Puck

This video is for Anne. We know she is missing Puck in Seattle, so we've uploaded this video for her to enjoy. I'm sure everyone else will enjoy it too. I mean, what's not to like about watching a baby play with a chihuahua?

Mud Pies

When I was little, my older sisters made me a "mud pie" and used their powers of persuasion to get me to eat it. Looking back, I'm still not sure why I took a bite. I knew it was mud. I didn't for once think that the "mud pie" that looked exactly like a mound of mud was anything other than mud. But, my sisters were so earnest. I thought, they must really want me to take a bite of this for some reason, I wonder what it is... "OH YOU JUST ATE DIRT!!!" Yeah, I did. Stupid sisters. I guess I didn't learn my lesson with the vanilla extract, or the dog food . . . or the cat food.
I had this flashback of my childhood mud pie moment just a few days ago while I was watering the flowers. Little I had dumped some bubble soap out and I went over to use the hose to wash off the porch. Bubbles foamed in the grass and Mr C couldn't stay away. I returned to watering flowers thinking that Mr C might have fun playing in the bubbles, but after a few moments, I looked back to see Mr C with a mouthful of mud, blissfully munching away on soapy mud. I'm wishing now that I had taken the photo before I wiped the top of Mr C's mouth, because bits of grass and mud were everywhere! I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised as Mr C generally has a tendency to want to put rocks (or snails) into his mouth, but it was all I could do to keep from dying laughing. At least we now know what kind of cake to get Mr C for his 1 year birthday!

P.S. I sometimes use the pictures from this blog for my computer at work. I've discovered the 8x10 proportions works best for my work computer, which has a traditional glass-screen monitor. For my home computer monitor, an LCD flat-screen, the 3x4 size works better. In future posts that have background-quality photos, I'll probably do the photo with 8x10 proportions, then do a link to the 3x4 version. If you want to do this and need some guidance, try the following: Pass your icon over the picture above. Right click, then choose "Set as Background." If, when you close your windows, the background is too big, try right clicking on the desktop, then choose "Properties." A window entitled "Display Properties" will open. Click on the tab that says "Desktop." If the Position listed is "Center" or "Tile," you need to change it to "Stretch." If you already have it on "Stretch" and it looks skewed, click on the link that says "3x4 version" above and repeat the above steps with that picture instead. If neither ratio works for your computer, let me know and I'll try something different.

Back from New Mexico

It's been over two weeks since we got back from New Mexico, and we know that our blog is overdue for an update. The Robertsons visited the Land of Enchantment for Dad D's niece's high school graduation on May 21. Congratulations, Kira! We are praying for you as you endure the gruelling feat of Army basic training.

Traveling with a ten-month old and a two-year old has its challenges. Yet we survived.

We were looking forward to nice dry sunny days with highs in the 80's and cool starry nights in the 40's--that is normally what Gallup, NM is like in the late spring. Unfortunately, Dad D's younger brother, Steve, and his girlfriend, Helen, decided to make the trip from Seattle, WA. As everyone knows, rain comes from Seattle; so Steve and Helen apparently decided to contribute to New Mexico's annual 9 inches of rainfall on their visit to New Mexico by bringing pacific northwest thunderstorms with them. It rained nearly every day that we were in Gallup! It actually became a bit amusing as everywhere we went, Gallupians remarked to one another, "Isn't this weather wonderful!" Meanwhile, Mom E and I grumbled under our breath. All of that is to say that I wish I could have posted great shots of the Red Rocks unique to my hometown and beautiful photos of New Mexico's ever expansive blue sky, but we missed the photo opportunities on the first day or so of dry weather. Plus, we were in Albuquerque for the majority of our first two days. Day one we visited the Albuquerque zoo.

Day two we went to the Albuquerque science museum, Explora!, with Steve and Helen. Also, just to make sure no one gets the wrong idea, we were thrilled to get to see Steve and Helen. We were extremely fortunate to be able spend some quality time with them in Albuquerque. Spending time with them and the rest of Dad D's side of the family was worth countless thunderstorms raining cats and dogs . . . and was even worth a house full of cats and dogs.

Despite rumors to the contrary, we were not able to turn Mom E into a cat lover on this trip. I guess we'll just have to try again! One highlight of the trip was that Little I and Mr C were able to meet their Great-Grandma Bea for the first time.
And, of course Grandma and Grandaddy were able to spend some quality time with their grandkids.

Another highlight was Little I's numerous encounters with cacti. Yes, he knows that he is standing in front of a Prickly Pear cactus.

He is still talking about cacti two weeks later, "I see prickly pear cactus in dry desert." Unfortunately, we weren't able to visit the other object that Little I associates with dry deserts--a hogan. Maybe next time, Little I, maybe next time.