my intrepid researcher

That's her.

In the last weeks, homeschool has taken another turn, as it does, as life evolves.

And yet the child desires an education, so she's working on it.

She's been doing reports on things, looking up facts, printing out photos.

She did a report on a creature called an Aye Aye, and on a place called Transylvania.

There was a report on chinchillas, which was very cool.

Right now she's researching the provinces of Canada, specifially Quebec tonight.

I'm doing nothing, lying on the bed keeping her company.  That's the light fixture over the bed--a cute enough light, but a phenomenal bug catcher.

Okay now, hold on here. How do Marge and Lisa show up in Quebec report? 

What is this?

I read the report--very nice, quite detailed, still not sure how Lisa and Marge fit in, but that's okay.

Bonne  Nuit,

love, Val

kind

I found this on my desk when I came wandering home at midnight.

Lydia?  I love you.  love,   Mom

a dumb story

This is Kirsten.

This is Julia showing me how she can jump rope with her eyes shut.  (Her dad jumped rope and almost jumped into a hole.  Dang, don't wreck your back on dumbness, Jay.)

Tonight Kirsten and her little dog were here for supper, very nice.

Out in the kitchen, Julia poked Kirsten in the shoulder and said, "Grandma?"

Kirsten stared down her, "I am not your grandma."

"Oh, yeah!  Kirby!"

Then Julia showed her a package of  cookies--Keebler Pecan Sandies, to be exact, and told her, "I sniffed these and the smell of the walnuts gave me hiccups."

What?

What on earth?

That makes as much sense as the time Kari told us her tutu gave her a headache.

Plus, those aren't even walnuts, they're pecans.

Kirsten loves kid weirdness as much as anyone I've ever known, so I'm still snickering about it now. Okay, that's the end of today, for real this time. Happy, happy MAY! love forever, Val

may day, 2012

These are chipmunks, which are somewhat like squirrels

Just sayin'.

Here's my mother who came again today to help us wrangle babies.

See little baldness, little mr. t.g.?   He's liking this walker thing. 

Look at this yard.   It takes until July to heal the dog blight pee stains from the winter, and about then the yard turns to toast from the heat.

The front yard is decent looking, I guess--way better than this anyway.

Here we're waiting for lunch to be ready.



Picking dandelions:

Helping Grandpa with the rocks:

This is a dog I must brush.  But the hair then gets in my eyes and throat and --oh shut up, just do it.

Here's b.g. just up from a big sweaty nap upstairs in Maria's bed.

It was lovely up there, windows open a tiny bit, breeze blowing, the rumble of city traffic on the street below, birds singing in the big maple tree.

This is a bold farming girl. 

The tractor however, my parents gave to Little Jay for his third birthday.  (I think.) 

Now I think we have to throw it away this year.  It's all worn out.

Here's the plumber on the phone, trusty dogs by his side.

And like the yard, the back steps takes a beating from that huge dog and her huge paws.   Every year we have to repaint.

Maria's awesome at it.

And this?

Why?



Or why not?   Only Tim knows.    

And that's the end of a very fine Tuesday of baby stunts and it's the first of May and thunderstorms are headed our way.

Thanks again, Mom for making these wild days so much easier for all of us, babies especially.  

love you all so, Val

so exciting, sheeze

Here's where I teased her about looking bored. "You can come with me to TJ Maxx tonight."

See the look on her face?   I asked why she didn't look more excited about it, and this is where she blurted out as if I were insane, "It's TJ Maxx.   Come on.  How excited can anyone look?"

Awww, she thinks my favorite store is boring!  I hear that insinuation. 

Thanks a lot.

So are you coming with or not?    love, Mom

getting there

At first it goes soooo slowly, it's like it's not happening at all.

But then, all at once it is.  Reading turns real, and stories are fun.

Here he's happily (happily!) reading those old Dick and Jane stories from 40 years ago. They're as dated as can be, but he's laughing.

Keep going, buddy.     We love you, Mom and Grandma

creamy as butter

 Here he is, getting changed.

 And being charming,

and irresistible.  

Today for the first time there was wild, right out loud laughter when I did crazy kissing on his cheeks, and that's some kind of music.

Happy Baby Tuesday,  

love, Grandma, and Great-Grandma, and Auntie Lydia, and Auntie Julie, and Uncle Tim too