Our new "pet"

Right after we had some rain, I was feeding Jake and noticed something different about my favorite plant that was sitting right next to the dog bowl on our back porch.   I looked closer and saw a huge toad that almost perfectly blended in with the dirt.  Upon a closer look, I saw the huge toad AND another medium sized one.  I pulled the plant into the light for the kids to see.  

I noticed the smaller toad was moving around but the large one did not move at all and it seemed to be burying itself down into the dirt. Something definitely seemed a little off and I told the kids not to mess with it, even though Easton loves to catch frogs!  

The next day, the toad was gone, but we noticed a little egg inside the plant!

Of course we started keeping a close eye on this plant and soon the large toad returned.  It was sitting on the egg and kept burying itself into the dirt, where only it's head was showing at times.  

I checked on it the other day, exactly 7 days from the first time we saw the toad, and there was a baby toad sitting right next to the large one!  It's skin seemed very thin and fragile and I literally watched it hop out of the plant and away from what appears to be its mama.  

Two more days later and the large toad is STILL in our plant.  Today is was SO buried down into the dirt that we thought it was gone until we saw the dirt moving.  Thinking maybe it was looking for more moisture I watered the plant and soon after, it brought its head back up to the surface.  

The weird thing is that I don't think toads lay single eggs.  I have done a little bit of searching trying to figure this out and I can only find that they either lay strings of eggs in the water that will become tadpoles or they give birth to live baby toads.  The later seems to be the case here, but then where did the egg come from??  Since having the baby, the toad hasn't moved from the plant so I can't see if the egg is still there. 

I'm fascinated by this toad that seems to have made a home and a family inside a fairly small plant on our back porch!  Hopefully I'll figure this out eventually.  ;)  Either way, it's been fun for the kids and I to watch and follow up each day.

Owen & Emma at 19 months old

My first 2 on 1 time with them and we had a blast!  They are precious and I really got to see their personalities shine through.

Asher's first day at KDO

September 8 was Asher's first day back at KDO!  He is 2 years and 4 months old and SO excited to go to school just like Ella and Easton.  He even posed for these pictures!

Labor Day 2015 - LOTS of kids!

Pool fun!

Bus Stop!

For the first time ever, the kids are trying out the bus this year in the afternoons.  I have been a little nervous about it but they are super excited.  The stop is at the end of our street and they get home only 5-10 minutes later than if I was going through the carpool line. 

I had a knot in my stomach all day today, the first day of school!!  I was more nervous and emotional regarding Easton than I expected.  Then the bus was 20 minutes late and since it was our first experience, I was getting even more nervous and sick feeling.  Then, at last it showed up and the kids hopped off with big smiles on their faces and I wanted to cry with relief that they had such a good day!  Easton noticed right away that I had brought his bike to the bus stop and was so thankful.

They raced home, and could not stop talking as they ate their backpack snack that they had forgotten about on the bus.

Sitting in the kitchen, unwinding, they were both craving their chance to tell me all about the bus and all about their first day.  Luckily I heard ALL good things.  The bus was Easton's favorite part and he really likes his teacher.  He didn't seem phased by the fact it's all in Spanish and he didn't understand most of what was said. He said he just did what the other kids were doing, which is exactly the idea.  Ella is also really happy about her teacher and loved getting her supplies organized and getting settled into her new classroom.  It's going to be a great year!!!   

1st Day of School - (Ella-2nd Grade, Easton-Kindergarten)

I love this picture Michael snapped of me helping Easton brush his teeth because I love how affectionate my boys are...Easton holding my hand tightly with both of his hands and Asher cuddling in my lap.