Every year I put in a small garden. A few tomato plants, peppers, green beans, maybe some lettuce, and this year some squash since Devon and Beth had extra plants. I usually plant it and forget about it for awhile. I would not call myself a green thumb by any stretch but it is always fun to get in vegetables, and now that the boys are getting older, they love to watch everything grow and help pick the produce. I sent out Henry to pick some green peppers the other day and he came back in telling me "I HAD to come out and see something."
It was a Tomato Horn Worm. When I was growing up, we had a HUGE garden. And I'm not joking... in my little 5-yr old mind, it was the size of about half a football field (or maybe a third!... correct me if I'm wrong Mom!). We had tons of every type of vegetable. And all of us had responsibility in the garden. That worked out well since there was always 6-8 kids available! One year, I distinctly remember Devon had to build the mounds for the melons, put the seeds in, and then Meg and I had to come behind him and cover the seeds with dirt and water. I also remember picking green beans FOREVER and then getting to watch Star Search on Saturday night with Ed McMahon while breaking off the ends on all the beans we had collected. Our thumbs would get so sore.
Ok... I'm digressing. That was just a short memory lane walk for my own record-keeping :) All of this to say, I clearly remember these worms on our tomato plants. They can destroy your plants if you don't take care of them. Hen found this on our green pepper plant and it had white little eggs all over it. So I told him to call my mom to find out what it was. Of course, she knew and, Mom, you were right. It is the parasitc wasp that lays its eggs on this worm. If you are interested in more, check out
this.
Henry started Pre-K at the beginning of September. We finally decided last winter that we were going to send him to preschool for 3 days a week. He goes M/W/F afternoons. He loves it! It is so fun to see him excited about it. It is hard to believe he is already going to be 5 in November. Time is flying. Days seem long sometimes, but months fly by. It is hard to describe. Their little angel faces are looking so grown up... Wyatt seems like a big boy more and more and Myles is already through the first 3 months.
Dear Henry - for the record, you started pre-K. Here are some tidbits that you've shared with us thus far. You are already excited about kindergarten. Your favorite part of each day of pre-K is the 10-minutes you get to spend on the playset. Your teacher teaches you nothing when you are on your learning rug, you can't remember any other kids names (except that Cameron kid), and you use the bathroom by yourself. Ms. Allison is nice to you. You don't actually talk to her, but she smiles at you a lot. You obey all the time, not like that other kid named Cameron who kicks the kitchen the whole time Ms. Allison is talking. You set an example to the other kids by always obeying (so you say). You do remember one more girl's name... Josie. She is your 'girl' and you play together outside. You love getting dropped off at the flagpole. You wish you could take me, Wyatt, and Myles to school with you because you like us and you think we'd like your class. You don't like it when we come to pick you up and Wyatt stands at your classroom door calling your name. Today you told him to stop saying your name... you can see when we are there :) We love you!!!! 
