Last Caterpillar

Well, we're down to our last caterpillar...

(cause all the rest are already in their chrysalides) I took that pic above an hour ago - now I'm ready to head to bed, but this guy will be changing any minute now. I've been in here collecting milkweed seeds from the pods I've collected as I listened to this Hello Saints guy be interviewed. I found his channel thanks to the YouTube algorithm. I like it. As I listened, I called and let the kids know "It's your last chance to see a caterpillar molt!" but no one came. I didn't push it. 

We've all seen it before, but I still find it amazing though! ...and a little stressful... I haven't had any of them fall, but it seems, to me, like hanging upside down by your toes and shedding off your skin is a bit of a risky position to be in... I'm amazed that they just happen to have a little velcro peg (cremaster) that had grown inside their body and comes out of their abdomen to grab onto the silk pad to catch them from falling to certain death in their soft and vulnerable state. Pretty amazing programming code that went into these little creatures. Just the luck of evolution? That would be pretty amazing luck indeed, but I don't buy it. There is a Creator and Grand Designer behind all the amazing things in this world - from snowflakes to rainbows, fall colors to caterpillars, not to mention the amazing human body that comes in the package of beautiful babies! 

I spent part of the evening reclaiming the laundry room desk. I moved the caterpillars inside on Wednesday cause the wind was crazy. It was blowing over empty garbage bins in the street, so these guys would have been goners. So I put them back in the laundry room on Wednesday and they've been in there... I have kept the window open. It's not too cold outside, but hopefully they're still getting cues from mother nature that it's time to migrate, even though I have them inside. I recently ordered some official monarch supplies - floral tubes for the milkweed and a peg rack to hold them, and a large cage. 

It's been working very well. I have a plastic thing to catch the frass, but the cake lid from Natalie's birthday is still in there too and I'll be keeping that in storage for next year. I've been putting things away...

What will I do with my time now that monarch season is almost over? Haha, I'll start to catch up on the house that I've been neglecting since July. We'll have a few days of releasing butterflies over the next 2 weeks, but now all the hard work is done. We will enjoy a few more weeks of biking in the lovely fall weather. The elementary kids didn't have school today, cause of PTCs yesterday, so it was a teacher work day. So after I took Lily to jazz band, I came home and Corey and I went out for a ride up the canyon. When we came around a corner and I saw the mountain, I about fell off my bike - 

I yelled "WOW!!! Look at that!" and anyone seeing me might have though I was seeing a comet or UFO. No, it was just the AMAZING fall colors on the mountain. HOLY COW it was amazing. 

It invigorated my soul and put wind in my sails - I was ready for the last few hills and their tricky rocks. Corey was ahead of me. I was thinking that if I followed his line, I might make it over any tricky spots. Psyching myself up I said "Show me where to go!" His simple reply - "UP." "Noooo..." Up up and up the mountain. Up the hill, over the obstacles. Work work work. It's a bumpy ride, but we can do it. “The road ahead will always be bumpy, but the destination will be serene and secure. So, fasten your seat belt, hang on through the bumps, and do what’s right, and your rewards will be eternal.” - President Nelson. I'm sure there will also be beautiful picturesque moments along the way - 

I passed some rock obstacles that I hadn't gotten over before. Yay, I'm improving! I made it all the way up to the top of Lisa Falls. Can you see the ruins behind us?

It's a beautiful world. It was a great way to start the day. Carpool, a bit of cleaning, K had a 4 month well visit and I also finally went to get a few copies of her birth certificate. Date night tonight at Blue Lemon, I got my usual (Mediterranean salad with shrimp and dressing on the side). We are so excited for this weekend - it's General Conference! Time to nourish our souls with hours of hearing the uplifting messages and the word of God, so excited, goodnight!

Precious Life

These three girls decided to go to church as Guatemala girls yesterday. Katharine didn't match in her pastel pink, but that's ok.

Natalie and Lily are wearing shirts that Joseph gifted them from one of his trips to Guate, but Abi, you can't fool me! Your shirt is Burmese! Ler and December (last pic) gave that to us, or Ler's brother did. Ok, we'll let is slide, Abi was wearing her Guatemala backpack. 

I take my bag with tipica to church every Sunday, it's one that I ordered from Titia's bags- the lady who makes these was in Joseph's ward or something when he was a missionary. Katharine being cute at church - pretty bow on my pretty 3 month old.

She was freaking out last night in a very uncharacteristic way and I took her on a walk to try and calm her down, and her face was all blotchy. She seriously cried from 3:30 - 4:30 yesterday! I'm wondering if she ate something that made her uncomfortable or itchy? 

If she did I don't know what it was. She might just be red cause she was crying so much. But she recovered and today she's been find, so I don't know what that was all about. My poor baby. She was just trying out what it is like to throw a fit. I'm guessing she thinks it's over rated. It's better to just be an angel baby. 

I'm really behind on the blog, and yesterday I finally finished July, yikes I'm always playing catch up. I do want to record memories for my kids though, so I'll keep at it. (And actually, truth be told, today is actually November 21st!! But I wrote on my notes for September 11 that I finished blogging July, so yeah, I'm still way behind! I think I'll blame my now almost 6 month old baby. Now, pretending I'm in the past again...) Let's talk about butterflies! "Yesterday" I didn't release any, but today we had one male emerge. 

They're just so cool and beautiful. 

I've got 2 chrysalides, three big cats, 4 medium, 5 small, and my 17 babies (I hope... they're too small to count). These four were so cute! I loved seeing them all munching away, so I made a short video. Cuties.

I love my caterpillars and butterflies!

I love my kids too. Peter being cute at violin today, playing with puzzles. 

There is so much beauty to enjoy in this world, even when there are hard and horrible trials and events too. I did think about 9/11 yesterday. We didn't watch anything, but my heart is with those who were so greatly affected by the events of that day. I am grateful that we were able to go to the World Trade Center Memorial and Museum last year. All things will be made right through Christ. I'm grateful for my one precious life. 

Kids Taking Pics

The kids often take my camera, and they take pictures, since the camera app is one of the two apps on the lock screen that you can use without a password (the other is the flashlight app). I usually just delete the hundreds of pointless photos and videos they take, but sometimes they do get a precious photo...

Abi took these of Katharine. Maybe it's easy to get a good photo if you have a perfect subject matter. Perfect = Katharine.

The kids thought of VeggieTales when they saw her - she looks like a giant pickle! Or the Bunny idol from the VeggieTales "Bunny Song" 

Here are a few of the other pics, that are like the ones that I usually delete...

I can gather evidence from these photos though - like now I know that some kids got into the Nutella without permission. And I also know that I need to go to the store for bread, since the kids are using hot dog buns.

I did go on a ride at Corner Canyon this morning. Took a quick pic of the sunflowers there - The fall weather and colors should be coming soon! Other than that, we did a lot of cleaning today, Abi had her Saturday GMS classes from 7 am (catch the bus time) until she got home at 3, then Corey took her to her friends house - they were going as a group of friends to the homecoming dance. Corey took Sophi, Natalie, and Peter with him and he took them out to eat for a late birthday date. I've been listening to podcasts while I clean - I'm teaching the lesson on the 18th on some Isaiah chapters, and I've gotten over half way through Unshaken today as I cleaned! I like the Line Upon Line videos - they do a nice summary and are creative, they're good. I thought it was fun how they portrayed Isaiah as some Marvel character with super powers. I helped the kids a lot, so now the bedrooms are all clean, except for mine. 

Butterfly update - I've got 3 chrysalides (one was j-hooked and changed today) 4 large, 4 medium (gave two to Stacey for her sister) 5 small, but one of them I euthanized today - he didn't molt properly and the back half of him was stuck in a small skin. The front of him was trying to eat, but he wasn't able to move things through out his back end and I asked my other monarch friends, and Lisa said he might have OE so it would be best to euthanize, cause it's contagious and we don't want a sick guy making the migrator colony at risk. So that was sad, but we/I put him out of his discomfort and now he's eating milkweed in a heavenly garden. 

I think I still have 17 babies - I haven't found any of them crawling where they're not supposed to, so fingers crossed they're all still there. 

Stuffed Animals

We've had sore throats and goopy eyes going around the house. Peter is currently sick with it, and he was crying for help this morning to help get his eye open. After I helped him, he climbed in the chair with Tiny and fell back asleep. 

I bought him that dinosaur on an impulse near the end of date night in March. Peter has since named him Tiny, after the dinosaur named Tiny on this episode of Dino Ranch. Natalie thinks it's high time for Katharine to have a stuffed animal too, so yesterday Natalie was trying different stuffed animals out on her. Do you want a pretty puppy?

Natalie tried to offer her precious "baby" cause she doesn't use it anymore. 

Do you like Natalie's baby?

Sorry, Natalie, but she actually can't have that. I need it for my "toddler's favorite stuffed toy memorial" shelf. Katharine is looking at me thinking "Can I just have some milk, please?"

Natalie came in this morning and tucked a pink cheetah stuffed animal by Katharine.

That way they will both have baby cheetah's that can be friends and play together. Sounds like a good plan. A few other pics from today - I picked up Sophi from Safety Patrol this week. She was excited last spring when she was chosen to be a team captain. 

And Daniel was very excited that he got his kindergarten shirt today!

There is his self portrait - cute!

And his 4th grade buddy Parker is on the back. 

Daniel came to show me his shirt while I was in the laundry room checking on my caterpillar babies. I have 17 that just hatched yesterday and today. I don't have any eggs, so I think this will be the last of the monarchs for us this year. Can you see them all? 

There are 15 here and then there were two more on the underneath side of the leaf. Yay for caterpillar babies! They're so small, it's hard to keep track of them. I hope they don't die. My current monarch count is: 17 new babies, 5 large caterpillars, 7 medium (going to donate two tomorrow to a neighbor for their sister who is a science teacher) 5 small, and 2 chrysalides. 

More First Days of School

Yesterday was the first day of school for Abi and Lily. Lily doesn't have jazz band yet, so she got to ride with her friends in carpool - 

And here's Abi when she left around 7 am yesterday morning, I know she was thinking "Yay, I love getting up this early..." 

Daniel was super excited for his first day!

He made this "about me" paper, and I loved his "self" portrait and drawing of his family

At the bus stop with his friend Millie. 

The other kids in our neighborhood drove to school, but these two both wanted to ride the bus. Sadly, it never came, so after waiting well past the appointed pick up time, we hurried to drive them over. 

Our friends who were already over there had the group wait until they arrived. Class of 2035! 

Made it! So the school year is officially underway for everyone now. 

With all of the chrysalides we had, you can bet that we've had two crazy butterfly days, and I think we'll have another one tomorrow. Yesterday we had 4 emerge, all males. And two j-hooked and changed into their chrysalides, and I had 5 large caterpillars and lots of smaller ones. Yesterday one of them eclosed before the elementary kids left, so we got a few pictures ~ 

Daniel saw one eclose - 

And I'll spare you all the other pictures I took, but you can see them here. And Owen with a caterpillar - 

Peter wanted a turn - I didn't catch it on video, but I shall document that Peter calls caterpillars "pallicaters" which is the cutest thing ever.

So here's my current set up - in the laundry room.

I've been putting the chrysalides on the stick in the order of when they change to their chrysalis, but it is interesting that they have not been eclosing in order. So that was interesting to note. Today we had 7 emerge - 1 male and 6 female. Sophi and Natalie got a few pics before school again - 

Sophi with an earring and a brooch -

Natalie with a hair bow and a ring!

We took them outside to play a bit more - Peter being brave and holding one!

We put all 5 on Natalie - it tickled her chin

5 butterflies - is that a record?

Earrings!

If it was a record, Melodie hurried and broke it - 7 butterflies!

A butterfly chandelier - 

Letting them crawl on her shirt. 

Melodie was out there for like 2 hours playing with them. I went in to get kids out the door, feed Katharine, and do other stuff, and I came back out, and she was still playing like she was Snow White -

 

I can't blame her. It is magical and fun.

I got a pic for myself - 

I let Daniel and his friend take some to the bus stop - 

Pretty magical childhood these kids are having!

And it's fun to share the magic.

Here's something else that is beautiful that we can't get enough of - Katharine!

I got to adore this cute little face as I pushed around my cart at Costco. SO STINKIN' CUTE!!! 

I just can't get enough of babies, butterflies, autumn leaves, or the full moon, They fill my heart with wonder and joy.