Recent Photos

John took these pictures of Devin. I don't know how he knew how personalityicious Devin was gonna be, but he sure did:






We got new deck furniture and a sunsetter retractable awning so that we could actually enjoy it. (It gets super hot back there during the day)



The school asked for a photo of Devin, so I told John, "get the angel filter and go take a picture of Devin!" This is one he snapped using the angel filter.

Here's another:

(Sorry it's sideways).
I cut his hair the other day. Just a trim. He cried and cried and cried because his bangs weren't in his eyes any longer.

Here's Trevor READING!



John took the boys up Mt. Nittany the other day:

View from the top with the State College Area Hot Air Balloon floating by.


Note what Trevor is carrying. He brought reading material on his hike up Mt. Nittany!








he's reading his reading material!!


Here they are on the way down.


My nemeses.


my neighbor accidentally moved some sparrow eggs in one of her birdhouses. They started to hatch in her garage.


Helium balloons...sad children. Everything is as it was and always will be.

That's enough for now. Gotta get back to work!

you can see the rest for yourself here.

The Bunnies

Two days ago, I stepped out of the house at 7 AM. A bunny sat in my yard, not moving anything except it's beady little eye on the side of its head. It didn't move as I walked by, not intimidated by my large human self or my fierce rabbit hunting dog. Finally, it took off for no reason other than it was ready to leave.

I inspected the ground where it had been sitting and discovered that it had dug a hole, as if it were planning on staying awhile. I planted petunias, but few have flowered. The bunnies dead-head them before they have a chance to make heads. I would like to dead head a few bunnies. The first year that we lived here, I was convinced someone was pruning our burning bushes. But, it was just bunnies, stripping the bark and leaves in a way that left a nicely shaped bush.

Yesterday, I took matters into my own hands. I had recently procured a gallon container of a noxious substance known as liquid fence. Filled with rotten egg solids and garlic, it promises to keep both the evil bunnies and the wicked deer away from my petunias, carnations and dianthus.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't prime the pump that came with the smelly product. Not realizing the lid had a hole that was larger than the hose that went through it, I gave the container a shake, hoping that would help. It didn't help. It hurt. I shook liquid fence all over my hands, pants and feet.

I finally decided to pour it into another spray bottle that has a history or working. The opening from the larger container was larger than the opening from the smaller container, but I persevered, and only got a little more on my hands.

No bunnies came near me yesterday. None sat in the yard and gave me the evil eye as it boldly dug holes. No matter where I went yesterday, the bunnies stayed away.

I do hate bunnies.

Oh, boy.

I've not been a good blogger. What will memaw do? I'm going to be grounded!

So, here's my new story. It's one that I hope Trevor doesn't read until it's no longer true.

Trevor can not tell a lie.

And by that, I mean when he tells a lie, I have no idea he tells a lie. Until I casually say, "oh, really?" like in '"oh, really?" I'm just chit-chatting with you' and not like '"oh, really?" you'd better tell me the truth, young man!'

It's happened more than once that we're talking, he casually tells me a lie, I have no idea, but in the course of normal conversation, he reveals that he's told me a lie. Yesterday, I asked him if he'd eaten all the lunch I had packed for him. You would be surprised to learn that Devin almost always finishes his lunch and Trevor very rarely finishes his lunch. I think it's because at Trevor's school, they combine lunch and recess. So, he wolfs down a few bites and then goes out to play.

Well, I asked him if he finished his lunch. I'd packed a chicken leg. Chicken legs were a huge hit when I first made them. But, by the second time I made them, not so much. But, I had a lot, and I was using them in their school lunches. So, mostly, I just wanted to know.

He said that he had eaten it. I said "oh, really?" then he admitted the truth. Apparently, the chicken leg was really popular with one of his classmates, and he traded it for something cake-like, covered in chocolate and filled with cream.

It's hard to punish him for lying when the lies are so short lived. So, we just told him we didn't care if he traded his food, but don't trade your main meal for dessert next time!

Trip to the zoo

Trevor went to the zoo today. The zoo in Pittsburgh. Two and half hours away. Without me, without John, without Devin. Just Trevor and his school and some parent chaperones who signed up on time. (Not that I signed up at all...truth is, I didn't want to go).

Well, I survived it. No worries. I was a little stressed. I had thought of all the points where things could wrong, and I had an idea when I would get calls if those things did go wrong. And, the day passed without any of those calls. Let me not go into where the worst case scenario engine took me. It's dark.

Trevor survived it, too. He had a great time! Except he was thirsty. We packed water for him in his backpack, but he couldn't find it. GAH! He told us several times that we needed to pack him extra water, and we actually did. And, we put it in some nice handy pockets in his backpack, and we even made a point to show him where the water bottles were packed. He's OK, though. Not so dehydrated that you'd notice.

Here's what I'm most proud of. We sent him with money for souvenirs. And, last time he went somewhere with money for souvenirs, he had to borrow money from a teacher so he could get something for Devin. And, that was very nice of Trevor to think of Devin and nice of the teacher to loan him money. But, this time, the school was very specific that there would be no loaning and borrowing of funds. So, we gave him money for a souvenir for both him and his brother. And, he spent all of the money as it was intended. He had to use some of his dinner money to pay taxes, but that's OK because I sent a little extra dinner money. I was a little worried about the amount we sent with him, and I was certain he would lose it or spend it in vending machines. It was his allowance money, so he could do with it what he wanted. And, I was worried he would spend Devin's allowance money on vending machines, too. But, he didn't. He got Devin a cheetah (which Devin asked for specifically) and he got himself a seal. I'm very, very pleased with him.


He took Devin's camera with him, and he got some pretty neat shots. Now, Devin told me that since the pictures were taken with his camera, he gets to control who sees them. I didn't agree to that. I specifically said, "no, it doesn't work that way." But, if you get a chance, say thanks to Devin for letting him see pictures from his camera, would you?

There's this one:

I need to figure out how he got into the tiger enclosure.


He said to me, "I accidentally took a picture of elephant poop." I said, really? He said, "no, I took it on purpose to make my friends laugh." Does it make you laugh?


pretty good picture of a primate


pachyderm


okapi?


it's a horrible camera for picture taking, so I'm impressed with this one.

News and a cool picture

First off, Devin can ride a bike without training wheels. He learned a few days ago, but today, he practiced. I think he's got it all figured out. Well, he can't get started himself, and stopping usually means falling. But, all in all, it's a milestone.

Here's a picture that John photo-shopped to resemble the tilt-shift method:



Cool.

The Story of the Bully

Devin has a bully. Or, he and his friend might be the bullies. I'm not sure. I want to be sure, but I don't know how to be sure without being one of "those moms." So, I'm inclined to let it ride.

I was trying to write a thesis sentence up there, but I think I failed. I will try really hard not to write anyway in the next paragraph.

Anyhow, Trevor told me the story of Devin's bully yesterday. Apparently, Devin told him the bully story moments before, but I didn't hear it. So, it was up to Trevor.

Devin's bully is named Jay. I don't know this kid. Is he new? I don't think so. I just don't know all the kids. Jay is 4. Devin and his buddy are 5. Jay, it seems, is always pushing Devin and his buddy off the tire swing, off the regular swings, things like that. And, somehow, when it happens, Devin and his buddy get a time out. This makes me think the real bully might be Devin and maybe his buddy. I know all of his teachers, and I have trouble seeing any of them being duped by a 4 year old.

As Trevor told me all this, I could tell he was not happy with this Jay fellow. Not at all. No one has ever picked on Trevor at that school. He was the first toughest, the second fastest, and the third funniest kid at that school (Devin was the first funniest). So, no one ever picked on him. Then, with great authority, Trevor declared that a 4 year old should know better than to pick on Devin and then blame him! They talked briefly about a 2 year old who shows bully tendencies, but again with authority, Trevor declared you had to cut that kid some slack. He might not know enough not to pick on others, yet. Finally, Devin announced that he wished Trevor still went to school with him because Trevor would protect him. Would fight his battles for him. I guess this is the reason it's good to be the second born. Or not.

So, that's the story of the bully. Do you think I should talk to Devin's teachers about it or let it go?

The best of the worst

Trevor must have moved really fast to have been in this picture at all!


I like this one because he was annoyed that there were 2 cameras and doing his best to make everyone happy.


His hair is SOOOOO RED! Even in the back!


Find the dog!


So peaceful he's fuzzy around the edges.


I have no reason for keeping this picture! I think it's Boots and a toy.


Socks in a box with extra ears.


Making salad really fast.


I'm so glad I didn't delete this one. I just like it!


This is actually one of the best of the best.


"Oh, look!" I said. "It's Chelsea Clinton!" John took her picture, then we realized we could see her panties through her tights and decided it wasn't Chelsea Clinton after all.


More butt.


White House Lawnmower guy!


I don't know who that kid is, but I think he's from Brazil.


I think you can see into his brain.


"Is this something they wore under their helmet?" I wondered.


"It looks like a diaper." I thought.

"That's a diaper," the girl said. "The astronauts wore these under their suits because it took so long to get the suits on and off."


You're never without a port-a-potty when you're in this part of the country. It's true for State College, too.


Warm hands.


I could never delete this blurry one.

Hello!

I haven't uploaded pictures in three months. Well, I'm doing it now. I've even spent the last two hours tagging photos. But, they are mostly Trevor and Devin, so I'm not sure why I bothered.

Anyhoo! Here's the link to the most recent album:

Recent Pics

I should tell you that I'm OCD with pics. If I don't delete it right away, I don't delete it. So, I uploaded some crap pictures. A lot of crap pictures. Sorry.

Among the crap pictures, you'll find:
Trevor's Birthday
John's Birthday
Our trip to DC
Our trip to Walt Disney World in January
Random insane cuteness or what would have been randomly insanely cute if only it weren't blurry. I think you'll enjoy those anyway. That's why I couldn't delete them.
And look at this blurry mess. The kid in the middle seems to be a real life Tredevorin. Both of them mashed together!

A pink hat I made for and actually sent to Jena.
Other stuff

Enjoy it all!