irksome

This morning I was digesting my oatmeal and doing some laundry and I innocently look out the window and WHAT DO I SEE!?!?!

Squirrels feasting on the crabapple tree!

Count them - at least nine!

Friends, this disturbs me. It does not bode well for our poor little peach tree next year. 

Brains

Whew. Now that we're down to one reader again, I can share the good stuff.

If you are unfortunate enough to eat at our house, you might get served brain.

Our philosophy is, the more brains the better. You have your choice between normal white matter brain and hematoma brain. Take your pick. You will be asked if you would prefer frontal, parietal, temporal, or occipital lobe.

Any suggestions on what to get Alex for Christmas? He says he wants a certain board game but I was thinking more like socks or a rain gutter cleaner or something.

Nerdiest costumes on the block

Today I am wearing a nondescript gray sweater. It has a few brown spots on it that I didn't notice until I got home from church.

Someone at work a few days ago told me that I looked like a milkmaid. I guess that is good because that is just the look I was going for...

Anyway, this year for Halloween we had a great idea for costumes. I thought they would be so cool that we might actually be popular (with the added benefit of not offending anyone) at our ward's trunk or treat.

The plan backfired because most people don't actually know what a fomite is and thought we made the word up. In fact, my spell checker is telling me that fomite is not a real word. Or maybe people misread it and thought it said "vomit". I can see why that wouldn't be such a popular costume.

Maybe next year we will go as MRSA.

Ruben turned 13 this week. He is already living up to the "terrible teenager" stereotype; sleeping in late, refusing to go to school, sneaking out past curfew, and smoking pot with his friends.

Happy Birthday Ed!

Here is our e-card.

Happy Birthday remix

In case you didn't believe me about the six cakes, here is proof.

We had just enough left overs to make us happy.

In exchange for a piece of cake, we requested a haiku. Of course, many people took their cake without leaving us a haiku, just like voting (or taxes? Just trying to fit in with the times here). That's ok - we still love you.

Our favorite haiku was from Holli. She gave me permission to share.

Alexander likes dogs,

speaks Ukrainian, Russian,

wears lycopene shirts.

Katie rides her bike

she eats rabbits and heals pets

gorgeous to the core

chemistry boy's girl

veterinarian's husband

sweet loving couple.

Our second favorite haiku was from Noah. He sure didn't give me permission to share.

The cops look at me.

They want me in their prison.

I won't be taken. 

Our third favorite haiku was from me. No one asked me permission.

Hi. I'm a mammal. 

I'm supposed to nurse my young

and I have some hair. 

Ok. Enough poems.

For Alex's birthday weekend, we also visited the Great Pumpkin Patch (or GPP if you're cool) with some friends, Mark and Jill. I don't have any pictures of all of us to post (but maybe if they send me some I will post them - hint, hint) but here are a few others. 

I found me a kid. A cute one, even, with awesome hair. (Ok, he technically belongs to Mark and Jill. I was just BORROWING him.) Notice the Noah's ark of squash. Things like this I love about the Midwest. 

To my great surprise and delight, I was reunited with my good friend that I haven't seen for a couple of years. Last time I saw him was in Nauvoo, so I was very happy to see him at GPP. We didn't have a lot to say to each other, just like last time.

Hasn't aged a bit. (Nauvoo, IL, 2008ish)

We won the pumpkin pageant. 

My talent for the pageant was gourding. 

I am Lucy and I approve this message. 

Happy Birthday, Alex!

a haiku birthday

for the love of my long life.

here's to you honey.

eight years ago to-

day- that's when the deal was sealed. 

I showed up that day

with a Jamba Juice

pumpkin smash for your birthday. 

then it was for real.

don't let this girl go.

she brings goodness into your life.

good food makes good love.

now, eight years later

I don't have pumpkin smashes.

but six cakes instead.

hope it is enough. 

maybe next year we will find

a pumpkin smash. yum.

so, comments are great

especially in the form of

haikus. please. thank you.

Stuff growing in my house

I have no announcements. Alex has no announcements. There is nothing to blog about.

Except for this persistent question: why can't we grow basil?

Case in point:

This pathetic plant is the only thing that grew out of three entire seed packets we planted this year inside and out. It is a sad little basil plant. 

Here is the basil's kitchen island neighbor, a mum that I bought in April and never got around to planting. I think it is a little late now.

This is my husband sweeping up the shards of a glass that I broke as I was shoving stuff around on the kitchen island trying to take these awesome pictures. 

Here is a peace lilly growing in my house. For those of you with cats, these are actually not lillies of the sort that will kill cats like Easter Lillies. These are totally safe to have around cats. 

Finally, a picture of stuff growing in my freezer because Alex and I cannot eat cookies and muffins and bread fast enough to keep them from filling up our freezer. Feel free to stop by and have a cookie anytime. 

PS I hope no one was blinded by the whiteness of my skin in our new blog theme picture.