Space for Rent

Well, the Aviary is in full bloom and I'm jonesing for occupants. Chickens are still illegal in my neighborhood (stinkin' bureaucracy!) until the zoning commission has it's 45 days to talk it to death. Then it goes back to the commissioners for another vote. By the time the bill ratification is complete they estimate it will be February 2010. All that just to change the wording so that 3 hens per family are allowed inside city limits.
And we've been fighting for 18 months already!
So, so stupid. I mean, my neighbors can have a pack of Pit Bulls and I can't have a couple of hens? Anywho, many folks around here have found a little loophole in our law. It allows pigeons.
Heh, heh, heh (rubbing hands together in a diobolical fashon).
So, the NW Pigeon Fanciers is having a show next month. The place will be brimming with fancy pigeons and doves.
I'm so there.

Just in Time for Fathers Day...

Micah got his acceptance letter.....to Nursing School.
Wow.
The next 2 years are going to be CRAZY!! But at least it's only 2 as he's got all the pre-recs done. I am so proud of this guy, let me tell you. It's an expensive and intense program and he just jumps in with his whole heart because he feels that it's something he should do. That God is calling him there. How we'll do it? He doesn't know....but God does.
"It'll be fine!"
As long as we're together, hon, it will be!

Wine instead of Whine

These cute faces will be missed. The noise that comes out of these cute faces? It'll be nice to have a bit of a break from that, I'll admit it!
Nana (bless her brave soul) volunteered to wrangle them so Micah and I could spend a whole weekend at the beach. We celebrated our 10 year anniversary a couple of weeks ago and are going to celebrate by relaxing in a room I don't have to clean and eating meals I don't have to fix! And, yes, we invested in a lovely bottle of wine to enjoy by the ocean :)

Fishin'

Aaaaaah....summer fishing. It's just not officially summertime until I have to wash worm guts and crusty fish scales of my sons after a beautiful day filled with fishing poles and laughter. We recruited Jeff & Nep to come help and piled in the van headed for Sandy. It was the perfect weather and so gorgeous there.
All together, we caught about 10 fish and BBQed them up on a beautiful grassy area. Micah stuffed them full of lemon, honey and spices - they turned out soooo yummy!

Solomon's prize!

Reel it in, Levi!!

YEAH!! Got it!!

Patiently waiting...

Kai's got one! Grab the net, Solly!!

Waitin' for a bite :)

"Fish over dayr!"

Beautiful Littles

Relaxing after lunch.

The Zoo...er...Park

So, we woke up this morning all excited to go to the zoo for "$2 Tuesday!" with 3 other homeschool families. We met up and proceeded to drive an hour to the zoo. We pull into the packed parking lot and were told that it was full. As was the over-flow parking lot. We needed to go to another parking site and then we could be shuttled back to the entrance.
Well, the alternative site was a decent drive away and when we arrived and saw the massive line of folks waiting for the shuttle, we decided that "$2 Tuesday!" wasn't the best idea. What a crowded mess!
3 moms (and one dad) stood between 2 vehicles containing our collective 18 excited kids. We stared at each other. What should we do? None of us were particularly thrilled at the prospect of trying to keep eyes on our kiddos in this huge mass of people.
Well, long story (kind of) short, we ended up finding a great park a few towns back the other way. No crowds and FREE! We played all afternoon, enjoyed our picnic lunches and the homemade Cinnamon Rolls Christi made for us all. We and had a great day. We'll definitely be going back. The pic above is Micah with our collective kiddos minus one (he was feeling a bit "done" :)


Daddy and his wet baby!


Zephan splashin'


This thing was ultra-cool, there was another set of steps behind us and more neat waterfalls.
I don't have a clue what they were doing, but it looked fun!


Our beautiful Levi


These were the kind that rise and fall in patterns - Kai loved them!


He's a bit concerned but warmed up to the water quickly.


This is a lot taller than it looks.


...and my wrinkled-nosed and exhausted baby :)

Headlines

Aaaah, June. The wedding month. All this sunshine and warmth made me itch for some Headline Weddings. Here's some with a couple of other funnies thrown in. As always, thanks to Jay Leno for the laughs. I'll miss ya, buddy.

".....Releases in dolphins, the body's natural paintkiller." Who the heck proof-read this?

Wonder why?

Gotta watch out for those miracle cures, folks!

So, we have alcohol, firearms and underaged kids. What could go wrong?

I do. I really, really do.

Here's a nice article on preparing your child for surgery. As hard as it may be, Mom, you gotta keep little Johnny out of the snuff.

What has the country come to?!?

Isn't it funny how one little letter can make all the difference?

Baby Mama Drama

Well, we found out that the home Zephan's mom has been living in was shut down. The tenants were given very little notice to move (like, 72 hours) and our baby's mama has been staying at the Salvation Army off and on.
I'm so torn on this mama. I worry for her and think about her a lot. But she's struggled so hard with substance abuse and I don't think it would be healthy to include her in Zephan's everyday life.
She's probably going to try to get visits with him negotiated in the adoption mediation. Micah will have no part of that, so it isn't even open for debate. I'm kind of glad he feels so strongly on the matter because it takes the responsibility off me. I see families like It Spews Forth and Together We Have It All and I get even more torn. These families have successfully incorporated birth family members into their extended families.
One of those Mommies was pleased to let her son (and her husband!) be in his birth dad's wedding. The other family's kiddos talk to/spend time with their birth families with great success. I hope both Micah and I will learn and grow in this area. It may not be the best thing for our child to be involved with relatives who are making bad choices, but I want my sons to lack nothing. I also don't want to hold them back from family who would be a good influence in their lives just because of my jealousy. And that is an issue for me. I would have a very hard time with Zephan calling his birth mom, "Mommy". I would be seeing red. I know it's immature, but there it is. God, help me grow.

My New Bumper Sticker

For my boys who adore Superman.
We have the best dressed mini-van on the block!