recently heard from a certain three-year-old:
"I need a poop wipe"
"Did you go poop already?"
"I went poop. Therefore, I need a poop wipe."
...........graphic, but true!

Jasper also stood unsupported for a few seconds (on some rocks out by the back hose-spigot), and this morning he waved goodbye!
He's also signing more pretty consistently, and could clap if he knew what it meant. Or maybe he is clapping. I can never tell, he just looks so happy all the time :)

Josie and Jasper are getting along pretty well. He still bites a little bit, but yesterday he crawled over to Josie and gave her a big head-hug (where he leans in with his head, four paws still on the floor) after he made her cry. Wow, it was neat!
Josie is still really interested in reading, and is trying hard to sound words out two ways. Sometimes she picks a word and tries to figure out how to spell it (she pretty much got 'message' the other day--mesag--when Daddy told her that that's what goes on the other side of a card she made). We were reading Go Dog Go! and another book last night, and she sounded out 'down' and 'sad'.
We've also been playing outside a lot since it's been so hot. It's supposed to be 99 this afternoon. Thank goodness for the basement--and the SuperTarget...they have air conditioning!

Mama is 29!

Here she is, modelling the black forest cake of all cakes. Josie and daddi-o added EIGHT layers of cake, alternating between chocolate and yellow, with whipped cream slathered between each layer and all over (a quart by the end), with pie cherries in homemade glaze between the layers, almonds on the outside, shaved semisweet dark chocolate on the top, with marichino cherries on top. No one could make it through a piece. Note the avalanche of whipped cream and cherries on the side.

Blueberry introspection

We are so very nonchalant about our victory over the horrid blueberry bandito. Lo, tho' the walls, the table, the floor, and even the picture on the wall are covered in his vile blueberry oatmeal remnants, we are not concerned, looking only to the coming banana threat across the room...

First let me say that I don't "let" the boy eat dirt. He really does that of his own accord, no matter how many "not for you Jaspie!!"s Josie might provide, or how many "no eating dirt/sand/dog food!!!"s I might calmly shout as I run across the living room/kitchen/yard. So don't leave me comments telling me what a bad dirt-feeding mommy I am. Really, though, just think of it like a good multivitamin. Extra nitrogen, phosphorus, that other nutrient that neither Josh nor I can remember making him grow big and strong. Just look at those buns. Steel I tell you, steel!!


That said, here are a couple of shots of two of our gardens. I took the one of the 'big family garden' over the weekend, and things are already twice as big. We've got cantaloupe and zucchini against the brick wall, and a trellis for them to grow up. Lettuce/spinach, peas, onions, and beans in rows, then tomatoes/peppers, carrots, corn, potatoes, rhubarb, pumpkins, and watermelon. Josie and I still go out and hoe every day to keep the weeds down, but she's already enjoying the peas :)



"Josie's little garden" began life as a bare patch in the lawn where Josie planted a few old pea seeds in, oh, February. One sprouted and has been joined by a red pepper, carrots, spinach, and radishes. Yum! She waters it, tends it faithfully, and brings offerings of roly-polie-olies and worms whenever she finds them. Oh, and she's not just growing peas, they're 'sweet baby peas', since that's the kind Jasper likes. What a sister!


Finally, here are a couple of gratuitously cute shots of the kids. Couldn't resist, and I knew you wouldn't mind :)