December is Drifting Away

It's not that I've intended to disappear. It's just that life has a way of sweeping you along in paths you may not have expected, initially. I'm going to take a little holiday for the rest of December - I promise I'll be back in January with tons of exciting news and goings on, some new adventures and a ridiculous number of photographs. I hope the holiday season finds you well and happy, and that your New Year wishes all come true. Until 2012...

Peace.

Azalea in Waiting

This was taken at the top of Andrew's Bald, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I'd love to go back in the spring, when the azaleas are blooming - it must be an amazing sight!

They Bearly Made It

So, when we last left our intrepid family, they had narrowly escaped a black bear's attention while it munched on red berries in a tree right next to the trail on which they were hiking. Even so, they decided it would be wise to continue to hike single file, with the kids in between the parents, just in case they ran across another wild animal. They passed a couple of groups of hikers and warned them of the bear in the tree, feeling confident they would make it back to the car in good shape.

About a half mile past where they spotted the bear in the tree, the mom heard a loud, crunching, movement-type sound on the uphill side of the trail. She stopped abruptly, told everyone to be quiet and looked toward the sound. They all heard the sound that time, and through the gaps in the trees, where the sunlight filtered to the ground, she saw the shape of a head and a very large, fuzzy ear.

Her husband eased up to her and asked if she thought it was a deer. She pointed at the very large, fuzzy ear about 20 yards away and said, "No. Definitely not a deer. That there's a big ole bear. Big. Like, BIG." The head turned toward the family, as if determining whether or not they were worth pursuing. The husband pushed everyone behind him (because that's just the kind of guy he is) and they watched, not breathing, tensed and ready to use every ounce of their junior ranger training to prevent an attack.

The bear turned uphill and slowly began to walk in the opposite direction the family was hiking. The husband herded his family up the trail, distancing them from the bear, watching behind to see if she turned. The wife had her hands on her boys' shoulders, urging them to walk quickly, but not run - reassuring them that they were fine.

And they were. The last half mile of the hike was uneventful, although the adrenaline made it feel somehow dangerous. The children were understandably frightened, but not panicked, and by the time they reached the car, everyone was laughing (albeit nervously) about their brush with wildlife.

After a short rest and refuel at the car, they all decided to head up another (well traveled and heavily populated) trail to see the rest of the views they had come to see.




They also got a story to tell their children...

Let the Geekery Commence

So, maybe I've mentioned that we're kind of science geeks, no? Yes. Well. We are.

Unabashedly. Unashamedly. We love science. We love space. We love science fiction. We love science fact.

We love Rocket City Rednecks. Seriously. Watch it.

So going to Kennedy Space Center was a little like going to church. Did I tell you that Dr. SmartyPants once had an experiment go up on the space shuttle?

Mhmm. I know - it's not fair - wicked smart AND wicked handsome. I'm a lucky, lucky girl.

Anyway...we went and toured, and explored and smiled and marveled and mourned while we were there.



We hung out with the original Mercury 7.



We jumped in a Gemini capsule...



And an Apollo capsule...



We met a cool character walking around.  So much better than Mickey Mouse, people...



We toured the original blockhouses from the early rocket tests. The boys actually got to push the button that sent Alan Shepherd into space.



We stood on the pad where the Apollo 1 crew lost their lives, and marveled at the quiet beauty of the place - the ocean in the distance. All launch pads can be rebuilt and used, but this one stands as a ruin and will never be used again - a tribute to Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee, the brave men who died that day.



We wandered around and wondered if we would go to space again, now that the shuttle program has been killed. We marveled at the scientific advances that never would have existed, had NASA not thought them up. We talked about the every day things we use, and don't even think about, that were developed by NASA for the astronauts and ended up in our kitchens and cars and schools. Smoke detectors were developed as a direct consequence of the Apollo 1 tragedy.

Can you imagine life without smoke detectors? They are ubiquitous. Before 1967? Not so much. One of the tour guides said that every detector should have the names Grissom, White and Chaffee on them.

How about long range weather forecasting, energy efficient air conditioning, satellite navigation, CAT scans, computers, flat panel televisions, water purification systems, UV protective sunglasses, shock-absorbing athletic shoes, heart monitors...the list goes on and on.

Maybe one day, we'll get back up there. Maybe one day, our government will once again recognize that science is a good thing and should be funded.

Maybe one day...

Memory Dump

We were in Orlando last week, for Fall Break and to see Dr. SmartyPants get his second R&D100 award. Because my boy's wicked smahhht, people. Somehow, we didn't manage to get any photos of us all dressed up in our finery, but we looked awesome.

And sparkly.

************************

We took the boys with us this time, and they had a great time. It was their first time on an airplane. They were so nervous about it, but absolutely loved it, as I knew they would. When we took off from Knoxville, it was pretty cloudy and gray. When the plane broke through the clouds, Joshua gasped and said, "It's beautiful! It looks like heaven!"

He's right.

*********************************

We spent a day lounging by the pool, while the Smarty worked, but then had some time together. We went across the street from the hotel to Sea World, which was fan-freaking-tastic. None of us are big roller-coaster riders, but we were more than entertained by all the aquatic mammals, especially the dolphins.

Yes, I know the orcas are the main attraction, but people - the dolphin show was spectacular. It was so beautiful, I had tears in my eyes. No kidding.

It was art.



*************************************
Tomorrow - I'll fill you in on our geekalicious trip to Kennedy Space Center. I'd do it now, but Flickr is acting up and I'm tired of dealing with it.

Dang it.

xoxo

Lord of the Regatta de Blanc

When I was in high school, I was incredibly good looking.



PROOF!

This may not be the best representation of my self 25 years ago, but it's closest to my mental image of my teenaged self.

I got better.

Anyway. I had two real loves in my life back then - music and books. My boyfriend was Sting. He loved me just the way I was. He gave me mighty bass lines and piercing vocals whenever I wanted them.

He was a good boyfriend.

I LOVED The Police. LOVED them. My room was decked out in their posters, my cassette collection was riddled with their albums. I watched the Synchronicity HBO concert live. I wore strange clothes. I cried when they broke up in 1984.

I probably would have worn strange clothes anyway, but we'll just blame it on them, okay?

I also lived with my nose in a book pretty much all the time. Not a school book, necessarily, but fiction - constantly. One of my long-loved, re-read favorites is Lord of the Rings. And while I'm not much of a movie buff, when the movies came out, I fell in love with those as well.

This week, those two loves have combined into a wonderful blend of firsts for my boys. We've been reading The Lord of the Rings aloud together, and they had already started to fall in love with the characters, and while we intend to continue reading it together, Dr. SmartyPants and I decided the time was right for them to see the movies. We've never let them watch PG-13 movies before.

They were SO EXCITED! Because they AREN'T EVEN 13 YET!

Breakin' the law...breakin' the law...

Joshua is already petitioning to have his name changed to "Legolas." I just hope he doesn't decide to go so far as to do any body modifications to get elf ears.

I also played The Police for them this week. This was part of an educational experiment we were involved in with Melinda, who feels my one flaw (one and only...isn't she sweet) is my general disregard for Bruce Springsteen. I don't actively dislike him, I even find myself singing along occasionally, he's just kind of "meh" for me. She loves him, and sent the boys an email to ask them to give him a try - with a couple of recommendations for songs to start with.

I played those songs for them, with no commentary - I'm not one to bias anyone's musical opinion. Their overall impression was that the music was nice, the saxophone was awesome, but they couldn't understand anything The Boss said, and his voice was kind of weird. They rated it an overall "okay." (sorry Mo...)

I thought it was time to break out The Police.

I'm thrilled to say they loved them. Derek loved the baseline on "Demolition Man" and was singing it in the backseat while Joshua grooved to the drumbeat in the front. Joshua asked me if I could buy him the album for his iPhone. (YES! YES! ACTUALLY NO! Because we already have it, but I can LOAD it on your iPhone.) When we pulled into the garage, and we were in the middle of "Every Breath You Take," they made me sit there until the song was over.

I just can't tell you how stupidly happy it made me that they loved the music that shaped my teen years. I can't even tell you why it made me so happy. I just know it did and I'm so looking forward to driving around with my two awesome kids, singing at the top of our lungs...

A Utopia of Temperance

The Smarty and I went riding around last weekend, looking at houses in the country with huge tracts of land. This is not because we are selling our house and buying anything out in the country with huge tracts of land, but because for some reason we like to dream about having a house out in the country with huge tracts of land.

Usually, we go out and see how much land 34 acres really is and then laugh ourselves silly at the thought of actually taking care of so much land and then we drive around and just enjoy the scenery around here in east Tennessee. Then we say things like, "But Father...I don't want the land...I only want...to siiiiing!!"

Bonus points for knowing what the heck I'm talking about.

Anyway, on our travels about the rurality of our region, we stumbled across Harriman, TN. We had, of course, heard of Harriman, but hadn't ever had reason to visit there. On this day, though, they were having a car show right on the main drag, and Dr. SmartyPants can't pass up an unexpected car show any more than I can pass up an unexpected art show.

Harriman's downtown is just as cute as a button, people. It has everything that makes small town Americana so sweet and quaint, including a half-restored theater and a couple of antique shops and a group of grannies line-dancing to "Boot Scootin' Boogie."

But the most interesting thing to me was the historical marker I spotted in the middle of the town. While there have been other towns established in Tennessee as utopias, this one takes the prize for being the most high-falutin'. Can you read it?

Harriman: Utopia of Temperance
Incorporated in 1891, this was to be an ideal industrial city, an object lesson for thrift, sobriety, superior intelligence and exalted moral character, where workers would be uncorrupted by Demon Rum. Named for Union General Walter Harriman, former governor of New Hampshire. Leader of movement was Union General Clinton B. Fisk, founder of Fisk University and Prohibition candidate for president in 1888.

Love it. It actually remained liquor free until 1993, although I'm not too sure how they did with the superior intelligence and exalted moral character thing. Such interesting places all around us...you can read more about Harriman, TN here.

I've Got a Feelin'

The Smarty and I had a date last night. It's not a terribly common occurrence, that. We don't get out as often as we should, I suppose. But we did. Yay!

We went out for dinner (shrimp & grits...mmmm) and a couple of $2 drafts, and then headed to The Square Room to see The Cleverlys.

They are very clever. Now, I love me some good bluegrass music, people. Add good bluegrass music to self-deprecating humor and a whole lot of wit, and I'm completely happy.

We had a great time - it was a good crowd with a strange blend of white-haired ladies and seersucker suited gentlemen mixed in with hipsters sporting super straight jeans while drinking PBR from a can.

And we were there, too.  We defy classification.

So do The Cleverlys...



And oh.  By the way...I have a new boy-fren...

He played the fiddle right into my heart...

Weekending

No. We aren't going camping again. We're going to take a break from traveling.

We'll probably clean out the garage, instead.

And go to the farmer's market.
And play some tennis.
And watch the A-Team (some of us, anyway.)
And rest.
And watch some Formula 1 racing.
And paint.
And make some beignets.
And drink some coffee.
And take some photographs.
And walk the dogs.
And vacuum.


And be amazed when it's over so quickly...

Hope your weekend is full of happiness!

On Eating (part 3) - The S'mores Edition

We went camping last weekend in our little snail shell of a camper. Oh wait - that's not the right picture...



It may not be big and luxurious, but we love it. Oops. That's not it either.

Apparently, I didn't take a photo of our camper this time.

Here's one I took right after we bought it...



ANYWAY. I was a little concerned about how we were going to integrate our newly established eating habits into a weekend camping trip - because we love to eat camping food - you know...burgers, brats, baked beans, chips, and cookies.

And s'mores. Many...many...many s'mores.

Well - it wasn't so hard. It just took a little rearranging of expectations and some planning ahead.

We did burgers - but with lean ground beef and smaller (thinner) whole grain hamburger buns and a salad instead of baked beans, chips and dip.

We did spaghetti with whole wheat noodles, salad and garlic toasted english muffins (yummmm).

And we did brats. Yep. But these weren't your typical bratwurst sausages, which weigh in at a hefty 320 calories.

EACH.

ALONE.

I found some turkey bratwurst though - Butterball, maybe? I can't remember. Anyway, for 140 calories, we thought we'd give them a try. Honestly? I wasn't too excited about it. We had some turkey breakfast sausage one morning while we were camping, and I didn't care for it too much - too turkey-y.

But - we threw them on the grill...

photo by Joshua Ott

And instead of chips and dip, I decided to make zucchini fries.

Yes, I'm aware it's a stretch. Hang with me.

I cut a fresh zucchini into french fry shapes, sprinkled them with a seasoning mix intended for poultry (onion, garlic, salt, pepper, blah blah blah) and wrapped individual servings into aluminum foil. At first, I placed those on the grill over the open fire pit.

photo by Joshua Ott

Then I got worried that they weren't really roasting all that well, so I removed the grate and just tossed the aluminum foil bags down into the coals.

I pretty much just left them there and occasionally turned them over with the barbeque tongs until the turkey brats were finished.

When I pulled them out of the fire and opened them up, I realized I probably could have let them roast a little longer - to get more caramelized...but we were hungry.

People. This was absolutely fantastic. The turkey brats tasted just like bratwurst - none of that overpowering turkey taste. I loved the zucchini fries. LOVED them. Derek ate every one on his plate, and about half of Joshua's. Joshua said they weren't his favorite, but they were okay. Trust me when I tell you that is high praise from Joshua - he's not a fan of green anything. I noticed that Dr. SmartyPants' plate was clean, as well.

Now - I know what you're thinking. 140 calorie bratwurst. 100 calorie whole wheat hot dog bun. 0 calorie zucchini...that's not enough food to live on! And you would be right.

Because there are some things that you just can't find a substitute for...

Oh. Yes.

I believe I will...I mean I believe I did.

On Eating (part 1)

I have two sons.



They are very different from each other.

One has curly brown hair and green eyes.



He's the spitting image of his father.
He's got a heart the size of a lion.
He can be kind of a space cadet.
He loves fruit and vegetables.
He's overweight.

The other has straight blonde hair and blue eyes.



He may resemble his mother just a bit.
He's a creative marvel.
He's can be a little mean.
He loves dessert.
He's a scrawny bean-pole.

Before I get started on this story, I want you all to know that I asked for and received permission from all parties involved in this tale. I specifically asked Derek if I could share his story, and he said it was fine with him.

About a month ago, the four of us were sitting in the living room, talking and being silly - pretty much an average evening - when Derek asked a question that broke my heart.

"Mom?" (because all questions by youngsters in this house start this way...even when Dad is present.)

"Derek?" (because I am a smart ass.)

"Why are all of you slim, and I'm not?"

At this point, tears sprang into my eyes and my throat closed up and it was all I could do to not give in to them. Derek has always been big. He was over 9 pounds at birth. There has never been a time that he didn't check in at the 90th percentile for weight. But over the past year or so, I've really started to see some changes in Derek's shape - his cute little belly has grown into an uncomfortable paunch and its size has started interfering with his physical activity.

In short, my sweet butterball baby has become an overweight young man.

And, while I've noticed it, I've been reluctant to say anything negative about it, because the last thing I would want to do would be to make him feel bad about himself. I'm very thankful that he brought it up first - because now he's in control of the changes he needs to make.

We talked about food choices, and calories and metabolism. Derek says he rarely feels really hungry - he just eats when it is time to eat. This is dramatically different from Joshua, who lives to eat - and is constantly hungry. Derek has a sluggish metabolism...Joshua's is similar to a Formula 1 car.

We talked about genetics and the role it plays in body shape and how Dr. SmartyPants struggled with his weight around the same age, as did my dad, brother and nephew - and how my metabolism more closely resembled Joshua's, although it has slowed considerably through the years.

And Derek decided that he wanted to change his body shape and how he eats. I did some research about healthy weight loss options for pre-teen boys, and found a book to help him understand how your body uses food, and what kinds of foods are best to eat to promote healthy (gradual) weight loss...

...and came up with this one. It's such a simple concept for helping kids make good choices with regard to their eating, and it's been a fantastic road map for all of us - even the hyper-metabolized Joshua.

On the whole, it's been an easy transition. We eat fairly healthily most of the time anyway, although sodas have been a constant issue, we like chips, and Joshua's need for dessert at every meal kind of negates the vegetables I love to serve. Sodas have now been relegated to once a week, and honestly - they've been choosing other things instead, even with the option of having one - I've seen them order iced tea or  lemonade instead. Desserts are special occasion things, but sugar free pudding is a good substitute when they have a craving. Strawberries with stevia, instead of sugar, are even better. We switched from 2% milk to fat free milk. And we're drinking much more water.

I've watched them both reading nutrition labels and figuring out calorie content per serving, and seen their eyebrows raise up when they realize that they can have 40 goldfish crackers or 5 tortilla chips for the same caloric content. I've seen them measure out a portion size, rather than just filling up the entire bowl full of cereal and milk.

It's like health class all up in here.

We've all been weighing in once a week and so far...

Well. You'll have to wait for Part II, where I'll disclose the numbers (including how we came to the conclusion that Derek was, indeed, overweight) and talk about my struggles of helping him make those wise choices every day. Let's just say for now that it's hard being a mama...

Until tomorrow...eat some fruit, y'all...

Wednesday Wanderings

• Going to the Bijou tonight.
• Going with Linda.
• Going to see Abigail Washburn.
• Going to recommend you buy her album, because seriously...good stuff right there.
• Going to wear something pretty.
• Going to sit four rows back from the stage.
• Going to be silly excited.
• Going to tell you all about it tomorrow...

On Challenges and Epic Adventures

Ten months ago, when Dr. SmartyPants and I decided to start running again, I never dreamed that this day would happen. All we wanted to do was increase our fitness levels and run a little 5K.

Nine months ago, when I realized I was a delicate flower who was aging a bit and has a magical unicorn toe, I didn't even know if I could run the 5K we were training for. But I did. And then I ran another one.

Five months ago, when we moved back to Knoxville, we decided to try and take on something of an epic challenge and run the Covenant Knoxville Half-Marathon. I know I didn't exactly mention it on this blog, but that was because I was a little bit terrified of failing dismally, and I didn't think I could handle that on such a public forum. Our training was going great until about a month ago when it derailed entirely because we decided to build a patio, so I was sure that I would be able to run exactly 9 miles and then promptly die.

I was kind of ready to quit, honestly - chalk it up to a great idea that just didn't pan out, but Dr. SmartyPants wouldn't let me. And I'm really glad he didn't.

Because we did it. We did it. We did it.

And, while I can't exactly walk very well today, I'm better for it. Today, I feel like I could do absolutely anything.

Yesterday, at about mile 6, I was struggling up the hills (ohmygoodgod the hills...seriously, people...damn.) I sent the Smarty ahead and told him I'd see him at the finish, but I was concerned I wouldn't make it. The Knoxville marathon course is known for its hills. But then I made it up the mother-of-all-hills, and knew that, although other hills were coming...none would be that bad.

At mile 10, when I got a cramp in my right thigh, just above the knee, that was so bad I had to stop and stretch and pray in between running intervals, I wondered if I would be one of those people who had to ride back on the emergency cart. But I limped on and walked it out and grabbed gatorade and gu and forged ahead.

I also walked the entire time between mile markers 11 and 12. And I made a walking friend - her name was Shelby. Great walking with you, Shelby!

At mile 12, I ran again, but the thigh cramp stopped me, and as I started walking it out again, my left foot turned kind of sideways and I lost the ability to move my ankle.

That was weird.

Shelby caught up to me and we ran together, once my various strange cramps were done. We crossed the finish line on the 50 yard line at Neyland Stadium - our faces enlarged on the jumbotron - hugged each other and put our medals around our necks. I looked up and saw Dr. SmartyPants beaming at me, waiting just beyond the finish.

And suddenly...I felt like I could run 13 more. Right then. I had wings.

Today...I'm tired. My legs are sore. My feet hurt.

All. Completely. Worth. It.

If I Had a Million, Billion, Trillion Dollars

• I'd buy this car in full-scale, instead of staring at the Hot Wheel model on my desk.
• I'd buy a smaller house with more land and build a light-filled studio on it that would be a haven I'd seek every morning and afternoon and evening and night.
• I'd give a million to the organizations that help addicts become healthy and functional people again.
• I'd buy my mom and dad a house and some land that didn't have any rental property associated with it so they could learn to like people again.
• I'd finance my children's college education, but I wouldn't tell them it was paid for and I'd make them work really hard for it anyway, and the checks they wrote for their tuition would go to a scholarship fund for kids who didn't have enough money to go to college.
• I'd buy my husband any car he wanted, and build him his own private racetrack so he could drive the way he likes to drive.
• I'd give another million to start an organization to give kids whose family couldn't afford music lessons a private lesson once a week.
• I'd hire a housekeeper.
• His name would be Sven.
• I'd think about buying a baby grand, but because I just bought a smaller house, I'd realize the futility in that and just get our upright tuned.
• I'd finance a major ad campaign to convince people to not shop at Wal-Mart and to buy locally so businesses that really care about their employees and customers could thrive instead of die.
• I'd bribe local officials to go ahead and finished that damned road already.
• I'd buy Linda a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a personal dog trainer so she wouldn't have to clean up after it.
• I'd give another million to a really under-represented cancer charity, because how else can they compete with the ta-tas?
• I'd convince Dave Matthews to come and play for my birthday party and then he'd just move in and play for me every day, and he and Dr. SmartyPants would be best friends and we'd all hang out together and talk about the good old days, but our house would be too small, so we'd just build him his own studio on our land, too.
• I'd still homeschool my kids, but our field trips would be slightly more elaborate.
• I'd probably still shop at Target, but I might not stick to the clearance rack.
• I'd show up here, day after day, and blog about nothing and people would tell me I was wasting my time when I had all that money to spend and charities to endow and Gwyneth Paltrow to hang out with, and I wouldn't care because I love all you people.

What would you do?

Memphis. An Ode.

Memphis was rainy. Memphis was cold.

Memphis was dreary. Memphis was, uh, cold.



Memphis had streetcars, theaters and blues.

Memphis had guitars, hawkers and booze.



Memphis had Elvis, King of Rock and of Roll.

Memphis had records, artists, rhythm and soul.



Memphis had Melinda, the friend I hold dear.

Best of all, Memphis had Beale Big Ass Beer.

On the Mountaintop

I have much to say about Memphis, but I'm still processing it. I have to share this with you all, though - Melinda and I saw these guys and were completely blown away by them. This doesn't even get close to capturing what we saw, but it's a good indicator...it was a lot like being in church.

Except in a bar.

Curled Up

Because I am, apparently, the world's most susceptible person, I've had strep throat all weekend.

My children rarely get it, but I, on the other hand, am a streptococcus magnet. To my knowledge, I haven't been around anyone who has had it. I haven't been kissing random strangers in the streets. I haven't licked any grocery store buggy handles.

And yet, Friday night, when the little sore spot started irritating me on the left side of my throat, I knew exactly what it was. I spent Saturday in the bed, hoping and praying it would just get better and go away, but when I woke up at 5 AM with 101 degree fever, I knew exactly what it was. Even when I went to the neighborhood clinic to see the nurse practitioner, and he told me it was probably just a virus, because my throat didn't look all that irritated, I knew exactly what it was.

It sucks, being right all the time.

So, I'm on penicillin and trying to sit upright most of the time, because for some reason, it takes me 17 years to get over a dose of strep. When my kids DO get it, they take one pill and are magically healed and start bouncing off the walls, but not me. It takes a couple of days, usually. But I have to get better and soon!

On Friday, I head to Memphis, and I have much outfit planning to do before then. And packing. And unpacking. And repacking. And re-planning. And all that giddy excitement tends to be tiring.

I think I'll go take a nap, now...

Happy New Year!

Good morning, my people...I hope you all spent a wonderful evening enjoying the last day of 2010. I managed to stay awake all the way to 11:30 before I went to sleep.

I live an exciting life, folks.

I was supposed to run a 5K this morning, but it's raining cats and dogs, and I'm just not that hard core. Tomorrow is supposed to be nice. We'll have a little Ottwork 5K then.

I've started a new project for 2011, which I'll actually document at my tumblr site - I'll be taking an iPhone photo of each (human) member of my family every morning at (about) eight AM, creating a collage of the four photos, and posting them to the tumblr site every day. I'm hoping to document the minute changes we all go through in a year...it's all about the minutia...

Today...I'm just going to enjoy the rainy day and relax a bit, and paint a couple of rooms...all part of my plan to make our house feel like our home again.

It also helps me avoid unpacking all the boxes still lurking in my studio...

Here's to a great 2011!

Exhaustion Comes in Small Packages

Say hello to Jasper. He's an 11-week old German Shepherd puppy.

I don't know why I never remember what it takes. It's like having a baby, except this one doesn't wear diapers and you have to follow him around all day and read his little puppy mind to find out if he's getting ready to pee on your floor.

And babies don't really move around much for the first few months, and when they wake up in the middle of the night, you don't have to take them outside and stand in the cold rain while waiting for them to just do their business already.

But, like babies, all that effort and exhaustion is worth it, really. Where else can you get a face like this that looks at you like you hung the moon and arranged the eclipse all at the same time. (Did anyone see it? It was cloudy here...)

Raikki and Chico are adjusting well - Raikki is fairly certain we got the puppy just for him canIplaywithhimNOWohmygoshheissocute,now,now,now,NOW!

That boy needs to learn to relax, people. Which is pretty much the definition of "boxer."

Chico likes to walk up to Jasper, sniff all the important bits, and then growl at him, as if Jasper had approached him.

Because Chico is criminally insane. Which is pretty much the definition of "chihuahua."

I think they'll all be just fine...

Let the Countdown Begin

We spent the weekend at Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta, Georgia...an early birthday trip to celebrate Derek's upcoming 11th on Thursday. We often take little weekend getaways for the boys' birthdays, rather than having a big party, because we don't like other people, especially kids.

That's a joke. We like kids okay, just not enough to feed them cake.

Anyhow...we started the tradition when Derek was probably 5 or 6, and it's been a wonderful way to mark the passage of a new year, to spend some time together as a family, and to have a little getaway from the normal grind. We mainly started it to be sure that Derek's birthday didn't get swallowed up by Christmas, and so far it seems to have worked pretty well.

We've felt sorry for him all these years, but he told me the other day that he was the luckiest kid he knows, because he gets THREE WHOLE DAYS OF PRESENTS IN A ROW!

I love that kid.
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Because it isn't enough to get ready for Christmas and a birthday, I'm also baking about a bazillion cookies, wrapping the rest of the presents, cleaning the bathrooms (I keep forgetting those) and picking up our new puppy today.

Yes.

I did say that.

All I can tell you right now is that he's going to be ginormous, and his name is Jasper.

You'll have to wait until later to see photos.

He's very fuzzy, which makes it incredibly hard to focus my camera upon him.

What?

Raikki needed a Christmas present, too...