Blue Jay Babies!

We usually have robins nest under our deck on top of our ladder.  The last four years we've been able to watch them grow up.  This year however, we noticed much larger sticks being placed along the ladder.  Once we started keeping an eye out we realized there were blue jays building a nest!  Their nest building skills are amazing.  Look at this wet mud that they placed before a softer layer...

The eggs hatched either right before we got home or right after we got home from the beach. 

They grow so fast!  Both mama and daddy blue jay are very very busy feeding these loud hungry babies. 

This first guy left the nest late evening and I got to watch it happen.  He was jumping around all over the place under the deck screeching.  The parents called to him with a different sound, like the sound that the fledgling was making and got him out of the yard into some bushes.  The next evening the last four did the same thing!  The parents called them into four different locations.  It was so such a cool event to witness.  

Once they were gone I didn't see them for almost three weeks and thought most of them didn't survive.  But to my surprise after three weeks, I saw three to four juveniles in our redbud tree still getting fed by the parents.  They looked full grown other than lighter color and smaller beaks.  Jeff has been feeding them peanuts and even the babies are getting in on the action lately. :) 

 

 

Happy 45th Birthday, Jeff!

 We have had so many new but frequent visitors to our birdfeeder this spring!  Every evening we see a pair of bunnies eating bird seed and often we have deer that come up to get a bite. 

Jeff got my famous tiramisu for his bday along with plenty of new fishing clothes and some kabobs for dinner.  Finley had to open all of his presents for him of course. 

My little workout buddy was doing her glute bridges this morning. haha!

Gardening is more fun when Daddy sprays you with the hose!

Garden Time and Fishing

Even though I constantly argue with the HOA about the water quality at the pond and the creek that runs behind our house, it is definitely a fun place for Finley to visit right now.  We can almost always catch a fishy or two.  She has been brave enough to touch them, but prefers to see them being reeled in. 

Lots of playtime on the screened porch in the evenings! 

MeeMee and PawPaw stopped by to play for a little while.  Finn loves every second of it!

Wonder who took this picture? 

Painting is always a fun morning activity...

I wanted to get out of the house because it has been over a year, right?!  My mom and I took Finley to get her first real ice cream cone at Dap's.  We even ate our ice cream inside the restaurant, what a change!  Finley was soooo excited to pick out her flavor and surprised us with chocolate since she only eats vanilla at home.  

Do those red cheeks and arms tell you how hot it was today?  We picked out plenty of annual flowers for home and YaYa's house. 

My little sleeping beauty was worn out after a long day.  She wanted way too many stuffed animals in her crib. :) 

We spotted this snapping turtle laying eggs next to the pond this morning. 

Back to Lowe's for more plants with Daddy. 

I scored several good toy deals on Facebook.  Finn is certainly enjoying her dinosaurs!

She is in a stage right now where she wants to read by herself for an extended period of time each evening.  

Trying to recreate an acai bowl at home:)