Babies!!!!!!

Every year, at about this time of year, since I started birding. I have been having a conversation. I enjoy the conversation almost as much as the spring birds. The first one was with myself ...or perhaps another birder- I don't remember. It tends to go like this...

“So Ang, I have been seeing this amazing bird!”

Me: “Really! What does it look like?”

“Well, it’s got all of these black spots on its chest and it has red sides (sometimes a red belly too)”

Me: “O.K. What size is it? Is it the size of a finch or a Robin?”

“It’s the size of a Robin!”

The person describing the bird gives such great descriptions. Describing the bird itself but also telling me how it behaved, and when it tends to visit. Indicating just how much time they spent watching the bird. I love hearing their stories and I am always excited to tell them that they have noticed a fledged American Robin.

My last home gave me a deep appreciation of the American Robin (since for years it was one of the few birds that visited my yard). One winter we had the "Crazed Guard Robin" who chased away any bird who went near the flowering cherry trees frozen berries. He sat in constant watch over that tree until every berry was consumed. Then there was the summer we enjoyed "our pet Robin" who would follow us around the yard while we pulled weeds. The kids and I trained him by placing worms out for him to eat.

And in early summer I love to watch the fledged Robins. Clumsily following their parent Robin and poking at the ground. Then suddenly loosing their fledged Robin composure as they erupt into full on baby robin. The parent Robin must have found food. The baby Robins wings start fluttering, it makes an incredible amount of noise, and holds its beak wide open..its now in full beg mode. All parents know what this means, give them the toy or there will be hell to pay in front of all the people at Walmart.

Well anyways, this year at my new home I still have enjoyed the fledged Robins but I have noticed a few other fledged birds. Tell me about the baby birds have you seen?

What having kids taught me (about myself)

While sitting at the Waffle house for Fathers Day breakfast.

Tanner: "Mom, there are 22 pieces of gum under the table!"

Of course, outwardly, I responded with quick maneuvers. Grabbing hands and telling him NOT to touch anything under the table. Internally though, I was beaming. He counted to 22!

One last gift

I have been soooo sentimental about leaving my home of nine years but, I cannot help myself. It was such a great home. So, in the famous words of Brittany Spears "Opps.... I did it again!" (and will probably do it one more time. ;)

It was our last day at the Gold Medal home (Yes! We have named them now). Cassidy and I were almost done packing her room. All that was left was her mattresses and bed frame. I stood up to stretch, excited we were almost done.

Looking out the window, I see the rose bush I planted; a white Iceberg. Its branches covered in simple white blooms droop gracefully away from her window. But my attention becomes distracted by a House Sparrow sitting a few feet away. Seeing me look at it, the House Sparrow flies away, directing me to another bird sitting on a naked branch in the Willow tree. The leaves stripped away by the kids as they swung in its branches. Recognizing what it was, I ran up the stairs to the kitchen window and my optics. Excited at the distraction from packing and the thought of a new yard bird for our Gold medal home.

I hurriedly got my equipment in place, knowing that the ID of this bird will be difficult. Cassidy and Tanner slowly follow also excited that Mom is distracted. We watch the bird while it performs typical flycatcher behavior. Sitting on the open branch and watching for insects to dive after. Then, the flycatcher would launch off the branch to catch an insect, returning back to its perch in the willow tree. Cassidy, Tanner and I took turns looking through the spotting scope as the flycatcher repeated these movements. After a few minutes, I stopped looking at the bird and noticed my kids. Cassidy stood casually looking out the kitchen window. Tanner at the spotting scope. Both watching and commenting with delight.

Here is a photo of the Willow flycatcher we watched!

"We care when you go!"

I must be immature. Saw this on a Taxi cab and I can not stop laughing about it.

Day 2: fort Lauderdale - A day at the beach

The morning in Fort Lauderdale, I woke up early. Just in time to see the sun come up over the ocean. A red sunrise that light up the clouds and ocean and changing the morning air with humidity and heat. The poem my grandfather learned on Navy ships, taught to my mother, and then to me was reciting in my head. If the proverb was true we would have rain today.

"Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailor's warning"

As I watch the sunrise, small flocks of Least Terns scan the waves for fish, a lone Brown Pelican gracefully skims the surface of the ocean, and Boat-tailed Grackles whistle.

We enjoyed a slow morning. The kids hung out in the PJ's while the adults enjoyed a few internet minutes or a nap (Nate). Then, based off of the kids requests, we decided to go to the pool.

Cassidy and tanner waiting to go to the pool.

Brandon trying to get Dillon to like water.

We then went to the beach. We stayed there until the daily afternoon storm came in. Note: the weird pigeon.

Once the storm lifted, Cassidy and I decided to try the bus system and go grocerie shopping. We left as the storm passed, using directions from Kate who went earlier this morning. Everything was going well. We caught the bus and located the store that was about 10 min from the hotel we were staying at. We then wandered around the store chatting and picking up items for snacks, lunches, and breakfast. Groceries in hand we walked to the exit doors to a dark and cloudy down poor.

And so I purchased my first umbrella; red and made for two. We giggled as we huddled under the umbrella, rain pouring down, and the grocerie sacks banging against our legs as we walked. We made it to the bus stop within a few minutes, then waited 20 for the bus. Spending the majority, and worst, of the storm standing at the bus stop, the groceries huddles against our legs. I took a few pictures and realized my camera was broken. I was disappointed, the everglades are planned tomorrow.

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Casi's Take (Taken from her blog)

OK so i hope you read my post yesterday (no one commented) :( well here is for today! when we got up it was a lazy morning, we went to the pool for a while and then the beach, we bought a boogie board and it was so fun to play on and "ride the waves" we played until about 3:00, the raining time for Florida, then me and my mom decided to go to the closest real grocery store but we had to go by bus, so we got in the bus and rode it! until we got to the grocery store, we bought what we needed and looked outside, it was 4:30 the REAL raining time in Florida, so we ran back into the store and bought an umbrella, we had like 6 bags, not fun when we got to the bus stop the bus had just barely gone so we had to wait about 20 minutes for the bus to come back, and then when we got on there were some black people and this is how my mom described what language they were speaking, "one person sounded like they were speaking English but then they would say something weird." so to this moment we do not know what they spoke, but it was so funny listening them. then we got to the hotel. the end. more tomorrow on today!

Day 1: Fort Lauderdale - On our way

We arrived at Ft Lauderdale Airport the evening of 5/25/2009. A storm was coming in. Which produced one of those landings where people clap afterwards; excited at landing without casualty. We then sat in the plane and waited for the storm to pass and the airport to open the gate and allow us entrance.

After finding a Taxi that could carry 7 people and our luggage and a 10 min drive, we arrived at the hotel. We entered the parking garage to the sounds of horns honking and a sign that read "Taxi's for BeachPlace Hotel P3". The hotel was built on top of a public parking garage for the public beach and today was Memorial Day. The storm had emptied the beach of people. A mass exodus was under way.

We slowly drove past the traffic. Our driver occasionally laughing and commenting, in a foreign language, about the scene ahead. The traffic was insane. The line of cars trying to get out of the garage was filled with drunk, swim suited people. Wet haired, excited, laughing, jumping out of cars, hanging out of windows, talking, laughing, puking, red plastic cuped, sandy, standing up in car roof windows people. For three levels of parking garage, I resisted the impulse to cover my kids eyes and wondered about where I had taken them. I decided then and there that Cassidy and Tanner would NOT go to Ft Lauderdale when they graduated High school.

Halfway through the drive the driver stopped the van and discussed the traffic, again in the foreign language, with another taxi driver who was on the way out of the garage. Our driver then recounted to us that the other taxi driver, now on P2, had already waited an hour in the line of cars.

Once settled, we left for dinner and then the beach. Based on the suggestion of the concierge we ate at H20. Described as a "Trendy People-Watching Waterside Spot" we called an"Overpriced Tourist- trap" and vowed to not eat at an ocean front restaurant again.

We then went to the beach to see the ocean and play in its waves. Tanner and Cassidy had a blast. Dillon (the baby) however decided the water was something to fear. The kids played until the sun set.

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Casi's Take (In case you were not able to keep up on her blog)

OK we are Florida and its awesome!!!! the flight sucked, it was 2 hours and 40 minuets to Chicago and a one hour layover, after that its about 3 hours to Florida, but the landing was insane!!!! whenever you looked out the window you could see lightning flashing everywhere! when we finally got on the ground we had to wait about 15 minutes (because there was a "tornado" warning) till a gate was open and ready for us to get out of the airplane. when we got out of the airport it was really hectic, there were taxis everywhere trying to pick people up, and trying to get us in there cars, we had 7 people, me, mom, dad, tanner, and our friends, brandon, kate, and there baby boy dillan. so we needed a lot of room for us and our luggage, so we had told this one guy that we had 7 people, he had gone away, i had forgot about him but then he came back with a van, enough room for 7 people. So he took my dads suitcase and started getting us in. When entering our hotel you have to go through a parking thingy, its about 4 or 5 levels up and level three is taxi drop off, its only a 2 way so all the cars trying to get out are backed up all the way about level 3. Our poor poor taxi driver :) Once we got to our room, we were amazed, we walked into my families room, there was a bathroom, and small little sink a bed a hideaway couch, balcony looking over the ocean, beautiful, and a plasma sreen tv, but whats that? a door, to the LIVING ROOM AND KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY ROOM!!!!! another balcony, another bedroom (for our friends) and 2 other tvs, this is awesome!!!!! after running through our room a few million time we get dressed and go out for dinner, after we eat we go to the ocean!!! we play in the waves and finally go to our hotel and sleep :) more tomorrow, on what we did today! :D

Capturing the moment

Last Friday Cassidy and Tanner, my sister and her kids, and I went to the Hogle zoo for a few hours. Wanting to document the moment, I tried to take a picture of the kids with the Gorilla statue that sits outside the large Ape building. Most could guess how this story will go but I wanted to tell it anyways... with pictures. 

It all started when Tanner decided to climb to the top of the Gorilla. Of course, Emily immediately wanted to be up there too. 

Since Tanner is already up there, Emily goes and pouts on the sidelines. Zach takes her place in trying to get up on the apes broad shoulders. Meanwhile, Cassidy trys to get the little kids (Zach and Katie) to perform for the photographer (me). 

Tanner, now good friends with the ape, starts making monkey noises. Katie ignoring the requests of those around her decides that the mulch is more interesting. Cassidy finally gets Zach to settle down.

The final picture. Emily still mad about her situation will not smile. Tanner is escatily still making monkey noises. Katie (the baby) is mid tantrum blocking Zachs cute face. And poor Cassidy is right in the middle the whole thing. So, I  gave up! Besides the line of parents, cameras in the ready, were getting a bit impatient too. 

It cracked me up looking through the photos. In all actuality, I did capture "the moment" with these pictures. Besides I did get a "good" picture too. 

Are these picts too red? I have a new computer screen and they look great (on it).  But they look too red on my work screen. 

Happy (Belated) Birthday!

To celebrate my sis's B-day, I took her for her first pedi. Casi went with. I will let you guess who's toes are who's.