How Many Species Can Live In One Tank?

After searching for more food for the mantis, we’ve added a large grasshopper and a large cockroach. Yes a roach. This has added even more excitement around the tank.

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I Love Sundays

The chili is simmering on the stove. Butter roll dough is mixing in the breadmaker. Ken is crashed on the bed. The kids are upstairs playing Jumpstart computer games. And my faithful dog is at my feet. 🙂

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opUQUIWREQh

Word of warning: Sitting next to your 3 year old with a laptop can be dangerous to your laptop computer. (Especially when they are painting).

Lesson #1 Learned: Don’t move the old paint water over the top of your laptop.

Lesson #2 Learned: Water under your keypad reveals all sorts of new short cut keys and allows you to type 10 letters at a time with one key stroke!

Lesson #3 already noted: I’m the messy one. It was my spill.

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Our March to "March of the Penguins"

In defiance of our admitted lazy attitude today, we were determined to get out of the house and do something. Like go out and sit. So we did.

We all headed to the movie theater in the rain and huddled up to watch “March of the Penguins”. This is only the 3rd movie that Grace and Jack have ever seen in the theater, which made the occasion extra special.

As a result of our inexperience in the theater, it instantly becomes a training ground, and you find yourself constantly reminding the children that they need to ask questions quieter. Jack seems to be really good at asking very loud questions during a pregnant pause in the movie. “MOM?? IS THAT A SEA LION? DID THAT PENGUIN DIED?” At the same time, you catch yourself being proud, thinking, my 3 year old knows what a sea lion is, and everybody else now knows he does too.

After the movie it was off for dinner, ice cream, and a good drenching under the water fountains at the mall.

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Are They Fighting or Mating?

With our school studies in recess over the last week, the hullaballo has been over our big bug tank. The two praying mantis are checked frequently, as we watch them catch their prey. What we are also noticing, is that they are beginning to interact with each other.

It is a slow approach, but gradually one will approach another. Once we did see what seemed to be an attack when one mantis got too close to the other. However, after more research, I’m beginning to think we have a male and female, and what we are seeing is possibly the initial signs of courtship.

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Camping Day Mix Up

We’d been planning this for over a week. Jack and Dad were going to go camping at a father-son camp out with the church (Friday-Saturday). Grace and I were going to go in the opposite direction and have a mommy-daughter couple of days together with pottery painting, shopping and a movie.

At 2:00pm we were all packing and primping to go our separate ways, and excitement was in the air for both of the kids. Not often found separated, this was a different feeling for the children, and they both made sure to give each other a hug and good wishes before Jack and Dad pulled out of the drive way.

25 Minutes later, after Grace’s dress was ironed, and I was dressed, the phone rang. It was Ken. No one was at the church, and he had turned around and started his attempt at catch up, thinking they had missed the clan. But after some more thought, he began questioning the dates. Sure enough, we were off by a whole week!!! The camping trip was next week. Jack was dozing in the back, and Ken mentioned that right before he fell asleep he had expressed how much fun he was going to have.

In the end, Ken and Jack spent a evening fishing and swimming at the lake, and Grace and I headed off to the mall to paint our pottery and shop for a few clothes for her. The really neat thing, was seeing them greet each other when everyone arrived home. It was as if they had been away for a week. They were both beaming, enjoying sharing news with the other that other had no knowledge of.

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I Think I’m Beginning to Feel The Baby Move

I should be a pro at this now. But those first little muffled taps are always so light that your doubt lingers for a little while. I am finding that I get better at discerning a true baby movement from everything else moving in there with each pregnancy. These taps have been low and consistent over the last few days.

At 14-15 weeks…the baby moves. Now the real fun begins.

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