http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_tent_caterpillar

Samedh and I were in the back yard on bunny patrol tonight (a frisky pair has been frolicking in the yard all day long) when we stumbled upon a little caterpillar in the grass. We coaxed it onto a stick and Samedh observed it close-up, even daring to touch its soft hairy back. After a while we let it go, back onto a similar blade of grass in our yard. Within one foot, we immediately saw another one. Samedh was so excited and suggested that these little guys will eventually turn into beautiful butterflies. I wasn't so sure, but told him we'd search the Internet to read more about this kind. Well, here is what we found out: Eastern Tent Caterpillar (see link above). They can do quite a bit of damage, so if we find more in our yard we'll be sure to direct them elsewhere. But all in all, it was a good learning experience. Every little bit of nature Samedh can experience up close is a treasure. Tomorrow's nature experience will surely start with bunny patrol again, but we'll be on the look-out for our caterpillar friends again as well.

A Memorable Weekend

Pics from our holiday weekend in Novi and Toledo....

Not the Best Place for a Nap

This is a first! I just found Samedh napping UNDER a table in the living room. His snoring lead me right to him, and when I lifted the table and set it aside, this is how I found Samedh...curled up with his thumb in his mouth! He and I had been working on last minute preparations for a weekend trip to the Detroit/Toledo area, and I guess he simply had enough. Just ten minutes ago, he was with me while I printed out Mapquest directions to our friends' house and to the Toledo Zoo. He was working on puzzles, but must have slipped away quietly to the living room while I was printing. Why was he under the table? My guess is he thought he'd hide from me there, but the quiet coziness lulled him to sleep instead. He hid from me under the same table only one hour ago, and we laughed about how wonderful of a hiding place it would be when his cousins visit and play hide-and-seek with him. And here I thought without an afternoon nap, Samedh would simply sleep in the car this evening. But this isn't too bad. A light nap now will allow him to be awake later during our scenic drive and dinner on the road.

Samedh's School Year

Today was Samedh's last day of preschool. There was a short program of songs they've learned, followed by a small ceremony where each student received a certificate and hug from the teachers. Afterwards, the kids had snacks and then played on the playground for the remainder of the time. I can't believe how fast the school year flew by, and just how much Samedh has grown and matured. I saw some of his biggest changes just today as he ran around the playground. He attempted new playground equipment that he never was interested in before, and even went down the big curvy slide by himself a few times. Even he knew the big slide was a huge step for him because he kept telling me about it. He was so proud, and I was proud of him too! I have a feeling that he'll grow and mature even more this summer, and maybe even become a little more daring on the playground! Overall, he had a wonderful year, and we are all looking forward to September when he'll attend preschool three days a week at a new location.

Meet Our New Neighbor

Samedh and I enjoyed watching half a dozen goldfinch pairs zipping around the back yard today during snack time. We also saw a number of starlings and mourning doves snatching up twigs and decorative grass clippings for use in their nests. We've set up a cozy spot in the dining area right in front of our slider door, which we refer to as our "sun room". While it's not an actual sun room, it certainly feels like one when you sit in a comfy chair right up close to the full window. Samedh often sits at his little table during snacks or meals, and can enjoy a full view of the various birds eating from the feeder on our deck as well as in the garden below. It's been a great way to teach him about the different species of birds who visit our yard. Now and then, we'll see a hawk fly through the back yard, or watch beautiful great blue herons fly over head.

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Just when you think you've seen just about every back yard bird there is, someone new shows up. This morning, out of the blue, a brown thrasher landed on our deck for a couple of minutes before disappearing into our garden. It stayed long enough for Samedh and I to get a good glimpse from the kitchen window, where I made a mental note of its size, shape and markings. Samedh's first impression was, "It's a hawk," simply because of its color and size. It was definitely larger than most birds who come to our deck, but it was not a hawk. I went straight for my Birds of North America guide book (an excellent bird identification book by Kenn Kaufman) to make the proper identification of this bird who was "new to us". In my mind I could clearly see the large bird who was reddish brown on top, striped below, and had a long beak and long tail. I quickly found its match in my book, a brown thrasher, who is also pictured above.

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Now we don't have a lot of trees in our back yard, but some of our neighbors do. We've been trying to change that over the years by adding blue spruce trees, arborvitaes, etc. Most of our resident nesters are mourning doves, house finches, goldfinches, robins and sparrows, but I hope that will change as our landscaping matures and offers more cover to other species. Maybe this brown thrasher was just passing through, but it was a real treat for us today. Makes us wonder who will be stopping by next!

Sunday: Action & Relaxation

Samedh's action on the court...

One of my favorite tulips of all time!

Busy Weekend

This is a photo collage from Samedh's Trike-A-Thon held Saturday morning.

Springtime photos taken Sunday in our front yard...

Turtles, ducks and frogs...just a few of the creatures we saw during our Sunday hike at the nearby wetlands.

Our Sweet Samedh

April Showers

Garage Sale Treasures

Just when you think you have enough toys, garage sale season comes up again! A few weeks ago, my friend emailed me a listing of sales in her neighborhood, and I wasn't sure if I was even going to go this year. I had visited her subdivision's sales (the biggest production I've ever seen...complete with grilled hot dog sales, etc.) the past two years, and always went home with something great. Two years ago, our big hit was a huge stuffed Elmo toy for $2 (Samedh was a huge Elmo fan back then). Then last year, I seemed to hit the mother load: a Little Tikes picnic table, Fisher Price Grow-to-Pro Basketball Hoop, and 3-sided Step 2 Easel, all for just over $30! (Oh, and that does not include all the huge bargains we found in our own neighborhood last year as well!)

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So this year I was seriously thinking, What more could Samedh need? Our toy supply is more than complete, and another garage sale would simply be creating a "need" for something that we really didn't need. But then I looked at the listing. Two families had train tables for sale. When there are train tables, there are probably trains, so I thought it was worth checking out further. I had learned from my friend that her neighbor's table was white with storage bins, which sounded ideal to me. So off Samedh and I went, joined by my mom (who thankfully has a van), and our first stops were to the homes selling train tables. The first table we looked at was huge and heavy, also white, but it had no storage bins. The asking price was $80, which was not a price I wanted to entertain. I had seen a used white train table with storage bins available on craigslist for $120, but the thought of paying $80 at a garage sale just didn't sit well with me.

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Then we walked to the next block and took a look at the second table. THIS ONE was exactly like the table I saw on craigslist, bins and all, but it had no price tag on it. Great, I thought. If you have to ask the item's price, it's probably something you can't afford. But then I thought back to the Step 2 Easel from last year. That also had no price on it, but when the woman selling it suggested $4, I quickly took her up on it. So I asked about the train table, expecting another $80 figure. I was quite relieved when she responded, "How about $40?" She said it was light-weight, and easy to transport. Then she presented four gallon zip-lock bags full of Brio trains, wooden tracks, and other accessories for $15. As a mom of a little boy with Thomas trains, I know that these particular trains and tracks would coordinate with Samedh's existing set. I also know that one small pack of Thomas add-on tracks costs roughly $25, so I was really excited to see these offered at the sale.

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While I was contemplating the $40 table, I quickly scooped up the four bags of train tracks, knowing that this purchase alone was going to make Samedh's day. But then the $120 craigslist table flashed through my mind. This was the SAME style table for only $40, it was light enough for me to carry myself, and my mom had her van for easy transporting. It seemed too good to be true, and it was definitely a bargain I couldn't pass up. In the back of my mind I had a feeling that Pankaj was going to question my paying $40 for a play table, but this is something that Samedh can get lots of use out of for several years. Sure, there were other little treasures that we picked up today (games, puzzles), but the train table and accessories were the big hits. And after today, we are definitely done buying the big toys. Our stock is complete. Until next year...

Better Than a Bird Nest

When It Rains, It Pours

Well, it's 5:30pm and we never did pick up that mulch from Lowe's. The three of us had an excellent lunch at Taj India though -- complete with tasty gulab jamun for dessert. It stormed all afternoon, so any plans of shopping for mulch today are pretty much rained out. There's nothing fun about hauling huge wet bags of mulch (just ask Pankaj; he's my hauler). We'll just wait until things dry out a bit and then stock up.

Our afternoon was simply spent indoors. Samedh and I set up his Thomas the Train track and played a combination game of Thomas and Bob the Builder. Afterward, Samedh and Pankaj wrestled and did their typical father & son masti. Now the two are taking a nap after all their fun. Actually, three ARE napping, if you include Cosmo. She also loves a good late afternoon nap on a rainy day. And speaking of rain, it's started up again. Sounds very peaceful, and it's more welcome than snow, but it looks like an evening walk is out of the question as well. Maybe now is a fine time for Pankaj and I to finally watch Slumdog Millionaire (we've had the DVD for weeks, but STILL haven't seen the movie). Now if I can only wake Pankaj up from his deep sleep...zzzzz

Spring into Action!

It's hard to get motivated today. After yesterday's beautifully warm weather, today just doesn't seem to measure up. Last evening it was near 80 on the lake shore, but close to 90 when Samedh and I drove 40 minutes inland to watch my niece's softball practice. Today has been windy, overcast, and sunny in between heavy downpours of rain. It rained for five minutes only, and then quickly dried up. Now it's just plain cloudy with strong gusts of wind. I originally intended to mulch my flower beds today (have to still buy the mulch, however), but it's been much more relaxing poking around inside the house. I think our plan now is to visit the Indian buffet for lunch and then stop by Lowe's to pick up our mulch. If I never get around to actually applying the mulch, then I guess that's OK. At least I'll have it at home for when I'm ready to spring into action!

Making the Most of a Sick Day

Samedh stayed home from preschool again today. After coming down with an upper respiratory infection and missing school last Friday, we felt that he needed an extra day to recover before returning to class. He's much, much better today, and his runny nose and cough are just coming to an end. But last week and the weekend were miserable for him: nagging dry cough, fever, and a runny nose that wouldn't quit.

Today at preschool, he missed out on a segment about ponds, ducks and frogs. Samedh loves frogs, so I thought I'd create a special "Frog Day" for him at home. We started the day with a "frog theme bath." Then, to his surprise and delight, Mail Carrier Joan arrived extra early today with our mail - - the long awaited delivery of a little red Netflix envelope containing a Leap Frog DVD called Talking Storybook Factory. So the frog theme continued as Samedh eagerly watched Lily, Tad, Leap and friends in this new movie. After lunch, we'll do some activities relating to frogs and their habitat, create a frog storybook, and color a connect the dot frog picture.

Out With the Old

The Salvation Army truck will be in our neighborhood tomorrow, so I've spent the last few days gathering old clothes and unused household items in preparation for their visit. I filled two boxes of old glassware and clothing for tomorrow, and set aside one entire tote of fall and winter clothes that will be donated in later in the year. All that's left is a pile of Pankaj's dress shirts that he no longer wears (the style is a bit too casual for his current employer). He can sort through them tonight to see if he wants to still keep them. He hasn't worn them in five years, but chances are the shirts will stay around here another year or two. You just never know...

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I had lots of fun rummaging through two old purses I found in the basement. One purse I used regularly when Pankaj and I were dating, and it was so old that it had to be thrown away. Amazingly, in that purse I found an old box cutter that I used daily while working as a deli clerk in the early 90's. (And just in case you're wondering, it was used to cut open cases of product...not for slicing meat or cheese.) I also found a pair of earrings, the sales receipt for my wedding dress, my first drivers license that expired in 1991, a pay stub from 1994, and a favorite shade of lipstick I thought I'd never see again. All of that plus a few dollars in loose change, which I happily forked over to Samedh. He enjoyed "feeding his pig" by dropping the coins one-by-one into the big old red piggy bank I had used when I was his age. Now he keeps asking me for more change! I told him we'll just have to wait until Daddy comes home tonight and empties his pockets of spare change.

More Easter Fun

Happy Easter!

As Promised...

The Barber of Bombay

As I sit here typing, Pankaj is giving Samedh a haircut in the next room. For some reason, Samedh is sitting patiently and cooperating, even though the buzzer is being used. There is no crying, screaming or carrying on like when I've attempted cutting Samedh's hair (meaning Samedh - - not me). In fact, he seems to be enjoying another "men and the boys" experience. I can hear the buzzer buzzing away long sections of jet black hair, and Pankaj just made the comment about having a "nice short summer buzz" that won't have to be cut now for some time. I have no idea what it looks like in the bathroom, or exactly how short Samedh's hair will be when they are done. I DO know that I will take a photo of Samedh when he's finished, and that Pankaj will be sweeping up the floor. But they've been at it for a while now, and Samedh is still not shouting his famous line out of desperation, "It going to be right OK!" So stay tuned, because when all is said and done, I will be posting a photo of the master's work.

Reclaiming Our Basement

Phase One: Assess the Damage


Phase Two: Make Necessary Repairs

We had some water damage in our basement while we were in India this past December. The humidifier on our furnace leaked water into the hallway, which then spread to the carpet in the adjoining rooms. Not only are we having the entire basement re-carpeted, we also needed five new doors, door frames, baseboards, and even a small portion of drywall replaced in the bathroom. Phase Two is underway this week, courtesy of our neighbor who is a builder. He installed the new doors yesterday (two of which are solid core, which we didn't have before), and is continuing with the trim work today. Next week, his painter is scheduled to paint our bathroom, and once they are all done we'll have the new carpet installed.

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In the almost ten years we've been in our house, we never really used the basement much though it was fully finished. Now that our entire lower level has become a construction zone, I'm anxious to get it all completed so we can reclaim some additional living space. As Samedh gets older, he'll need so much more room to play and hang out with his friends. We'll still keep one of the bedrooms as a guest room, but the fourth bedroom will become an official exercise room, housing both the treadmill and the weight bench. It will be wonderful to have a family room dedicated for that purpose only...I got so tired of our treadmill being the focal point of that room for so many years. Now I can't say that we'll run out and immediately buy a huge flat screen TV and a cozy couch or two to go with it, but we may have to consider some sort of furnishings in the coming months. I'm already working on painting our old dining room table and chairs to serve as a sort of "activity table" for crafts and games, cards, etc. Additionally, garage sale season is only just a few weeks away...so I'll be keeping my eyes open for some unique pieces of furniture that can be painted or recovered to add some new life to our once barren basement.