Filling in the gaps

So without any pictures I can add that we had a great vacation. The kids had a blast - went swimming out at the lake, Jordan went to a cosmic bowling birthday party and Sedona started saying "All done".

We went all the places pictured and mentioned plus Santa Fe, the Turqoise Trail and all the little artist colonies along the way. We went to the aquarium and botanical gardens, Nickel City Arcade and even saw a few movies. Now, I can't say I didn't get sunburned or have bronchitis but they didn't really get in the way.

So . . . I guess I'm done here.

Sedona Jane - 13 months
Jordan Michael - 75 months

Meanwhile back in Missouri . . . the kids had their pictures taken. Sedona Jane - 13 months.

Despite the absence of our dino-freak we found ourselves nevertheless roaming the halls of the Museum of Natural History wondering "Triceratops or Pentaceratops?".

Ah the Mighty Missi- oops I forgot. . . New Mexico not Missouri. Make that the Rio Grande and a very thoughtful Jeremy. This was near the Bosque Recreation are that functions as a sort of community biking and walking arena while simultaneously acting as a nature preserve.

Here I stand, having cut the Johnny on the Spots out of the picture, near the Jemez Pueblo north of Albuquerque. We hiked up to the hot springs and spent the afternoon squishing algae between our toes.

And here we are at the top of Sandia Peak in Albuquerque, NM. We rode this terrifying cable-suspended-tram-thingy (at least I think that's the official name) the two miles to the top.

So when you are deathly afraid of flying and about to set out on a cross country flight what should you do? Of course - have a photo taken of all of you together so when your plane goes crashing down your kids will have one last picture of you. Do I look a little worried? Oh, because I was. So last Thursday we all took a vacation. Jordan and Sedona vacationed with Grandma and Jeremy and I went to New Mexico for our anniversary. A splendid time was had by all.

Now this backyard might not look like much to some but if you had seen the overgrown mess that we started out with you might be able to appreciate the progress. Under that lovely gazebo sits a pool. Yes a pool wiht concrete all around and a liner still down in it but the old lady that lived here before us decided one summer that her kids only visited her so they could use her pool and she filled it in. $3,000 worth of dirt. Then she slapped that gazebo up and away we go with only one of the mnay very bizarre things about our house and yard. The garden is just beyond the gazebo on the left - you can only kind of see it. The yard has been our biggest project this spring/summer as last years weeding, planting and clean up was interrupted by a baby.

Nothing to say except the kid loves to ride his bike. He's pretty good at it too. Ask him about how he can ramp sometime - I guarantee a good story.

Another with the stand in. Should've tried to get one without the goofy smile. Oh well. The kids are cute anyway. And Jordan is showing the small brachiosaurus that he had lost almost a year ago and then stumbled across Saturday. It had been inside a dino egg the entire time. His many hours of weeping and wailing over its loss were all in vain afterall. Needless to say (though i am saying it anyway) he was a little bit excited to have found it. And anyone who has ever spent any amount of time with Jordan knows that Jordan never gets " a little bit excited" - he goes whole hog when it comes to excitement. This occasion was no exception.

He's not impressed. And Sedona might want to reconsider her approach to that whole drinking out of a cup thing. I don't see that working out too well. Actually, she loves the microphone on Jordan's tape recorder and ever since she figured out how to work it and can sing into it, she sings into the bottoms of things. Bottles, cups, toys - whatever. I can't say I totally understand it but it is pretty entertaining.

She cracks me up. Don't know what else to say except that she is such a riot. I'm looking a little spacy though. Displeased? I really don't know. I swear that isn't the person who looks back at me from the mirror every morning. IMPOSTER! ever notice how you look nothing like you thought looked when you get to see yourself in a photo? Kind of depressing really. I've been living in a flase reality, one where I don't really look like this but apparently - - I've been deceived. Or else someone has stolen my family and is posing as me. Or could it be like a stunt double? Maybe one who just stands in for me when it comes time to take silly little pictures because I am much too busy for such things. I guess we'll have to go on wondering.

A budding musician. She climbs up there and plays just as much as Jordan does. I've been privileged with some lovely duets. If I ever get any more organized than I currently am some of you might even get a tape in the mail someday. I wouldn't hold my breath, though.

What was that Mom? Don't splash the what? Yup. That's me mid yell, water already in the air. A friends of ours has a great big pool in her yard and loves to play dinosaurs. What a perfect match. Sedona loved the water - kept diving to put her face down in it.

So Jordan went to a Cardinals game last Saturday with Rod and Colby and couldn't quite understand why he couldn't cheer for the "National Cubs". The initial explaination that there simply was no such team didn't quite satisfy him. And while actually seeing the Yankees on the field helped it didn't really matter. Chicago may be in his heart but around these parts it is probably best if he only wears the shirt around in the house. They don't take too kindly to Cubs fans here in the Cardinal territory.

Alright, alright

So I haven't been doing much with this other than slapping pictures on but I'm back now to say - I've got some more pictures. But first I'll do a quick state of the union summary and then we'll get back to looking at how cute the kids are -

Jeremy's new job at the golf course is going well. We are even getting used to him being around every afternoon. A luxury it seems, but one we won't give up without a fight. He's getting one hell of a farmer's tan and enjoying the work outside. He also started classes this week at a local university and in approximately one year will have earned a Master's in Teaching and be ready to shape the young and all too malleable minds of Missouri teenagers. He has class almost every night of the week plus all the homework that comes with it - needless to say he is already resembling a decapitated fowl though I have no doubt he'll come out not only on top but ahead (no murky pun intended).

As for the kids and I - we are just settling into summer and the strangely long, uninterrupted days of summer. It turns out we rather like not having anyone else around until we invite someone to be around. I think it had been so long that there various children around (and the parents that tend to come with them) that we forget how simple things can be. So we work in the garden a lot. Sedona eats all sorts of things and reports back whether or not she will eat them again in the future - so far a favorite has been the little helicopter seeds that blanket our backyard. I can't say that I see the appeal but who am I to squelch her curiosity? * Note to those alarmed by the seeming nonchalance of these statements: The opinions and statements herein are in no way representative of the management or owners of this particular family. Rather, be assured that the child will not, has not and probably could not eat anything entirely hazardous to her health or the health of those around her. In other words. . . . A little dirt, a leaf here and there never hurt anybody so take a deep breath and think about how cute she looks with mud on her face.

Thursday is our 2 year anniversary and we will be sneaking out of town (and out of the Midwest completely) for a few days in hopes of securing some sanity for ourselves. We are gearing up for a pretty tough year but one that will be well worth the trials.

And now without further adieu -

the kids, our yard and maybe a picture evidencing my lack of hair (yes, that's right folks - I finally cut it off. Just above the shoulders and I must say, I rather like it. Probably should have done it sooner.)