tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62195322856508509292023-11-16T07:16:35.907+00:00Free-Range Organic PolitrellsSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-33515778392137456072009-01-04T20:41:00.008+00:002009-01-05T06:52:52.446+00:00Christmas and Boxing Day 2008This year it was just the four of us alone here for Christmas, which might have been slightly pathetic, but fortunately both kids are at optimal ages for enjoying the holiday as it was meant to be: Ethan is still clinging staunchly to his belief in Santa, and Avery is just old enough to know that boxes plus wrapping paper equals new toys. Here they are acting like, well, like kids on Christmas:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxy1PXO3NcR8iPwslgftlE1UIIvraA4FQ5V4UEol-EEZewnW1eH_Y_AiR5X0ePIsWhjkzu64rR27PyEPjrftA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />Avery did not require any pompom coaching; she was born to shake it.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzE-1nNbhZxZQfrnNI6BD3rx2WyRx_XlwdfmQPZfffC6iCtVEAg67EzwUT04_cvrhVRp1XqZjWk0xrA7ziyaA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />Okay, it's still a video game, but he's definitely getting a workout.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0GRmm5LwvpFGVHRkVnCwq4Ty7VRx0r0d1eaiafgEN0odVZel796MHtq5uFso9Ro8dKkkKIX2Lp1lUMAmNhliJdslFwy_977OJ1xZTz7cNtYc4DAiN2Lwrcq_MVVtJ6_APMVC58zdXGI/s1600-h/dollhouse.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0GRmm5LwvpFGVHRkVnCwq4Ty7VRx0r0d1eaiafgEN0odVZel796MHtq5uFso9Ro8dKkkKIX2Lp1lUMAmNhliJdslFwy_977OJ1xZTz7cNtYc4DAiN2Lwrcq_MVVtJ6_APMVC58zdXGI/s400/dollhouse.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287552815636169954" border="0" /></a>"Avery's" dollhouse; occasionally I even let her rearrange things, but after she's in bed I put it back just like this. Notice the Dad is downstairs doing the washing up. Alone. As it should be.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The kids feasted all day on chocolate coins and Lindt reindeer, so they weren't that interested in dinner; we gave them pasta and put them to bed early, and then had the kitchen to ourselves.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKd_8bV3MKiCyWmd6xmo9BgZdaCG1j6OKRdVXkWhuGOgfHM-VJLlBpzOVBksNA5j50Hiq-c5qJqgt5uZNraFdXsqJw0NtsMtAYOZsVpKg2CoBfwXXWK68bzMosWpS0etItssmla0mamo/s1600-h/Christmas+dinner.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKd_8bV3MKiCyWmd6xmo9BgZdaCG1j6OKRdVXkWhuGOgfHM-VJLlBpzOVBksNA5j50Hiq-c5qJqgt5uZNraFdXsqJw0NtsMtAYOZsVpKg2CoBfwXXWK68bzMosWpS0etItssmla0mamo/s400/Christmas+dinner.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287552356067778690" border="0" /></a>Here's our Christmas dinner, which I do understand is rather brown and unappetizing (however delicious); I'm showing it to you only for the purpose of passing on the following advice from one of our English friends re. the proper way to cook vegetables. When I mentioned apologetically that I thought the sprouts might be overdone, he observed that "as long as you can make out individuals, they're not overcooked." A quintessentially English point of view, but one I have adopted for reasons of digestion and because I have a houseful of small children who prefer not to have to chew their food before swallowing.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br />Boxing Day was gorgeous and sunny (and freezing, but never mind) so we went up to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knole_House">Knole Park</a> for a walk, and to fly Ethan's new kite.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2HsbjeTn_ZYMh0TB6oXQnPBPgaLauIdcPLy_bvzPh_0SYYlF5KAWAPsQJi0fSSh7K0IekqOMmTUPUl_KOzIFgp3XW5AoneP9qEhweXrgsSAS2ERP2z_JlhF_KWf59aNDoNatBpSEcTA/s1600-h/kids+on+the+log.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2HsbjeTn_ZYMh0TB6oXQnPBPgaLauIdcPLy_bvzPh_0SYYlF5KAWAPsQJi0fSSh7K0IekqOMmTUPUl_KOzIFgp3XW5AoneP9qEhweXrgsSAS2ERP2z_JlhF_KWf59aNDoNatBpSEcTA/s400/kids+on+the+log.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287575895947848450" border="0" /></a>Ethan, Avery, and Dylan in Knole Park<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2eQNFeHZTJswjnkSunPPFK7CZZSvaH6Tb2LzaNjX397ElHcJx3rwBDBEQd5K04YMlGzkfsf1M7aLm3tVDh-rr5VhBtSp42Kjq0SDhkYa5ZIjmoW_Ck6jHhN4BD2imhC7hQeTLTkMW8Q/s1600-h/Ethan+%26+Avery+at+Knole+House.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2eQNFeHZTJswjnkSunPPFK7CZZSvaH6Tb2LzaNjX397ElHcJx3rwBDBEQd5K04YMlGzkfsf1M7aLm3tVDh-rr5VhBtSp42Kjq0SDhkYa5ZIjmoW_Ck6jHhN4BD2imhC7hQeTLTkMW8Q/s400/Ethan+%26+Avery+at+Knole+House.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287552823328703586" border="0" /></a>Ethan and Avery in front of Knole House<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujpgegMeVt-0VfBvgyaV01XOEgNo-JgBOBH0JHE-A0IzOLiZD20CChr14IKL3w9cCjHKp1VDFldH22giifkqRVIQvp3pIQdULPvHu6SUbxHtEq3zJvO_MDDseeyQ1_HiAQxYwtcR9jgY/s1600-h/Dad+and+kids+flying+kite.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujpgegMeVt-0VfBvgyaV01XOEgNo-JgBOBH0JHE-A0IzOLiZD20CChr14IKL3w9cCjHKp1VDFldH22giifkqRVIQvp3pIQdULPvHu6SUbxHtEq3zJvO_MDDseeyQ1_HiAQxYwtcR9jgY/s400/Dad+and+kids+flying+kite.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287552359058694930" border="0" /></a>Flying the kite<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjws2fMYVQxXR3fp48ICZASJR9T7z47gQfB4fe64TIE6UrTbYhSah3SfMKVxTJhO1J5wbYX6MvQ0aECoajqjAsfdMzcgzcXJbMClVZR0QJp11k1dd077hGpFvozDJmUqGK0F55AY9ki1kI/s1600-h/mom+and+Avery.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjws2fMYVQxXR3fp48ICZASJR9T7z47gQfB4fe64TIE6UrTbYhSah3SfMKVxTJhO1J5wbYX6MvQ0aECoajqjAsfdMzcgzcXJbMClVZR0QJp11k1dd077hGpFvozDJmUqGK0F55AY9ki1kI/s400/mom+and+Avery.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287698712900555570" border="0" /></a>Ethan took this picture of Avery & me<br /><br /><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZZ40ltRG4n-fkZeXkeLaCFSrDhmNqtLyoBafuNNJawTuEEJxpKeBnOuEiRIvCpLCRPX-6VHufIcLl-JujzswHzj_oEubMCb08XjJ2PYCDg2-CAXdmgzFFT-jCOpOhTrfBN0tFipFkpE/s1600-h/town+center.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZZ40ltRG4n-fkZeXkeLaCFSrDhmNqtLyoBafuNNJawTuEEJxpKeBnOuEiRIvCpLCRPX-6VHufIcLl-JujzswHzj_oEubMCb08XjJ2PYCDg2-CAXdmgzFFT-jCOpOhTrfBN0tFipFkpE/s400/town+center.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287575908252969922" border="0" /></a>Downtown Sevenoaks<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Tomorrow it's back to school, work, and whatever it is I do. We wish you all the best in 2009!!<br /></div><br /></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-76769932898114227182009-01-01T21:19:00.008+00:002009-01-01T22:09:08.074+00:00More December in Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHvehCb_nsfmg2k9VHiVb9BLdkVWkuNylGPgZpz7sdepezoYfYgVB8g5DcZVOinzwnMFkcFpXV_FfpSfjF0GG87dx6a1Cnysc27t6kusJIDYFy3vrJAmyDqiQAXwkrzvWnvkWWs1TFsI/s1600-h/Avery+decorates+tree.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHvehCb_nsfmg2k9VHiVb9BLdkVWkuNylGPgZpz7sdepezoYfYgVB8g5DcZVOinzwnMFkcFpXV_FfpSfjF0GG87dx6a1Cnysc27t6kusJIDYFy3vrJAmyDqiQAXwkrzvWnvkWWs1TFsI/s400/Avery+decorates+tree.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286438578212986098" border="0" /></a><br />Lansing had some vacation to burn before year's end, so he had 2 full weeks at home with us, which made for the Best Christmas Ever as far as the kids and I are concerned. (Lansing, possibly, will not be entirely devastated to escape back to the office tomorrow.) We put the tree up the first weekend in December, ensuring there would be plenty of time for it to wither and die and fling sharp little needles everywhere (okay, it didn't help that we forgot to cut the bottom few inches off before we put it in the water.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1orQNdMpXyOA97QFcSmCbexRtYyPYvxv1R9zJ9Xd26SbME70MMxnvBszfNBnvjjGyZu6USIMrNO1CInaoQOOKLz_EE3Ylt7Kcu8TBtckmaboDEgLFp5297dulXLWxh0EzU-qMG9hrtLM/s1600-h/Avery+Christmas+tree.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1orQNdMpXyOA97QFcSmCbexRtYyPYvxv1R9zJ9Xd26SbME70MMxnvBszfNBnvjjGyZu6USIMrNO1CInaoQOOKLz_EE3Ylt7Kcu8TBtckmaboDEgLFp5297dulXLWxh0EzU-qMG9hrtLM/s400/Avery+Christmas+tree.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286438575249524402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">Kind of blurry, but with the flash you could really see just how dead the tree was...<br /></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFHKBlQxDxCLr5AfY_JPixl5SyI3OcdrYGncFdIORG7Hx7TN8mQr8Y63pmQxhaWEgdNMu4WHJaxSvHN7tRRkHUiVZKcoKguvYzhA45SWa3luKMZWOklwIv7u6TJTw693qGJCfpQ88e7Y/s1600-h/Ethan+after+carol+service.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFHKBlQxDxCLr5AfY_JPixl5SyI3OcdrYGncFdIORG7Hx7TN8mQr8Y63pmQxhaWEgdNMu4WHJaxSvHN7tRRkHUiVZKcoKguvYzhA45SWa3luKMZWOklwIv7u6TJTw693qGJCfpQ88e7Y/s400/Ethan+after+carol+service.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286438586172915442" border="0" /></a></span>Ethan finished off the school term with a carol service in one of the beautiful local churches. Once school was done, we planned a few day trips to distract him from the agony of having to wait 3 more days to open his Christmas presents.<br /><br />We spent a day in London, decorating cookies with Mother Christmas and checking out the aquarium. Avery spent most of her face-time with Mrs. Claus eating chocolate- they just kept putting it in front of her- with predictable results:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwn-ivwzhlkVvs4liE19xh6GaOO_C3F8M0VFlAvlH8Wy-n0wLBIgdEmX3pphE9xR1Sikr_gf6jLUDEqJ7Bv1A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div><br />I promise Lansing's not breaking Ethan's arm off-camera, however it sounds, it was just a gentle restraint technique. Ahhh, sugar. And what better complements a full stomach than carnival rides?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClw4DzaCy8j2wkqid8w_Y6y2raM1RpTrNQQcpo3TqXBqwVq5c-yeMSzxCUkrgPr_8R_Mdf50HOzAY0cbLW94HDy69X37qMTeXCH48P2cJa7YDCx8RMV6j7SeNG0tjlRZDORwVd1tQyJo/s1600-h/fakest+smile+ever.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClw4DzaCy8j2wkqid8w_Y6y2raM1RpTrNQQcpo3TqXBqwVq5c-yeMSzxCUkrgPr_8R_Mdf50HOzAY0cbLW94HDy69X37qMTeXCH48P2cJa7YDCx8RMV6j7SeNG0tjlRZDORwVd1tQyJo/s400/fakest+smile+ever.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286438850847202610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-NdmTvGfPGjIzm74gRTj7Fca5JN-DfQay5nmi9doFm0B3WVOIxiXAFFb70uKxuIHsQpyMF3b-I_0EkH_j6EVQkvLq6s9LujAu7-9OM963ZprUGIn6jk0m_iEwLDJBV5LYWfBGQp2NoE/s1600-h/Ethan+carousel.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-NdmTvGfPGjIzm74gRTj7Fca5JN-DfQay5nmi9doFm0B3WVOIxiXAFFb70uKxuIHsQpyMF3b-I_0EkH_j6EVQkvLq6s9LujAu7-9OM963ZprUGIn6jk0m_iEwLDJBV5LYWfBGQp2NoE/s400/Ethan+carousel.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286438590354808274" border="0" /></a><br />We finished off the day with a quick tour of the London Aquarium, which I can't currently recommend since it's under construction- it's a bit like wandering around a building site with a few fish tanks inexplicably installed beneath the scaffolding.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98zW6cr8BEHo1Wxqb9tHfVidir0Z0Q6IW5D0Gl1kVWegWxXgFSVCwdau8sGdy6NTSMV_UrfYtnhvgMnGQIARKkNXNzLB0S3O00Wc7nAkP3tQSGbjSoHtYiGMfQgTdl35mgum9CRrf_q0/s1600-h/craft+time+at+the+museum.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98zW6cr8BEHo1Wxqb9tHfVidir0Z0Q6IW5D0Gl1kVWegWxXgFSVCwdau8sGdy6NTSMV_UrfYtnhvgMnGQIARKkNXNzLB0S3O00Wc7nAkP3tQSGbjSoHtYiGMfQgTdl35mgum9CRrf_q0/s400/craft+time+at+the+museum.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286438582295336866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">You can color a picture at the remarkably filthy craft table, however, if that's of any interest to you.</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Or maybe you'd like to see the fish that's clearly been attacked by a shark? Yes? I thought so:<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxm_I6WBnWjSUz2EkGqZjbP-Mt-qpzKLKuDVqEGppG6vHNPeuis666OHLEk6j_HDttsXAb_-8hUr7h_D2-E4g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I'm thinking feeding time maybe needs to be brought forward half an hour? Someone has clearly been getting impatient. Or, I don't know, maybe the fish started it. In any case, it made quite an impression on all the children present.<br /></div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-78659573908053033072009-01-01T19:59:00.004+00:002009-01-01T21:18:20.221+00:00December in ReviewWe've really made the most of our Christmas break this year, catching up with lots of friends that we see all too rarely. We had some great outings with the kids...and also some we thought would be great that didn't quite turn out that way. Avery and I headed down to the London Temple one grey and freezing morning, having heard that the angel Moroni statue was finally going to be helicoptered up onto the spire (the temple was built in the 50's, but at the time they weren't able to get planning permission for Moroni.)<br /><br />We arrived early and wandered around looking at the new visitors' center and the Christmas displays.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihIIynGqcaXAL1KiUAYCpvJfmcoYYCtPkhhULVJmxYdoZiZMrzL5COKoC3NuWqGGU00D1p7ki_LLkhEJ4Fzh0t6Ouda1R9AUJWASqGe8gUXxUoe0UqipzAKcvL65_8UdsCWnNAQVWsaU/s1600-h/Avery+bundled.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihIIynGqcaXAL1KiUAYCpvJfmcoYYCtPkhhULVJmxYdoZiZMrzL5COKoC3NuWqGGU00D1p7ki_LLkhEJ4Fzh0t6Ouda1R9AUJWASqGe8gUXxUoe0UqipzAKcvL65_8UdsCWnNAQVWsaU/s400/Avery+bundled.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286417925176298690" border="0" /></a>Did I mention it was freezing?<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZMeRb6-fMeo2MFIfl0Bm9V-LUVrJsM93dhIRrarR4iLfGRtOOlfLhwsS7WcSNUFq3SLM2dBVMNaVNve0xay_n2LQwVBee6240d2jbBu_GtHYG5HnRUR_CKCo0GfyJXH4Zl76RRWHuY4/s1600-h/Avery+nativity.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZMeRb6-fMeo2MFIfl0Bm9V-LUVrJsM93dhIRrarR4iLfGRtOOlfLhwsS7WcSNUFq3SLM2dBVMNaVNve0xay_n2LQwVBee6240d2jbBu_GtHYG5HnRUR_CKCo0GfyJXH4Zl76RRWHuY4/s400/Avery+nativity.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286417943006357346" border="0" /></a>I've got to be the worst photographer on the planet- I couldn't find a good angle for this shot.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwU3pPqFCU-TkVd9KHt-KwQnsepxf3kN4wuyAkNtkzid8RWfYaqYaOnjTGfFkMtg8DJCTmwBhVcdTRmdJCLzXDm9EYncbrO_js1q-QnpJ2omltnG-PQq2pTlfqTa75YNpwl02d9dXRaDo/s1600-h/Avery+temple+grounds.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwU3pPqFCU-TkVd9KHt-KwQnsepxf3kN4wuyAkNtkzid8RWfYaqYaOnjTGfFkMtg8DJCTmwBhVcdTRmdJCLzXDm9EYncbrO_js1q-QnpJ2omltnG-PQq2pTlfqTa75YNpwl02d9dXRaDo/s400/Avery+temple+grounds.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286417952804593954" border="0" /></a>Avery's patience with the camera soon wore thin.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We could see the statue on the lawn, but no sign of any helicopters. Eventually they let us know that the pilot was fogged in and it would be a couple of hours. I couldn't see Avery hanging in there that long, nor did the fog look like it would dissipate anytime soon, so we just grabbed a couple of close-ups and headed for home.<br /><br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2YIbt7cx8OwSC1aoXTDvX_9qnXluEw1Q9ytr6dCLe_Rt2zTkiaDsd2kBjCBGMtLAd9OImotsUyYVh08hy9DSo0I_6MyrPI3SQ_bM4VfzWijlVzbrLzwzNlGVnz2SPt_g__8jcHFMI8c/s1600-h/reclining+Moroni.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2YIbt7cx8OwSC1aoXTDvX_9qnXluEw1Q9ytr6dCLe_Rt2zTkiaDsd2kBjCBGMtLAd9OImotsUyYVh08hy9DSo0I_6MyrPI3SQ_bM4VfzWijlVzbrLzwzNlGVnz2SPt_g__8jcHFMI8c/s400/reclining+Moroni.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286417959108517778" border="0" /></a>One angel, mint condition, still in original packaging<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1GqS7ZQ5h38lhCc03yHmm-Yw_OZmvNWlKlY7IDpImWOUGx_yNxPnEhiXTmyGZoGYqZ7pEVA31IGI_nMicf7uXRSt5UmH42CNjoLVfjGONS8nGcm9HLa5kz7KvE0HTHItxpRhIpaqbwU/s1600-h/hollow+Moroni.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1GqS7ZQ5h38lhCc03yHmm-Yw_OZmvNWlKlY7IDpImWOUGx_yNxPnEhiXTmyGZoGYqZ7pEVA31IGI_nMicf7uXRSt5UmH42CNjoLVfjGONS8nGcm9HLa5kz7KvE0HTHItxpRhIpaqbwU/s400/hollow+Moroni.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286417952264358706" border="0" /></a>I'm not sure when they actually got it up there, but it looks like <a href="https://www.lds.org.uk/news_details.php?id=857">the helicopter eventually came through.</a><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-59796590598633726172008-12-30T14:31:00.007+00:002008-12-30T15:12:00.908+00:00Two<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fnS0NCe-ymdKN0jRY_55H3eabx15R8OzMl5YGt97gajMKxpOH66TCMcK1nX8FAe0XaH6ndnBMkWKxj_Kr3mpramhd5U_fjnsy3XLzK-kJt3MtH3wTknmIXmwfRrnE5Up26xmyGL_07I/s1600-h/Avery's+cake.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fnS0NCe-ymdKN0jRY_55H3eabx15R8OzMl5YGt97gajMKxpOH66TCMcK1nX8FAe0XaH6ndnBMkWKxj_Kr3mpramhd5U_fjnsy3XLzK-kJt3MtH3wTknmIXmwfRrnE5Up26xmyGL_07I/s400/Avery's+cake.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285592701684640450" border="0" /></a><br />We've had a busy December here at the Politrell compound, which partially accounts for the lack of new posts (and the rest of the blame goes to general indolence.) Avery turned two years old at the beginning of the month, and enjoyed her birthday party and cake plus the auxiliary family cake and celebration a couple of days later. As our singing has not improved any since last year, I'll spare you the video clip this time around.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj41xPsV4VD11pFrsuDeCy7FqJZYt7LM_VM2PvjULzma-ySBx4-9254aWm9ABQWthSFKZCusC5bqUQMcW46D96b7KtdB4970YaRJMhWag4ykxz5b83Y4K-3OSUsBsXAtCieS3ixzE7CuY/s1600-h/Avery's+cupcake.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj41xPsV4VD11pFrsuDeCy7FqJZYt7LM_VM2PvjULzma-ySBx4-9254aWm9ABQWthSFKZCusC5bqUQMcW46D96b7KtdB4970YaRJMhWag4ykxz5b83Y4K-3OSUsBsXAtCieS3ixzE7CuY/s400/Avery's+cupcake.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285592710233675842" border="0" /></a>I got a ridiculous amount of satisfaction out of the fact that there were exactly the same number of cupcakes on the cake as there were children in attendance. This was pure serendipity but it appealed to my compulsive side.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMa869DLXKU4_fKwx1uLGzvl_11qzwe7gppAYswKF99gDInp_x928jqdcJgWqPzzSNrCfAEZfnMzA53u58qXd7TJHGvrsBT3hamskjlfmERY8YG9xt7h7XMrTdt8Vr6_BBEfHDRxDE9IA/s1600-h/post-cake.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMa869DLXKU4_fKwx1uLGzvl_11qzwe7gppAYswKF99gDInp_x928jqdcJgWqPzzSNrCfAEZfnMzA53u58qXd7TJHGvrsBT3hamskjlfmERY8YG9xt7h7XMrTdt8Vr6_BBEfHDRxDE9IA/s400/post-cake.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285592700305222786" border="0" /></a>Post-frosting euphoria<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecuPSYPhSDGXxVnSf9hUjUfPQEJqtN2BPvSEc7vtctWgdavGjiAETMNps76hZ8veTf-lD6qjcvdQw791w6qSYQjwzzfDiut8ZpKxhQhRRde1zLXJsC-kSp18KMyOiOPC4Jeo6cplw2Ok/s1600-h/Avery's+party.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecuPSYPhSDGXxVnSf9hUjUfPQEJqtN2BPvSEc7vtctWgdavGjiAETMNps76hZ8veTf-lD6qjcvdQw791w6qSYQjwzzfDiut8ZpKxhQhRRde1zLXJsC-kSp18KMyOiOPC4Jeo6cplw2Ok/s400/Avery's+party.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285592719375926402" border="0" /></a>I couldn't get any of them to look up.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So far Avery's twos have been more terrific than terrible. She has recently begun talking in full sentences (sample monologue: "Where's my purse? Mommy! Where my shoes gone? Where's that chocolate??" Proving that, indeed, children learn what they live.) She and Ethan (mostly) adore each other, and the highlight of her day is picking him up from school with me. Despite our best efforts, she has discovered princesses and prefers to wear a tiara at all times, ideally paired with those plastic feather-trimmed high-heeled shoes that seem to have been produced and marketed for the express purpose of breaking toddlers' ankles.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJ3mcMnhxQ17_oiuenG54J770J7dZ0zbnoOyJrNbxtfCuQJjY0fx6I89G2f4KqdewGrUbHrDm30Ly2AoM-sIwrF-1OIMdYoUxdCdPDBnWqUrswP-5m_MN-RQpC4BuYHiNz2Y7bEoKjSc/s1600-h/Avery+tiara.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJ3mcMnhxQ17_oiuenG54J770J7dZ0zbnoOyJrNbxtfCuQJjY0fx6I89G2f4KqdewGrUbHrDm30Ly2AoM-sIwrF-1OIMdYoUxdCdPDBnWqUrswP-5m_MN-RQpC4BuYHiNz2Y7bEoKjSc/s400/Avery+tiara.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285598322577092210" border="0" /></a>Pictured here with emergency back-up tiara in hand<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">She is adorable, clever, and funny and none of us have any idea how we ever managed without her. Especially now that she's definitively committed to the concept that nighttime is for sleeping; that's really sent her approval ratings through the roof.<br /></div></div><br /></div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-51010889377122683622008-12-30T14:17:00.003+00:002008-12-30T14:29:45.112+00:00In Which I Get What I DeserveThose of you who weren't big fans of my last post will probably enjoy this one... While I was jubilantly composing my ode to change, Avery was wandering around entertaining herself (first indicator of poor parenting) while still clad in the previous night's diaper (second and more incriminating indicator of poor parenting).<br /><br />In case anyone's ever wondered how long a size 4 disposable can hold out against a 2-year-old and three 8-ounce cups of milk, just know that 14 hours is pushing it, and may result in total failure of the absorbent granule system. When that happens, you can expect to find thousands of tiny piles of over-engineered gel all over your living room, like this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzDm6TetYu7oimG593_Pmi64Jypi5eRF1SqQOOPkDjbxDN-Ot8wC10gYibUtTIdaU-8-FHnHBE0HI2KdNeu9D82zy52hD3ungPB-ChA-X8i9iDjywVuV_0ovewJEfyG4lc1dMfUE9kIg/s1600-h/absorption+granules+floor.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzDm6TetYu7oimG593_Pmi64Jypi5eRF1SqQOOPkDjbxDN-Ot8wC10gYibUtTIdaU-8-FHnHBE0HI2KdNeu9D82zy52hD3ungPB-ChA-X8i9iDjywVuV_0ovewJEfyG4lc1dMfUE9kIg/s400/absorption+granules+floor.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285589150587868578" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKLyD1Cs9LQxyPWJVJRjYKenmBfApwTCHsyqGwiKdWyQ_qGMaOPCbp3dEXcPAvxqi70OXrhEvCYzwGaJmtPIxVsd8cM_RX3AT2086Z09cif3AfzaImFh8xh2_RLPK3L4lkDuPuEph5HQ/s1600-h/diaper+explosion+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKLyD1Cs9LQxyPWJVJRjYKenmBfApwTCHsyqGwiKdWyQ_qGMaOPCbp3dEXcPAvxqi70OXrhEvCYzwGaJmtPIxVsd8cM_RX3AT2086Z09cif3AfzaImFh8xh2_RLPK3L4lkDuPuEph5HQ/s400/diaper+explosion+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285589157709071106" border="0" /></a><br />McCain supporters, I hope this eases some of your pain.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-82190023208320228972008-11-06T09:46:00.009+00:002008-11-08T09:44:44.127+00:00Yes We Can (Bore You With Our Political Musings As Well As Our Home Movies)I hesitated a bit to publish this here, since this is mainly a place for me to ramble on about my kids and my eventless existence, rather than a forum for my political views (that's what Facebook is for ;-)) But then I figured my 2 readers might actually enjoy a little content for a change.<br /><br />I was awake at 4-ish a.m. GMT when Senator McCain delivered his <a href="http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/speeches/mccain-concession-speech.html?scp=2&sq=McCain%20concession%20speech%20video&st=cse">concession speech.</a> (I'm linking to the NY Times because I like their format, with the text alongside; also because I am a socialist.) I thought it was inspirational, heartfelt, and deeply moving. I felt like I was once again seeing the McCain I have admired for the past decade, the McCain who was so little in evidence during the past several months. He was quick to suppress the "boo"s that greeted nearly every mention of Senator Obama's name (very poor form, supporters, though I recognize that it's easier to be gracious in victory than defeat). He reminded us of what was most important. He focused on what needs to be done now to improve our situation. I wish this McCain had campaigned this year. I hope he's back to stay.<br /><br />I was still awake around 5 when Senator Obama took the stage in Chicago and delivered <a href="http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/speeches/obama-victory-speech.html">one of the most powerful speeches in American history</a>. This speech will be quoted along with Lincoln's, Kennedy's, Martin Luther King's for decades, probably centuries to come. The fact that it was intentionally written to be that sort of speech in no way detracts from its power- it made the grade. I have not heard a speech of this caliber in my lifetime. If Senator Obama didn't get your vote, I wouldn't be surprised to find that you felt differently (I hope you will go back and give it another chance when the sting of McCain's loss has faded, because it is full of beautiful language and, more importantly, beautiful ideas and ideals that are deeply American), but maybe as you listened you at least got a sense of why so many of us are filled with hope at the idea of an Obama presidency. I didn't say "filled with certainty"- we are filled with hope. We don't think he's a perfect man or will be a perfect president. But we admire him for who he is, for what he's accomplished with this campaign, and he is not merely a symbol, as valuable and stirring as that is. He is an intelligent person who has shown he is willing to listen to other intelligent people, to think creatively, to take a longer view. He is a politician, sure, and he has pandered; he has said and done things I don't agree with, and I expect he will in the future. I don't know exactly what his presidency will bring, and I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that he will be a transformative president. But what I saw Tuesday night gives me hope. I don't believe he won because of the economy, or because of fear of a Palin presidency, or fear of anything. I think he won because he consistently reminded us of what was best inside of us all, and he reminded us to hope. Certainly he set that tone in this speech, and I hope and pray he continues, we all continue, in that vein for the next four years and beyond.<br /><br />It is shaping up to be an interesting time. Russia woke up Wednesday morning ready to kill everyone's buzz with the news that America is to blame for everything that's wrong in the world. I'm sorry- Russia? The country that for sixty years turned the economy, infrastructure, culture, history and future of everything they touched into rubble, to the extent that nearly two decades on we are still reaping the whirlwind everywhere they set their feet- and after all that their leader said that the COLLAPSE of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century- this is the country that is telling us that WE have ruined the world? Russia, you've lost a lot of things, but I never thought I'd live to see the day when you lost your sense of irony. Yet here we are.<br /><br />And that's just one issue. It's understandable that we are all a little nervous about what is to come. But over the past couple of days I've seen a lot of blog posts, e-mails, and comments expressing, not just uncertainty, but fear and despair about the future now that Barack Obama is our President-elect. Hey, I felt that way myself in 2000 and 2004, and look how well that turned out... But I hope, and I think I have every reason to believe, that we have a better, more intelligent, more thoughtful man leading us now than we have in a long time (take that "long time" back as long as you need to in order to feel comfortable with it ;-)) I don't think his optimism is unfounded. I love what he said about "summon(ing) a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other." If there's anything that will get us through whatever lies ahead, it will be that spirit. His speech served as a reminder that "God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Those things will get us through anything that comes our way. I hope and believe Obama's got more going for him than words. Only time will tell. But I love that he's started out by reminding us that we all have to step up our game and be prepared for sacrifices along the way. And I love that he's done it so eloquently. Being eloquent isn't everything, but it's not nothing either.<br /><br />Let me end with something I think we can all agree on, along with the hope that the sum total of Obama's presidency will be as inspiring as this, one of the most stirring lines from his speech:<br /><br />"(T)he true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals- democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope."Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-56277130782863971402008-10-17T10:39:00.003+01:002008-10-17T10:47:31.955+01:00Karate KidEthan just qualified for his orange belt. Here he performs his kata, the name of which currently escapes me. He really digs the shouting, he's toning it down a bit because he's self-conscious in front of the camera, but he really puts his lungs into it at the rating sessions.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxgbavarL0_Z4A84YtkVskQXQ8D70aCWTyMJ_W-2PD2S7aoc1TWzJ06iWSmaysbBBKrSiPjeQAjDJJzB5tXwQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-34485606512058161962008-10-12T20:37:00.005+01:002008-10-12T21:04:26.862+01:00Indoor Sports (for the feeble-minded)...This is how Ethan & Avery while away the post-dinner, post-SuperWhy electronic-media-bereft evening hours until bedtime. Ethan made the tactical error of teaching Avery to tickle-wrestle, and at 21 months she has gained the upper hand. <br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz3vzlFJExUJr0aK9KmKUKLXVRMgnVZTJyfRaEWA-LGWhovgndU3f0bKoABQnTMGPJuL1g7FE5HS19y3cNFhA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-43802049895864910272008-08-25T10:35:00.010+01:002008-08-25T11:43:07.305+01:00Politrells Go CampingLansing was concerned that Ethan was nearing the critical age after which he would no longer be interested in camping, so we headed out a few Saturdays ago to equip ourselves with camping gear. The only tent we have is a 2-man pop-up, so we knew we'd have to upgrade. I have a horror of small spaces, and an aversion to sleeping directly on the ground, so we were looking for something roomy enough for an air-mattress. Given the weather in England, we also wanted space to play in case of rain, and we wanted to be able to stand upright inside. We came home with this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yHCASERV3Prugv0qSw7GQp5RjDo-ni6kQdX7ffm-7vt7yZyKFTJbJSct0D8r_c5DGOffPkpLXyDDF1PH2Atybbun9fHCRaTWmioQFK_vKumfFkPaW8IV2ou-f25HoSHskDcuAb3zaDE/s1600-h/big+tent.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yHCASERV3Prugv0qSw7GQp5RjDo-ni6kQdX7ffm-7vt7yZyKFTJbJSct0D8r_c5DGOffPkpLXyDDF1PH2Atybbun9fHCRaTWmioQFK_vKumfFkPaW8IV2ou-f25HoSHskDcuAb3zaDE/s400/big+tent.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238397517643596546" border="0" /></a>Which was a little bigger than we'd expected. It's kind of hard to gauge these things from a 3x5-inch diagram. We had a trial run in our back garden, and after unfolding the thing there was some discussion re. taking it back to the store and exchanging it for something a little more understated (and not weighing 60 kilos), but in the end that sounded like more work than it was worth. So if you and 20 of your friends or relatives would like to come camping in England sometime, consider yourselves invited!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBrFojM8PQe82kqLls4Rk3nU4qeHazoFhGTf1pu3piZ6EnbZJuXwyNZJlO-9THW0iuuByKuoue1kbUg2vxJ1IS699V2qcKqBLCBR2HgoQOECWnD3tj4IpuXF9eOudJWaosMwUFYuZIEM/s1600-h/children's+wing.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBrFojM8PQe82kqLls4Rk3nU4qeHazoFhGTf1pu3piZ6EnbZJuXwyNZJlO-9THW0iuuByKuoue1kbUg2vxJ1IS699V2qcKqBLCBR2HgoQOECWnD3tj4IpuXF9eOudJWaosMwUFYuZIEM/s400/children's+wing.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238397511638817554" border="0" /></a>Ethan out on the back forty. That's some serious acreage.<br /></div><br />Inside the main tent there are 2 4-man sleeping compartments. We put Avery's bed in one of them and our air mattress in the other, made a bed for Ethan, put all our gear inside, and still had an insane amount of floor-space. It was fairly ridiculous for a 2-day trip, but next summer we're hoping to go for a couple of weeks and then we'll be glad to have the room, I'm sure.<br /><br />We went southwest to Swanage, which looks like this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiu6DfH2_k5AW6Nr4nB92fl52qmMU0N5k03C8JGpYglJFSZRJSscfX-YLIrwTgk1lfSPZFqhzjAFlDhLwhTTItaiqYJ04R7Zy6hnxCnr3CNXzkSOh3b3sDl9EI0pQINazgw4eybaHaYug/s1600-h/stone+wall+3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiu6DfH2_k5AW6Nr4nB92fl52qmMU0N5k03C8JGpYglJFSZRJSscfX-YLIrwTgk1lfSPZFqhzjAFlDhLwhTTItaiqYJ04R7Zy6hnxCnr3CNXzkSOh3b3sDl9EI0pQINazgw4eybaHaYug/s400/stone+wall+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238397516919208450" border="0" /></a>It was about a 2 1/2-hour drive, which is nearing Avery's limits of tolerance for the car. She toggles between three modes of behavior on long rides: Fighting the Restraints, Drunken Singing, and Comatose.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7gK5OA4JfqMb03BlQBIFaKpYsa7kYyHnZ2h4GFMqtLvOVW0ZHCPJV2iGc5KDeVH-ABhFTGENAmDmFRX_CLGNd0uqshyN2AEunuZ62bjphSeFyrmEWo1lEzEMDYWLGVNVb9Zq4ayE_Fo/s1600-h/Avery+asleep.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7gK5OA4JfqMb03BlQBIFaKpYsa7kYyHnZ2h4GFMqtLvOVW0ZHCPJV2iGc5KDeVH-ABhFTGENAmDmFRX_CLGNd0uqshyN2AEunuZ62bjphSeFyrmEWo1lEzEMDYWLGVNVb9Zq4ayE_Fo/s400/Avery+asleep.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238397508042343730" border="0" /></a>Somehow we managed to fill the cargo space for ONE NIGHT of camping.<br /></div><br />It was a good trial run and because it was sunny it gave us a false sense of optimism and we'll probably go again soon. The beaches down there are gorgeous and also they have <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-corfecastle">thousand-year-old castles </a>to explore, if you're tired of the gorgeous beach.<br /><br />More photos are <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29867861@N05/">here.</a> (yes, I'm now on Flickr, Facebook, and Blogger- inescapable!)Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-3931620714616880432008-08-24T23:54:00.013+01:002008-08-25T00:56:41.645+01:00Viking Bay<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpC4BDmlLveFiPrGt9nOxKAibPPx_6hp4WIdXynCK3-QMGi54e9trsMsDsrAQupvLNiRjnHKUcvI4H3Aop6fZO120vk24wrYQ6YPitXlwSWd5zPry9UKeoBOKLk9Qib3Y_LYdNnQ1DuVI/s1600-h/Broadstairs+Sandcastle+IV.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpC4BDmlLveFiPrGt9nOxKAibPPx_6hp4WIdXynCK3-QMGi54e9trsMsDsrAQupvLNiRjnHKUcvI4H3Aop6fZO120vk24wrYQ6YPitXlwSWd5zPry9UKeoBOKLk9Qib3Y_LYdNnQ1DuVI/s400/Broadstairs+Sandcastle+IV.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238229215011872130" border="0" /></a>Last week Lansing took a couple of days off and we took advantage of the rare sunny weather to fit in some day trips. We spent a day up near Ramsgate, at Viking Bay beach in <a href="http://www.visitthanet.co.uk/">Broadstairs.</a><br />We got a few decent snapshots from Lansing's phone. It was one of the warmest days we've had this summer, maybe close to 80 degrees. The water, however, was probably in the mid-fifties, but the English are undaunted by cold water and plowed right in. Maybe one day we'll acclimate enough to join them.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pMslmXHw8GJMtU9MiSg0a4lVbGm1O6jGSmritNOuANLOrbEDaukqGcfwiNWDx7dNx34WEBSgoG0duqrDVdpr2Ve8uxHD2QkYUFB8EaH7i0xTqRkueTozUd8Tw5RrmZlGSg1atazZWzk/s1600-h/Broadstairs+Sandcastle+II.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pMslmXHw8GJMtU9MiSg0a4lVbGm1O6jGSmritNOuANLOrbEDaukqGcfwiNWDx7dNx34WEBSgoG0duqrDVdpr2Ve8uxHD2QkYUFB8EaH7i0xTqRkueTozUd8Tw5RrmZlGSg1atazZWzk/s400/Broadstairs+Sandcastle+II.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238229208452696306" border="0" /></a>The kids had fun in the sand and at the mini-carnival there on the beach.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Qgap3bDV5FYvZdVVATN_KbkuKscMRaECJ1OG7JiQ0M8IVYKUqv9kFZFMP8vwT2KDZf-GMZrKGwkbnJxLcqheZEEEBBOpUceHHyuBSjgEWIFgEYrZveT5njcMTKJYF1AEexxr523AklA/s1600-h/Merry-go-round+at+Broadstairs.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Qgap3bDV5FYvZdVVATN_KbkuKscMRaECJ1OG7JiQ0M8IVYKUqv9kFZFMP8vwT2KDZf-GMZrKGwkbnJxLcqheZEEEBBOpUceHHyuBSjgEWIFgEYrZveT5njcMTKJYF1AEexxr523AklA/s400/Merry-go-round+at+Broadstairs.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238229212092446018" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Avery has recently discovered Magnum bars; for some reason we thought it would be a good idea to give her one just as we were getting into the car. We used to have a no-eating-in-the-vehicle policy, but now it's come to this:<br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTljZfAFUcp0Q66Q-Dwc_OAyOQGigylnxo8g0Jx1l808W709UKZtpdxwkf29g2g4x1GIqvhZhU1Nr7UyahvAHhlMM9nvz6zPL6l_WBwl0wYbsrt5WOT0ulY36CVA5Gk1ZbMz0d5kGxmg/s1600-h/Avery+Magnum+Bar.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTljZfAFUcp0Q66Q-Dwc_OAyOQGigylnxo8g0Jx1l808W709UKZtpdxwkf29g2g4x1GIqvhZhU1Nr7UyahvAHhlMM9nvz6zPL6l_WBwl0wYbsrt5WOT0ulY36CVA5Gk1ZbMz0d5kGxmg/s400/Avery+Magnum+Bar.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238229218938631346" border="0" /></a>Could that hair be any messier?<br /></div><br />A Magnum bar is nothing if not huge and melty, and eventually most of it slid down her arm and pooled in her lap, at which point we sluiced her down with a few baby wipes and headed for home.<br /><br />The next day we made an ill-advised foray to Windsor Legoland (ill-advised because apparently most of southeast England had the same idea.) We got off on the wrong foot because in my haste to download driving directions and get on the road, I ended up printing out directions to Windsor Castle, and only realized my mistake as we were pulling up to the queen's front door. It was kind of like that <a href="http://www.deepthoughtsbyjackhandey.com/">Jack Handey</a> scenario about taking the kids to a derelict warehouse and telling them Disneyland burned down. Ethan's fury mounted steadily as we proceeded to lose our way and wound up driving through Eton, at one point interrupting a wedding procession. It was not our day. But we got there eventually.<br /><br />Somehow we only ended up with one photograph:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Ls_VagNrKY3V9n881LFHc2GgVyVE_boW16D7366rpB2q0-n3cna1tIvFnD1K0BkSVemjK3reyJa2NkOu8YHxVwRocrTkLtcck4WsCk-mgOMFg_-Aj795uaRCVu3_k4yD9kOcF5wQWFA/s1600-h/Avery+at+Legoland.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Ls_VagNrKY3V9n881LFHc2GgVyVE_boW16D7366rpB2q0-n3cna1tIvFnD1K0BkSVemjK3reyJa2NkOu8YHxVwRocrTkLtcck4WsCk-mgOMFg_-Aj795uaRCVu3_k4yD9kOcF5wQWFA/s400/Avery+at+Legoland.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238229181259517042" border="0" /></a>Avery germing it up in Duploland.<br /></div><br />The kids really enjoyed it though and we didn't actually spend too much time waiting in lines; also, it did not rain on us, which always feels like a major victory here. I have to say, though, they have some of the worst food I have ever eaten, anywhere. And bear in mind that I have dined in train stations throughout eastern Europe, so that's really saying something. In the end we really had no choice but to declare it another Ice Cream for Dinner night.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-61785220859093863882008-08-13T00:06:00.008+01:002008-08-13T00:50:11.132+01:00More Bad ParentingThese pictures are from a few months ago, too. After a morning spent fruitlessly trying to clean the kitchen while Avery climbed my legs and begged me to read to her, it finally occurred to me that she might give me a couple of minutes' peace if I brought the play kitchen in and let her fill up the sink with water. Poor Ethan, he was never allowed to have any kind of messy-play fun, because of my abject horror at the thought of cleaning up another mess and my failure to understand that wiping up water requires nothing more than an ordinary bath towel and 30 seconds of your time. I know, I'm slow. Anyway.<br /><br />She enjoyed herself enormously, and I got her to wash a lot of the toys, too, so everybody was a winner. Here she is bathing her doll:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6OzndK6WdLXDaiZsEYRJn3DNl2SATUIYgWkzma462Tu8LWfsOSJAQIdebwoDwqgwDaixat8L894Qh6yiXXD5EZ2FPnKuCXObF0TLgi-jMTto0cVbVcjzpiqQz-2pRCUq9c8NvctDFh4/s1600-h/doll+bath.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6OzndK6WdLXDaiZsEYRJn3DNl2SATUIYgWkzma462Tu8LWfsOSJAQIdebwoDwqgwDaixat8L894Qh6yiXXD5EZ2FPnKuCXObF0TLgi-jMTto0cVbVcjzpiqQz-2pRCUq9c8NvctDFh4/s400/doll+bath.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233775466020063170" border="0" /></a>I promise we don't bathe her like this.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">After a while she decided it was her turn:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiNBia2mlDluvPRd4F_8zLXkACtZ3uklT3DGwjUu0PuSra397gLSAF-CHBYbi8TiiSfQooJfTIG1PG8Aulad5HoWqcIeJvtI_bZ67culG-Ih5lqxPW7Rc4BPmy7X2L8snOitH5L_EXi4/s1600-h/avery's+turn.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiNBia2mlDluvPRd4F_8zLXkACtZ3uklT3DGwjUu0PuSra397gLSAF-CHBYbi8TiiSfQooJfTIG1PG8Aulad5HoWqcIeJvtI_bZ67culG-Ih5lqxPW7Rc4BPmy7X2L8snOitH5L_EXi4/s400/avery's+turn.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233775814644552210" border="0" /></a><br />She actually managed to wedge herself in there, but unfortunately the water was really cold by that time, and she was rather unhappy about it. I know, baby, some things SEEM like such great ideas at the time, but then it all goes terribly wrong. Happens to me ALL the time, and not only in the kitchen.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36Zv1ljWAoqvg_ANXnvBam4-uXxgcHoxWG4S8nmGi5nBJOKlN043dSLm6EoXz6zdlBVWmzr9ogWAloZcDE66_49LD1hb8Q8KI11M0Z_D00nJ7BqWks7b-bZPPQJa21qo5IQVd5w8unoU/s1600-h/too+cold.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36Zv1ljWAoqvg_ANXnvBam4-uXxgcHoxWG4S8nmGi5nBJOKlN043dSLm6EoXz6zdlBVWmzr9ogWAloZcDE66_49LD1hb8Q8KI11M0Z_D00nJ7BqWks7b-bZPPQJa21qo5IQVd5w8unoU/s320/too+cold.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233782280829060770" border="0" /></a>Cruel parent that I am, I took her picture before going to rescue her.<br /><br /></div><br /></div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-10687357018287965322008-08-12T21:31:00.003+01:002008-08-12T23:28:42.851+01:00Finally, Wedding PicturesSo it only took me 2 months, but here are a few photos from Kristin & David's wedding. It was a beautiful day, beautiful bride, and we wouldn't have missed it for anything!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmOBB7GUQyLNCLAOyLhKc6jq_i0GUa-kPLhXkWjp6lPXFMcCutsCe5-zBStkwwuMcQ2HSRXZRJQI5_L1RpoHYny6rzCE71KzJdUbQ3MidDmCK7RymcD3wqnk-Nh2FEVxf2lGVCUD4qNk/s1600-h/Kristin.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmOBB7GUQyLNCLAOyLhKc6jq_i0GUa-kPLhXkWjp6lPXFMcCutsCe5-zBStkwwuMcQ2HSRXZRJQI5_L1RpoHYny6rzCE71KzJdUbQ3MidDmCK7RymcD3wqnk-Nh2FEVxf2lGVCUD4qNk/s400/Kristin.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233740604418462578" border="0" /></a>Here's Kristin after the ceremony, in the gorgeous dress her friend Emily designed and made. Not the best lighting, I know; we were both standing in the shade because it was so hot.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiMJsiY65XeyMt3h81mVBpXnmvhZdUXRqQxaKeOGLZmn4TKl0xkhuuR7nHnczKpxCuKUqU5aqnoAGl70Ej6eNamdasVH5kjeQffOz1F8T_jJxR7Tt5RbTFvM4dejbdcXT7AqP7mGUpsU/s1600-h/Kristin+and+boys.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiMJsiY65XeyMt3h81mVBpXnmvhZdUXRqQxaKeOGLZmn4TKl0xkhuuR7nHnczKpxCuKUqU5aqnoAGl70Ej6eNamdasVH5kjeQffOz1F8T_jJxR7Tt5RbTFvM4dejbdcXT7AqP7mGUpsU/s400/Kristin+and+boys.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233740606274441506" border="0" /></a>Here she is with John & Carlos, and David is in the back somewhere.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PxNHkmG8cQn3wRCpzsUJepkFoUtmEzpqpUv6Q0paedbs8m1w6Sw5Ona5IBWseTtnrantD7Smk7QDsVs1mKY6sRve80tsAbsfBUwdqv1Eiod7WJW1H1dqZQ0IQVutBAsuRnMcxwQ0k8A/s1600-h/Kristin+and+family.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PxNHkmG8cQn3wRCpzsUJepkFoUtmEzpqpUv6Q0paedbs8m1w6Sw5Ona5IBWseTtnrantD7Smk7QDsVs1mKY6sRve80tsAbsfBUwdqv1Eiod7WJW1H1dqZQ0IQVutBAsuRnMcxwQ0k8A/s400/Kristin+and+family.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233740613803711746" border="0" /></a>And finally, one with the whole family.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted to, because Ethan & Avery were desperate for some shade and some lunch, so I can't wait to see all of hers. Lansing kept the kids outside during the ceremony, and from what I could tell Avery managed to pick most of the flowers on the grounds and trample the rest. Here they are in a rare cooperative moment:<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKU59YWwZ3IiHzkm_WfWZmsrhbcYWE76HY9lSZacktocYAVdgBOyokAY9w-tHPoL01jT-1k0itX9rsFLWjM5yn0-oZeEabFddIezCxXKVP-4D-3VyaYY6Sjg0a0B_6cXP21QqqQsxYba0/s1600-h/Ethan+Avery+1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKU59YWwZ3IiHzkm_WfWZmsrhbcYWE76HY9lSZacktocYAVdgBOyokAY9w-tHPoL01jT-1k0itX9rsFLWjM5yn0-oZeEabFddIezCxXKVP-4D-3VyaYY6Sjg0a0B_6cXP21QqqQsxYba0/s400/Ethan+Avery+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233740604317231746" border="0" /></a><br />We were lucky enough to be able to stick around for the 4th of July too; our first one in the US in 5 years. We took the kids to a parade, which kind of mystified them. We had to skip the fireworks though, since our flight was early the next morning.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDaXx3odrMZLLJTeyaA2JSmkQw7QUbpofJLRBkl1DP1Qm1Gatn_1RRXlcHEW96lnOSxDlgAMFPp3wUUNirfaznRXnAO25zY19OmfNoLs9kv2p2BLqfM4HK815zMzplYUsA7KJOmq-Id90/s1600-h/Avery+4th+of+July.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDaXx3odrMZLLJTeyaA2JSmkQw7QUbpofJLRBkl1DP1Qm1Gatn_1RRXlcHEW96lnOSxDlgAMFPp3wUUNirfaznRXnAO25zY19OmfNoLs9kv2p2BLqfM4HK815zMzplYUsA7KJOmq-Id90/s400/Avery+4th+of+July.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233740600551214786" border="0" /></a><br />Avery celebrates Independence Day in the traditional manner, with a tantrum.<br /></div></div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-68091759068305865172008-06-26T16:14:00.013+01:002008-06-26T17:17:05.740+01:00What Passes for Milestones Around Here<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrn2JXtHr5f29U7SBPNXVNef4nTDGe4VOjciRAPEFpQX3b9Ao4we1a2DzuYdqJZBVMiGg1dQ9EHzJLnSKtcXcxhyeCsXiNtoa4vATJAx_HUGV2RxaeJo6YrkGQja8giPd8QwW1_1hVgo/s1600-h/Ethan's+picture.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrn2JXtHr5f29U7SBPNXVNef4nTDGe4VOjciRAPEFpQX3b9Ao4we1a2DzuYdqJZBVMiGg1dQ9EHzJLnSKtcXcxhyeCsXiNtoa4vATJAx_HUGV2RxaeJo6YrkGQja8giPd8QwW1_1hVgo/s400/Ethan's+picture.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216217498409114178" border="0" /></a>We spent a few days at one of the <a href="http://www.centerparcs.co.uk/index.jsp">CenterParcs</a> in May; for reasons I can't explain (because I don't know, not because they are too horrifying to explain) I didn't get many pictures. But on our final day I managed to snap this one of Ethan calmly coloring while we awaited our food at the Pancake House. This is a milestone for 2 reasons: 1) I never believed I'd live to see the day when Ethan would sit quietly in a restaurant like an actual human being and 2) nor did I think he would ever voluntarily choose to color, and furthermore to color inside the lines, filling all the white space, rather than inscribing each page with a single cursory scrawl and calling it a day.<br /><br />His lack of coloring aptitude was problematic only in that it so concerned his kindergarten teacher that he was referred to physical therapy, where he spent many hours resentfully tracing patterns while grinding his teeth into powder, and many additional hours complaining about how much he hated the therapy sessions. (His therapist also drove me insane, insisting that he was right-handed and we must encourage him to use his right hand...see photo above, notice which hand he's using? The child does not so much as pick his nose with his right hand - sorry for the tmi- and he never has.) Fortunately the next year his teacher was herself the mother of 3 boys, and confined herself to observing, "He really hates coloring, doesn't he" with no mention of therapeutic remedies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWG9a3Kz20fRTobZtckSDEfMHkcmr9R4ygfkF-c45FsaCURD6aUvIKzGlyCofSOq1hEbV8MyRi2QaWtxi8XeXAHrBXcm4D4k81gCJPUgqDiMtB79LQ_ui5zrCG4feWPk6KgPaWUKjAwE/s1600-h/big+girl.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWG9a3Kz20fRTobZtckSDEfMHkcmr9R4ygfkF-c45FsaCURD6aUvIKzGlyCofSOq1hEbV8MyRi2QaWtxi8XeXAHrBXcm4D4k81gCJPUgqDiMtB79LQ_ui5zrCG4feWPk6KgPaWUKjAwE/s400/big+girl.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216217511908713138" border="0" /></a> And here we have Avery with her first pig-tails (cute bows are courtesy of my friend <a href="http://heathersbows.com/catalog/">Heather</a>, check the link if you have a child in need of adorable hair decor!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeqr85ywQP3IsAUg3nm3GsvX8my76C4RwDRPqV_BwhEwDzboEwaNoSqUwROh3jpUSLHPm5xai58an1ICsdhGHt7VfEWISzGkiTeCQjTIcmqhghdQ_CyvyCBaUEbmgv5xf9RpAEDN226w/s1600-h/piggy+tails.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeqr85ywQP3IsAUg3nm3GsvX8my76C4RwDRPqV_BwhEwDzboEwaNoSqUwROh3jpUSLHPm5xai58an1ICsdhGHt7VfEWISzGkiTeCQjTIcmqhghdQ_CyvyCBaUEbmgv5xf9RpAEDN226w/s400/piggy+tails.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216219725855909266" border="0" /></a><br />Next up we have a lesser-known milestone: Avery trying to produce her first urine sample. What, you don't have a page for that in your baby book? She was running a fever for a few days and when we couldn't find any other explanation the doctor suggested I try to bring in a clean-catch sample to check for a u.t.i. Oookaaay... so I put her on the mixing bowl in front of the tv for half an hour, nothing- then foolishly turned my back for 2 seconds to grab the remote control and she sprinted over to the couch and left her sample there. That's when I decided she was probably fine and we'd give the fever another day or two before making a second attempt. Fortunately she was back to normal the next day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZKT42QIAqn-0yg_QRJ-BK3Lh97i4XyXam41h9aWdHZEgaYH-ELS8vQAeImkk06n9Vr8DHOdrqTZfsTUkY_9fukVhNIJxU5yjFZzo05ERgLETPdGC1_voVeM6rWOD0Rl30xni2CiyRrg/s1600-h/urine+sample.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZKT42QIAqn-0yg_QRJ-BK3Lh97i4XyXam41h9aWdHZEgaYH-ELS8vQAeImkk06n9Vr8DHOdrqTZfsTUkY_9fukVhNIJxU5yjFZzo05ERgLETPdGC1_voVeM6rWOD0Rl30xni2CiyRrg/s400/urine+sample.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216217504359312802" border="0" /></a><br />This last one is not a milestone per se, but it was cute. Ethan & his friend Dylan created these Iron Man costumes out of the contents of the recycling bin, plus a Super-Soaker and a defunct light-saber.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcf_hyp-mcV7Dr3PuHCIaksCnO_jkSjC1r_PxGX70idZTPUVDrS3xuskusQXLQkT_0OmRJrT5jGrGDfl5B4XjLfzQ8P4nY4JOJj-pn3AAQPSzqsfU_x71dw3Z_32_alN1Dg_2ewJllVdQ/s1600-h/Iron+Man.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcf_hyp-mcV7Dr3PuHCIaksCnO_jkSjC1r_PxGX70idZTPUVDrS3xuskusQXLQkT_0OmRJrT5jGrGDfl5B4XjLfzQ8P4nY4JOJj-pn3AAQPSzqsfU_x71dw3Z_32_alN1Dg_2ewJllVdQ/s400/Iron+Man.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216217506329062450" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Coming soon- pictures from my sister's wedding! Assuming I remember the camera.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-60265825286162709182008-04-29T17:21:00.003+01:002008-04-29T17:36:16.839+01:00Bad ParentingI'm a little concerned about Avery's maternal instincts, or maybe it's my own parenting skills I should be worrying about. This morning I was folding laundry when she came in with a couple of dolls and tossed them into the washing machine.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZa4WWzJ7jawdDGhWXXu3naD4sFHbSG5pvtdnRbJoCw3hbHZ4i4wWDHmbtUAxDw0DR21iC7sxMhXu1-_gzeu6CVsGVPm_mGxb9qa_md91l6IivQimU67MfOvzdzwj6M8PL5uec0_Fts4/s1600-h/call+cps.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZa4WWzJ7jawdDGhWXXu3naD4sFHbSG5pvtdnRbJoCw3hbHZ4i4wWDHmbtUAxDw0DR21iC7sxMhXu1-_gzeu6CVsGVPm_mGxb9qa_md91l6IivQimU67MfOvzdzwj6M8PL5uec0_Fts4/s400/call+cps.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194703614222969858" border="0" /></a>She had trouble getting the door to close, because the baby's toes were in the seal. After a few tries, she gave a disgusted sort of sigh and took off, pausing at the door to reassure them with "Bye! Yuv yu!"<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZyQ_E6fvGFcUzgiNO7Ho4VbUXONCK2lLhCONk23urKP75f9jsEnHlB2mRkOfHevyrE70P6E1a1g2B_iNATluFSafg97QNqShb80G9Rz329ti6Xvz403RaHWAT9_nfwjZ1x1ey4v9ZgY/s1600-h/call+cps+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZyQ_E6fvGFcUzgiNO7Ho4VbUXONCK2lLhCONk23urKP75f9jsEnHlB2mRkOfHevyrE70P6E1a1g2B_iNATluFSafg97QNqShb80G9Rz329ti6Xvz403RaHWAT9_nfwjZ1x1ey4v9ZgY/s400/call+cps+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194703622812904466" border="0" /></a>"Whatevs. I'll be back later. You'll be fine."<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDaCObL3oe0eQm4sWDNxZ9NaBBRmQJm52tpFJsIiNdGLqENWAHp_S9r5Se2x5KN4PyyaYxolgyiyHB9RcHqhWMj5gew8ZzaJeGf7lZh1PfY9PH-tC0oQVqQgz-OS85fjgQEnjO2Rtru0/s1600-h/call+cps+3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDaCObL3oe0eQm4sWDNxZ9NaBBRmQJm52tpFJsIiNdGLqENWAHp_S9r5Se2x5KN4PyyaYxolgyiyHB9RcHqhWMj5gew8ZzaJeGf7lZh1PfY9PH-tC0oQVqQgz-OS85fjgQEnjO2Rtru0/s400/call+cps+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194703639992773666" border="0" /></a>"No need to call CPS, they like it in there."<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Eventually she retrieved them, and shoved a sippy cup in each of their faces in turn, so she wasn't completely negligent.<br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZ4aAAHNp-qBW8tQRQbvbgDhhyphenhypheniihT_NOLS1gOLcLoziEP3RsARtmZCiHUa4hBFALlFULHsdk17reRDkwmEtPfjPzPowC0Ul1QISVPoK39qf5phCpGs2hwtEiJXsJDHS7P_Hjhd75xgA/s1600-h/caught+in+the+act.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZ4aAAHNp-qBW8tQRQbvbgDhhyphenhypheniihT_NOLS1gOLcLoziEP3RsARtmZCiHUa4hBFALlFULHsdk17reRDkwmEtPfjPzPowC0Ul1QISVPoK39qf5phCpGs2hwtEiJXsJDHS7P_Hjhd75xgA/s400/caught+in+the+act.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194703644287740978" border="0" /></a>Caught by the paparazzi. Makes Britney look like Mother of the Year!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">In all fairness, she likes to climb in there herself, so she probably thought they'd enjoy it too. She's forever putting things into the washer or dryer-- food, coins, PlayMobils. Very important to do a quick sweep before you turn on any appliances in this house.<br /></div><br /></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-48106721462449644982008-04-29T16:50:00.007+01:002008-04-29T17:39:17.559+01:00Day Trip<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrTHjTbwfvCMx6b9fZUZyP5lTLr7dBMIzFbulV49qibCLtA9cT0FKc3H3hNHWVQYWOCxrdht8M_vVXM0-F9TkaM51qCJmKhCbjuan_f8qXv4OHhNoet93xDSPy2lA0AlYLb4Ag6RhIBs/s1600-h/skipping+rocks.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrTHjTbwfvCMx6b9fZUZyP5lTLr7dBMIzFbulV49qibCLtA9cT0FKc3H3hNHWVQYWOCxrdht8M_vVXM0-F9TkaM51qCJmKhCbjuan_f8qXv4OHhNoet93xDSPy2lA0AlYLb4Ag6RhIBs/s320/skipping+rocks.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194695982066084850" border="0" /></a>We finally got lucky and had a rain-free Saturday, so we headed down to Brighton for the day. It was perfect- 70's and sunny. Ethan & Avery collected shells and threw rocks into the ocean, only occasionally dropping them on one another's toes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxqPcsnnDhdM-20Fjh7kIqO30jgOHEtLET-1zc44Q8yvtZc6-F9bRNPDFCwPe25KLBZPZB9DjVbInQ2CRCBUT_eMd-L1wUA6AmMJiFuoqTn_cXNnTux1koLGtllPCAIQYHlc91-Ox9WM/s1600-h/a+on+the+beach.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxqPcsnnDhdM-20Fjh7kIqO30jgOHEtLET-1zc44Q8yvtZc6-F9bRNPDFCwPe25KLBZPZB9DjVbInQ2CRCBUT_eMd-L1wUA6AmMJiFuoqTn_cXNnTux1koLGtllPCAIQYHlc91-Ox9WM/s320/a+on+the+beach.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194695784497589154" border="0" /></a><br />We found a playground by the water and let them do their thing for a while. Ethan immediately recruited every child of his approximate height for a soccer match, and Avery kept busy climbing and then falling off of various structures.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAPqZkaevW_lGRCXAvYkrG8GitBt05-eGH-bWQaGlnRn-w0xipKQekgVrBCXNT4yIkGrLADVUiQ4L1Dh0-wEXO0Oh8OpKJWLM3oKxNupINch3osA0bYa7LZUUk5mDYVT5S4Z3hBwPcDc/s1600-h/A+waving.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAPqZkaevW_lGRCXAvYkrG8GitBt05-eGH-bWQaGlnRn-w0xipKQekgVrBCXNT4yIkGrLADVUiQ4L1Dh0-wEXO0Oh8OpKJWLM3oKxNupINch3osA0bYa7LZUUk5mDYVT5S4Z3hBwPcDc/s320/A+waving.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194695788792556466" border="0" /></a>I don't know who she's waving at here, possibly the gulls. The tide was coming in and she was curious about the water, so I eventually took off her shoes and socks; she headed straight into the waves but immediately became alarmed, lost her head, sat down in the surf, and needed a full change of clothes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlIv8OO6CCjBm7GXEuzmBTmRPq3AD8um2yUFwm6XXdFwgOLTBjr3NWvClsjcF8rvPmqPofNPkV1S92zsK0cEJ9D23SYmts7r3zQaeAA8Ptgt5PnVhXe9JDIzKFA-_pAl6fqdA0DfJDOA/s1600-h/fish+and+chips.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlIv8OO6CCjBm7GXEuzmBTmRPq3AD8um2yUFwm6XXdFwgOLTBjr3NWvClsjcF8rvPmqPofNPkV1S92zsK0cEJ9D23SYmts7r3zQaeAA8Ptgt5PnVhXe9JDIzKFA-_pAl6fqdA0DfJDOA/s320/fish+and+chips.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194695793087523778" border="0" /></a>Actual fish and chips! Try not to get your monitor greasy....<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiks7XhhgMN43Ad4h5lXt1CeJ-b_YlpKLoVCrqqxHl6_sRu7tNAxGeCik8WC7X_PQMXc_jD4C9xSUbCMAawpUIjoZ4hovvEYa_YODkvDy0J63nmfZzY-izTjvj3XeKzzgnJVf-1khkelu8/s1600-h/on+the+train.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiks7XhhgMN43Ad4h5lXt1CeJ-b_YlpKLoVCrqqxHl6_sRu7tNAxGeCik8WC7X_PQMXc_jD4C9xSUbCMAawpUIjoZ4hovvEYa_YODkvDy0J63nmfZzY-izTjvj3XeKzzgnJVf-1khkelu8/s320/on+the+train.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194695793087523794" border="0" /></a>There was a little train that ran along the shoreline. Ethan was offended that his offer to drive was not accepted.<br /><br />We left mid-afternoon to get Ethan home in time for a birthday party for one of his school friends. After we dropped him off we lounged around at home for a few more hours, reading and ignoring the lawn, which desperately needed mowing. Below you can see Avery, riveted by the classics.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzE-5-ZG62W_uFADYjaFlVkdOjTHn3JLSlm9oUQ2Jq9ZRaCU-n1j5Tw0JLupOVVROHjU0xNp6iXltySuWJb043skbAhcsb2zQM63KfakK2cXET5CtAFQeIQ3W28V91V3VOX0sJ86QSD4k/s1600-h/reading+books.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzE-5-ZG62W_uFADYjaFlVkdOjTHn3JLSlm9oUQ2Jq9ZRaCU-n1j5Tw0JLupOVVROHjU0xNp6iXltySuWJb043skbAhcsb2zQM63KfakK2cXET5CtAFQeIQ3W28V91V3VOX0sJ86QSD4k/s320/reading+books.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194695797382491106" border="0" /></a>Perfect weekend! There's a bank holiday next Monday, so I think we're going to try to fit in some more road trips.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-65364382084858962762008-03-21T15:36:00.010+00:002008-03-21T20:45:38.581+00:00Lucky Seven<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaz4rdTKXC3yk4cO3z6TfQqF-kclFeTe3ZkXseY2FeJkyyuPhuZ6TSXBXNBVHQQA2a790yMOptl46sRFguKqh4OR_G-tyu6zbODZ0NUSAxFmtS-SXPIZBJHepfSo4FamJb6YPIjWziMM/s1600-h/lastscan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaz4rdTKXC3yk4cO3z6TfQqF-kclFeTe3ZkXseY2FeJkyyuPhuZ6TSXBXNBVHQQA2a790yMOptl46sRFguKqh4OR_G-tyu6zbODZ0NUSAxFmtS-SXPIZBJHepfSo4FamJb6YPIjWziMM/s400/lastscan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180224457651591170" border="0" /></a><br />Ethan's birthday was last weekend. Hard to believe our little guy is seven. It seems like just yesterday we were careening over speed-bumps in the ambulance as he made his dramatic bum-first entrance into the world. I'll never forget the expression on his face when they handed him to me- "dubious" is probably the closest I can come to describing it. He glanced from me to Lance and then over at the EMT as if to say, "Seriously? These two?" We've seen that look a couple of times since then, and I'm guessing we will become even more familiar with it as we approach the teen years. All the more reason to enjoy his little-kid sweetness while it lasts. He is at an age where it's possible to have genuinely interesting conversations with him- he is particularly expansive and chatty at bedtime- and we're enjoying getting deeper glimpses into the inner workings of his mind. During one of these discussions a few weeks ago he was describing to me some aspect or other of his grand plans for the future, and I asked him whether he'd come to visit us after he was all grown up and on his own. "Yes!" he said without hesitation- and then after a moment's reflection: "If you're still alive." Nice.<br /><br />Here are a few pictures from his party- we had it at an indoor-play place as Ethan had quite an extensive guest-list and I didn't think I was up to hosting 18 7-year-old boys without professional assistance.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjebh03yTsPB_2tDZ5K0fsrvVqNybhEdFDvtqSqzdSgMSP9MM0bkzZFiuYH2jdkhKxpezYGGImnZ-YR29-3mrdKe333nn1Ou6bp1gHjP__bHkyttcQ5_4mQJk1TooSGrdrfLZLkmmVsn1w/s1600-h/volcano+cake.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjebh03yTsPB_2tDZ5K0fsrvVqNybhEdFDvtqSqzdSgMSP9MM0bkzZFiuYH2jdkhKxpezYGGImnZ-YR29-3mrdKe333nn1Ou6bp1gHjP__bHkyttcQ5_4mQJk1TooSGrdrfLZLkmmVsn1w/s400/volcano+cake.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180231436973447186" border="0" /></a>He opted for a volcano cake this year. I think he would have preferred fiercer dinosaurs, but these were the only ones they had at the cake shop and his plastic ones were not to scale.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPf57H8sIaOHYGfjArc_8KN9Ks1SCyEPSobSvK8S_ta_zh9UuZngHFAvNjp9zjykngsAsiAeDZ2ZsJdkyj_JHyCN8jmsFEHUXxyB6jK2DHWRJNYdB8GAG996F3xBOQPpx-mZ5d4JwJN8w/s1600-h/dinosaurs.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPf57H8sIaOHYGfjArc_8KN9Ks1SCyEPSobSvK8S_ta_zh9UuZngHFAvNjp9zjykngsAsiAeDZ2ZsJdkyj_JHyCN8jmsFEHUXxyB6jK2DHWRJNYdB8GAG996F3xBOQPpx-mZ5d4JwJN8w/s400/dinosaurs.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180232605204551714" border="0" /></a>Note their cheerful expressions as they admire their nest, oblivious to the fiery death bearing down on them.<br /><br />I wanted to use a sparkler to get the full volcanic effect, but they are banned at the party place- apparently the sprinkler system is easily triggered and the smoke is too much. So we took it outside in the parking lot for that part.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9D5IdvDthgwWGkMITrzrmztEwYmO-85g-m0EA9-EAHgg-BXfUPBZOYJI_ifbf4RhwuROFPQUR6xk34JLncaqkhzXta3RWIG0_V5k6YFe7cPCeja8QbjIt5ZKvJB6hDg3UAfYNtsnk00k/s1600-h/volcano+cake+erupts.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9D5IdvDthgwWGkMITrzrmztEwYmO-85g-m0EA9-EAHgg-BXfUPBZOYJI_ifbf4RhwuROFPQUR6xk34JLncaqkhzXta3RWIG0_V5k6YFe7cPCeja8QbjIt5ZKvJB6hDg3UAfYNtsnk00k/s400/volcano+cake+erupts.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180220673785403378" border="0" /></a><br />It looked okay with just the regular candles, too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWkfjVRxepxIV6Gp9zBpNukAiAjFDEf4JeCc-hVE7QXHTBWLeNeG1qwR1cSa-0FIm6Ljp-FI2oVyIbsRR0hu7HAIa_NdUHiVYrpULk44TAXq-8cX0qLsjSLJaRdzhxN8pIYev0dg0Yf5k/s1600-h/Seven.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWkfjVRxepxIV6Gp9zBpNukAiAjFDEf4JeCc-hVE7QXHTBWLeNeG1qwR1cSa-0FIm6Ljp-FI2oVyIbsRR0hu7HAIa_NdUHiVYrpULk44TAXq-8cX0qLsjSLJaRdzhxN8pIYev0dg0Yf5k/s400/Seven.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180220660900501458" border="0" /></a><br />While waiting for lunch to be served, the kids decided to do a little table-dancing, confirming my decision to hold the party off-site.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUzj3js1X1PkyfHnuLImW7ILP238LwX-DUaR1sxNM4fRWazOig18vqxLvCaCpcDWheTNH2p0FHN9nzSNJIkB3yJM6678gSFn26iAxBeECrSdKGkzzWtQ1IJ9ufFoBt9gR6WxNCK6qZ_Y/s1600-h/partying.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUzj3js1X1PkyfHnuLImW7ILP238LwX-DUaR1sxNM4fRWazOig18vqxLvCaCpcDWheTNH2p0FHN9nzSNJIkB3yJM6678gSFn26iAxBeECrSdKGkzzWtQ1IJ9ufFoBt9gR6WxNCK6qZ_Y/s400/partying.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180220205633968066" border="0" /></a>We had to draw the line when the shirts started coming off.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDC3MJPagTleMEEWmqhc7RKjNGDQn0Uu-aO95eA6QVN634A7OJUJPreyJJS6KrbJbHZlXHQK1D9q49gca5EyJkZXXWIV96XhIYF3TmOOO3lk95CLseVFSUDLqAuzmWiVDfZ6cSgBieKc/s1600-h/frat+party.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDC3MJPagTleMEEWmqhc7RKjNGDQn0Uu-aO95eA6QVN634A7OJUJPreyJJS6KrbJbHZlXHQK1D9q49gca5EyJkZXXWIV96XhIYF3TmOOO3lk95CLseVFSUDLqAuzmWiVDfZ6cSgBieKc/s400/frat+party.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180220179864164242" border="0" /></a><br />Here's Avery taking careful notes and filing it all away for future reference.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWj4Rrxy2XH2jCTEtNKq9i8Tv3ZfD1gjQ7hPIq2ZwzKk3JFNquVCLiJsNeD2kAVZcS71LcieqaXIfzQqeQt2XKmbuv-RWAMYW3PWyznM8wxTgSHiA9S_oL2zs4lt9F_KMIGLR1RQ7n8oc/s1600-h/avery+chilling.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWj4Rrxy2XH2jCTEtNKq9i8Tv3ZfD1gjQ7hPIq2ZwzKk3JFNquVCLiJsNeD2kAVZcS71LcieqaXIfzQqeQt2XKmbuv-RWAMYW3PWyznM8wxTgSHiA9S_oL2zs4lt9F_KMIGLR1RQ7n8oc/s400/avery+chilling.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180220171274229634" border="0" /></a>But for her the true highlight came the next day, when she discovered the off-cuts in the kitchen. (you can also see the remains of the volcano in the background.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrtV-gHRKkgIK4YMH3dRBZ83GOHHDUVIkrV7rCtI4k4XBGGNqgXyFlM6N-XG2t1VGlLg_Jz2KZlldUjXfbzMXAX641Dz3aEeqrLC24giakoxQlnXPOth2CxYWolU4S0mJ0oNQ2R1C_aI/s1600-h/leftovers.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrtV-gHRKkgIK4YMH3dRBZ83GOHHDUVIkrV7rCtI4k4XBGGNqgXyFlM6N-XG2t1VGlLg_Jz2KZlldUjXfbzMXAX641Dz3aEeqrLC24giakoxQlnXPOth2CxYWolU4S0mJ0oNQ2R1C_aI/s400/leftovers.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180220197044033458" border="0" /></a>I went to put something away upstairs and returned to find her busily cramming fistfuls of cake into her face.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXMpDZvBBD3DrJuVcWZZhPXJLrkTTogUYkraqcIFooRDss_YE0LNwHrtz4IZi23e9-HRH8A8FCL3UYVi1oGnxFojiuhyphenhyphen3V-hY7KIyOS9xxvJWA8gMCImmi8Cy4dEzM9VZkzFj5Eyo5QM/s1600-h/124-2478_IMG.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXMpDZvBBD3DrJuVcWZZhPXJLrkTTogUYkraqcIFooRDss_YE0LNwHrtz4IZi23e9-HRH8A8FCL3UYVi1oGnxFojiuhyphenhyphen3V-hY7KIyOS9xxvJWA8gMCImmi8Cy4dEzM9VZkzFj5Eyo5QM/s400/124-2478_IMG.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180220184159131554" border="0" /></a><br />And now on to Easter! I was relieved to see that Easter will not be this early again until 2228, or something. By then it definitely will not be my problem, barring any major medical advances. (I love Easter, I just need a little time to breathe between celebrations.) But we have a yard full of daffodils and the neighbors' tulip trees are in full bloom just outside the study window, so at least it feels like spring. So far the London weather has been a pleasant surprise...Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-13575503311461135392008-02-14T12:37:00.000+00:002008-02-14T18:14:45.907+00:00Crazy Little Thing Called Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RJdhIEDonVK1yjtcP2L4K-LElzdw2MUbAJOXtIIcQzo-jl6RpEFM_7Rm0Pf43XJWglGTBwTZc-XAV1XXc2YohUu32p64q1VkcE2KVTij3GDSTfcLDZbu9_XcXAFMyNuxWqwDa4yk_TY/s1600-h/wedding.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RJdhIEDonVK1yjtcP2L4K-LElzdw2MUbAJOXtIIcQzo-jl6RpEFM_7Rm0Pf43XJWglGTBwTZc-XAV1XXc2YohUu32p64q1VkcE2KVTij3GDSTfcLDZbu9_XcXAFMyNuxWqwDa4yk_TY/s320/wedding.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166852955991857314" border="0" /></a>Just in time for Valentine's Day, I'm taking <a href="http://www.jensenators.blogspot.com/">Shannon</a> up on her challenge to tell the story of how I met Lansing & got engaged. Let me preface this by saying we never actually got engaged, officially- we skipped right over it and just got married. But I'll get to that later.<br /><br />I first met Lansing in September 1993, when we both entered the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missionary_Training_Center">MTC</a>, destined for Bulgaria (Lansing) and the Czech Republic (me). Neither one of us made any lasting impression on the other at first sight; it wasn't until a few days later that I took a good look at his name tag and realized his sister Clorinda had been in my dorm during our freshman year (my freshman year, that is, and Clorinda's- Lansing was but an innocent high-school child at the time.) Aside from that, we probably had a few conversations but the first one I remember was over lunch one day; I was joking around with someone else in his group and said something that made him laugh. I am always flattered when anyone finds me funny- I take it as a sign of a discerning mind- so this immediately bumped him up several notches in my personal esteem.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_O-rr57JFCWGE0FZbzyxJe_BRf4ZZWaB8B1QoRMJQN2QdTbWNm-gghZFDpUhHFQ04MiSLwQYDdOQGjnfmp0URyFKiAyCM_N-sWidbv8L-oxAHtQb0wdHw2nX8R9kV5uIGuzdAM1cwow/s1600-h/mtc1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_O-rr57JFCWGE0FZbzyxJe_BRf4ZZWaB8B1QoRMJQN2QdTbWNm-gghZFDpUhHFQ04MiSLwQYDdOQGjnfmp0URyFKiAyCM_N-sWidbv8L-oxAHtQb0wdHw2nX8R9kV5uIGuzdAM1cwow/s320/mtc1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166852440595781762" border="0" /></a> This is a picture we took for his sister. Notice he's doing the "I'm-not-touching-you" thing, though not entirely in accordance with the arm's-length rule.<br /><br />There were only a couple of other missionaries in his group, so they were in with us for most of the non-language-based activities and we had lots of opportunities to chat and get to know each other better. I couldn't tell you anything specific we discussed, just that we had an immediate comfort level with each other that was unusual for me. As I look back over the pictures of our whole group together it strikes me that he is always sitting next to me, which he informs me was not at all coincidental, but at the time I just wasn't in the "Meet Your Romantic Destiny" mindset and I didn't pick up on it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmnDgni3sQ3GIwWWSlfiK9eX-9PBPjBm4aGKUGYzmzdiIlZIkmwkZiz5kFKJQbwnptiDdBtOSSQgkveKgDEnx1r8cpd_7kDFzQog-JDPRc8IEVEV0mAYnIXu1Lug0Nsyg_9eAh4ceNFY/s1600-h/mtc2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmnDgni3sQ3GIwWWSlfiK9eX-9PBPjBm4aGKUGYzmzdiIlZIkmwkZiz5kFKJQbwnptiDdBtOSSQgkveKgDEnx1r8cpd_7kDFzQog-JDPRc8IEVEV0mAYnIXu1Lug0Nsyg_9eAh4ceNFY/s320/mtc2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166862490819254450" border="0" /></a>Actually in this one he's not next to me- he's at the top, I'm 2nd from the right, standing.<br /><br />We wrote to each other during our missions, and traded a few tapes (tapes! can you imagine? it was like the Stone Age of communications) recorded over the audio guide to the missionary study program, and we were both guilty of some incredibly bad poetry. (Yes, this is how nerds go about trying to impress one another. Look away, it's hideous.) Anyway, I came home in February and went back to school. He finished his mission in August and called me on my birthday, the first time we'd talked in almost 2 years. A couple of weeks later he was back in Provo, and we went on our first date- a 3-day camping trip to <a href="http://www.nps.gov/zion/photosmultimedia/index.htm">Zion National Park</a>. We met friends at the canyon but drove down together, and by the time we got there I was completely in love. We both had this incredibly strong sense of recognition and being 100 percent at home with each other, which neither of us had ever experienced before. We spent every possible minute together that fall, and went camping a lot, and if you look at our transcripts there is a corresponding huge dip in both of our GPA's.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQB6rhcqQjkj_ujWTiSZTustFXXB-rMYd_eeWE4I5Wbe0mRjx3SXDMGTPFCy3S59jHQyjFgdvuH7WC-_-7VIZ-R3gNXFs1FmqRIUOuTOR-YHL5IsFXNUUVOnTiGI3hcv8ow5Jf2uR7RM/s1600-h/moab1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQB6rhcqQjkj_ujWTiSZTustFXXB-rMYd_eeWE4I5Wbe0mRjx3SXDMGTPFCy3S59jHQyjFgdvuH7WC-_-7VIZ-R3gNXFs1FmqRIUOuTOR-YHL5IsFXNUUVOnTiGI3hcv8ow5Jf2uR7RM/s320/moab1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166851912314804338" border="0" /></a> Here we are on a mountain-biking trip to Moab.<br /><br />By Christmas, we had started making wedding plans, but due to errors of strategy on my part we made it all the way to the altar without Lansing ever actually proposing. He wanted it to be perfect, and I seemed to have a knack for derailing things at the critical moment, and one way or another it just never happened. So he owes me one!!<br /><br />We got married on June 25, 1996. It was the best decision I ever made. We are just alike enough to understand each other perfectly, and just different enough to keep it interesting. And just lucky enough to have found each other.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-30750891985922895882008-02-10T22:46:00.000+00:002008-02-10T23:52:46.578+00:00Christmas, otherwise known as Ancient HistoryHere's how our Christmas trip to PA began:<br />(Dark, silent house. Everyone is sound asleep. Lansing's mobile begins to ring from somewhere under the bed.)<br /><br />"Hi, this is your airport car service...we're out front for your 7 am pick-up but just checking we have the right house since there aren't any lights on..."<br /><br />There are a couple of morals to this story:<br /><br />1) Don't let Lansing be in charge of waking you up for your next overseas flight.<br />2) Don't leave critical items such as, say, THE CAMERA, to be packed in the morning before a 7-a.m. departure for the airport.<br />3) Don't book yourself and your (adorable but absent-minded) husband and your 2 (adorable but hyper) small children on an early-morning flight from the busiest airport in the city.<br />4) If you disregard #3, be sure NOT to also disregard #'s 1 & 2, because your children will rapidly drop any pretense of adorability when they discover that you have not packed them any breakfast and that furthermore you will not be able to obtain any breakfast until you are safely through security and within sprinting distance of your departure gate, time permitting.<br /><br />But despite the shaky start, we had a terrific time catching up with Lansing's family- all 8 siblings were there, with their families, plus grandparents and his mom's sister & her husband. I think the grand total was 33 people, including 13 kids. Lansing's dad came to our rescue, photo-wise, and the pictures below are all courtesy of him.<br /><br />His parents were fantastic, patient, perfect hosts (no doubt raising 8 children makes you somewhat impervious to chaos.) They let the kids set up a Geo-Trax set in the study:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KhH1axrOFJr1m4RJRMtEzgbkPNB2EkSw9VCprQYbvWjnS5K4B1KENmLO89OjBYFnrJekHDNbgD1OyYmYADt71Z8ZADmloytZKFVcg7webiD3_u6_Fv2ONRIosD78R8Q4Tv-XJ6WBZrY/s1600-h/Ethan+trains.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KhH1axrOFJr1m4RJRMtEzgbkPNB2EkSw9VCprQYbvWjnS5K4B1KENmLO89OjBYFnrJekHDNbgD1OyYmYADt71Z8ZADmloytZKFVcg7webiD3_u6_Fv2ONRIosD78R8Q4Tv-XJ6WBZrY/s320/Ethan+trains.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165491996819871714" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Ethan was obsessed with these trains, enjoying the role of Omnipotent Railway Controller. A couple of times I had to speak with him about Bossiness Issues, as he really couldn't understand why his fellow train-drivers would not bend to his will like good little puppets. I know, Ethan, it's really the hardest life lesson, that you can't force everyone to do what you'd like them to do (at least not all the time.) I'm still coming to terms with that myself.<br /><br />One day all the kids made candy trees. I love this picture, it gives you a good sense of what it's like with 30-plus people in the house:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBzNgl5co9j_AWNFHodIAaIGLl-DJNlyGDl8Yk3jKtNxi4CTemnIL4o_gNCOxykUmHlwho90A1kRCF2mWuJgUIwDWMnnTalHN0lzHoMRNhCm9tFyeHnYSp3Z53tg4gX3aJvpKTxOqu5Y/s1600-h/chaos+trees.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBzNgl5co9j_AWNFHodIAaIGLl-DJNlyGDl8Yk3jKtNxi4CTemnIL4o_gNCOxykUmHlwho90A1kRCF2mWuJgUIwDWMnnTalHN0lzHoMRNhCm9tFyeHnYSp3Z53tg4gX3aJvpKTxOqu5Y/s320/chaos+trees.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165495724851484690" border="0" /></a><br />Here's Ethan with his finished product:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tPVzI3DN_UVz-95VQqdXaebsJl4oIT0tvfCzBBC8hM83C9mOug7vY7lOn3drYOXd93snxdsakTuaraYgEToDNrmUFEFxQOGwosExgVgoZvx6lGWxT-5mBke2U-7H67LDE_YyyJkAA9E/s1600-h/finished+product.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tPVzI3DN_UVz-95VQqdXaebsJl4oIT0tvfCzBBC8hM83C9mOug7vY7lOn3drYOXd93snxdsakTuaraYgEToDNrmUFEFxQOGwosExgVgoZvx6lGWxT-5mBke2U-7H67LDE_YyyJkAA9E/s320/finished+product.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165495750621288498" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On Christmas Eve we went to Hershey Park to take the kids on the Chocolate World ride (quick tour of the chocolate-making process, followed by free samples and lots of whining when you disembark in a huge candy shop and the kids demand to buy everything in sight.) Here's a shot of Ethan at Chocolate World with his cousins Kathryn and Bethany, all 6 years old:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxI2UvPbTQ_Otl7WGaegjkOEF0j2oH5UWV2YJVrudUzjz7Ww07wwWQqL4oB7Q_bei-iZW4m14Jg7B6AFekL8vBrW5fp8wGrlt0V0WQbZtF8L-qJzOX0xL7N9p_UOfHOXKWO3L8uVZ_8xY/s1600-h/6-year-olds.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxI2UvPbTQ_Otl7WGaegjkOEF0j2oH5UWV2YJVrudUzjz7Ww07wwWQqL4oB7Q_bei-iZW4m14Jg7B6AFekL8vBrW5fp8wGrlt0V0WQbZtF8L-qJzOX0xL7N9p_UOfHOXKWO3L8uVZ_8xY/s320/6-year-olds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165495724851484706" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Cuties! Here's another of them, at home by the tree...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQESMnphI1HrGi4IEy0QjIwC6T3SGVJfNuGFj0KXGIn4IYBg1IpJ1KqH0laIqJWHrWZw_3Zn04h1kC01FQhnVh69k5yEr_-W38WVphDRARii_sh4T4VcmrKfHdr4yDT3QwHzMhIOCpoos/s1600-h/sixes+by+the+tree.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQESMnphI1HrGi4IEy0QjIwC6T3SGVJfNuGFj0KXGIn4IYBg1IpJ1KqH0laIqJWHrWZw_3Zn04h1kC01FQhnVh69k5yEr_-W38WVphDRARii_sh4T4VcmrKfHdr4yDT3QwHzMhIOCpoos/s320/sixes+by+the+tree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165497365528991842" border="0" /></a><br />And some of all the kids together, on the stairs:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0R-9fyCuo0q4_DApUAvcNio3bY4wFuG2HqrudLpQPUhwYTDyojQg5ldfBIQiwZnWfeMUOBgDs6pxHKJnQjmriVWWUnXd_8F77cmoqiZqgk8wCAZAhOJKUNvbGUdvKLJ3Qqm8BRv1Jc9s/s1600-h/kids+on+steps.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0R-9fyCuo0q4_DApUAvcNio3bY4wFuG2HqrudLpQPUhwYTDyojQg5ldfBIQiwZnWfeMUOBgDs6pxHKJnQjmriVWWUnXd_8F77cmoqiZqgk8wCAZAhOJKUNvbGUdvKLJ3Qqm8BRv1Jc9s/s320/kids+on+steps.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165495754916255810" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And in their pj's, below. If some of them look at little traumatized in this second one, that's because there was some threatening going on. I'm not sure it's possible to get 13 children 10 and under in a picture together without a little arm-twisting (metaphorical, of course. At least I didn't observe any actual arm-twisting.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUPoRfsYXyqCRtbGFE_7QcHyRd7Xea__dW18CU_pibENJ2SC3JSFsF1OeXFunu7V_JtBbma8lM0tGPulU9Um6BgETMt0qloP6TsAwyDgktINl3fdhe3dYRIdz2iBBJvKGQqNqWa_bDJs/s1600-h/pj+trauma.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUPoRfsYXyqCRtbGFE_7QcHyRd7Xea__dW18CU_pibENJ2SC3JSFsF1OeXFunu7V_JtBbma8lM0tGPulU9Um6BgETMt0qloP6TsAwyDgktINl3fdhe3dYRIdz2iBBJvKGQqNqWa_bDJs/s320/pj+trauma.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165495759211223122" border="0" /></a>It had been ages since we'd seen everyone and there were at least a couple of babies we'd never met, so it was great to see everyone. Afterwards we headed east to the Poconos and met my sister and her daughter for a couple of days at <a href="http://www.greatwolf.com/Locations/Poconos/">Great Wolf Lodge.</a> Ethan and Taylor (his cousin) have spent lots of time together over the past several years and he's always thrilled to see her. Naturally I have no pictures of my own from the waterpark either. Kristin? Anything?<br /><br />Coming soon: my friend Shannon has tagged me to tell the story of Lansing & I Getting Engaged. Which I'm happy to do. Just, you know, bring a bucket, because the tackiness and sappiness of our story is gag-inducing even to me.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-25457863164805134172007-12-12T20:30:00.000+00:002007-12-12T21:06:22.957+00:00More from Avery's 1st Birthday<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFpkUIzVIDEC18BQXoj43rKx6TQS-4fkFwB06SHxs9Ce6Q9maWEj59Mfd2FvaHyu-4_waGTu1m3S18Xc1Qg7MIqNF-HYalI-mMcFnkKx-cSK67KVK-0cYQ7ULX_VjYnhk99_zV0ace3s/s1600-h/tasty+ipod.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFpkUIzVIDEC18BQXoj43rKx6TQS-4fkFwB06SHxs9Ce6Q9maWEj59Mfd2FvaHyu-4_waGTu1m3S18Xc1Qg7MIqNF-HYalI-mMcFnkKx-cSK67KVK-0cYQ7ULX_VjYnhk99_zV0ace3s/s320/tasty+ipod.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143187261246646114" border="0" /></a><br />Initially she couldn't be convinced to trade the iPod for cake...<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6775WWlwshYl5EcElSqtqiDYpub1jVJBkpABEJZEf8O8n3Qk3_yjl_RhZqduiGbAuOFsNA0i098lsFPaBhXPl4yj3jHpbLlaK0toa0jGNx5kkAv6QEMEbwC2ErPa3vzb4mHoCClIRCMU/s1600-h/where's+my+cake.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6775WWlwshYl5EcElSqtqiDYpub1jVJBkpABEJZEf8O8n3Qk3_yjl_RhZqduiGbAuOFsNA0i098lsFPaBhXPl4yj3jHpbLlaK0toa0jGNx5kkAv6QEMEbwC2ErPa3vzb4mHoCClIRCMU/s320/where's+my+cake.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143187265541613426" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZghfjPYffSbw7vW02-42OIPtRMOB7gmetDFJdBr-Zj8aRrfpX6sWBThVdOFVVSV_TMIvmEfdSTPsWNMkQrMR_ty8V_94eOoKyMKQLf56rGbNMg1Djydi7DLJdpCpcV3WAsy_Is9bbLKk/s1600-h/why+is+he+here.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZghfjPYffSbw7vW02-42OIPtRMOB7gmetDFJdBr-Zj8aRrfpX6sWBThVdOFVVSV_TMIvmEfdSTPsWNMkQrMR_ty8V_94eOoKyMKQLf56rGbNMg1Djydi7DLJdpCpcV3WAsy_Is9bbLKk/s320/why+is+he+here.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143187265541613442" border="0" /></a>"What's he doing here?"<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1dXv59FBCB7ERQu-Rol1W79-DKMYVzTmAXHkssR3gb6CB0UTB_TxvPszFYK1Uf1tLmzgmJohrcDn3VANxeBk2wqoBnnrtnqZKq0bsyOWPVJzm7j5eOklEDXllfsjxYpzb06Vz2k4T40/s1600-h/avery's+whoosit+cake.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1dXv59FBCB7ERQu-Rol1W79-DKMYVzTmAXHkssR3gb6CB0UTB_TxvPszFYK1Uf1tLmzgmJohrcDn3VANxeBk2wqoBnnrtnqZKq0bsyOWPVJzm7j5eOklEDXllfsjxYpzb06Vz2k4T40/s320/avery's+whoosit+cake.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143187269836580754" border="0" /></a>The Whoosit Cake<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlL90gNEg45mPbWwKjKB_6CNJ8oMtF9gbBNtiQh8ROzXNpW1xVpavk-2vmMsKfkRixpHBmbAHtyGNH5lV3F8Rzew3YsWZX4kV0X3YDwzEn_UdVk9f_5enLz8a7aWDFJ1Vvts2FEi6oRgs/s1600-h/yummy.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlL90gNEg45mPbWwKjKB_6CNJ8oMtF9gbBNtiQh8ROzXNpW1xVpavk-2vmMsKfkRixpHBmbAHtyGNH5lV3F8Rzew3YsWZX4kV0X3YDwzEn_UdVk9f_5enLz8a7aWDFJ1Vvts2FEi6oRgs/s320/yummy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143187269836580770" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYq4ytuVitAjptbgfJ8BJt3iGg9I9wl8GEx32EzAyhLb3dYWG3M2cxcYvSu27oQKwa-WKTKTwWCDQLrhm4hRHyOrOwTDz5lNNZn5FL8NthXfYjAKiUf1R-BWXHW3azaAA_vK0ftNe6qwU/s1600-h/busy.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYq4ytuVitAjptbgfJ8BJt3iGg9I9wl8GEx32EzAyhLb3dYWG3M2cxcYvSu27oQKwa-WKTKTwWCDQLrhm4hRHyOrOwTDz5lNNZn5FL8NthXfYjAKiUf1R-BWXHW3azaAA_vK0ftNe6qwU/s320/busy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143188399412979634" border="0" /></a>Making progress...<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZTrnWQFlSNV8ZfY-lF-tnxMpXDfsbSVB2QxX8uV3V9jtoT0zfGPxnukUhGhs-s-1UqbPGnRx-3HGqSIZcI-CZabyqktcN2JBdqN89Wtkr6br_HgW6Kn9a6FS-M9oE64i18duCX1uxzk/s1600-h/Ethan+helps+out.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZTrnWQFlSNV8ZfY-lF-tnxMpXDfsbSVB2QxX8uV3V9jtoT0zfGPxnukUhGhs-s-1UqbPGnRx-3HGqSIZcI-CZabyqktcN2JBdqN89Wtkr6br_HgW6Kn9a6FS-M9oE64i18duCX1uxzk/s320/Ethan+helps+out.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143188399412979650" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nAvYH3v31Se3og475z_vnXY9u0rqzViP4wPypk0HzqvlwntbVBq7VGpJQBfUcU2OUeVWfwnsiAibS3LaMzLmGNUwUVqod2QJPlEeW8FaeN4xYQuuF6zqjPx6ZYdVDIN-byYxX6A5m1c/s1600-h/messy+play.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nAvYH3v31Se3og475z_vnXY9u0rqzViP4wPypk0HzqvlwntbVBq7VGpJQBfUcU2OUeVWfwnsiAibS3LaMzLmGNUwUVqod2QJPlEeW8FaeN4xYQuuF6zqjPx6ZYdVDIN-byYxX6A5m1c/s320/messy+play.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143188403707946962" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisjtx2hYN0m4TPz7_RHdL7llQl91JEdfapSM3Nx6OZvFq62cwr3wLfqbpOjmgYQ08NFxnTTsO2i6YirCiRKKmjeiYqC1Ef9cVk-Gb6GTt_qRv6_vrjW0VcwCs2W8w8fIDtIg-c8inJuTk/s1600-h/card+from+Susan+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisjtx2hYN0m4TPz7_RHdL7llQl91JEdfapSM3Nx6OZvFq62cwr3wLfqbpOjmgYQ08NFxnTTsO2i6YirCiRKKmjeiYqC1Ef9cVk-Gb6GTt_qRv6_vrjW0VcwCs2W8w8fIDtIg-c8inJuTk/s320/card+from+Susan+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143188403707946978" border="0" /></a>Opening her card from Aunt Susan...<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOzvJ0RBZasUR1yLojBgIT-3eTSby3w-swrMHsfc-ZlEmh_KACZSZiTbAMgg_cMWT0xWn_96lyjW74aiNCmiL1iStoK-6sL4sQfckDVbsR556brB_7VuFvvGcA7BOsbyERRoLxRjXf9Qc/s1600-h/lots+of+cute+clothes.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOzvJ0RBZasUR1yLojBgIT-3eTSby3w-swrMHsfc-ZlEmh_KACZSZiTbAMgg_cMWT0xWn_96lyjW74aiNCmiL1iStoK-6sL4sQfckDVbsR556brB_7VuFvvGcA7BOsbyERRoLxRjXf9Qc/s320/lots+of+cute+clothes.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143188408002914290" border="0" /></a>Lots of cute clothes!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJt2CdheRktFSAxG0VovCWS324h5pcqpoXXgtaDfmXr2MIg91mRXJmT5wp3xNmrrRXMRd3dRQf2WpU5aP3RsT2QKpaIzMqsrhFy76N6Hef4skDowHhcRlvRUb3Wx0H2V3fkZv-kH3DZM/s1600-h/ooh+what%27s+this.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJt2CdheRktFSAxG0VovCWS324h5pcqpoXXgtaDfmXr2MIg91mRXJmT5wp3xNmrrRXMRd3dRQf2WpU5aP3RsT2QKpaIzMqsrhFy76N6Hef4skDowHhcRlvRUb3Wx0H2V3fkZv-kH3DZM/s320/ooh+what%27s+this.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143189855406893058" border="0" /></a>Ooo, what's this? Thanks Aunt Kristin!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoKaoygHlqleFLWDdtysmjGihuOUbQmoNQMwsKVYs9VRfI20ehagK-UOrpRsDuS7-GsmHKA-LJvq2ORtMyTT6zPJHqxaz3PcLXa9d5PJ62GH1mJkssBP5OuLoIuFX-defyiZSPrKRDeQ/s1600-h/almost+there.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoKaoygHlqleFLWDdtysmjGihuOUbQmoNQMwsKVYs9VRfI20ehagK-UOrpRsDuS7-GsmHKA-LJvq2ORtMyTT6zPJHqxaz3PcLXa9d5PJ62GH1mJkssBP5OuLoIuFX-defyiZSPrKRDeQ/s320/almost+there.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143189859701860370" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrCM6SBtOEjz-ZjJjPrwsksJpcslEfYLAM54FpiymzI_G6AgQZMphkc8qMrl2xHo4gOA__0MMDBw-_6Bth84FMU1cgUxZQZWKdhoFlfl90qFzXnBEOHHHxOsi0u9QROI52Zc7I2dqr08/s1600-h/I+love+it.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrCM6SBtOEjz-ZjJjPrwsksJpcslEfYLAM54FpiymzI_G6AgQZMphkc8qMrl2xHo4gOA__0MMDBw-_6Bth84FMU1cgUxZQZWKdhoFlfl90qFzXnBEOHHHxOsi0u9QROI52Zc7I2dqr08/s320/I+love+it.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143189863996827682" border="0" /></a>Love it!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Qvjh10U-6L5US_7Kw8XwE0coE5pXUzKk4305R64sGcSpMZE3P1nkzUGpj2D1BQwxeba11fXTOcaGfx9yDMtr-JRdm4AkCvBqRroniEt8iWA9TimelWxAnpHBndZ9fdvfmTi7LFScQ88/s1600-h/next.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Qvjh10U-6L5US_7Kw8XwE0coE5pXUzKk4305R64sGcSpMZE3P1nkzUGpj2D1BQwxeba11fXTOcaGfx9yDMtr-JRdm4AkCvBqRroniEt8iWA9TimelWxAnpHBndZ9fdvfmTi7LFScQ88/s320/next.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143189868291794994" border="0" /></a>Next!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YD7zXiu3JY3Rp_IpUMQ6TP1mfKl8HMIqB4B8DB7uzYRhTFztGoFZvSaSTZK3ZCB8PPfYuOt-2jbyDUgudTpTipiGWHezDB-mg33BKpvdiARJ3shhtzChPc6ITasqKnbGqFbgu2QRfLs/s1600-h/love+this+one+too.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YD7zXiu3JY3Rp_IpUMQ6TP1mfKl8HMIqB4B8DB7uzYRhTFztGoFZvSaSTZK3ZCB8PPfYuOt-2jbyDUgudTpTipiGWHezDB-mg33BKpvdiARJ3shhtzChPc6ITasqKnbGqFbgu2QRfLs/s320/love+this+one+too.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143189872586762306" border="0" /></a>Love this one too!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOTL76mrifZhJEoszQg-GAksogWEQVeZIfZK5QwsmvfLvPKMwj7n8LH11UC8w0cVsnCoDTEyIJGLTDSj7HZYorL7zf-KkugtRFi5etnGl1a0dgsiz0aEnIKWLKn8Y8TjDmiolwMx8Vvc/s1600-h/mine.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOTL76mrifZhJEoszQg-GAksogWEQVeZIfZK5QwsmvfLvPKMwj7n8LH11UC8w0cVsnCoDTEyIJGLTDSj7HZYorL7zf-KkugtRFi5etnGl1a0dgsiz0aEnIKWLKn8Y8TjDmiolwMx8Vvc/s320/mine.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143190667155712082" border="0" /></a>Mine!!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvG7btEGLPNt8DHg-g76zFCVO0n1HxdKo1Gw64VtW6N3V6tvaYV-TxQ58nvVDCxd9_6E5r_zQk2mHiTBRAzp88J1Lb8mX-oHcCBiA2v_2K7g2g5LxHbiLm2eHvAnL8kLUsNF7965DsgRI/s1600-h/sharing+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvG7btEGLPNt8DHg-g76zFCVO0n1HxdKo1Gw64VtW6N3V6tvaYV-TxQ58nvVDCxd9_6E5r_zQk2mHiTBRAzp88J1Lb8mX-oHcCBiA2v_2K7g2g5LxHbiLm2eHvAnL8kLUsNF7965DsgRI/s320/sharing+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143190667155712098" border="0" /></a>Ethan demonstrating proper train-driving technique.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6219532285650850929.post-70528558367347585272007-12-11T09:15:00.000+00:002007-12-11T13:03:16.752+00:00Okay, that was ridiculously easy...After 6 years of expat life, I've finally come to terms with the following:<br /><br />(1) we aren't going to be moving home anytime soon, despite what I said that one time, and the time after that, and the time after that.<br />(2) I am incapable of keeping up with e-mail on anything like a regular basis. (see above re: broken promises.)<br /><br />So I'm taking 3 minutes (while Avery performs her morning ritual of removing everything from the kitchen cabinets and trashing all the dvds) to launch this blog, in the hope that it will at least allow friends and family to get a general sense of what we're up to. In honor of the inaugural post, some footage of Avery's 1st birthday celebration:<br /><br /><br />Ethan getting in on the act-<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzpZQXq4KZlhBggv3mWAV0K2cka1UnNXJpqz6IpoV-PtkE_D-qlgrZ12zmCP-g9oRcNilz-xMcz3yM4EiSswA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />(yeah, we're definitely not the Osmonds- huge front teeth notwithstanding- or even the Os<span style="font-style: italic;">bournes. </span>Sorry about the singing.)<br /><br /><br />Avery and her cake, with my annoying commentary:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzzVw9PrODjZsRusxOHmxRn9XuroEL6elin1GC2xWzZFUY3ox4oQCK2v_FKo1IDNzGUb4bpFSUP5hrv3-CYog' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />I'll try to add some photos of the aftermath a bit later. I've got to get ready to take Ethan to the doctor- he woke up with a fever and can't bend his neck. I'm guessing it's not meningitis*, since he's tearing around the house as usual, albeit with one hand clamped to his cervical vertebrae, but it seems best to have it checked out. (you see the type of thrilling detail you've been missing out on??) Lots more where that came from.<br /><br />*(Just back from the doctor- the phantom neck pain seems to have dissipated; it's just another cold, plus maybe some muscle strain, no doubt from craning to see the tv from the couch all the way across the room, rather than perched 4 inches in front of it on the ottoman as he prefers.)Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00440894389353171361noreply@blogger.com1