Montana 1948
by Larry Watson
I finished it in one day, granted it's short, but still - I couldn't put it down.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
a little ketchup
I really don't have the time or energy to be blogging. it's almost midnight, I've got a job to finish for my dad, dishes to do and countless other small chores I could list but won't!But I've not written for some time, and since the main reason I blog is to keep up a bit with the people I love and don't see much and even more to share pictures, here I am.
Maggy is teething and doesn't seem to like the heat much. She is waking more during the night, just enough to wake me up then go back to sleep. She is often fussy while lying next to me and seems to sleep better when she's in deep sleep if I move away. Last night Fletch came in around 2 am to sleep with us, Maggy got fussy and so I went down to the bottom of the bed. We all slept soundly for a few hours that way.She is also rolling over, talking lots more and loves our attention. She is so beautiful and wonderful. I'm really very glad she's here.
Fletch is much more adjusted to being in a family of four. We're getting ready to start swim lessons and I expect he will love that. He is growing so tall, and getting very strong. One of his very favorite things to do is ride his bike. Occasionally he enjoys cooking, here he's put together his own salad and prepared it in one of my mortar and pestles:
It's apples, basil, and some type of flowers from the front yard.Life is good and flying by. whenever I can figure out how to put a video of the kids in here I will. In the mean time I'm still trying to finish Maggy's birth announcement, it almost seems silly now, but I'm determined to get them out.
Monday, June 02, 2008
A Must Read
Plainsong by Kent Haruf.
Check it out, I absolutely LOVED this book. I am going to check the library for all of his other works. Wow, I mean, it's good.
Check it out, I absolutely LOVED this book. I am going to check the library for all of his other works. Wow, I mean, it's good.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Trip to Granny's house and The Long Beach Aquarium of The Pacific
Since Jim had a extra day off for Memorial Day Weekend we headed down south to Granny's house. We had a great visit, Granny and Maggy spent lots of time getting to know each other.
We all love to be at Granny's, her home is comfortable and very, very kid friendly. She made us her famous waffles on Tuesday morning, Sunday night we all went out for a lovely dinner at her favorite steak house. Despite her claims of being too old for anything and the fact that she feels like she is falling apart she would take Maggy from me every chance she got and walk her all over the house. You can't tell from the pictures here but Maggy is already almost half her size, that doesn't stop Granny. Look at her smile!
Fletcher spent as much time as possible outside on his bike. Riding is one of his favorite past times. He talks about all the bikes, dirtbikes, motorbikes he will own when he's "18". We must have gone around Granny's block about 4 times per day while there.
Dad and Maggy on one of the many bike rides out front of Granny's house.
My daughter has THE longest lashes in the world! She is really talking a lot now, laughing and enjoying our attention very much.
On Monday we packed up enough for the day and drove a bit further south to Long Beach and the Aquarium of the Pacific. Fletcher has been asking to go there since some time around Christmas when he saw a commercial for the aquarium.
Fletcher in a boat, playing some type of capture game with the other children. Maggy and Dad standing by and watching Fletch play.
Fletcher spent at least 30 minutes playing with the bat rays. There was an aquarium worker standing behind Fletch on a loudspeaker telling the crowd all about the rays. After about 3 minutes Fletcher took over her job, lecturing anyone standing near him about the life and habits of rays.
Maggy lost interest in Fletcher's lecture very quickly.
A touching tank, and Fletch holding a hermit crab. This aquarium volunteer was really great, he was patient - answering Fletcher's questions and obviously really enjoys his work.
We enjoyed the aquarium, but both Jim and I agree the Monterey Aquarium is a bit better, more engaging and interesting. Still it was a great way to spend our day, the weather was perfect and we couldn't have asked for more. Well, Fletcher can! A ride on a real boat is what he wants next.
Back at Granny's after a very long day.....
but still smiling!
Ready to wrestle with dad, poor dad.
Then fall into bed.
It is always hard to leave Granny's, while at the same time we are always ready to head back home.
While Maggy has taken much better to her carseat, the first few months she screamed as soon as she was put into her seat, a three hour ride was asking a lot of her. We ended up making three or four stops on the way home to let her lay under a tree and visit while Fletch ran around. Thanks to well kept rest stops and a park we've never been to this was a nice addition to our weekend.
I love this picture, I think it's the look of pure joy on Fletcher's face. He does love his daddy.
At the park we stumbled upon, we were fortunate enough to see a rare wild leaping lemur! He was hiding in a tree when we got there, but soon came out to play!
We all love to be at Granny's, her home is comfortable and very, very kid friendly. She made us her famous waffles on Tuesday morning, Sunday night we all went out for a lovely dinner at her favorite steak house. Despite her claims of being too old for anything and the fact that she feels like she is falling apart she would take Maggy from me every chance she got and walk her all over the house. You can't tell from the pictures here but Maggy is already almost half her size, that doesn't stop Granny. Look at her smile!
Fletcher spent as much time as possible outside on his bike. Riding is one of his favorite past times. He talks about all the bikes, dirtbikes, motorbikes he will own when he's "18". We must have gone around Granny's block about 4 times per day while there.
Dad and Maggy on one of the many bike rides out front of Granny's house.
My daughter has THE longest lashes in the world! She is really talking a lot now, laughing and enjoying our attention very much.On Monday we packed up enough for the day and drove a bit further south to Long Beach and the Aquarium of the Pacific. Fletcher has been asking to go there since some time around Christmas when he saw a commercial for the aquarium.
Fletcher in a boat, playing some type of capture game with the other children. Maggy and Dad standing by and watching Fletch play.
Fletcher spent at least 30 minutes playing with the bat rays. There was an aquarium worker standing behind Fletch on a loudspeaker telling the crowd all about the rays. After about 3 minutes Fletcher took over her job, lecturing anyone standing near him about the life and habits of rays.
Maggy lost interest in Fletcher's lecture very quickly.
A touching tank, and Fletch holding a hermit crab. This aquarium volunteer was really great, he was patient - answering Fletcher's questions and obviously really enjoys his work.
We enjoyed the aquarium, but both Jim and I agree the Monterey Aquarium is a bit better, more engaging and interesting. Still it was a great way to spend our day, the weather was perfect and we couldn't have asked for more. Well, Fletcher can! A ride on a real boat is what he wants next.
Back at Granny's after a very long day.....
but still smiling!
Ready to wrestle with dad, poor dad.
Then fall into bed.It is always hard to leave Granny's, while at the same time we are always ready to head back home.
While Maggy has taken much better to her carseat, the first few months she screamed as soon as she was put into her seat, a three hour ride was asking a lot of her. We ended up making three or four stops on the way home to let her lay under a tree and visit while Fletch ran around. Thanks to well kept rest stops and a park we've never been to this was a nice addition to our weekend.
I love this picture, I think it's the look of pure joy on Fletcher's face. He does love his daddy.
OOOOOh, another animal! This guy was really nice and let Fletch hold the bird for a moment.
What a sweet brother.
What a sweet brother.At the park we stumbled upon, we were fortunate enough to see a rare wild leaping lemur! He was hiding in a tree when we got there, but soon came out to play!
Great weekend all around.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
visitors
At least a month ago Jim's little brother, Bobby and his girlfriend Stephanie came to visit. The visit was short, but sweet. A nice dinner and then some play-time at our house:
Bobby, Jeff and Jim.
Fletcher and the boys.
Fletcher playing the guitar Bobby gave him.
Bobby holding Maggy.
Stephanie, Fletcher and Kennedy (Fletcher's cousin, Jeff's daughter).
Anyone who knows Fletch, knows he's a ladies man. True to form, he fell for Stephanie. Watch out Uncle Bobby!
Bobby, Jeff and Jim.
Fletcher and the boys.
Fletcher playing the guitar Bobby gave him.
Bobby holding Maggy.
Stephanie, Fletcher and Kennedy (Fletcher's cousin, Jeff's daughter).
Anyone who knows Fletch, knows he's a ladies man. True to form, he fell for Stephanie. Watch out Uncle Bobby!
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
The Most
Anyone who has a child knows about "The Most"
The Most Beautiful, The Most Intelligent, The Most Aware, The Most Kissable, The Funniest, The Most Imaginative, The Strongest, The Most Advanced, The Silliest, The Sweetest, The Most Hilarious, The Most Precious, They even Poop The Most, the Biggest & The Best!
We all do it. Blinded by love and hormones (at least for moms), we know OUR child is The Most .......
Then you have a second, and it's truly a miracle. You suddenly have another who is The Most.....
The first child's Most-ness is not even effected by the second child's! You have the only two children in the world who are both simultaneously "The Most"
Mine are both The Most Amazing People I know.
The Most Beautiful, The Most Intelligent, The Most Aware, The Most Kissable, The Funniest, The Most Imaginative, The Strongest, The Most Advanced, The Silliest, The Sweetest, The Most Hilarious, The Most Precious, They even Poop The Most, the Biggest & The Best!
We all do it. Blinded by love and hormones (at least for moms), we know OUR child is The Most .......
Then you have a second, and it's truly a miracle. You suddenly have another who is The Most.....
The first child's Most-ness is not even effected by the second child's! You have the only two children in the world who are both simultaneously "The Most"
Mine are both The Most Amazing People I know.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Evan Days
Every Thursday is Evan Day. It grew from our original homeschooling group. Evan is Evan Albright, who owns and runs SLO Wanders.
Each week we go to a new place and work on outdoors skills: fire building, shelter building, tracking animals, learning about plants, playing games, and enjoying nature.
__________________________________________________________________
This is quite old, from one of our first outings. This is a shelter the kids built:
____________________________________________________________________
Here we are at El Chorro Park in San Luis Obispo, rock climbing, exploring the creek and learning how to do a spore print with mushrooms:
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This is Reservoir Canyon, where we go at least once a month. This is Evan playing a game with the kids. He is the deer, they are all predators hunting him. They have to sneak up on him, if he looks up, he has heard them and they must freeze. Fletch is a mountain lion and viciously attacks the deer:
____________________________________________________________________
A few weeks ago we went to Jennifer, Marina, and Shasha's house, their family owns 420 acres near Park Hill Road where we used to live.Before we came out they had spread out flour around a stick with some type of fish on the top, we were checking for tracks of animals coming for the fish.
Here the kids found some berries on the ground. Evan is talking with them about how to figure out where they came from and what kind they are:
lunching with the cat, and Maggy awake and enjoying the sun and breeze.
____________________________________________________________________
Sometimes we go out to Evan's house in SLO, recently we made mug wort soap, which is good for washing off poison oak oils. Here they are collecting wood for the fire to melt the glycerin:
Fletcher, blowing on the tinder with the fire coal to get the fire started:
____________________________________________________________________
This week we went to the Salinas River bed where the kids are working on building a more permanent shelter, one we can visit through all the seasons:
Maggy and I had a nice visit while all the work was being done.
We start and end each meeting with a circle. During the opening circle we say hi, talk about our plans for the morning a share something we are grateful for. Fletcher is usually grateful for some type of animal, this week the Indian Cobra. At our closing circle we say good-bye and share something we remembered or enjoyed about the day. This week Fletch remembered finding a bobcat track
Some mornings it's hard to get out of the house before 10 am, which is when our meeting starts. Some days I feel too tired to hike. Some days I just want to stay home. Usually we leave the house right at 10, we're late, and Evan is always nice about that. Then I am so glad we're there. I am glad every week we found this group, and that Evan does this work.
Each week we go to a new place and work on outdoors skills: fire building, shelter building, tracking animals, learning about plants, playing games, and enjoying nature.
__________________________________________________________________
This is quite old, from one of our first outings. This is a shelter the kids built:
____________________________________________________________________Here we are at El Chorro Park in San Luis Obispo, rock climbing, exploring the creek and learning how to do a spore print with mushrooms:
____________________________________________________________________This is Reservoir Canyon, where we go at least once a month. This is Evan playing a game with the kids. He is the deer, they are all predators hunting him. They have to sneak up on him, if he looks up, he has heard them and they must freeze. Fletch is a mountain lion and viciously attacks the deer:
____________________________________________________________________A few weeks ago we went to Jennifer, Marina, and Shasha's house, their family owns 420 acres near Park Hill Road where we used to live.Before we came out they had spread out flour around a stick with some type of fish on the top, we were checking for tracks of animals coming for the fish.
Here the kids found some berries on the ground. Evan is talking with them about how to figure out where they came from and what kind they are:
lunching with the cat, and Maggy awake and enjoying the sun and breeze.
____________________________________________________________________Sometimes we go out to Evan's house in SLO, recently we made mug wort soap, which is good for washing off poison oak oils. Here they are collecting wood for the fire to melt the glycerin:
Fletcher, blowing on the tinder with the fire coal to get the fire started:
Two weeks later, the soap is set and they split it up:
____________________________________________________________________
This week we went to the Salinas River bed where the kids are working on building a more permanent shelter, one we can visit through all the seasons:
Maggy and I had a nice visit while all the work was being done.
We start and end each meeting with a circle. During the opening circle we say hi, talk about our plans for the morning a share something we are grateful for. Fletcher is usually grateful for some type of animal, this week the Indian Cobra. At our closing circle we say good-bye and share something we remembered or enjoyed about the day. This week Fletch remembered finding a bobcat track
Some mornings it's hard to get out of the house before 10 am, which is when our meeting starts. Some days I feel too tired to hike. Some days I just want to stay home. Usually we leave the house right at 10, we're late, and Evan is always nice about that. Then I am so glad we're there. I am glad every week we found this group, and that Evan does this work.
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