Crawdads

In the summer, little boys like to look for crawdads. Julius has found the granddaddy claw of all claws! We have no idea where the rest of the crawdad is.



And here is the entire group of nature explorers:

Great Health News!

There's a cancer drug that might actually help the respiratory disease that Julius has. We just saw this news story a few days ago and are so excited. They are about to start clinical trials on it.

Go check it out... very exciting news!

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=7700000&page=1

Now it's hard not to dream of a day where we don't have to keep taking him in for multiple surgeries. Wow.

New Farmer's Market

Our town attempts to start a new farmer's market. I hope it flies! I'm thinking of going down there to try to sell some faeries.

How Tristan Helped

Tristan helped the family by staying asleep the entire time the tire was being changed.

I helped by documenting the experience, otherwise I proved pretty darn worthless.

In the Moment

It's the live Rob Cam.

The End of an Adventure

On our way back from our adventure at the river we had a flat tire which I'm not sure we would have noticed except that Tristan's car seat kept leaning over on the curves and we stopped to make an adjustment. Air was Whooshing out of the tire. I will not described further as it wasn't one of our better moments.

And when I say "our"... Well, you know who I mean.

A Big Helper

Julius brings the tire to his dad.

Putting It Together

Rob puts the tire back on. Looks like we will make it home after all!

Back in Action

Rob to the rescue. Although the irony is that he's rescuing me from himself. Funny how life works.

Where I Wish i Was

Instaed of being on a cool Route 66 vacation I am waiting by the side of the road for my husband to bring me my car keys which he left with in his pocket.

Tools of the Trade

We're in BFE and the GPS is almost out of batteries.

I Spy

I spy with my little eye... A man!

Where I Am

Here's where I am at the moment. Cute little red tractor in the distance. Not sure if you can see it. I passed a dead vulture in the road and when I came back he was covered in live vultures eating him. That's opportunism right there.

My Little Ladies

Here are the little faerie prototypes I've made. I need to take some good pictures so you can see them better. I'm still debating... Faces or no faces?

Two Boys Fishing

The boys are feeding the fish on this rainy Sunday. We managed to not lose Tristan despite his efforts to leap in and ride on the carp like a bronco buster. Julius got soaked to the bone and had to ride home in his underwear.

This post is part of Small Town Snapshot Sunday.

Fishing by Hand

Julius tries to catch a carp with his hand.

Two Boys and a Cat

Boy Being a Boy in Pain

Boy Being a Boy

That's Not a Smile Either

Attept #2 to get Tristan to approximate a smile. He has a great natural smile. I don't know what THIS is. Something you'd see on Wild Kingdom.

That's Not a Smile

This is what happens when you ask Tristan to smile for the camera.

Companionship

Close-up

He's ready for his close-up, Mr. DeMille!

Sleeping Cat

Sleeping Cat
a poem by Tristan

I hear the cat's belly
it sounds like
a song

Very Relaxed

Brutus is finally learning to relax around the kids. Here he is sleeping on Tristan's lap.

A Real Conversation!

I had an actual REAL CONVERSATION with Tristan this morning. I've had conversations where he says something and I say something but it's mostly me repeating what he says or asking him a question that he tries to answer.

BUT TODAY... today we actually had a real conversation which went something like this:

Me: Tristan, do you see the squirrels?

Him: Where?

Me: There in the yard, between those trees. There's two of them. See?

Him: Me get them.

Me: I don't think so... they are fast and would be long gone up the tree by the time you get there.

(He thought about it for a few, long seconds.)

Him: Neak.

Me: You'll sneak up on them?

Him: Mmhmm.

Too Early for Santa?

I SO want this bike. Is this the coolest thing ever?



They're giving one away in July. You should go check it out.

Mmm, Tasty

Note to self... Goats eat file folders.

Goats and Rooster

Here is where I've been for the last hour.

Fluffy Clouds

Fabulous fluffy clouds in a blue, blue sky.

Date Night

Rob and I are having date night! This is the first movie we've seen in I don't know how long. Just him and me... And you, of course.

Crumb-y

Sometimes life is crumb-y. That's why you need Black & Decker.



(This is our lame audition to get product placements. How'd we do?)

Thanks, Joanne!

If this doesn't make one's day, nothing will. Thanks Joanne and Cookies in Bloom!

Julius and Brutus

We're all acclimating. Brutus got hit by a car or attacked by an animal. His leg is all torn up.

Catsitting

We're catsitting for two weeks for my mom. Tristan and Brutus fight over the blankie.

Reorganization

Tristan is reorganizing the pantry that I still haven't finished. I need to crackle it and get the doors on. When it's done it will be an antique white crackle with red showing through.

Rob will be annoyed when he sees Tristan's handiwork! Oopsie.

Shannon and James

My friends Shannon and James apparently have their own dolls made by Disney.

And the real thing...



I feel like I'm in the twilight zone.

Duck Duck Goose

Tristan watches the Canadian geese. Every day on the way to the sitter we stop to look at some ducks at a little pond. Today a pair of geese were there with their babies. I got video of it but it's too big to transfer over the airwaves. Hopefully I can find the cord for my phone and upload it later.

cave

Julius made a cave for the boys to play in. He wanted everyone to know he made it all by himself. Complete with sheetrock.

This picture makes them look a little like creepy ghost children. I can assure you they are not ghosts. Poltergeists, maybe.

I'm Pretty

This is a note Julius gave me this morning... On the day he is leaving for his very first sleepover.

He wrote it completely himself. It says, "I luv u mom you R pride and nis"

If you read it phonetically you'll understand what it says.

Ready Set Graduate

I am participating in a pilot program that gives kids an overview of things they need to do in life after they graduate such as buying a house, car, getting insurance, etc.