Have You Heard?

 

You can always count on Uncle Daniel to show the appropriate facial expressions... (Even when it's 6 o'clock in the morning).

 

Have you heard the new Skylanders Swap Force is coming out this fall??

 

A certain little 5 year is quite excited about it.  Beware if you show up with a device that has an internet connection, he will ask you to watch the preview for it.

 

 

Why they invented waterproof mascara

So much depends

upon

a red wheel

barrow

glazed with rain

water

beside the white

chickens.

William Carlos Williamson



So we knew this day was coming around our house.  The day we would decide that Maggie, the goat we got for weed management really, has had enough of this living with cancer business.  It has been rougher than I imagined it would be.  She really weaseled her way into our family.  The last 6 months she's gotten more attention than ever as we managed her health.  And just last week I caught her drinking beer out of the cup I'd left on the back porch and begging marshmallows out of the kids' hands.

We talked about what would be different when we got home and how it would go for Maggie.

She's in good company with our beloved Beatrix.

And as Burrito and Emma reminded me: Dobby (the rooster), goldie (the goldfish...naturally), and blackie (the black goldfish if you can call him that....who lived for quite a short time in our house).

And after all was said and done I noticed Maggie left me one last message.   Not three days ago, the blackberry plant that I have been trying to grow all season (it was transplanted from the front to the back yard) was finally starting to look really good and I thought maybe we'd get blackberries this year after all. 

Today I noticed Maggie had nibbled on it, one last time:

All I could do was shake my head, smile, and wipe away a tear.

Scenes from Last Week

Last week I was both sick. sick. sick. and away at a work conference.  Two things that go so very nicely together.  Okay, they don't.  But I survived.

Here are the good highlights....as opposed to the nerdy-work related ones.

Drinking Minnesota beer and visiting with the Germans....it doesn't happen every day

Bob (that's the guy in red) won the lumberjack contest.  And we love all people named Bob around here.

Someone told me there was a giant spoon with a cherry on it at the park behind our hotel.  But all I could find was this dandelion....

The gift I got my mom from the vendor show.  You know, to remember the time she really had MRSA.
Just in case she forgot.

I remember now why we avoid the carnival at all costs. 
But the kids had a good time.

The boy got a jeep for Father's Day. 
I think Emmers and Bob are going for best kids ever award or something.

A day at the lake

Paddle Boating with the little man -
 turns out he's more in it for the joy ride and not so much the pedaling part

Emmers doing what she does best

Emma is desperate to be a lizard whisperer someday

The gymnast and the ballerina

Emma and Aubs after Achievement day

 

Achievement day at FLIPS gymnastics was a few weeks ago, but I couldn't find the USB adapter for the camera (shocker, I know!) so it took me till now to get the videos off.

We watched, Burrito did what he does best and fidgeted, and then we all went out for frozen yogurt.  All fun dates should end that way.

Here's the links to Emma's routines:

Floor

Bars

Vault

Beam

Podium

It's going to be a good summer

While to boys run to the hardware store for the 5th time,

the girls will fish.

We are trying to catch the giant goldfish.

Maybe he will grant us a wish if we throw him back.

Always a busy, fun weekend

A certain little person had a birthday. Hard to believe she's 7 already.

We took flowers to grandma, grandpa, and my brother.

Our little crossfit family is getting so big

And I participated in the Memorial Day Murph (the story here):

Run 1 mile
100 pull ups
200 push ups
300 squats
Run 1 mile

My time: 55:28