Purple Irises are not for picking.

 Some lovely person who has in the past lived in our house planted iris bulbs all along the fence.  We have had the joy and pleasure of watching them come up out of the ground, grow buds, and bloom.  They are so pretty.  However Viola would like very much to pick one but I tell her that we will enjoy them for much longer if we leave them outside.

Fortunately there are plenty of dandelions that are ripe for the picking to distract her from the irises and tulips.

Rite of Passage: Sponge Curlers

 Viola decided this morning that she wanted curly hair so off to Sally's we went in search of the infamous sponge curlers. She sat perfectly still while I rolled her fine feathery hair.  I must admit that she was also watching Thomas the Tank Engine, a favorite around here.

 Of coarse we had to get some before pictures of the curler adorned head.

 Then out they came and oh the curls.

 She was so excited that I had a hard time getting her to sit still for some curly pictures.  

See the clapping hands.

 I must admit, I think she's pretty cute.

Viola is 3

 Today is the big day.  I think that Brian and I have been more excited about Viola's birthday that she was leading up to it but now that the day is here she is excited too.
We started the day with presents and chocolate chip banana pancakes then off the the farm for some barnyard birthday fun, complete with dandelions.

 They have a real working water pump.

 Viola was mostly wanting to take Papa to the farm so that he could enjoy the animals too.  They wore matching hats and enjoyed petting and feeding the horses, sheep, and goats among other creatures.

 I tried to get a picture of this lady bug on Viola's dress before she noticed it.  For some reason she does not like lady bugs.  As soon as I pointed it out it was promptly removed and released into the "wild".

 We climbed up in the silo.

We spread some dandelion seeds for future blowing.

Farmyard fun over we headed to a special birthday lunch at a restaurant that makes Lemon Meringue Pie.  Viola has been talking about this pie since she first read Amelia Bedilia so I thought that she would be thrilled with a surprise Lemon Meringue Pie instead of a birthday cake.

 She liked the site of it when it arrived at the table, piled high with meringue.

 Then Papa cut her a piece...

... she took a bite, and then...

 ...declared, "I don't like this".

 Well now we have had the long discussed Lemon Meringue Pie.  And it was not a complete success but she did like the meringue though.  Just not "that yellow stuff".

After lunch we headed to the park with some new sand toys and enjoyed some time in the hot sun.

 Next year I'll bake a chocolate cake.

Viola and Julia

While I worked on tonight's red beans and rice, Viola and Julia made Fish in Monk's Clothing.

Down on the Cache la Poudre

But most people around here refer to is simply as the Poudre,
pronounced Pooder.
I took Viola down the river trail this morning on her balance bike in hopes of capturing some nice images of our little almost three year old.  (Her birthday is April 21st.)  I had a time keeping up with her as she sped away from my slowly waddling very pregnant self.

Check out an album of the morning's adventure here.

  All that she really wanted to do was throw rocks in the river.

 I convinced her to sit and smile at me once.

 And I caught the serious side of this silly little girl.

 And then to the playground of coarse.  But she did not want to take off her bicycle helmet to play.

"S" is for Some tree bark.

Viola brought this piece of bark to me today and said "look Mama an S"  I was so proud.  It's nice to know that something is sinking in when we do alphabet flash cards.

One must always wear a helmet when riding ones bicycle.

Even if it is a plastic flower pot.

Mustache in Avacado

Midwife in training

Viola has been practicing her midwifery skills by measuring my belly.  It measures 2 1/2.  Oddly Mary measures the same.