Caption Contest

Here are the promised pictures, Linda Hull. I threw in a few funny shots from last night's sibling show. The last picture begs for a good caption, so I posted it below in case you want a better look at it. Post your ideas in the comments/musings section.

Another poem

Dear Rachel Lindsey Wells,

Just a little note on October twenty-fourth

From your sister in the South who still lives to your north

Youu don't need me to enjoy celebrating your day

But I still wish I was nearby to give a hug and say:

YOU'RE GETTING OLD!

Welcome to The Land of Closer to Thirty Than Twenty. While living here, you'll often be snobbed on survey boxes. Not in the 18-25 category anymore, sister. Get your own box. On the plus side of this estate is the clarity of whether or not you should buy _______. Does it look like a 15 year-old would wear it to a birthday party? It's not for you. You're too mature for that now.

No, seriously. I'm so proud of who you are at 26. Closer to thirty than twenty means more stories to share, and a little less identity crisis. (Not that you've really struggled with that much in the first place. LA.)

You are awesome, and I posted it on my blog for the whole world to know! So this is like my card in the mail, and as for a gift, I shot you some pictures this morning of the leaves changing. You can't get that in Hawaii! Also, the fam got you a windsurfing lesson. You can get that in Hawaii. Go down to Kailua Sailboards and Kayak and check stuff out. I'm not sure if Dad paid for that specifically or left it open for you to spend the money how you wish.

Rites of Passage: split lips, flu

Ode to Benjamin

You've reached the mark of three-quarters a year

When you wobble near tables, I'm still in fear

I'd could do without any more split chins

But "walk it off" says your dad; It's just your skin

So continue practicing your balancing game

It could bring you skills on the court, or a part in FAME

This clip proves you're already an entertainer

You're a cutie pie, and that couldn't be plainer

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What kind of spider is this?! I have now killed two in my home. One at each end of the house. And that freaks me out.

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The Gabster has been sick. Flu sick. Maybe H1N1 sick? We didn't get the bloodwork run to find out, but it's likely, according to my nurse friend. She stopped running a fever for a day and a half, and then this afternoon it started up again. Argh. This paper with star stickers was begun on Sunday night to encourage compliance with my drug policy: I deal it, you down it. And hurry up about it, because there is purple stuff dripping on my leg.

Ben stayed at Linda and Roger's [THANKS AGAIN!] for a few days, 'cause ya gotta keep 'em separated [insert distorted guitar here]. I brought him home today to discover that she was very much still sick. Very frustrating. Also very frustrating to discover in the same day that Ben knows how to use a sippy cup. Even if it's pink and belongs to his sick sister, he's happy to drink from it. Such sharing, caring kids.

It's nice to live in a small town during times like this. Our doctor has treated my parents, my sisters, me, Jason, and now Gabby. So, he knows us. Our pharmacist is the kind that they try to portray on commercials. He remembers that Jason has to preach on Sunday and should probably take it easy on the high-powered cough medicine. His wife (the other pharmacist) says, "Loved that picture of you guys in the paper." That picture ran two months ago, and she still remembers. At least five church friends called to check on Gabby and ask if they could do anything for us. Well, that's not so much smalltown benefit as it is good to have a church family.

Also good to have are old friends. Got to see Erin Hall and her two beautiful babies! And may I say that she is the most sane person I've ever seen at week 3 with baby #2. Very impressive.

Random bits

Deedah and Gabby at the Neptune Festival in Virginia Beach.

Gabby and cousin Jackson. Triple awwwwww....


I just thought this was cool. I looked out my kitchen window while cleaning a bottle, and

J. Lance Lutz (Jason) and Don LeMond ("Mr. Don" to Gabby) after the Tour de Moore...

50 miles in less than 3 hours!

This is from my perspective at Plaza Jam tonight. The Fantastic Shakers lived up to their name, and Gabby may be able to join them one day. The boy she's playing with is her new friend Jonny. Extra points to him for the Super Mario Bros. tshirt.

Little Man is a mobile creature.

This may be the last week of stationary baby Ben. He's beginning crawling, and next week, I expect him to be flying between rooms. So that means stuff that used to be too far away for him to get his little paws on is now fair game. Also on our watch... end tables, cofee tables, couches, and well, anything below 4 feet. See the next video for evidence.

Summer's Sad Sayonara

This is my sixth beginning to a new school year. I love newness. New ideas, new stuff (school supplies aisle, Mom?! Hello!), new kids, new spaces, new beginnings. It's awesome. It's like New Year's Resolutions dialed up. Five times in a row, I've been thrilled about it. But this year...

Summer was like it should be.

• We had a real vacation. Thanks, Mom and Dad!
• I played with my babies and have the dusty furniture to prove it.
• Jason and I got to eat lunch together more than Saturday.
• I taught 4 & 5 year olds at VBS and ... enjoyed it. (Surprised myself.)
• Gabby swam with hot pink floaties.
• Ben popped two teeth through.
• We slept in and stayed up late.
• We played games. That's why we stayed up so late.
• I learned how to sew a teensy bit.
• Jason accomplished some riding milestones. Like the 50 mile one, and the I'm-not-scared-to-cycle-with-my-sister one.
• Ben learned how to sit up mostly.
• Jason and I hiked with my dad, and Gab/Ben/myself had a picnic lunch at Morrow Mountain with Roger/Linda.
• I recorded a song.
• Gabby proved that she gets veiled jabs, would probably make a great policewoman, and is extremely tenderhearted. You wouldn't think those last two would go together... "Ohhhh, I'm sorry you're upset. It's okay. Go ahead and finish beating that guy up, and then I'll arrest you."
• Jason got voted in as Pastor, though that has nothing to do with the whole "Isn't Summer fun?" theme. We've been having fun calling him "Pastor Lutz" because it's suh-OH much more formal than he is. Makes him shrink about 3 inches.
• Ben said "Mama" and is still saying it. Only when he's mad, though.
• I ran a mile (without stopping to walk) for the first time ever and then proceeded to run some more! Hmmmm... gotta get back on that.
• I had my first EKG, and it turns out that I'm acceptably abnormal. I guess that doesn't fit in the Summer Fun category, either.
• Gabby spent two nights with MawMaw and PawPaw.
• Saw some friends here and there, though there can always be lots more of that for my taste.
• My toenails are still red.

Even without the TV for half the summer, it was fabulous. And as to that little experiment, we haven't missed the TV a bit. That may change now that sports are gearing back up, but the only time I've regretted not having any cable was on the fourth of July. We couldn't take Gab to see fireworks, and I wanted to turn on PBS and show her Boston. (Best 4th ever in Boston, by the way.)

This year, I've not been pumped up to go back to school, because Summer was so great. (It doesn't help that my first day back was spent learning how to use a new math textbook. I teach music, ahem.) I love all the time to hang with my kiddos, and I'm not apologizing for that. So what if Ben turned into a mama's boy and really can't be consoled by anyone else if I'm near? I hear you with your "You must be spoiling him." You're just jealous.

*Pictures and video to follow once I buy some new batteries. I charged them, but it turns out they're past recharging.

Goodbye, June. Hellooooo, July!

My sister tried to give me the ol' "don't you need to update your blog?" the other day. It didn't work, because another week passed before I was ready to blog. What can I say? I like reading her blog better. Check out her adventures here. No pictures of redheads, but pretty good scenery anyway.



Memorable moments from June: Jason and Gabby's cheeks disappearing under their grins when she gave him this picture in a Gabby-hand-painted frame for Fathers' Day. Jason grinning like that again when he got home from youth camp and saw us. Ben laughing so hard he could barely breathe because Gabby was "doing ballet." Gabby screaming, "I'm gonna do my best job everrrr!" as she's doggie paddling in a lake with swimmies and a pool noodle under her arms.

...aaaaand, we're back! This computer likes to reboot itself whenever it feels like it. Thank goodness blogger autosaves. Well, I'm not much in the mood for being retrospective anymore. Here are a few things on our collective plate.

1) I'm not sure if it was the money-saving potential added to the quality-of-life potential or the QoL added to the $. But somewhere, those two reasons got mixed together and we have decided (pregnant pause) to turn off (deep breath) our cable. Not downgrade. Cut completely. Go ahead. Laugh. I don't care if you're laughing because you think TV is such a non-issue you can't believe I'd blog about it or if you're laughing because you think we must have been drinking when we made this decision.
























It's definitely a big deal for us. The TV is on at our house a lot. Like right now, I'm [not] watching Wimbledon. Andy Murray just beat Ferrero. For me, TV is something of an addicting presence, and it's a bit numbing. It feels weird when it's not on, and that's not good. I imagine there are lots of families who live like this. It would probably be best if I could just develop the discipline to turn it on and off when appropriate, but I'm trying to develop discipline in so many areas that this is not the battle I pick. I'm excited about living more simply, more purposefully. No TV will pretty much force me to do that. I'm very excited about the affects it could have on the kiddos and my parenting. (However, I'm allowing for one video a day, so it's not like we're putting the TV in the attic.) It really comes down to that passage in 1 Corinthians... Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Nothing will be my master. (My paraphrase.) I love days where we do stuff. Now we'll have a lot more of them.

2) VACATION! Days where we do stuff, and days where we don't. Yay. (And family!!!)

3) Tea parties. Our family attends a tea party every day, hosted by Gabrielle. She makes marvelous stews and "blended tea." Yesterday's stew was so good, and I complimented the seasoning. Just the right amount of salt and pepper, I said. "Yes, welllllll... It called for 3 ounces, but I only put in 2." Food Network is one of my favorite channels, and now you're starting to see that we really should turn off the TV.

I leave you with a few more pictures. Jason is definitely mocking Gabby's pouty face. She was a little jealous of the Father/Son photo shoot.