it's butterfly time!

The butterflies are back in town! We headed over to Nicholas Conservatory to see the new butterflies exhibit. They had quite the set up. It was organized and easy to get in. I am shocked we haven't seen the display sooner. So fun!

They had a slideshow to start in one room and then you walked into another room to meet with another expert. He showed us cocoons and explained the whole process of caterpillar to butterfly. There were lots of questions for the kids. Lots of fun things to see. They had fish, cocoons, and pupae to observe in the second room.

Then you go into the arboretum to view the plants and butterflies. We enjoyed all the pretty flowers and displays. The koi were a big hit with the little ones. I love all the waterways that flow through the room. They had statues and benches hidden around the room to enjoy. 

In the butterfly room you get a sponge on a stick soaked in Gatorade. Apparently butterflies like Gatorade! It took a minute, but the butterflies eventually came over to us. Then they were everywhere! It was so fun to watch the joy in my kid's eyes. It was a nice relaxing hour where we got to slow down and enjoy nature and (literally) all the little things :)

an ode to Orbeez

We got a gallon bag full of Orbeez (aka water beads, aka squish balls) last night. I don't know why these things are so entrancing! They're squishy, they're colorful, they're calming fun. You can buy them anywhere. All you do is pour water over them and voila!

Whoever created these is a pure genius. Seriously. For $2 you have an afternoon of fun. It's so simple, yet so genius. Keep them in a bowl and squish, scoop and play. Leave them in the gallon baggie and you have a pillow-like product to play with.

We decided to make stress balls since we had so many Orbeez. Sounded easy enough. We figured we use a funnel to pour them into a balloon. But... that didn't work. Cutting a water bottle in half and using THAT as a funnel worked better. But not really. 

Google check! Pour them into an empty water bottle, blow up a ballon and put it over the mouth of the water bottle, then turn it upside down and squeeze the water bottle. All the Orbeez pour into the balloon and then you knot the balloon shut. So easy.

I am telling you... $4. $2 for Orbeez and $2 for balloons. There are so many happy people in this house tonight! Stress relief, craft time, mother-daughter bonding, and we still have a huge bag of Orbeez left to play with. I win!

enjoying the little things

Making time to sit down... I have been doing a much better job at this! This time of year is when things calm down a bit. No more holidays, birthday bustle is over, sports seasons end. I can enjoy spring unfolding and relax.

I picked up my bullet journal from the library last month. The month before we made our dip dyed coffee cups. This week I figured I should probably put all my good stuff to good use. I got all set up and realized my 10 year old mini-me had set up shop right next to me. 1 coffee, 1 hot chocolate, and 2 bullet journals waiting to be filled with all the fun.

We now have bullet journals started. Mine is a big book of lists: favorite memories, favorite vacations, future plans, etc. Her book is filled with sleepover plans, party ideas, and lists of beanie boos. We are so much fun! Crazy, I know...

Our new plan is to write in our journals once a week. Or just read through them and reflect. This requires sitting down! This requires us to find time to chat, read, reflect and enjoy each other. So far, so good.

Note to self: reflect, relax, and sit down every once in a while!

sidewalk chalk is an underappreciated item!

Remember the good ol' days when you just went outside and played? No agendas, no phones, no plans. Just you and fresh air and fun. It is so nice to head outside and just know that regardless of the season or weather, there's always backyard fun to be had. Even though we don't have a country yard any more, there is still plenty of townie yard fun to be had! 

My kid still plays like that when the snow piles up. She will spend hours digging tunnels and building snowmen. This year she learned how to make snow ice cream. We went sledding and snow boarding on the biggest local hill we could find. I spent the winter freezing and she had to be dragged in each time.

In the summer we ride bikes and walk constantly. There are hammock reading sessions, coloring in the fort, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, swings. And you can't forget about gardening, picking raspberries, and wading in the creek. Kites, cloud gazing, backyard yoga... Man, I love summer! 

Today we were waiting for the bus and we noticed the driveway was cleared off of all the excess ice and snow. I grabbed the sidewalk chalk and we colored while we waited for the bus. We sat there in puffy coats and knit hats with huge puff balls on top. For 6 or 7 minutes, we drew. We chatted. We created. We made it colorful and fun. 

It felt like spring. It was nostalgic. It was fun. Sidewalk chalk is a dollar a box. We pick up boxes here and there from spring to fall. It's so easy. It encourages smiles and creativity. Have you ever turned your driveway into a huge game of Chutes and Ladders? Or hopscotch? Or traced your bodies and colored them in? Or played the alphabet game? Options are endless.

I am here to say that everyone should own sidewalk chalk. I was smiling and happy after our mini drawing session. There was no mess and no cleanup. It is cheap and easy and so underrated! When bike season rolls around, we will be drawing pictures in the roads, on the sidewalks and around town just to spread the smiles. I would say that's a dollar well spent :)