WAITING FOR WINGS.

I've been on a mission this summer to keep my girl as busy as I can. Some days it's lots of fun and I love it, other days it leaves me quite drained. But it's all worth it to see her having fun and learn a thing or two in the process. We only have three short months to cram it all in, before we are forced to hole up for a long MN winter. So, I'm trying to make the most out of each day that I can. I saw this over at Enjoying the Small Things, and I was sold.

I have followed this blog for quite awhile now, and it always leaves me inspired. Kelle is so positive, creative and happy, and is most definitely a glass half full kind of gal. She makes me want to be a better person, a better Mama, and let the little things roll of my back and truly enjoy these precious gifts that I have been given.

I knew a local store carried these butterfly kits that Kelle had used, and I have even used it with a class of my kindergartners before. I knew Nugget would love it. You purchase the 'kit', which is basically just a butterfly house, and send in a coupon to receive your caterpillars in the mail.

They arrive like this, in the caterpillar stage.

And quickly spin their crysallis'.

Then you remove them from the cup and pin them to the side of the butterfly house. And watch. And wait.

And watch. And wait some more. Nugget was a patient little waiter.

And then one day, before your very eyes...wa la! Butterflies! We got to watch this one break free while we were eating breakfast one morning. What a sight to see. It was pretty cool.

I had grand plans to capture some amazing pics, like Kelle's above, but the day the last two butterflies emerged, I was also running around busily packing my family for a cabin weekend. I thought it was no big deal, that we would just do it two days later when we returned. Well, little did I know that while we were gone, those butterflies were mustering up their strength, and when we opened their house upon our return, they just flew right on out, not stopping or looking back. Leaving me in the dust. They were ready to be set free.

So the only picture I managed to capture was of this sweet little one, with the 'broken wings'. Not sure what happened to this guy, but Nick and I decided that when you produce butterfly larvae in a factory to be shipped around the nation, you're bound to get one that just isn't quite right.

This is the one that we watched make his transformation during our breakfast. I was worried about him. Or she? Anyhow, I felt sorry for the little guy but didn't know what to do. I placed it right by a flower inside the butterfly house, and placed a few drops of sugar water on the flower, so it wouldn't starve. I was hoping and praying that Orelia wouldn't come home to a 'sleeping' butterfly. But he pulled through and was alive and kicking when we got back. It wasn't able to fly off like the others, so we placed it in a safe spot and left nature to run its course. Butterflies are only meant to live a few days anyway, so after that I didn't feel quite so sad for it.

After our butterflies were gone, Orelia was already asking me to order more. I'm glad she enjoyed it, but I think that's it for us this year.  Next year. We'll definately do it again.