the fire pit won.

he took on the fire pit at the family yard.

{no fires involved}

the brick edge to be exact.

the fire pit won.

it wasn't pretty.

learning how to walk is rough.

we call it his unibrow bruise.

fondly.

even with the thorns.

thorns.
my luck with them knows no limit.
or my UNLUCK i guess.
dr. scout master is going to be absolutely elated.
especially b/c it's in the thorn resistant tube tire that is extra hard to get in and out.
i wish thorn resistant meant that the tire magically beamed the thorns away from us as we walked.
like opposite magnets.
i'm leaving this thorn in.
hoping it will keep the air in.
pulling them out never seems to make things go well.
we'll see how leaving it in goes.
...
i like my shoes b/c they are pink inside and comfy in the feet bottoms.
i bought them b/c they were on sale.

found out i've been wearing shoes a half size too small.
or my feet grew.
except all of my other shoes still fit perfectly.
so i'm thinking i just bought the last pair too small.
guess that explains a lot.
but the comfy had worn out too.
today's gonna be a good day.
even with the thorns.

POP goes the...

TIRE.
too much air.
tube was off its track.
went to staats for a fresh one.
happy the old one was shot.
been pumping it up everyday for two weeks from a slow leak.
they said "thorn resistant"
i said "YES PLEASE."
a walking we will go,
a walking we will go,
high ho a dairy oh,
a walking we will go.
that's dr. scout master in the background putting it in for me at 10:45pm last night.
thorn resistant means stiffer tube.
and
harder to get in.
but lots of love is the man who stays up late to fix it for his eyelash fluttering wife.

fall's a ball in june

it's not fall.
it's june in utah.
and it feels like fall.
i've died and gone to heaven.
i hope we never leave this state.

i love this day.

war wounds

dear dad,

you know how i like to stand on the treadmill by mom's desk? how i like to put my finger right up to the printer, but not touch it (b/c i know i'm not supposed to)? well, mom was putting away the strainer, you know, since you were so great to wash all of the dishes last night (mom loved it lots). so she was putting away the strainer saying, "ta-ta brennan, please don't touch the printer." and then, the BOOM heard round the block. it was my head banging straight into the edge of the desk AND the wall. my body was all twisted, and my arm was stuck behind the desk. i cried really hard. the coolest part was the instant, and i mean INSTANT, goose egg on my forehead. mom is really glad i didn't crack my noggin' open. she said it looked like it came pretty close. no blood, just a line indented into my head. so i'm all set with motrin and peanut butter and jelly. the doc says about a week for this shiner to go down. does this mean we're not taking family pictures with jackie anymore? see you soon, dad.

love,

the pork loin

a.k.a. shiner

mafia man

a popped collar.
spikey hair.
and a shiner.
no, not the mafia.

just one wobbly pork loin.

who met the tile last night.

and the asphalt today.

if you look closely you can see 2 different blue marks on the side of his forehead.

motrin please.

what's the word on consecutive days of giving your child motrin and/or tylonel?

put me in the zoo

look what brennan can do...

(pediatrician's office this morning)

(aris, this means you get a batch now too;-) address please!)

our zoo pass is getting used.

a date with maddie from down the street was yesterday.

(she's the cute little blonde to the right of brennan)

we gave him his 8th (count 'em), 8th haircut on thursday

we saw lots of animals, but i think the children would have rather just played in the stone water ball the entire time we were there.
can you see me?
and the stroller?
i love the great apes.
brennan was barking at them.
not so "pork loin" in comparison, eh?
now, where's my picture from elem school in front of this???
ok, ok, next time i'll take pictures with some animals.
promise.
but, don't you think brennan counts?
i'm pretty sure we could put him in the zoo.
i'll bet it would be their biggest attraction ever;-)
at least i would go see him.
...

put me in the zoo

i will go into the zoo.

i want to see it.

yes, i do.

...

we do not want you in the zoo.

out you go!

out! out with you.

...

why did they put me out this way?

i should be in.

i want to stay.

just wait and see what i can do.

...

look! now all his spots are blue!

and now his spots are orange!

say!

he looks very good that way.

...

now look at this!

what do you see?

spots as green as green can be!

...

violet spots!

say! you are good!

do more! do more!

we wish you would.

...

i can do more.

look! this is new.

blue, orange, green, and violet, too.

...

oh! they would put me in the zoo,

if they could see what i can do.

...

we like all the things you do.

we like your spots,

we like you too.

...

but with all the things that you can do,

the circus is the place for you!

...

yes!

this is where i want to be.

the circus is

the place for me!

.

-put me in the zoo, by robert lopshire