So, Alex quietly crept to where he could see what was happening on the other side of the playhouse. Sure enough, the skunk was just a diggin' away. While Alex again ran across the street to borrow what he needed to do away with the skunk, I, too, had to venture out to see the action. The skunk obviously had to push all the rock aside and dig relatively deep to get under the playhouse.

This is as far as the skunk got before his life was ended. At noon when Alex pulled the skunk out of the hole, its right front paw was caught in the trap, so it couldn't have gone too far under the structure anyway. We all watched as Alex drug it from the hole.....

Good thing its foot was attached to the trap. Sure made the removal from the hole much easier.

As we observed the beauty of its fur, we talked about how we could keep it, etc. But after asking around our little group and finding no takers to do the job, on to its final resting place it went.Now to close up the gaping hole. I really have no desire to touch those rocks that have been sprayed with the skunk's musk!

It was a stinky job, but someone had to do it! Thank you, Lord, that today was a day that Alex was home for lunch and could take care of the job!

~Wee

Nature Hike

This past weekend, we enjoyed a night at Tim and Jenny Sauder's home. Before dinner, most of us ladies walked the trail into the woods behind their house looking for wildflowers. Some of the wildflowers I had never even heard of, while some I have. The hike inspired me so much that I wanted to come home and do the same in the woods behind our house. So, this afternoon after school work was done, the girls and I headed out.
We found no wildflowers, but really enjoyed hearing the birds singing in their element, as well as the many other aspects nature has to offer.

~Wee

Happy Birthday, Grace!

This glorious sunrise welcomed us to today ~ Sunday, April 11, 2010. Our sweet Grace turned 10 years old today!

In Sunday School, if your birthday lands on that day, they sing to you. Sometimes they even have you stand on your chair. Since it isn't very often that an attendee's birthday lands on a Sunday, the entire Sunday School enjoys celebrating when it does. Before church, I could sense that Grace was thinking about what she was going to have to endure :) I encouraged her with, "I know what you're feeling because I would feel the same way, but think about it that they are singing God's blessings on you. Besides that, they love doing it." Though she was dreading her 30 seconds of being in the spotlight, she made it through with a smile on her face!

Since we didn't go anywhere special today (except church :) ), Grace had a few friends come home with us after church. Alex and I put together an amazing race course for the girls to do.

Abrey, Megan, Honor, and Grace
Teams were: Grace and Honor and Megan and Abrey. The two teams ran the course in opposite directions so they were never at the same station at the same time. I tried to get pictures of both teams, but since I can't be in two different places at the same time, the task was a bit difficult. Besides that, Megan and Abrey moved so quickly through the course that I couldn't keep up with them!

Teams had to read their clues to figure out what to do at each station. Once the task was accomplished, they moved on. Since today was the 11th, they had 11 clues to solve.

Task #1: Using a scooter and your feet, hold the ball between your knees and scoot down to your partner. Your partner must then scoot back to the starting position to return the ball to the flag.

Task #2: With a ball at your feet, each team member must dribble around four orange cones, through the green sign, and return to the start. Move on.

Task #3: Mallets and balls. Each player must guide three colored balls through four hoops, around the stick at the end, and straight back to the flag before moving on.Task #4: Hoops. Standing anywhere behind the green line, your team must make four baskets before moving on.

Task #5: After your team throws all six Frisbees beyond the yellow rope, return the Frisbees to the start and move on.

Task #6: Using yellow and black catchers, toss balls between yourselves and move on only after your team has successfully made two catches.

Task #7: Circles and Arrows. Each team member must get two flying arrows into the orange circle before moving on.

Task #8: Hoop and Balls. Standing behind the bar, your team must get all 26 balls inside the hoop. Before moving on, put all balls back by the flag.

Task #9: Walking by stilts, each player must walk to the big star and back before moving on.

Task #10: Using only a bat, one player must get one ball into the bucket held by your teammate.

Task #11: Each team member must travel by scooter from the front porch steps to the back porch steps and back, then move on.

At the finish line, they found the prize bucket.
Oh, by the way, since Leah wasn't on a team, this is how she sat at the start of the race. Actually, I think she was mostly upset with me and Alex for not carrying her through the course. It didn't take long, however, until she distracted herself from her gloomy state and returned to her normal self. (In case you were wondering....Leah's prize was also in the bucket.)

After that we had a potluck dinner at the Sauder's. Jenny was so gracious to center the desert around Grace's birthday, so we had Dirt Desert (Grace's favorite) and cupcakes and ice cream. Of course, the group sang "Happy Birthday." It was a fun day.

~Wee

Pins, Pizza & Pop

For the girls' birthdays, I promised each of them massages. Since today marks the eve of Grace's birthday, it was her day. But, I can't just do one of them; I have to do all three! Our early morning aerobics class was cancelled, making the start to our day earlier than usual, and knowing we were planning to go out later in the day to celebrate as a family, we figured morning was the best time for these massages. Grace received a full body massage, but since I had a client coming in just after them, Megan and Leah's times were both abbreviated. Don't worry, they'll get their time later :)

I just have to share that when I was massaging Leah, she'd squirm and say, "Ooww, you do it like Daddy."

"I do?" I answered.

"Yeah, Daddy hurts me and now you hurt me." Oops, guess I should lighten up my touch when I work on my children! She did cry, however, when it was time for Megan's turn, so I guess it wasn't too much discomfort to endure.

Anyway, on with our day.......Grace chose haystacks for her lunch meal. Just after lunch, she opened her presents.
I know it might be hard and you'll have to stretch your imagination a bit, but can you tell what the "theme" of her birthday was!? It's what she loves!

At Georgetown Bowl, we rented a lane for two hours. This was like the girls' third time bowling, ever. It's a bit humbling when your "inexperienced" children get a higher score than you do. In fact, Grace's score was higher than mine on the two full games we played! Seriously, though, I don't mind. I just love spending this kind of time with them, marveling at how God is molding them into the persons that they are.

Waiting for the games to begin....

Being the birthday girl, Grace was first up.

Megan was next in line....
This actually was Leah's first time to bowl, so she first had to receive a few pointers from Daddy.

Hence the title of this post, we received pizza and pop with our package deal. We ate our dinner after the first game. Before our allotted time was up, we enjoyed two and a half games of bowling.

Our family :)

Upon returning home and after baths and showers were finished, we all sat down and watched Grace's new movie, Moondance Alexander.

More to celebrate tomorrow!

~Wee