Snow Day '10

fight!

snow in face

payback time

Emma's Kirigami

Christmas 2009

While we missed being with family in Western Kentucky, we had a lovely quiet Christmas at home with Nana.

Emma is still wearing her princess getup today.

The only thing more difficult that assembing that bicycle on Christmas Eve when you are missing parts, is transforming these guys. It took Nathan and I

3 hours!!!

to get Optimus Prime and Megatron into vehicle mode yesterday.

It was worth it.

Then Jack wanted them back into robot mode.

Remember when you got your first video game system. We used to call it Nintendo thumb because your thumbs would hurt from pressing the buttons. Well I've got some sort of Transformer injury - carpel tunnel or something. My fingers are sore from the transforming. We may have to set a one transformation per day limit!

Thanksgiving in Paducah

Jack building stuff with Katheren the Great.

The kids with Aubert and Katheren the Great.

Downtown with Addie, Emma, and Jack.

Running amuck.

How thankful we are to have family we can't wait to see on holidays!

Moosie ate a shoe

I came home from taking Emma to school this morning and found this spread out in the kitchen while Nathan was drinking his coffee. According to Jack: "Moosie ate a shoe and needed a confusion"

The red sticker/band-aid means Moosie is in a lot of pain. Jack's poor animals are always in a "lot of pain Mom!" when he infuses them.

Moosie also hangs from his own IV pole. How convenient!

Party Pizza Night

So we had some leftover party pizza - what's the harm? right?

You know Nathan and I had rented a movie to watch but did this all night instead.

How old are we?!

First this guy came up - happily munching. We have noticed that we have several opossums and are beginning to notice the differences in each. One has some scars, one is really small, and the other is good size but apparently better at out-running any attackers. Yeah - we do this a lot.

Look who is coming around the corner.

Mr. Opossum is not too happy about having to share his find of the night. I mean really who does want to share a party pizza? So the opossum hisses and snarls a bit but soon gives in.

The raccoon prefers to take and go. He will munch on his pizza around the corner and come back as needed. Notice the opossum holding his piece of pizza like he knows what he is doing. Maybe he does. They probably do this every night out in the alley.

They start getting along and eat off the same plate.

Licked clean

So we figured we had better not encourage this behavior too much. We went out to the shed and evicted the raccoon about a week ago and have not seen him since. So we figure it was safe to refill the bird feeders.

Nope!

Within about an hour the raccoon was back for more. He let me stand outside on the deck and take photos of him tonight while he raided my bird feeder.

It was in fact very dark outside with only our 40 watt porch light on. This was about a 10 second exposure. I guess that is just how involved Mr. Raccoon is with our black sunflower seed.

Baby Tray

Born to Abbie and Todd and big sister Tristan.

Oct 21, 2009 5lbs 15 oz 20 in.

We have been waiting for this little boy cousin for over 4 years now! Jack has been needing a boy to run amuck with and terrorize the girls and a buddy to help ward off playing princess dress up. We went for a visit a couple of weeks ago and I just haven't posted about it. (smacking myself on hand "bad aunt!")

Jack is concentrating on being very careful and smiling at the same time.

In a couple of years these guys will be tearing the place up! I can't wait!

More Wildlife Adventures in the Backyard

You may remember some of our other wildlife adventures since we have moved to our new home right here within walking distance of downtown. We have learned so many interesting things - such as snakes can slither up basement steps quite well, lightening bugs are not well contained by our bug catcher for a lovely indoor all natural nigh-light in Jack's room, snails can be made into pets, and a particular squirrel (known to us as Mr. Nuttyhead) can be eaisly trained to eat from your hand with a large bag of pecans.

The other morning I was up well before the sun and caught a raccoon on the back porch nosing around. I decided to throw out a half rotten baby pumpkin just to see what would happen, thinking perhaps the raccoon might just want it. Instead this guy came up late one night and snatched the pumpkin while Nathan and I watched.

So tonight I caught him in the act! I must apologise for the picture quality. I hate a flash and didn't want to scare our opossum friend away and yes, the glass is filthy with greasy little hand prints which doesn't help either.

After his tasty snack of leftover fried plantain, he took a quick opossum bath and headed back to the alley to do opossum things all night, I guess.

Trick or Treat 2009

Brown Park had a great little Trick or Treat fest for the kiddies today. Our day fun, filled with candy and very long. Code has a headache and is very sleepy so enjoy the pics!

Can't miss a photo op with the Big Boy himself!

Or Geoffery.

(here goes Ariel growing those feet)

They had a petting zoo with a cow, donkey, and rabbit. My kids were totally unimpressed with the typical farm animals. I guess they spend enough time on actual farms around actual farm animals.

They were very excited to be able to ride a horse!

Quiz: What did Jack pick this weekend?

A: his nose
B: his butt
C: apples and pumpkins
D: all of the above

A: D all of the above BUT for our purposes today we will consider answer C:

APPLES AND PUMPKINS!

Everyone here has been telling us about a family friendly pick your own produce type of place called Huber Farm in Indiana. Fall is full of fun activities so we packed up yesterday and headed north to check it out.

The apple ninja pose!

Emma was feeling frisky and very cooperative with my camera.

So I actually have Emma pics today!

The pumpkin pickin' pose.

Hey Jack, please smile at Mommy - never mind the sun in your eyes.

When Jack takes/I take a bad photo it is a fabulously bad photo!

(This pic is especially for Grandpa)

The 40' slide for kids and adults!

We ended the day with dinner outside next to the fire pit. Nathan and the kids have been collecting sticks all summer from all over the neighborhood and piling them in our yard. I'm pretty sure the neighbors think we are crazy as most of them are hauling storm debris to the curb in hopes the city will pick it up. Do they notice as my husband and kids drag it all away to our yard? (he he) Just consider us a little urban clean up crew.

There is something relaxing about watching fire.