Updates

I know, I know, I KNOW. Worst blogger on the planet.

I know.

I'm not even going to bore you with more excuses. Let's just say that the recent pattern of one post a week, if that, is likely to continue through the end of May.

SIGH

Jesse is off discovering the wilds of Nebraska. Usually this means that the kids watch a lot more TV, we eat cereal for three meals a day and I try to go to sleep with pepper spray under my pillow, give up and watch food network until the sun starts to come up at which point I finally doze off only to be woken an hour or so later by Nathan, my eternal sunshine, bouncing up and down asking me what today's adventure will be. YAWN

For now I will kill time by sharing some recent pictures and video. Isaac lost another tooth. I just SO love the toothless grin stages. Do they GET any cuter than this? Yes, I am very much aware that he desperately needs a hair cut. I'll get around to it...

Many, many months ago the boys and I decided that it would be fun and educational to grow our own Venus Fly Traps. Allow me to share a bit of newly acquired wisdom with anyone who might need such information. Venus fly traps are REALLY hard to grow and they take FOREVER. If you are trying to interest young science students in the growth of seeds, environmental factors, the scientific method, etc. may I suggest a nice rapidly germinating green onion or bean or any weed you can think of? We have been working on these fly traps since LONG before Halloween of 2007. Our efforts have finally paid off in the form of two TINY leaves, barely noticeable without the help of the crop function in your average every day photo editing software. But still, actual growth has been achieved and we are so pleased with ourselves that we must share the fruits of our labors with you.

Anna is, as always, cute as can be and getting both cuter and more vocal every day. She has started asking me to rock her in the rocking chair before bed while singing Rock a Bye Baby. Occasionally she will ask to have the word baby replaced with the word Anna and she always sings along with me. Pure bliss, really. We now frequently observe her rocking and singing to her own babies, though they don't get quite as tender care as she does, as you will see in the video below. I failed to move the giant box delivered by UPS nor did I put away the blanket and laundry hanging over the stair banister before getting out the video camera. Oh well.

Etu (Esther) helpfully taught her the very useful life skill of impersonating a chicken.

Love to all!