| Food, Family and All the Rest

Cake, Ice Cream and Other Things That Go Bump In the Night {Take Shape For Life Week 2} {Sponsored) #TSFL

Posted on May 22, 2013 by mamamommymom

A special ‘thanks’ to Take Shape for Life for setting me up on this journey. Take Shape for Life has provided me with a health coach and all of the products/materials I need to evaluate their program and take this journey toward a healthier me. While the products/materials are free to me, that will in no way influence my opinion of the program or any of the information I share with you through this journey. All thoughts and opinions will be mine and they will be honest, both the good and the bad.

This week was a hard week! Well, not all of it, but sitting beside a Bruster’s Ice Cream/Hot Dog vendor all day Saturday, a birthday dinner for my son Saturday and his party on Sunday (with my sister’s delicious cake) certainly made for a few very tough days.

I love food. No joke. The way it tastes, the way it smells, textures, flavor combinations… We all have our favorites, but I would venture to say that I have more favorites than most. Hot dogs are a vice. Why, I have no idea. Yes, I know they are a nasty combination of various animals parts mushed together and smashed into shape, but I love them. Sit me beside a truck serving ice cream and hot dogs all day – torture. That’s exactly what Saturday was. I worked a vendor booth with a friend of mine at a Family Carnival Saturday and we were stations right beside the food. Oy. I caught myself starring at the line of people getting their food more than once.

Saturday evening, we let the boy choose what he wanted for his birthday dinner. His selection? The fish place in town. *sigh* So, I sat and ate boiled shrimp and a salad (which was good, just not what I wanted) while everyone else (including my 150 lb, can eat anything he wants and barely gains a pound, husband) ate hush puppies, tartar sauce, baked potatoes and fried fish and shrimp.

Construction Cake by Pure Confection, Concord, NC

Sunday was more of the same. The birthday party. Cake. Delicious cream cheese pound cake… that is so very much not on plan. *whimper* I had my cinnamon pretzels, hoping that the sweetness would help me get past the cake. It didn’t. While I didn’t eat any of it, I am still thinking about it.

This coming Saturday will be more of the same, another birthday party with hotdogs AND cake. Stab me in the eye. I would avoid it all together, but it’s my only niece, so I can’t do that. I may roll in with my own grilled chicken salad.

Despite a weekend full of temptation, I stayed on plan. I went a bit over my normal 3 hour between meals time frame on Sunday, but got it back on track. I’m hunkered down for another week, hopefully an easier one. I know avoiding temptations would be optimal, but it’s also not realistic, and for now I’ve got to work on making new habits so that the old, unhealthy ones aren’t so darn tempting.

So, what were my results this week? I’m down another 2.2 lbs! I had hoped for more, but in reality 2.2 lbs is great! Do you know what 1 lb of fat looks like?

One pound of fat. Nasty!

I lost two of those somewhere, even if it’s not showing in the measurements this week., and I’m ok with that. Those 2.2 lbs put me at a total of 9.6 lbs over the last two weeks and I can already fit into pants that I haven’t worn in a while. I’ve got my eye on another pair that have eluded me since last summer. I’m hoping to see those by the end of May.

May 22nd, 2013 Stats: weight – 178.4, waist – 37 inches, hips 44 inches, right thigh – 28 inches, right bicep – 12 inches

May 15th, 2013 Stats: weight – 180.6 lbs, waist – 37 inches, hips – 44 inches, right thigh – 28 inches, right bicep – 12 inches

May 8th, 2013 Stats : weight – 188 lbs, waist – 39 inches, hips – 46 inches, right thigh – 28 1/2 inches, right bicep – 12 inches

Onward and downward in week 3…

Posted in Health/Wellness, Reviews, Take Shape For Life | Leave a comment

How Rude! A Birthday Party Blunder…

Posted on May 20, 2013 by mamamommymom

*Sniffle* He’s 4!

Little dude hit the bit 4 on Sunday.

He proclaimed some time ago that he wanted the same party he had last year. Same place, same theme, same cake. I complied with his first two requests, but having a cake maker extraordinaire in the family left the third request completely shut out. The same theme, we can do. The same cake, we can not. We had to take a Sunday afternoon in order to secure the same location, but that wasn’t too big of a deal – in fact, it actually worked out that we would have his party on this actual birthday. Sweet!

Having had little dude’s party there last year, I more or less knew the drill. I knew the location well, what was available to us and what our options were in case of weather issues. We lucked out last year with great weather, but this year was looking a little wet. No problem. They have space inside to ride horses should that be necessary, as well as space inside for barn games, crafts and the like. Rain? Not a problem.

When I rolled up on the scene, it was clear that some other big function had taken place there or was getting ready to. The big open space in the barn was filled with tables and chairs, a dance floor and various other bits of party decor. I had noticed a ‘Graduation Party Here’ sign at the end of the drive, but assumed it was left over from a function the night before. I found our host on the property and she had said we could do whatever we wanted, but she had planned on us being outside as long as we were ok with that. I was fine with it, so long as it didn’t start raining.

While the kids where riding horses, I noticed a few cars/trucks coming down to the barn, one hauling a smoker. They pulled up to the end and started unloading stuff. Then more cars came. More people, more stuff. They already had people setting up for a party later that night in the space we were supposed to be able to use. Granted, it was a big barn, but we were now being shoved to one end while party set up was going on in the other. We had no room for riding inside like we were supposed to (thankfully the rain was quick and we were able to go back outside to finish that).

By the time we finished up, all of the tables in the space we were using had been completely dressed for a graduation party, decorations had gone up all over and I felt like I at someone else’s party. If I had wanted to party with strangers, we would have planned his party at Chuck E Cheese. It was clear that I wasn’t the only one who felt that way… Several of our guests commented on the situation as well.

I didn’t say anything at the time, though I think it was clear that I was aggravated, and I can’t decide if I want to go back and say something now or not. I paid and did not ask for a discount, nor do I expect to get one, but I think that if the venue needed to allow someone else to set up during our party, they should have at least warned me before hand.

Am I off base? Would you go back and say something or let it go since it’s done and over with?

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

10 Minute DIY Front Door Wreath

Posted on May 19, 2013 by mamamommymom

Mother’s Day is a rather uneventful holiday at my house. It always has been and I suppose I’m ok with that. Hubs did step it up a bit this year with the ‘leave mommy alone and let her have a break today’ and I really don’t ask for anything more. I did sneak out alone to pick up groceries (being able to order online and pickup at the store is the best thing ever!) and decided to make a quick stop at our local Michael’s Crafts before I grabbed the groceries.

Truth be told, my quick stop at Michael’s became more of an hour long adventure. That’s the status quo for me and craft stores though. There’s never a quick trip.

I settled on making a door wreath and picking up a few wooden cutouts for the kids to paint. They were happy with their crafts and I am definitely happy with mine. We’ve lived in this house almost 9 years and the only time there’s ever been a wreath on the door was at Christmas. My door isn’t naked anymore…

Isn’t it cute?

This was so easy and only cost me around $20 (yay, coupons!).

What you need:

A grapevine wreath (or something similar) – $4.99

Wooden Letter Cutout – $3.99

Artificial Flowers (price varies on these)

Matching Ribbon (about 1-1/2 yards or just buy a roll)

The letter is simply attached to the wreath with a loop of ribbon. I pulled the ribbon ends through the top of the wreath and knotted them to hold them in place. I wrapped a second piece of ribbon around the top of the wreath to hide by knot and make the bow. At this point, I went ahead and hung up the wreath. I found that to be the easiest way to add the flowers and get a good feel for how the wreath was coming together.

I started by placing my focal flower, the hydrangea, and then adding small sprigs of accent flowers around it. The grapevine wreath is great because you can twist the stems around in the wreath and completely dodge the need for glue of any kind.

The whole project, shopping time aside, took me about 10 minutes. It was so easy that I have already picked up the supplies to make two more (one for a friend who’s house hunting and one for my daughter’s teacher as an end of year gift). Check out your local craft store’s website or app for coupons before you head out to pick up your supplies! You can save a ton on the whole project if you luck up and get one of the X% off your entire purchase coupons.

What do you think? Cute and simple enough?

Posted in Crafts | Leave a comment

The Beauty of Doing Nothing

Posted on May 17, 2013 by MommaMani

I had a mommy-friend call me up the other week, asking for advice about how to deal with her son’s behavior. “Jake” (as I will call him) is friends with both of my boys. He is a sweet and considerate 5-year-old, so I was shocked when “Annie” told me that Jake had been acting out right and left. Of course, I asked for examples of his behavior, and Annie began telling me about his poor behavior at gymnastics, his poor behavior at dance, his poor behavior at math tutoring…

Whoa.

I stopped Annie right there.

“How much free play time does Jake get?”

Where’s my free time, huh?

Annie paused, quiet for a moment, before answering that he and his sister had very little unscheduled time, and she felt like sometimes they were constantly going from activity to another. I followed up by asking whether he had always had such a tight schedule. Annie paused again and replied, slowly, that, no, this new schedule had happened over the last 6 months. Over the same time span that Jake’s behavior started going downhill.

Light bulb.

As Annie and I talked more, it became apparent that the overscheduling was the result of wanting to give Jake a variety of experiences and Annie feeling as though if she said no to an opportunity, that she was being a bad parent. Annie felt a pressure to nurture every interest of Jake’s by enrolling him in classes and extracurricular activities, to point where he had very little time to sit and entertain himself.

And Annie isn’t alone. I see plenty of parents who, in an effort to give their children the best and most variety of opportunities, spend every evening and most weekends shuttling kids back and forth between activities. With such a focus on achieving and, eventually, getting into college, the idea that a child should have unstructured time to do nothing is becoming heresy. But unstructured time is vitally important for the development of a child for several reasons.

First, pretty much everyone needs down time. While there is the rare individual who can be on the go all the time, most people need some time to just…be. Not needing to be constantly engaged is a healthy thing.

Second, children need to have periods of boredom when they are expected to entertain themselves. Imagination and creativity come from those moments of boredom, and that spark needs to be nurtured by (wait for it)…doing absolutely nothing.

Third, life is about making choices and trade-offs. It is important for children – just like adults – to understand that you can’t have everything, you can’t do everything, and you can’t be everything. Choosing to focus on one or two important activities, rather than trying to do them all, can be a healthy exercise in making choices and setting priorities. In addition, by focusing on a few activities, there is a greater likelihood of becoming really good at at least one of them. Expertise takes focus and dedication. Ever heard the saying, “Jack of all trades, master of none?”

Annie and her husband sat down and decided to drop the majority of the kids’ afterschool activities and to let the kids choose one or two activities that they would like to stay in. She emailed me the other day to say that while Jake’s behavior has not improved 100%, it is has improved significantly. In addition, she has noticed that she is not as stressed and can enjoy more relaxed family time.

Sometimes parenting isn’t about what you do. It’s about what you don’t do.

~Momma Mani

Posted in Health/Wellness, MommaMani, Parenting | Leave a comment

Feeding Time at The Zoo {Take Shape for Life Week 1} (Sponsored) #TSFL

Posted on May 15, 2013 by mamamommymom

It’s ‘feeding time’ at the zoo.

Week one is in the books. I will give you specifics on what I lost, and I did lose more than just pounds, but first…

My two biggest challenges this week have been water (I feel like I’m going to float away) and eating when I’m supposed to eat. I had a headache the first three days, but nothing Advil couldn’t knock out and I was a little light headed on the third day, as my body was still adjusting to the changes in calorie intake and electrolytes. I knew these were probable issues and they honestly weren’t as bad as I thought they’d be. The water and the eating. Those were my struggles.

A big advantage of this program is that (when followed correctly) it helps regulate your blood sugar, thus eliminating cravings, which we all know are the devil. In order to avoid those dips/spikes in blood sugar, you have to eat every 2-3 hours. Ask any woman that had gestational diabetes. In fact, I did ask my sister, who referred to this meal intake planning as ‘feeding time at the zoo’. And that it what it feels like. That’s my honest to goodness schedule up there, though it varies a little depending on what time I get up.

Have you ever tried eating every 2-3 hours? It’s not as easy as it sounds, especially when I’m at work or the kids have places they need to be at certain times, etc. My health coach told me the night before I started that I should stash a few of the ready to eat goodies in my car, just in case I was ever caught out for longer than I expected. I’m glad I took her advice because in less than 2 days, I’d already had to dive into my stash. An unexpected errand, bad traffic and a hectic afternoon schedule left me needing to eat on the go.

I don’t always feel ready to eat after just three hours, especially after my Lean & Green meal, but those are the times I eat anyway and just chose one of the smaller, yummier treats (like the Soft Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie or Brownie.

Please don’t offer me your food. Pretty please.

Also on the subject of food, I’m having to train my family and friends to NOT offer me food that they are eating or drinks they are having and what not. Going to dinner with my mom and sister at The Cheesecake Factory and watching them eat a big slice of cheesecake was hard, but it would’ve been harder if I hadn’t already drilled it into them to not offer me any. Mom forgot a few times at the beginning of our meal, and thank goodness my will power was strong enough to say ‘no, thank you’.

The Medifast food itself isn’t bad. There are actually several things I could see myself enjoying even if I wasn’t trying to lose weight. Also, it’s easier to make it through the day knowing I get to have my Lean and Green meal too. I’ve tried several new recipes this week and hope to have some to share as soon as I get more comfortable with what is/isn’t ok and how everything adds up.

Yummy… and I could eat the whole thing (nearly impossible!)

I found a recipe for a spinach frittata that just looked too good not to try. I ditched the onion powder and added some Cheyenne pepper instead. It was delicious, extremely filling and enough food that I really should have split it into two meals.

Very filling!

Have you ever had mashed cauliflower? I made it years ago and it was ok, but I tried it a different way this week and really, really liked it. Though, some of that could be because my tastes are changing. I can already tell that certain things are starting to taste different that I remember them and I attribute a lot of that to the dramatic drop in added sugar in my diet. I can already tell I am much more sensitive to the seasonings I use when cooking (which is a good thing!)

So, what were my results this week? First a refresher on last week…

May 8th, 2013 Stats : weight – 188 lbs, waist – 39 inches, hips – 46 inches, right thigh – 28 1/2 inches, right bicep – 12 inches

and this week…

May 15th, 2013 Stats: weight – 180.6 lbs, waist – 37 inches, hips – 44 inches, right thigh – 28 inches, right bicep – 12 inches

That’s right, baby! 7.4 lbs, gone! Two inches on my waist, 2 inches on my hips, and a 1/2 inch on my hips, gone! All in 7 days! Now, I know my loss won’t keep up at this pace (maybe just for 1 more week) but I am so thrilled to be off to a running start!

Onward and downward in week 2…

Posted in Food, Health/Wellness, Reviews, Take Shape For Life | 2 Comments

“Wishing on Willows” #bookreview {Sponsored by Waterbrook Multnomah}

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Momma Juli

A special thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers for providing us a copy of “Wishing on Willows”.

When asked if I would be interested in reading a Christian romance novel, I wasn’t really sure what I was getting myself into… but I couldn’t be more pleased. Katie Ganshert’s Novel Wishing on Willows invoked a real sense of kindness between family, friends and neighbors. While also creating a suspenseful developing romance which was so heart felt and intriguing I couldn’t put it down.

Here is my problem, how do I tell you about the book without telling you about the book??? Let me try.

The main character, Robin, lost her husband while she was pregnant with her now 3 year old son. So she is struggling to raise her son, struggling to live life and struggling to move on from the love of her life.

The characters in the book come from a small community where goodness and kindness are all part of them. It made me feel good about mankind thinking of so much love out in the world with people just caring for each other. It also made me realize how we get so caught up in our own lives we forget to basically “stop and smell the roses”.

I went thru a lot of different emotions when reading this book. I got mad at the main character for being stubborn and not listening to her friends and family. Which made me realize how often single parents do get set in their ways and sometimes don’t see the big picture and won’t get help from others.

Wishing on Willows

Something really wonderful was the suspense of the romance and the whole hearted love going on with many of the characters. Which makes me think of a friends Facebook post the other day saying someone was bad mouthing her because she called her daughter Princess. I immediately responded by saying “Every little girl should be treated like a princess and every woman a Queen.” This book really shows so many different couples treating each other respectful and caring and it was just such a great affirmation of how we deserve to be treated and how we should treat others.

I hope I haven’t given too much away and I hope I have enticed you to read “Wishing on Willow”.

You won’t be disappointed.

~Momma Juli

Posted in MommaJuli, Reviews | Leave a comment

Happy Mother’s Day, Even If You Aren’t One

Posted on May 11, 2013 by mamamommymom

I love my kids. Most days, I love being a mom. There are days I wish I could get a break, but that doesn’t change anything.

Everyone isn’t a mom. That doesn’t mean they don’t deserve some love and recognition too. Some don’t have children by choice and others just because they haven’t got there yet. Some want nothing more than to be a mother, but haven’t been able to make it happen yet, and some never will.

Regardless of your status as a parent, we’re all mothering someone or something. Maybe it’s a younger sibling, a child that doesn’t have a good mother figure or maybe just someone you know that needs special attention from time to time. We all mother someone or something. It’s in our DNA and we do it regardless of our status as a mother.

So, when you’re sending your ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ wishes this year, don’t forget those women in your life who may not have children of their own. Just because they don’t have children doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have a happy Mother’s Day.

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Butterflies Gone

Posted on May 10, 2013 by mamamommymom

If you recall, we’ve been raising butterflies. It was a super cool experience and definitely something that we’ll do again – probably sooner that later. But, as the fun must end, we set our babies free Thursday.

Exciting!

You can see the hydrangea and oranges we’ve been feeding them the last few days. The hydrangea was a fan favorite. Since I knew they liked it so much, beside the hydrangea bush was where I decided to do our release.

Both of the kids got in on the action. Each took a turn sticking their hands in to scoop up a butterfly. They were clearly used to us being around and didn’t take very long to cozy up to the idea of riding a hand out of their temporary home.

It was no surprise to see where the first butterfly landed…

Hungry!

With their wings closed, Painted Ladies really look like a plain old moth. Very inconsequential. But when they open their wings, they look a lot like a Monarch. Regardless of what they resemble, they are beautiful.

Is this for me?

See how the pattern is the same on both, though just a little difference enough to make each one unique?

I had really wanted to get a shot of the kids with a butterfly on their noses, but they were too excited to sit still – both the kids and the butterflies – so it didn’t happen, but I did grab another shot of this guy before he took off…

Ready for take off!

It’s hard to believe those creepy little caterpillars turned into these beautiful butterflies, but they did. And we saw it with out own eyes.

Posted in Photography | 1 Comment

A New Journey On The Road To A Healthier Me #sponsored

Posted on May 8, 2013 by mamamommymom

Ok, so now that we have that out of the way… I’ve been teasing on Facebook and telling a few friends about this opportunity for a week or two. Initially, when TSFL reached out to me, I was a little skeptical. I’ve done diets, Weight Watchers and what not many, many times and I know that they *can* work, but I’ve never tried any of the programs that require you to use their food. Being powered by their parent company, Medifast, I knew this program would require using their meals. I mean, what happens when you don’t want to buy their food anymore? So, what does any good, internet obsessed person do? I went to the web for answers.

I did what I consider a fair and thorough search of the web, checking out the good and the bad – there’s always the bad, for anything – and started weighing the comments and things I saw against what I knew myself about the program, which was admittedly very little. Then I reached out to my friend Jennifer at MommyBKnowsBest. Jennifer has been using the Medifast products for a while, so I knew I would get candid feedback – at least on the food products – from her. After talking with her, I knew that I was interested enough to want to know more. After a conference call and a good rundown of how the program works, I was sold. What do I have to lose, right?

Here’s a quick run down of how Take Shape for Life works:

First, you get a Health Coach. Your Health Coach is free to you as a part of the program. They are ‘been there and done that’ experts who have gone down the road to living a healthier life and are still living it every day. They are there to mentor you, guide you and answer any questions you have while on the program. My health coach, Margaret Hartman, has already been a wealth of knowledge to me, has helped me get this program started painlessly and I know she will continue to be a great cheerleader for me. (If any of you consider trying this program for yourself, I would highly recommend Margaret!)

Second, you use the Medifast 5&1 plan to get to a healthy weight. You decide what your healthy weight is. For some, it’s that magic number on the BMI chart, but not for everyone. You set your goal with your Health Coach and work toward it. More on that later.

Third, you learn Habits of Health. Eating, activity, sleep and what makes us tick (at least where food is concerned). This is a big thing for me. I know I can lose weight. I’ve done it many times before, but it’s what happens after than always gets me. Falling back into old habits, old ways of thinking. I’m excited to see how much we can change that while I’m, working through the plan.

Finally, a transition plan. Wait, what? You mean I don’t eat Medifast food the rest of my life? NO! No, you don’t. This was one of the standouts that really convinced me to give the plan a try. When I reach my goal weight, I’m not thrown out to pasture. I’m not signed up for any ‘lifetime’ meal plan or anything like that. My Health Coach will work me through increasing my calorie intake and activity output to help me maintain my healthy weight while transitioning back to all ‘from home’ foods.

Now that I’ve told you about the plan, let’s talk a little about me and where I’m starting. I have never, ever, ever, ever, never posted pictures of my bare, not pregnant belly anywhere online. Ever. Ever. I’m drawing this out as long as I can. We all know that the scale can move several pounds in a week sometimes without any real difference. Well, pictures (at least ones not edited in Photoshop) don’t lie, so pictures it is. When I post my progress each week, be it a gain or a loss, I will share pictures of what I look like at the time. For me, I care less about the number and more about feeling comfortable in my own skin. I’m not very comfortable in it right now. So, here goes…

Eek! I can’t believe I just posted this!

Well, it’s all out there now. Almost literally.

May 8th, 2013 Stats -

weight – 188 lbs

waist – 39 inches

hips – 46 inches

right thigh – 28 1/2 inches (side note – I hate my thighs)

right bicep – 12 inches

I’m completely freaked out right now. Excited, but freaked out. Today was day 1 on plan and so far my biggest complaint is the number of times I’ve had to pee. Seriously, I feel like I’m 9 months pregnant again with all the peeing. I know that will subside some in the next week or so, but oy. I’ve liked everything I’ve tried so far and still get to eat one more time before bed. I’m not sure if I want to try a chocolate shake or S’mores bar. I was impressed with the variety of foods to choose from, so I have a lot of new things to try.

I’ll share my progress with you guys every week and I hope it’s positive progress! In the mean time, I’ll stay on plan and you guys can let me know if you have any questions, suggestions or comments, ok? Have you had any success with a structured weight loss plan? Tell me about your experiences or your own personal weight loss goals!

Posted in Health/Wellness, Take Shape For Life | 6 Comments

There’s A Metamophosis Happening In My Dining Room…

Posted on May 6, 2013 by mamamommymom

I’ve talked about raising butterflies with the kids for a few years. I’m not sure why we never got around to it, but we just haven’t. A few weeks ago, the girl and I headed to Raleigh with her Girl Scout Troop for a trip to the Museum of Natural Sciences.

As is my standard rule of thumb for special excursions (read: places with gift shops), the girl was allowed to chose one item she’d like to take home with us. I generally set a $20 limit on it, but since the museum was wicked cheap, I let her go a little over this time. After picking out a variety of random things, subsequently trading each for something else, she set her sights on a butterfly kit from Insect Lore.

How could I say no to that? It was a little more expensive at the museum, but hey, we saved on shipping costs and helped support a great cause.

It took about 10 days after ordering our caterpillars for them to arrive. The kit came with a certificate to get the caterpillars for free, though you still have to pay $5 to have them shipped. When they arrived, I was surprised by how small they were. I didn’t even take a picture. The kids thought they were really cool and didn’t believe that they would be butterflies in less than three weeks… honestly, I wasn’t sure either! It only took a few days though to see that these little buggers grow FAST! You know how one day a pair of pants will fit your kid, and the next day them seem to small? Almost like they shot up overnight? Yeah, that’s what these guys do… every.single.night.

Creepy!

I won’t lie. These little dudes were creeping me out. I kept them sitting on top of my desk so I wouldn’t forget about them. Yeah, that happens around here a lot… I forget about things. Whatever. Mama’s got a lot on her mind. It only took about a week and I noticed them making their way to the top of the cup. There’s a little piece of paper in there that they attach themselves to before they build their chrysalis(s – ?). Once I noticed the first one hanging out, it wasn’t more than 12 hours and the rest were as well. We literally watched them shed their skins. Strange, creepy and yet we couldn’t look away. Have I mentioned creepy?

Just born! …er, hatched?… Emerged? I’m not really sure.

Of course, after waiting 10 days for the little guys to come crawling out, not a single one of the five complied with my request that they come out while we were home and could watch. Nope. Each and every one waited until we were out of the house before they popped out. They mostly hung on the sides of the habitat, wings closed for a good day and a half. Finally some have started moving around and opening their wings.

Caught you!

They’re very pretty! Did you know that most butterflies only live 2-3 weeks? I feel kind of bad for them, though they seem content to nibble on the fruit and hydrangea we’ve put in their habitat. I’ve told the kids we can only keep them for a few more days before we set them free. All in all, this was pretty cool. I kind of want to do it again. Good thing the habitat is reusable!

The good news is… it’s almost lady bug season! I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces with I whip out the package of live ladybugs I’m ordering!

Posted in Reviews | 3 Comments

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