Butterfly Release Party 2013

I have mentioned what a great park district we have.  They have all sorts of fun things for kids.  One that we haven't missed in six years (OK, one year we didn't release butterflies because they were late coming from the airport.  The president was in town and had the highway shut down. We were there though.  Probably did a butterfly craft and had cookies and a juice pouch.).  The butterfly house release party.  Everyone who registers gets to release two butterflies(or four- we have been lucky in recent years and got extra).  My kids as well as their friends love it.  And it is even better when a butterfly lands on you.

Let's start with what Chatch is wearing.  This is a Figgy's Scirocco dress I made.  The skirt is different because I serged into the original flouncy skirt.  This is what happens when you are in a hurry.  I was lucky to have enough fabric left to do a circle skirt.  Both girls have a Scirocco dress (B has two I think) and they love the back.

 

Charley and I picked B up from school and headed out to the farm.  This is the first year Mike hasn't come with us.  Maybe he had a meeting?

B opened the package, which is amazing.  Not that she opened it, but that the butterflies are in little wax envelopes.  I asked how they got into the envelope, but no one knew.  That is how they come from the butterfly factory in Florida.

B got a big surprise when the first one landed on her (too big) tee. 

She was even more excited when the other joined the first.

  Here is Charley releasing hers with the help of the volunteer.

Let's talk about who has a hissy when the butterflies didn't land on her.

Sissy came through and got Charley a butterfly that perched oh her finger.

Our friend Robin took this one. 

Next time I need a picture of my girls together.  Or some with their friends.  I guess I should have brought my actual camera instead of relying on the ole' iPhone.
 

As I mentioned in the last post, our park district is pretty good.  Every year they put on a Daddy-Daughter dance.  B went last year, but this is the first year for Chatch.  (This first picture shows you Charley's usual emotional state since she has turned three)

The girls got dressed in some fancy clothes, and since Mike didn't have anything fancy, he went out that day to find something.  Add a tan and he cleans up pretty well.  They went out with a group of Dads and Daughters.  First for pizza, then to the dance.  I think they had fun.  But what do I know?  The dance was in February and now it is May.

Things were apparently looking up for her here.

 Put this one in a bubble stat!  Kindergarten graduation this year.  Seriously, this kid is killing me.

I am going to jinx it here, but these two are pretty close.  There are squabbles, and some you're the worst sister evers, but, they look out for each other. 

And if one is in trouble, you better bet, the other one is there trying to comfort the trouble maker.  If you try to separate them because they are arguing, they will cry to be playing again. 

Charley Goes To Princess School

We have a great Park District.  They have a bunch of classes and events that both my kids like.  B went to a class on Mollusks, and Charley, well, she went to one called "Tiny Princesses". 

Chatch was very excited to go to Princess school.  So excited, that she was probably the best and most elaborately dressed princess there.  Crafts, stories and a snack were on tap.

A box for the princesses treasures.

Every Princess needs a wand.

Truth be told, I think her favorite part was the edible wand.  Pretzel rod, chocolate frosting, and sprinkles.

Super Tot Sports

I signed B up for a Parent/Tot Super Sports class through our park district.  A new sport is introduced each week.  This was our first class and Coach Derek introduced soccer.  This is a typical toddler/perk district class.  Parents do most of the work.   Coach Derek and his helpers direct the activity. The problem I have with this is the kids don't interact with each other (which is what I want for B) they interact with their parents.   Still, the instructors were mildly entertaining and once B got over her initial shyness, she had a good time.  

B was suppose to use her feet, Mike thinks B 

might be a good goalie.

Trying to steal the ball from Mike.

Stopping the ball with her foot.

Something that surprised me is how fast B runs.  All the kids lined up to run across the gym and B was first over the line. I know she wasn't the oldest, because most of the kids were bigger.  Another surprise, she didn't follow Derek's directions, even when Mike and I reiterated them.  She was tired - big surprise.  No naps Wednesday and Thursday and only an hour or so on Friday (in the car back from my Mom's).  Fell asleep when we got home.  Still, B had fun.  That's what matters.

Park District Easter Egg Hunt

On Saturday. the coldest day in March, we went to the Easter Egg Hunt at out Park District.  This was a free event, so I may sound ungrateful when I say this was worse that a train wreck.  There was no hunt, eggs were just thrown in the middle of a spray pained circle.   In a big field, there were probably 4 of the circles, separating the children by age.  And not a big circle either, maybe 50 feet in diameter.  Parents and their kids were lined up on the edge of the circle, no space was open.  Mike and I stood back, but pushed B up to the circle's edge.  Then at 10, the Easter Bunny said go.  There was a mad rush by parents to get their kids an egg.  I should mention B was in the 2 and under, so some kids needed parents to help, but, kids weren't picking up the eggs, parents were.  And not just one or two eggs.  When I saw what was happening, I went to help B and saw a women back up and grab her kid another egg.  I mean, you could see there weren't a lot of eggs, and there were a lot of people, wouldn't you just grab two?  Now, I am sure I sound like sour grapes because B did not get one egg, but it was frustrating.  It should have been called an egg grab.  And, parents should have stood back if their kids could walk.  One of the helpers saw that B didn't get any eggs and gave her a couple.  

I was thinking maybe I need to volunteer for next year's event.  Just standing there freezing my buns off, I had better ideas for for the hunt.  First of all, have sign ups so you know how many to expect.  Second, charge a nominal fee and get more eggs.  Or spread out over 2 days or times. Notice I am not complaining about the quality of items that were in the eggs, who cares, it should just be a fun event.  Why wouldn't they have the event in one of the many of the town's parks?  That way, maybe they could actually hide the eggs.  Or if they had to have it at a park district building, why not have bigger circles and spread it our a bit?  There was more than enough room - they even could have put the little kids on one side of the building and the bigger kids on the other.  

It is a good concept, it just needs a lot more organizing.  They did have free coffee which I appreciated, but there was gum inside one of B's eggs, what kid 2 and under can chew gum?  OK, that is a bit petty.  

B waiting for the egg hunt to start.

All bundled up.

B was exhausted.  She came home and fell asleep.