This love of mud must seriously run in the family.

Let me tell you something about Tyler. He likes activities that include words like Extreme, or Ultimate, and that also produce sudden rushes of adrenaline. And he's found something new.

Bug Collecting.

It all started with catching butterflies. It is surprisingly difficult to spot, follow, and catch a butterfly. They are fast. And they flutter and fly. Sam caught our first one, a Giant Swallowtail, in our backyard with a Ziploc bag.

We also have a neat collection of wasps. You've never seen wasps like these before. They help add that oh-so-necessary element of danger to the speed and excitement of bug collecting. Tyler is the only one who actually catches them.

And dragonflies. We have some dragonflies. They are one of the more smart and wary bugs. It's true.

I've got to say, for the more entomologically-aware or you, that we know that the actual "collection" of insects is frowned upon these days. (collect, euthanize, harvest, kill - synonyms) But we do it anyway. We only "gather" (syn.) one of each species, we freeze them to "render them lifeless", (syn.) we thaw them to pin them, and keep them in a shadow box in our livingroom. And we learn from them. The kids learn all kinds of, you know, good things from looking at, comparing, identifying, drawing, and reading about these creatures.

Plus we're just rebels like that.

The pictures aren't adrenaline filled - I can't keep up with Tyler like that. But they are cute. And, plus, also, Tyler made our nets for way cheap all by himself, including the sewing.

the kids at the wetlands

I am grateful to worship how, where, and what I may.

And I do.

I am grateful to educate my children how, where, and with what I choose.

And I do.

I am grateful to travel how, where, and for whatever reason I choose.

And I do.

Just a few of the many reasons I am grateful to have been born in this time and place with the combined opportunities and experiences I have received throughout my life. I am not "proud to be an American", but I am eternally grateful to have been born one.