Caterpillars

I'm not sure if we've become more boring lately, or if I'm just more lazy, but I haven't been all that on top of keeping up the blog. I realize this when it's almost the end of the month and there's only been 2 posts all month. Oh well. I'll add a few posts tonight to bring it all up to par. :)

Last week we decided to try for a family picture after church. Rachel only lasted so long (or so short), so this was the best we got. Closed eyes, but at least it captures her cheesy personality.

I found a caterpillar out in our garden on Thursday and brought it in and put it in a box for Rachel to watch. She was in love. We got rid of him that night after she went to bed. Then Friday I was out in the garden again (a very rare occurence for me to be out in the garden twice in one week! I'm a bit of a neglectful gardener--once the seeds are planted my job is done for the most part.) and I found 5 caterpillars!!! The stinkin' bugs are trying to eat all of our pepper plants. Is it okay to teach a 2-year-old how to use a BB gun to shoot at butterflies? ;)
At least Rachel got some joy out of them. I got rid of the first one, but she saw the second one, so from there on out we had to keep them all. Rachel helped carry this one inside:

She would sit for long periods of time watching the caterpillars, pointing out their poop, and checking on them every time she came into the kitchen and saw their box again.

Her favorite thing to tell me: "I like to pet caterpillars!"

After Rachel went to bed Friday night Jake and I were watching a movie and Jake noticed one of the caterpillars who had managed to escape and was booking it across the living room floor, leaving a line of slime all the way from the kitchen table, a good 30+ feet. It had crawled to the end of one of the stems, which tipped with its weight and allowed him to escape. Luckily the other 3 were all still hanging out in the box. They didn't get to stay in the house much longer after that. At least Rachel had a couple of days of caterpillar fun. And hopefully they're all gone from my garden (if I don't go out to look, there aren't any there, right?).