comings and goings

We got to meet our new niece, the delicious and easy-going Evelyn on Saturday afternoon.  Later, we went to the high school grad party for this young man, our handsome accomplished eldest nephew.  Congrats, Kyle!

LOST graduated from prime time TV last night with the finale.  I enjoyed its six-year run, but I won't miss it.  Too many questions.  All that time spent learning about the 'Tailies' in the second season (who all died off), and The Others, and the Dharma Initiative seems kind of wasted.  I thought this last season was sometimes a bit boring, perhaps because I like the ensemble episodes, and there were several recent eps where we'd see only a handful of the cast.  Some of the couplings were wrong in the end, too, darnit.  I could say a million more little things, but...meh.  It's done.

An ugly sound

Let's just say Michael is no longer allowed to practice trombone near any windows.  I much prefer the sound of a sharp note to shattering glass.

projects and play dates

It was nice to get out of that cold, rainy slump and into some great weather this weekend.  Lots of pictures here to show just how we spent our time and way too much money these past few days.

 We decided to blow this year's tax refund on a new concrete patio and basement level patio door. 

The contractor still needs to finish up a few loose ends, but we're pleased with how things have turned out so far.  FYI, that's blue tape, not a weird decorative choice.

Ta-da!  A slab of concrete.  Nate did the landscaping in front.

Nicky's Kindergarten program was on Friday.  A year ago, he didn't want to sing or do any of the motions to the songs in his preschool program, but he was all over it this year.  Here he's singing into his 'microphone' thumb (notice the slackers around him).

Monkeys have opposable toes, right?  Otherwise he'd qualify.

The effects of a playdate on an 8 year old girl's finger & toe nails.

Safety first.  

Flower planting time.  Petunias are my hard-to-kill staple in the sunny front of the house, but now with the back patio I get to try to keep impatiens and pansies alive.

why I'm a mom

Why become a mother?  Clearly, to score some cards and crafty gifts from the kids every year on Mother's Day.  Well, that, and to share my house with this bunch of occasionally grouchy, hilarious, smelly, smart, goofy, cute, affectionate, and energetic people.  Sunday was a nice day.  We had brunch at church, then meandered around Bachman's for a while, and later we went on a family bike ride - our first official one as a family of six.  Nate and I recently caved and bought new adult bikes after giving up on finding decent ones at garage sales. 

Last week, Michael had his 5th grade spring band concert.  He looked all grown up in his white dress shirt and black pants.  It's still a tough stretch for his arm to reach the notes at the end of the slide, though.  But he'll grow into it eventually.

Also, remember this freaky thing?  The 5th graders worked on their masks for several months and Michael just brought the finished product home.

I guess it'll help decorate his room now.  Or he can wear it to a Mardi Gras parade.  Or to look in the neighbors' windows at night.

future band geek

Michael did get into the band festival that I mentioned a few months ago.  It was on Saturday way down in Austin.  Not in a central location of the southeast region, no, that would make too much sense.  But it was close enough for Papa Duane the Iowa grandpa to come see the little concert, so it's okay.

Michael seemed to enjoy himself.  Hard to believe it was only a year ago that he chose his instrument.  The band sounded pretty good for a bunch of kids that have played for less than a year and had just a few hours to learn new material.

Yay for a new NIECE

Evelyn Joy!

Congratulations Tim & Janine!!  

And congrats to big brothers Isaac, Alex, and Jacob.  

Earth Day haute couture

I suited up to clean the pond the other night.  Traipsing around in there is tricky business.  One is liable to get stuck in the muck.  Despite springing a leak in the right boot, I powered through and picked up two bags of junk from our corner of the pond.

One hears a lot about all those disgusting litterbugs this time of year.  No doubt there are jackasses who toss their junk out of the car window and such, but I suspect the Wind is a bigger culprit.  As long as there's Evil Wind in the world, trash and recycle bins will blow over and spew their innards all over creation.

Turtle Power!

Now that the bullhead carcasses have disappeared and the stench of dead rotting fish is gone, it is once again pleasant to live by a pond.  The thicker ice & snow pack of this past winter suffocated more of the poor buggers than usual.  This turtle was creeping around our yard last week.

We also enjoy seeing herons, egrets, lots of ducks, and a muskrat or two.  The frogs are really loud in June.  The ducks get all the stale bread during the summer and it's fun to see what else they'll eat.  They ingest all manner of cereals & crackers, but, say, gummi bears?  Not so much.  They 'chew' on them for a while before spitting them out.  Good entertainment.

This poor guy crawled back into a pond full of pop cans and water bottles and other random junk.  Need to get out the waders for the annual clean-up.

8 eyes

Nate and Adrienne just got new glasses.  Poor A was half blind for almost 2 weeks, stuck wearing her very 1st pair of glasses which are less than half the strength she needs now.  We were waiting for the new pair (#3) and for her 2nd pair to be repaired.

We had great weather again this weekend.  Little miss dramatic wanted to change into shorts yesterday and when I wouldn't let her, she raided the freezer for some ice packs.  Sheesh.  There's plenty enough laundry to do without all the wardrobe changes she requests.

I miss this show