sprinkler fun

miyo's babies get names

These are Miyo's babies that I bought her in Chinatown, San Francisco. The one is larger and can carry the littler one on it's back in a little sling. I asked her what the larger one's name was and she said, "My friend." I told her that she should name it Snow Flower. She said, "No, her name is Butterfly Snake". Then I asked what the doll's baby was named. She said, "Beautiful Snake". I think she either really likes snakes or was thinking the dragon pattern on the silk clothing of the doll is a snake. Either way, I am now the proud Po Po (grandmother) of Butterfly Snake, and great-grandmother of Beautiful Snake.

where does she get this stuff?

Miyo picked me some lilac from the backyard. I put it in water in a coffee cup and put it on the coffee table. After two days it was dead so I put it in the compost bucket I keep by the kitchen sink. Miyo was helping me make a pitcher of Koolaid, and she looked into the compost bucket with shock on her face. She yelled at me, "HOW DARE YOU PUT THAT IN THERE!" I called Shene and Ben and told them so they could laugh. Miyo got on the phone with Ben trying to tell her side of the story, "It was streamly streamly dead." I believe she was saying 'extremely'. Then she told me, "He say, 'that's not cool'".

kelly's rascal

look what murphy's seeing today

memorial day weekend at willow river

Dexter, Jacob (boy from campground), and Miyo on swing, with Miles pushing

Murphy climbing the wrong way up the slide

Murphy's favorite activity: tossing sand

Miyo at the beach

We had a really great time camping for Memorial Day weekend. I didn't take any shots of the secluded campsite (the best we've ever had). We went with Alason, Dexter, Mason, Tommy and Kim. It was a lot of fun. Regular run of the mill sitting around the fire, flashlights for kids, dirty feet, tent sleeping. Murphy cried tears of sadness when we started packing up the site. He got in the back of the van and sobbed, "We are all done." While we've been home, he has smiled and laughed and said, "Camping!" about 300 times. I can't wait to take him again. Miles loved it too, he had a good time with Mason and Dexter, I think we should go with other kids from now on; lots to do with friends. Miyo loved following them around and telling them what to do. Murphy was filthy from head to toe (evidence in his hand prints on everyone's shirts and skin when he touched them, ha ha). Tommy and Kim took tons of pics, so I will be adding some good shots, when I get some copies.

one of the best wednesday nights ever

Murphy kept asking, "Go swimming?" Miyo was wearing a swimsuit around the house. Miles was begging to fill up water bottles to pour on himself and his brother and sister. It was 94 degrees out. So Ben brought out the sprinkler, and Miles put it under the trampoline. Perfection:

shelby and miyo sittin' in a tree...

miyo has an excuse for everything

Miyo pooped a little bit in her Hello Kitty underwear before coming to me and telling me she had to go. I put her on the toilet and she was very upbeat, saying, "You are happy I poop on toilet!" I told her that I wasn't happy, because she pooped a little in her pants first. To which she sadly looked down and said, "I was having a hard time."

my whole neighborhood smells wonderful

We have an excess of floral trees in our neighborhood. I clipped the Lilac from a tree in our backyard. I also clipped some of the neighbor's tree limbs that were hanging into our yard to put in a vase. I hope they don't mind. They were just too pretty to resist. Our kitchen and dining room smell so incredibly good!

dining room painted

Shene and I painted the dining room. It used to be red, but we painted the little alcove (is that the right word?) a brown color called 'Bear Rug'. And the rest of the room is 'Tibetan Orange'. I love it. I am hoping to convince Lisa to let me paint the cabinets the 'Bear Rug' color. It will be so beautiful, compared to the ugly crap cupboard color currently residing in the kitchen.

composting

I am so excited about my new composter. It will take me a year to actually make "black gold", but I have to start somewhere. I love throwing crap in it. Not literal crap. Egg shells, avocado pits and skins, banana peels, apple cores, coffee grounds... I even put in the kids' hair clippings.

my favorite chore

There is nothing like the clean smell of laundry hung on the line. Yes, jeans and towels get crispy, but I put them on anyway. I love watching them flap in the wind. I love hanging them up. I love taking them down. I don't mind folding, but I dislike putting them away. Go figure.

potty time rules

Time to use the potty, get in line.

i love spring

almost nine...finally rides a bike

Miles' aunt Sue was over while Uncle Mike looked at the garage door. She got him on the bike and started him out, while he complained and pouted. But he's got it. Starting out is still difficult, though.

ben's new shirts

Ben just ordered these shirts from The Onion. I can't wait till they get here.

miles + creativity = hilarity

Miles did an Arbor Day project at school. He and the other students had to make posters. The winning poster was laminated and mass produced and sent home with students and will have a ceremony at the Eagan Arbor Day celebration. Eagan is the self-proclaimed Tree City, USA. Anyway, this year the winning poster's catch phrase was, "Every Tree is Unique", a fourth grade girl won. Another year I think it must have been, "Trees: A Joy Forever".

Miles' poster's catch phrase, "1 + 2 = tree". Yes, he came up with it all on his own. I laughed so hard I could barely get the words out, on the phone, to tell Ben. He's going to go places when he grows up. Yes sir.

is it possible for me to go on strike?

I am potty training both Murphy and Miyo. Murphy is doing awesome, not to mention he goes to school all day, so they deal with it longer than I do on weekdays. Miyo is either stubborn or vicious. I broke down and bought one of those ridiculous potty-sticker charts (two, actually, one for each of them). I can't believe it, it actually works. Murphy puts the stickers on the chart and leaves the room. Miyo notices him go to the bathroom and get stickers for it; and gets jealous. She wants a sticker too. So Murphy is training Miyo for me. I have her watch Miles too, and she gets excited to copy him (luckily she sits and goes and hasn't copied the standing part-a kid I grew up with was known for standing in front of the toilet, pinching her belly button and peeing on the floor, copying her father).

Anyway, my life is all about the cleaning spray right now. I don't know how long it will last, but I'm sick of it already. Complain, complain, complain... Calgon take me away...

poker buddies

Shene's nephew Shelby is visiting from Missouri and working with Jim for a bit. Today they were all over and they played Texas Hold 'Em. (I was sleeping=I'm lame). When Shelby left, he yelled, to Ben, all happy, "See you tomorrow buddy!" I told Ben that he is in love with him, to which Ben replied, "He's not in love with me, he's in love with the idea of me."

Gross.