A cool evening, some seeds to be planted, and wet ground. That combines to form... some stellar gardening attire. Big rubber boots, rain coats, and pants are optional.
We've told many of you about our local CSA (community supported agriculture). Well, today they claimed strawberry season was coming to a close, so I, in turn, claimedno fewer than 16 quarts. Seriously.
OK, two nights ago I established a new rule for Lindy. Every night during the bedtime routine, she grabs one of her toothbrushes and carries it around with her, occasionally terrorizing her sisters as they attempt to get ready. Lindy can't really do much of her own stuff yet, so she's just kind of wandering.
The problem is, Lindy tends to put her toothbrushes places we wish she wouldn't... on her belly, on the wall, plenty of yucky spots. So, I made a new rule.
"Lindy, if I come up here and find that you're carrying your toothbrush around, you won't be allowed to use that toothbrush. OK?"
"OK, Daddy."
So, last night I went up there, and found her in the hall, favorite piglet toothbrush in hand.
"Lindy, I told you the rule last night. Now you can't use that toothbrush. Go put it down and go potty."
I got in the bathroom, and Lindy was on the potty, doing as she was told, more or less. We then washed hands, and went to brush her teeth. And she said...
"Can we use the piglet toothbrush in there?" [pointing to the cup with six toothbrushes]
I thought, "But that's the toothbrush she was carrying... there is, however, a different toothbrush by the sink... What happened here?"
My conclusion, Sneaky Miss Lindy carried her favored piglet toothbrush, put it back in the cup, and grabbed an alternative toothbrush to place on the counter in hopes of getting to use said favorite piglet... Conclusions? Lindy is both sneaky and creative. And, um, over the years, Lindy must be watched very carefully.
I am certain that all of you will watch this very important video. If you would like to see the additional 14:30 of this event, please let me know. I'll be sure to post it.
Aspen wrote this for Oakley. Everything is exactly as written (except I can't get the slanting text to work here on the website).
Oakley's Learning Book.
How To Write. To Write a story you need a beging sentence to intorduce your story. After you write your beging sentence intorduce the characters in your story. Then begin your story. For example,
This is a story about caring. The characters in the story are Oakley and Lindy. Well this is how the story began. They loved each other very much. One day they went... Tell the rest of your story.
Each of the girls have struggled with snapping when the first saw it. They wanted to snap so badly, they just kept trying. Here's the latest, Lindy's early attempts.
Oakley's soccer team has been a blast this fall and spring, and we have a few good photos to share. Ally's mom, Yvonne, was kind enough to take some great shots of all the girls, and you can see them here. Click through for all 46 of the great pictures.
Tomorrow's excitement is a baby shower here at our house for Laura Hickman and Daina Mullis. Jenn is doing all of the food herself (quite an accomplishment!) She's really only asked for/received help on one thing... this cake.
Jenn's baking and Brian's decorating skills combined to create this beauty. The picture doesn't really do it justice, and I'm certain it will be enjoyed tomorrow.
Following up on a popular post from a couple days ago, this conversation was had in my presence at dinner tonight (I was out with the three girls).
Oakley: Mommy ate a seed. Aspen: No, Daddy gave Mommy a seed. Oakley: Daddy laid a seed on Mommy's tummy. Aspen: How do I come from a seed anyway...
[after a moment's thought]
Aspen: Well, I guess I don't have to pretend, since I'm a seed. I don't have to pretend to be a plant or an animal anymore.
[moments later, seemingly out of nowhere]
Aspen: People have lots of different ideas about how the world started. Some people believe it started with Adam and Eve. Then there's what I believe, that it all started with dinosaurs and stuff.
On this occasion, I was left to my own devices (as Jenn was at home). And so I get comments related to evolution and reproduction. What's next?
I have to admit, I was not ready for this question...
We were upstairs helping the girls get ready for bed.
Oakley: How do babies get in mommies' tummies? Tim: ______ [shifty glance at Jenn, look at floor] Jenn: Well, Oakley... a man and woman... a husband and a wife... a husband gives a wife a seed, and it grows in the wife's tummy.
[a moment passes]
Oakley: How does he give her the seed? Tim: ______ [Very busy with, um, anything, please? Anything at all? Yes, Aspen's fingernails were very long, and they required great focus.] Jenn: The husband and wife lie very close together. Oakley: How does he give it to her? Jenn: Whoa, Oakley, we didn't finish brushing your teeth!
Let me just say, I am awfully proud of my wife's answer. It would have been easy pickings to say, "God puts the baby in the mommy's tummy," or some contrivance about a stork, but she did not. She faced it head on, and I liked that.
And if Aspen's fingernails hadn't been so dangerous, I'm sure that I would have been right in there with the answer. Without a doubt.
I just now downloaded the few pictures I took during Nana and Papa's last visit to Nashville. We had a great time as always, and Nana and Papa helped us resolve the question, "What's that circle in the middle of your patio for anyway?"
Well, it turns out, it's for 6 pots that contain both flowers and herbs. Pretty cool, I would say.
We just finished the Nashville Masters on Monday. (Congratulations to Reg, er, Andy Benes, who earned his first title.)
Here you see the Nashville Masters rookie, Jack Stuck, handing out at the house. Jack has yet to play a round, but he has a lifetime exemption.
Thanks to Viet, Marne, Reg, and Dan for joining Jack here this year. Yes, when the boys (and Marne) visit, I am remarkably bad about actually taking pictures.
Oakley celebrated her completion of the program at the Brentwood United Methodist Day School. Yes, it's early May, and yes, she'll be in school for three more weeks, but we celebrated anyway. Here you see her with the excellent director, Miss Mollie Johnston.
I am absolutely certain that each and every reader of this blog has wondered, at one time or another, "What would Tim look like with a beard?"
Well, this is about as close as you'll come. We just finished up the Nashville Masters (when my high school buddies visit) and I jokingly skipped shaving my face once while they were here. That means I have fully 8 days of facial hair going in this picture. Anything longer than this and it starts driving me crazy.
So, what do you think? I can certainly handle the negative comments... Aspen has already made it clear that she likes me "just the way I am," which, to her, is without a beard.
