PSA #4

We had a great Easter with Ma II up for a visit, a wonderful time of worship, an Easter Egg hunt, and a worship-ful and fun Seder with our Supper Swap friends. This marks our third Seder with them, and it was the best yet. Photos and stories soon, I hope.

Easter pictures crack me up, by the way. Maybe it's family history.

Pixie and Bud

Yesterday, I mentioned that Pixie cheered Bud on when he was first learning to roll over. We have missed a lot of "firsts," which is OK--life is moving on. But here, I managed to capture the very first time Bud rolled from tummy to back. Pixie's cheer has become a classic phrase in our house.



It is hard for me to believe so much time has gone by. Our time in Wheaton (where this was shot) seems so recent, but in child-years so much has changed and grown. Here are some shots of Pixie and Bud the week of the above video.


I love how she's sharing wisdom while grasping a sippy cup. OK, maybe she's just gazing in delight at this new-ish wonderful person in her world.


Or maybe she just told a joke, and now he's very afraid. We used to call him Sir Spooks-a-lot. Please don't tell anyone else.



Just look at those little hands! And, Bud, you'll be OK.

There is a brother in your future...but he likes to hold hands, too.

Pixie was about Wombles' age!

Bud gets motivated

This afternoon I was finishing up the Hot Cross Buns for tomorrow morning when Bud went outside to play. After a while I realized he had pulled a hand-me-down two-wheeler out of the garage and was attempting to ride it...around and around in tiny circles.

He doesn't know how to ride a two-wheeler.

He convinced me that it wasn't that hard to try to ride around a picnic table on a little paved patio, and that he was just "trying it out. I'm learning to ride a two-wheeler." I thought he looked remarkably well-balanced, but that he was awfully grabby of the picnic table. He almost had to be--he was perpetually turning!

After dinner, Bud really wanted to show J something outside. He wanted to show him that he could ride a bike. J went outside ready to cheer...and got really excited. I went out, too. Then we all went down to the park, where the ground is flat.


Bud wasn't kidding. He TAUGHT HIMSELF HOW TO RIDE A BIKE...THIS AFTERNOON! He can even use the pedal brakes. I'm a little dumbfounded.

But I wanted the world to know.

I'm so proud.

Here's a short video. Pixie is running along, cheering. It reminded us both of the day she cheered for him to turn over for the first time as a baby...I might put that clip up tomorrow. I think I find her cheering particularly wonderful because she hasn't learned to ride one yet. As of tonight she really really wants to, of course, but she's still really happy for Bud. It's sweet.



J and I keep laughing at Wombles running away from the oncoming vehicle.

Hooray, Bud! We're so proud of you!

Special Weather Statement

As J put it, "Someone over at Weather.com was having a little too much fun." Actually, around here we usually say "Someone's vida is a little too loca"--thank you, David Letterman, circa 1999.

The relevant part of our "Special Weather Statement":

... A RETURN TO WINTER LATER THIS WEEK FOR THE SOUTHLAND...

A MAJOR CHANGE IN OUR WEATHER PATTERN IS EXPECTED DURING THE UPCOMING WEEK. A SOUTHWARD DRIFT IN THE JET STREAM WILL DRIVE AN UNSEASONABLY COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THROUGH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES TO THE REGION ALONG WITH GUSTY WINDS AND A GOOD CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION.

WHEREAS HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING IN THE 70S AND 80S... HIGH TEMPERATURES BY THURSDAY WILL HAVE DROPPED 20 TO 30 DEGREES AND RISE ONLY INTO THE 50S. SUCH HIGH TEMPERATURES WOULD BE BELOW NORMAL EVEN IF THIS WAS A JANUARY DAY RATHER THAN THE FIRST OF APRIL. IN ADDITION... GUSTY WINDS IN MANY AREAS WILL CAUSE CONDITIONS TO FEEL EVEN COLDER DUE TO THE WIND CHILL. THE USE OF WINTER COATS AND PERHAPS UMBRELLAS WOULD FOOL ANYONE INTO BELIEVING THAT APRIL FIRST WAS REALLY A WINTERS DAY.

It goes on to warn of precipitation-- not TOO much, though--about a quarter of an inch in most areas.

I LOVE where we live!!

Not thrilled about the winter weather later this week, though :) . Hey, it will give my sunburn time to heal.

Off to Maryland

A couple of weeks ago, we went to Maryland over J' spring break to visit his parents and for him to talk a little at TFA. I'm going to try to work my way through our wonderful time there even as I try to keep up with life.

One of the fun things about traveling both this time and on our trip to GA over Christmas is how much our kids have grown. They can actually help a little bit now. "A Little"--Bud rolls his carry-on plus one of ours in parking lots and airports. It's amazing!

And Wombles was ready to help me pack. First, he asked for his backpack. Then he went to his bed and packed his loveys. Next, he walked to the other end of the house ("the airport") and over to the couch "the airplane") to sit next to Pixie. Before he sat down, though, he removed his backpack and shoved it underneath the couch. Before he turned 2.5, Wombles made the coast-to-coast roundtrip five times. Still, I found it strange that he knew what do do.

J's computer serves as our DVD player on flights. On the way out there, the plane had free internet. It was crazy to be in touch with people on the ground. We had been rerouted (a long story I have a pending blog on) and were able to let J's parents know our schedule.




I didn't have any great plane shots of Pixie, but here's Molly all decked out. She and Nite-Nite are sharing an outfit. Pixie and Molly kinda look alike. :)

Even though the children crashed and burned on either end, they were all absolute champs on the actual travel days. It's actually becoming (gulp) FUN to go places (and not just to get there).

More soon!

PSA #3

Some Saturday mornings, J meets a friend for coffee early. He usually gets home while the rest of us are eating breakfast.


Last weekend, Pixie was really, really happy to see him.

Please ignore the daffodil that died overnight. I am happy to report that it is no longer on our table.

PSA #2

Bud and Wombles love each other.


It can be nice to have a photo with no audio. When I look at this, I can almost forget the nearly incessant squabbling it seems we've had this week. And it makes me smile.