1st Grade Comes to a Close

OK, so I'm a bit behind getting photos up on the blog. We lost our baby hummingbirds and after many tears have managed to move on. In the past weeks Jessica has 'graduated' from first grade and is now on summer break. We had many end-of-year activities and I'll add things to the blog in no particular order. First up we have some graduation photos. Jessica was called on stage and received the President's Gold Standard Scholarship Fantabuloso Award (or some such name). The Award was basically for all the kids with a 3.7 to 4.0 grade point average, and Jessica finished the year with Straight A's for her fourth quarter. Please note the Ruby Red Slippers that were Jessica's shoe-of-choice for her special day. Again I have to wonder, Where Are My Genetics??? Take note, these will probably be some of the last pictures you see for awhile that has Jessica with two front teeth. They are both hanging by a thread and should be coming out any day now.

Nine Days Old and Things are Getting Tight

Their beaks are starting to grow longer, but they can't open their eyes yet. One baby is definitely a bit bigger than the other, so we are now calling them a brother and a sister. Anyone have name suggestions? Names need to start with a J.

Wow - We've Still Got Two!

The two hummingbird babies are both still doing well, and neither one has managed to take over the nest. Not sure how they both will fit much longer, but we're keeping our fingers crossed. Right now, at 7 days old, they have very fluffy 'hair' and short beaks. The eyes do not seem to be open yet.

End of Year School Picnic

Page had their end of year school picnic this past Friday and we had a busy day at Cheviot Park playing with hula hoops and water balloons. Ananda, Jessica and Sydney were the three muskateers as per usual.

4 Days Old

Our two hummingbird babies are now 4 days old, and both are still safely tucked away in the nest. They are very fuzzy, but turned so that I can't get a good shot of their faces. I'll get a shot of mom to post soon also, but she runs as soon as we get close.

The Second Generation Has Arrived

So we have now named our Hummingbird Mom. We decided she must be the same mom that used this nest last year, so we are calling her Big Jess, since her '06 baby is named Jessiphina. If one or both babies make it this year, then we'll give them appropriate 'J' names also.

The eggs hatched on May 9th, and we have two tiny little hatchlings. Last year one baby was obviously bigger than the other, and the smaller one got booted out of the nest pretty quick. This year they both look pretty healthy, so hoping they both make it.

Check ME out!

So let's all take your best guess on who these amazing beauties are. Well, perhaps the baby is pretty cute, but let's be honest that perhaps I was not the most attractive of children!!! Major dental work was in my near future. Jerri found this tucked away in Sacrament and now I actually have a few pictures from my childhood. Amazing that baby Jerri is a dead ringer for baby Charlie. And damn, he's good looking.

Tick The Box, Buy the T-Shirt

So the Nash family has yet another project under their belt. This month we studied Fossils and prepared a report and visuals to present to the class. In true over-achiever fashion, we went to the teacher store and found some fossil molds and used plaster to create some fossils, and then we created a model t-rex and finally our superior report.

Let's all cross our fingers for another semester of high honor roll!!!

Jessiphina is Back

The Nash household is very excited that we have a second generation of hummingbirds using our front door nest. We had a hummingbird family last spring which resulted in one baby (two eggs) and we named the new addition Jessiphina. This fall we trimmed the camellia bush around the nest from last year, even though we assumed that a hummingbird would not re-use an old nest. We were wrong. We are not sure if this is the original mom who made the nest in '06, or maybe it's Jessiphina - the baby. Or maybe a new hummingbird just happened to find the old nest. We noticed the first egg last week, and then the second egg appeared on Monday, 4/23. We'll take picture updates as best we can without being too intrusive. Hard to tell from the photos, but the eggs and nest are TINY!!!

Where's the Nike Swoosh??

We're still working on those tennis skills in preparation for college scholarships!! We need to get some good Nike sponsorship to help mommy pay for her retirement lattes.

HIGH HONOR ROLL!!!

Not sure who is more excited - Jessica or Mom? But today Jessica was called up at assembly to receive her award for High Honor Roll for the third quarter. Last quarter, for the first time, she made the Honor Roll, but her amazing diorama, and 2nd prize Science Project, kicked her over the top for High Honor Roll. She's very excited since she bargained for a 'red-toenail' pedicure if she made Honor Roll two quarters in a row. Days like this make all the freelance angst so worth it.

The Easter Bunny Comes to Visit

Is there a better day for fancy dress photo opps? I don't think so! Jessica, Goose and Grandpa Charlie (wasn't he on the The Adams Family?) are all happy to search for eggs and eat chocolate. Big props to the Easter Bunny who visited The Heff's with an Easter Treasure Hunt.

LACMA SPRING ART CAMP

Jessica had a fantastic spring break at art camp at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Every day she came home with new masterpieces including ink transfers, collage, 'jason-pollum-spatter-art' and other pieces where they went 'into the real gallery' and copied the masters. My favorite is the Jason Pollum, which I had no clue what Jessica meant until I actually saw the art . . . nods to Jaskson Pollock. Big thanks to Margie for telling us about it, and check back this summer when Jessica attends another week in July.

The Science Fair at Page School

So we conquered yet another school project for the year. And all our hard work paid off with a second place win in Jessica's 1st grade class. NOT that I'm bitter, but the first place winner admitted to Jessica that her mom did the whole project . . . so at least my 'heavy' participation didn't seem so bad.

Jessica Agrees to a 15 Minute Photo Shoot

Fun Family Shots

Holiday In Palm Springs

Tons of fun had on the recent trip to Palm Springs with the Wright family. Plenty of pool time, an afternoon of tennis and several heated jump-rope competitions. Jessica wisely handpicked the judges and had a winning streak the entire week.
And what I wouldn't give for that girl's hair!!