The big backyard and Rome

I love our neighborhood. Especially in the spring. For a big big city, our little neighborhood has an impressive amount of grass, water, tadpoles, frogs, dandelions and other signs of nature. Last week we spent a day just wandering...a rare day with no afternoon school and beautiful weather. So we just wandered through the neighborhood- spying tadpoles, collecting algae for our own tadpoles at home, blowing dandelions and enjoying the neighborhood, which sometimes feels like one big backyard.

Lucy learning to blow dandelion seeds.

These neighbors had a hutch with chickens, a parrot and a talking black bird. They were entertained there for twenty minutes or more just watching and talking to them.

Climbing on the giant fish statues.

 We have been studying the Roman Empire and attempted to make aquaducts. I often shy away from such ambitious projects but felt like this one was worth trying. The boys love projects like this.

Fish Day 2014

Last Saturday dawned clear and bright- just in time for Fish Day. In case you are new to the blog, Fish Day is our neighborhood tradition of letting the kids in the neighborhood release goldfish into the ponds and streams after the water has been put back in every spring. A super fun tradition that we enjoy with our neighbors.  Check out this video showing Lucy's intense excitement this year.  After most of the fish had been distributed, there were leftovers. So this shu shu came around with extras and Lucy got very into it. The video does not show her chucking them into the water one by one, however you can use your imagination.

Wish I could say that no fish were harmed in the making of this video...but I think a few of them at least  met a bad end by being thrown against a rock or being manhandled.

 The boys are experts at fish day now and went back for rounds 2, 3 4 and possibly more.

Notice the difference between what my children are wearing and the local friends next to us.  Hmm, is is shorts and t shirt weather or sweaters?