O! What a Beautiful Day!

We have had beautiful spring days! It is so nice to open the sliding door and add the deck as another room in our house.

It's time for some pictures and lots of them!

Our crab apple tree is blooming and the dogwoods will be in a day or two.

Aliza was being a stinker and sticking her head in every picture I was trying to take of Anna.

The fresh air this morning wore Anna out. When I sat her in the high chair for lunch she promptly fell asleep. (This is exactly how my brother sucked his fingers as a baby.)

Sound asleep. I carried her upstairs and fed her and she never opened her eyes. Too precious.

This afternoon there was a serious butterfly catching expedition in our yard. Aliza decided she wanted a pet butterfly (since they don't get bigger) and set out to catch one. She put on her tennis shoes, instead of her standard rubber boots, so that she could run faster. Boy, did she run. I giggled as I watched her run and run swinging the net around wildly. My job, as specified by Aliza, was to stand on the deck with the container and when she caught a butterfly she would call. I was supposed to RUN to her with the container. I admit I had quite low expectations about the success of this expedition.

After a few minutes I told Aliza that I had to use the bathroom. While I was sitting there the door flew open and Aliza informed me that she had caught a butterfly, but it was gone because I didn't come with the container. Oops. She went back out. I checked on the other children and I heard Aliza calling me from outside. She was croutched on the ground, holding her net over a dear little butterfly with all her might. Believe me. I RAN with that container to her and when that little butterfly got stuck in the grass I picked it up with my fingers and put it in the container.

See that little yellow butterfly? It's hanging from the net. You would have thought Aliza found gold. She was so excited. If this pet fever she has been suffering from can be taken care of with a butterfly I'm all for it!
Josiah got in on the action. When Aliza caught her second butterfly Josiah RAN the container to her and helped her transfer the butterfly into the container. They were successful and so so proud of themselves. Aliza was a little concerned that the first butterfly wasn't flying. She said, Oh no, Mom. Did I die it?

It's been a most lovely two days outside. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow....