quick pictures

joe and I are going to a charity event tonight, so a picture of me and one of E. I was experimenting with natural light with E.

nashville

The boys and I went on a quick jaunt to Nashville this week to see a few friends. We had a seriously fantastic time. I got some great pictures of their kids, but I don't share faces of other kids without permission. So that's a tough break for you all. Here are a few of my kids though, and the back of a little friend's head. Her face is gorgeous, just so you know. But you are not allowed to see it. Because I am a horrible tease.

farmer McGregor

I have declared war on the cotton tailed set. there are a number of rabbits that live in and around our yard. extremely tame rabbits, that come out during the day, and let gabe and maddie get shockingly close before moseying away. I made eye contact with one of the little blighters this weekend, and told them to stay away from my lettuce. then spent the entire afternoon building a rabbit cover for my garden. in the large garden we have 4 types of lettuce, broccoli, onions, garlic, cauliflower, kale and carrots planted. More will go in Derby weekend.

I tried to convince Joe that he needed to urinate around the outside of the garden, you know, predator theory. He thought I was kidding. I impressed my seriousness upon him. Lets say, I think his eyes rolled far enough back in his head that he stared at those large frontal lobes that we need for phase 3 of the great garden pest war (if I applied similar tactical strategy effort to chess, I might finally beat joe). So, I am taking applications for large predators to pee in my yard.

Anyway, here is the spring part of the garden, and the cover. and one of me building stuff.

spring showers...

I am getting prolific here, but I couldn't resist. The boys found some mud, leftover from the thunderstorm early morning yesterday.


I have the flower gardens all planted. Here is the bleeding heart and the hydrangea, and one of the cherry tree in bloom (which is also a 'before' picture of the fence).



James playing on the stumps we retrieved from a neighbor's tree removal, and E coloring with chalk


And finally, the big vegetable garden (pre-planting....it gets started this weekend), and the small garden planted with tomatoes (yes...it's early) and strawberries (yes....they shouldn't be in the same garden). whatever. we learn as we go. But so far, it looks like we will get a few strawberries this year!

look! he isn't crying

I haven't said too much about Eliot of late. He is a tiny guy, topping out at 20 lbs soaking wet at 20 mos. He is still super active, with very astute both fine and gross motor skills. He frightens other mothers at the playground. Climbing and coloring are his two favorite activities. He is a pretty stoic kid, and turns up with mystery bumps and bruises often (see his nose? total mystery). He enjoys wrestling with James, and is a tough little bird. He has started speaking in telegraphic sentences, mostly concerning where various people are "where'd ee go?", and his favorite animals ("see dat bur! (bird) dere! bur! what'll we do? GET IT!", substitute "goggy" (dog), "wion" (lion), or "cap" (cat) and you have a lot of what we talk about in a day). He is opinionated, and quite fiesty. He makes no qualms about telling you he doesn't want something, and launching it across the room. He calls me "daddy". He really enjoys spilling things and cleaning them up("oh NO! what'll we doooo? get CWOF (cloth)"). He adores James at this point, and put up with a lot of very scripted play for the pleasure of his company.

james: "you are the terrible fire breathing dragon, and I am going to spike you"
eliot: "otay. ROWR"

and he looks just like me. score one viking genes!

on the 'phone'

james is AWESOME

awww

the many faces of james

here you have a gorilla, a bird, the similar but unmistakable chimp (if you confuse a gorilla and a chimp, you will immediately regret it; take my word on that), and a turtle.




and one of eliot, whose life is full of tribulation

Easter misery

Let's just say that these were the best pictures Joe got of the boys and I this morning. The woe was because the boys wanted to color on the sidewalk with chalk, and instead they were being tortured with matching outfits and a camera. Doom and peril be upon us all. That said, James was happy I did not force him to wear anything "fuzzy" (i.e. a sweater vest).