School 2010
After a very full summer, we began the new school year. Here the boys are on the first day. Evan is wearing a shirt he decorated for field day last year.
They had a fantastic first week and an exhausted first weekend. We had plenty of sleep last night, though, and I saw this as I was getting ready to take them to school this morning:
Evan is out there reading a book, although you can’t quite spot it.
I think they are ready!
Niagara Falls
Our big trip this summer was to upstate New York to visit Ben’s parents. While there, we drove to visit with his Aunt Cathy, Uncle Steve and cousin David. We also squeezed in a trip to Niagara Falls! We sure can fill five days! Ben and I visited Niagara Falls twice long ago, but this was the first trip for the boys. The wind was as strong as I remembered, but I had forgotten how you get soaked just standing there. 
Swim Lessons
For the first time, we had a summer that has included swim lessons! I think Evan has asked for the past two years. During the first day, both boys were pretty scared; Evan wanted to quit and go home. Thank goodness we didn’t! By the final day (they had eight lessons), they were both jumping off the diving board! I was astonished. We are already wishing to do more swimming next summer. Enjoy the pictures!
Home School?
At a gardening center this past week, I was talking to someone about all we have been doing in our square foot gardens. She asked me if we home schooled. I was confused about how to answer. Well, yes, we do. We also send them to school. Still not sure how to answer that seemingly simple question. 
Strawberries!
Last night, I asked Evan to cut some strawberries up for our dessert. He came into the kitchen and asked whether instead of just strawberries, could he make a fruit salad? Sure. Also, he asked, could he use the blender to blend up some strawberries to make a sauce? Sure! We thought the finished product was delicious as well as beautiful. Nice job, Evan!
Gardening Kit
Evan’s Aunt Katie got him a very cool gardening kit for this past Christmas. Evan recently got into it and has the window in Ben’s and my room covered with containers full of sprouting seeds. We love spring! 
Frogs!
About a week ago, Nana and Papaw came for a visit and we walked along a new greenway trail together near the boys’ school. The temps were great and there were lots of other people out walking on the trail. And while we walked we could hear some frog sounds, and excitedly I said to Evan, “are those frogs?” “Yeah, Dad, and they’re NOT spring peepers, either. Those are wood frogs.”
During this week, we began to notice we could hear frogs at the window close to the boys’ bedtime. It sounded far away, like the frogs were down past the woods somewhere near the little creek we call “salamander creek.” I asked Evan, and when he listened he said he was sure what kind of frogs they were.
On Saturday, close to bedtime, I took the boys on an adventure. We got on our boots and jackets and I packed my digital recorder. I recorded our walk down to the creek, across the creek and up the hill and then through the briers to where we could hear the frogs the loudest. We stood there for about 8 minutes taking turns holding the microphone. Below is the recording of the frogs. We are trying to identify the species and are not sure about it yet. From other recordings we’ve listened to, it sounds the most like the Western Chorus Frog but we don’t believe they live around here.
We listed through these two CDs without finding a match:
The Frogs and Toads of North Carolina, Michael Dorcas
The Calls of Frogs and Toads, Lang Elliott
If you listen closely, just about exactly in the middle of the recording, you can hear a very excited Grayson enjoying the moment.
If you have ideas about what kind of frog this is, let us know!
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