Sandbox!!

Carolyn got a sandbox! It was a big team project for us! Grampap (Diane's dad) designed a 4x6 sandbox with corner seats and cut all the wood, making a "kit" for Zach to put together for Carolyn.

Zach and Carolyn worked hard to put the sandbox together. Carolyn was really excited about the project and wanted to be involved in every step.



After it was built, Diane and Carolyn stained the sandbox red to help protect it outside. Carolyn was really an excellent painter and painted very carefully!

We put the sandbox outside in the backyard and loaded it up with sand this afternoon. Carolyn helped dump the sand in and rake it to even it out in the box. Then she used her little wagon to bring all of her sand toys to the back yard. We're looking forward to a lot of outside fun this summer!!

Carolyn's Butterfly Project!

Last year friends of ours raised caterpillars into butterflies and I thought Carolyn would really enjoy doing that this year. So, we bought a kit that comes with a butterfly mesh house and a voucher to send away for the butterfly larvae (small caterpillars). Carolyn was very excited about the project and we got books out of the library and learned more about butterflies than I knew there was to learn! It's been a lot of fun for Zach and I to watch Carolyn's excitement as she learns about butterflies!

First, a jar of caterpillars arrives in the mail. There are 3 caterpillars and 2 are guaranteed to make the transformation to a healthy butterfly. Our first round was a no go - the caterpillars were "sick," but the company mailed out new ones right away and we experienced success the second time around! After a few days in the jar, the caterpillars climb to the ceiling and form their chrysalises. Here they are in their chrysalises in the left jar.

After they are secure in their chrysalis, it's time to transfer them to the butterfly mesh house. Zach and Carolyn carefully transferred them in and we waited for them to emerge as butterflies!

Eight days later, the first butterfly came out of her chrysalis. Carolyn named this butterfly "Dora." At first they are very sluggish and can't even fly until their wings dry, but within a few days they were flying around like crazy.

The next morning, Carolyn's second butterfly came out and we actually got to see him coming out of his chrysalis! She named him "proboscis" which is the name for a butterfly's tongue because when he came out he was twirling and un-twirling his long tongue!

The butterflies are supposed to live for 2-4 weeks and can be released outside anytime the temperature is about 55. We are feeding them sugar water on flowers and wadded up tissues and plan to enjoy them just a few days longer before setting them free!

Some Pictures!

I can't believe how long it's been since we updated again! Oooooops! We've been busy and mom has been extra tired (37+ week belly picture coming soon!). Zach had a business trip to England and life has just been "full" for us lately..... Things are coming together for the baby's arrival (barring the fact that the poor thing still has no name!) and the to-do list is getting shorter (or staying the same length as I add things as soon as Zach crosses them off!)

Enjoy some pictures and I'll post more of an update of our last 3 weeks within the next few days - Carolyn's butterflies have hatched and she is enjoying them tremendously so we'll need to post about that!

Carolyn's Drawings

Carolyn is very into coloring, drawing, cutting and writing now. She loves to work on little projects. I was just commenting that she's so into projects, crafts, reading and playing outside that she hardly ever (literally!) even touches her toys (despite the fact that they overrun our house).

Mommy (on the left with hair), the baby growing in my tummy (the very skinny one) and Carolyn (the only one with legs)

A picture of Carolyn and Grandma
A self-portrait

A lot of very long M's - and if you search carefully you can find MOM written in several places. This was my mother's day card

Some things Carolyn cut out this week

Circus and Other Fun!

Carolyn had a great time at the circus earlier this month! Mommy and Daddy were pretty amazed too!!

Carolyn watched intently the whole show - parts of it were pretty overstimulating!


Carolyn said her favorite parts were the elephants and tigers.
The grand finale

Daddy pushes much higher and faster than mommy! :)

Carolyn still LOVES animals and was thrilled to get a pony ride!

Nothing else too exciting - I'm about 33 weeks pregnant now and feeling good, but very pregnant! Carolyn continues to be excited about being a big sister and has started to include the baby in all the drawings of our family. Zach finished his class 2 weeks ago now (which has a big relief to all of us - until the fall!) and has been busy with lots of yardwork and little projects around the house....

What We've Been up To....

We've been enjoying some beautiful weather, fun at parks, mom's group outings and learning activities at home....here are some highlights!


Carolyn wrote her name (copied from her name tag) for the first time on her Sunday school paper last week!


We had a tour of the fire station today and got to try on the fire helmet, squirt the fire house and drive the fire truck!


Carolyn loves to help in the kitchen and asked to make her own pizza last week when I was making a Stromboli.


By far the most exciting part of Carolyn's week was the long awaited arrival of her caterpillars. We bought a kit that helps you to raise caterpillars into butterflies - stay tuned for updates!

Easter in Pittsburgh

We enjoyed a fun trip to Pittsburgh to celebrate Easter with family! Enjoy some pictures!

Coloring Easter Eggs - Carolyn really enjoyed herself!

Carolyn and Daddy with her Easter basket. She's holding up a Clifford Toothbrush we found for her!


On an Easter Egg Hunt - my family does an Easter Egg hunt for the grandchildren. This year Carolyn was the only one young enough to do the hunt, but my uncle put together a neat Easter Egg hunt for the older grandchildren using the gps....


Carolyn with all her eggs!


Opening her eggs to see what prizes she got!


Monday, we enjoyed a day at the Pittsburgh Zoo! Carolyn LOVED seeing all the animals and we had a great day! Here she is petting the sheep with Zach.

It was neat to go to the zoo in the early spring - since it wasn't so hot, all the animals were out and active. We got some great views of the lions!

Carolyn probably enjoyed the aquarium the most of all (although she said her favorite animal was the peacock). She really loved standing right in front of the glass and getting a great view of all the sea creatures!

Carolyn posing on the turtle...

Diane and the baby - 27 weeks :)