And then, there are days like this:

Ah well. At least the cat wasn't in the dryer.

Madeleine, all ready in her boots and hat.
Miss Sherri (in tan) and the group check out the decomposing beaver.
Madeleine and her gear.
Miss Sherri and a turtle friend.
Madeleine splashes in what's left of Big Cedar Creek. Evidently, the creek in way down this year; there is usually a lot more water to play in.
Group photo at "Picture Rock" along the trail down to the creek.
On the trail with Miss Sherri's dog, Moggy Doggy
Miss Sherri makes everyone a Creek Club journal to record their discoveries. Literacy is a huge component of her preschool, and she encourages all the kids to do their own journaling. Later, she will put postage-stamp sized photographs from the day in the journals.
Madeleine journaled about "A frog, a fish, and water"
Enjoying a well-deserved juice box.

Madeleine meets Sir Francis Drake and Princess Scarabella, a Vulgarian
Enjoying our turkey legs!
Madeleine too!
Gramma took Madeleine on a Swan Swing
Poor Noah-boy.
Madeleine as Puss-in-Boots
Shannon as Puss-in-Boots
Madeleine saw herself in a mirror at a costume shop and spent several minutes admiring her new princess hat. Here she is curtseying to her reflection.
Madeleine receiving a blessing from the fairies. They sprinkled glitter on her arms that she couldn't stop looking at for the next several minutes, even as we walked on to our next destination, resulting in her running in to everything from other people, to trees, to other people again.
This is how Noah spent much of the day, dozing in the stroller. Huzzah.
Shannon and Madeleine played a homemade skeeball. It might have been due to the homemade-ness of the game, but Shannon did not do very well. The next day, Madeleine said, out of the blue, "Daddy is not very good at skeeball. Mommy is." (She and I play skeeball alot at Bonkers)
Madeleine is fascintated with Fairy Godmother's wand, which bore a strong resemblence to PVC pipe.
Madeleine shows off her new princess hat.
A gypsy boy attempts to escort Madeleine to her seat at the Queen's Tea.
Me with my princess!
The Queen and her court.
Madeleine enjoys a chocolate covered strawberry. Actually, she only enjoyed the chocolate, and left the strawberry on her plate.
A belly dancing gypsy boy entertains the Queen.
Gypsy boys dancing on tables.
Mother Nature entertains on her harp.
Mom is wooed by a gypsy boy.


Shannon said it looked like he devoured a live squirrel.
"Here we are, fam-i-ly!"

Boo!
Playing guitar with Daddy.
Christmas card photo shoot with Santa hat.
All bundled up!
Naked baby!
Smiling for the start of spring training.
Ole!
Sitting in the sun in Orin and Erin's backyard.
Poop face!
At Medieval Times. Also, a little doppy from the Benedryl I gave him for his nasty cold.
Noah discovers he can combine his three favorite skills of standing up, opening doors, and pulling stuff out in the plastic container cabinet.
Starting to experiment with getting out of high chair lapbelts. He's totally a Houdini at it now: I'll turn around and he'll be standing up in the highchair or grocery cart having wiggled out of the belt.
Crazy daisy bathtime hair.
A clean and dry boy!