This and That

Things have been going on, yet I don't seem to have the motivation to write about them.  But I do take pictures so that's what you'll get.

Note: there is one dead animal picture in the middle...so don't look if you're squeamish.  You've been warned.

I made a double batch of granola to go with my homemade yogurt.  Mmmm, good.

Eddie loves gymnastics...once he decides to participate.

Last Saturday Eddie went with me to a friend-of-a-friend's house to learn about butchering a pig.  Dave was supposed to be home to hang out with Eddie, but when his plans changed, Eddie came along.  When he got bored with the meat, he busied himself with digging for worms in the garden and feeding them to the chickens.  (His recent hobby.)

Later on Saturday: Eddie continued his worm-seeking in the neighbor's compost pile.  He put the worms into a beer bottle he found in the neighbor's yard (uhhhh...) and had me feed them to the chickens afterward.  

I made a video of me feeding the chickens all the worms Eddie collected in the beer bottle.  Dave thinks I'm crazy for it, but I seriously don't think I could ever live without chickens again.  They are such a delight to have in the yard--so much personality!  

Eddie found this dress/nightgown and some books in a "free" pile in front of someone's house on the way home from the pig butchering class.  He wore it to bed that night, after spending an hour dancing around the house like a ballerina.  When Dave got home that night, Eddie greeted him in the living room and I heard Dave exclaim, "Oh!  My pretty, pretty princess!"  Haha, I loved Dave's reaction.

Sunday we were supposed to have Zennie over to play but she was barfing all morning so she didn't come.  So......we demolished the hall bathroom shower/tub surround instead!  Dave even managed to take the old tub out the next day. I'm not sure how we'll get the new one in since he had to use a Sawzall to get the old one out...but I'm sure we'll figure something out.  Dave took my picture here because I was using the biggest nonsledge hammer we have with the smallest chisel we have...that's what I was left with after Eddie rummaged through the tool bag.  But it worked.  

Because the hall bathroom is being renovated, Eddie now bathes in a galvanized tub in the kitchen. So far, he thinks it's fun.  I think it's cute because--well, what's not cute about Eddie in a bucket?  But also it's cute because Dave and I bought those tubs to hold ice and drinks for our wedding reception.

Eddie and Callen busied themselves allllllll day Monday by digging a huge hole in the front yard (in a place pre-approved for digging by me since it has no plants).  They were quite industrious: the soil went into a 33 gallon garbage can, then they dragged the hose to it and soaked it to make mud, then  asked Callen's dad to dump it out so they could play in it.  The can o' mud was so heavy that Rob had to come ask Dave to help him move it.  I think those kiddos were out there for a good 4 hours playing in that mud, making volcanoes, roads, and tunnels.

While Eddie was outside playing and Dave was sawing away at the tub, I made some kid-sized aprons and pot holders. Renee is having her birthday party this coming weekend and I know she's getting a play kitchen from her parents.  So I thought I'd make her a few things to go with it.  I made two aprons so Eddie has one, too.  I used some old fabric from my Grandma's old stash and made ruffles for the first time ever.  I was delirious with pride that I actually made ruffles--I felt like I'd discovered how to make fire or something.  

On our Tuesday afternoon off, Eddie was outside playing with the neighbors when it suddenly got really cold and windy.  They came inside for a snack and we realized it was hailing something fierce.  I got excited and went out onto the patio to check it out.  Seeing my excitement, they came outside with me.  And then we realized we were being pummeled and it HURT our faces so we came inside and just stared out the window for the next 5 minutes until it passed.  

I wore gold earrings and a 3/4 sleeved sweater to school the other day. Not wanting naked wrists, I rummaged through my jewelry box in search of a gold bracelet.  This is the only one I have.  It was a wedding gift from Dave's mom on our wedding day.  And yes, that's a picture of newborn Dave.  Weird?  Yes.  Sort of creepy?  Maybe.  But do I love it? Definitely.  

Eddie insisted on cooking our eggs yesterday morning, just so he could wear his new apron.  Scrambled eggs was the first dish I was ever allowed to cook alone on the stove, too.  I sent this video to Edward right after uploading it and he told me he actually burned his OWN breakfast because he was busy watching Eddie cook.  Haha.

Dave is home this week for water treatment class he's taking in Sacramento.  Obviously, this makes this week one of the best of the year because he's here every morning and is home in time for dinner every night.  I loooooooooooove it.  Eddie does, too.  Tonight he and Dave played 'struction workers on excavators while I threw dinner together.  He's always pretended that the upside down stools are heavy equipment because when he stands inside the legs, it puts the legs in the right position to be the levers controlling the machines.   

So that's what we've been up to!  I'm off to Mountain View/Livermore tomorrow to spend a couple of days away for some (hopefully) focused writing time.  It's possible I'll find some time to write up a few much-neglected blog posts while I'm gone...but I think I'll be too busy biking, eating Cajun chicken pasta at Strizzi's, sitting in Edward's hot tub, picking greens in my dad's garden...oh, and writing the results and discussion sections of this first dissertation chapter.  Boo.