Habitat For Humanity

QVC hosted a Habitat For Humanity event this week. It's pretty cool the way they do it -- we constructed the walls in our warehouse space, and at the end of the week they're shipped off and put together like a puzzle at the site.

My technique wasn't beautiful, but the nails made their way into the wood and I guess that's what matters. The house is going up here in town, so I'll get to see the finished product and bask in the glow of my mad carpentry skillz.

The Boy That Yelled FIRE

Ry's class at school is going through this phase where they all copy each other. One day they pretended to be holding guns...they would point at things and say "FIRE!!"

The joy of this game has stuck, but parents and teachers alike are not thrilled about it. So the new law of the land at school and at home is that the word "fire" is against the rules.

This rule, however, comes with a twist. What about a firetruck? How about a campfire? Those little rascals had a point. The newly revised rule is that you're not aloud to point at something and say "FIRE!"

Ry was playing with his trucks in the other room today. We heard him saying "FIRE [insert long pause here].........truck. FIRE..........truck."

I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. Stay tuned.

Park Pics

Happy Mother's Day

It's still hard for me to believe that I'm responsible for 2 impressionable young children. It seems like just yesterday that Phil and I were galavanting around the bars until all hours of the night.

It's been a great year and the boys have grown so much. Ry learned to ride a bike and Cole is walking. Life is good!

Football Is Constipated

This stinking fish is still alive...and apparently he's backed up. Aunt Mel has diagnosed the problem and I think she's right on point!

From http://www.allexperts.com/:

Question:
I've had the beta for about 2 months in a wide vase with a rooting plant in it. Last week he began acting strange. After some observation, I discovered that the fish is floating. He struggles to swim to the bottom when food sinks, then he immediately floats to the top again. Today, I noticed hem eating air bubbles--maybe thats part of the problem. If there's a solution I'd like to try it.

Thanks
PAUL

Hi Paul,
It sounds like he is constipated and now has gas in his intestines. This is common in bettas kept in environments that are too cool, they are overfed, or are not kept clean.

So, first get him to a warmer area in your home. His water needs to be 78 to 82 all the time. You may have to put a heat source such as a desk lamp on him, especially at night, if it gets below 75 in the room.

Keep his container clean by replacing all the water once or twice a week. Then, feed him tiny chunks of thawed frozen green peas to help his digestion. Don't feed any other foods until he is feeling better. Then, feed him very small amounts of his regular food only once a day from then on. If you feed pellets he only needs 2 to 4 a day.

Male bettas look like they are eating bubbles but are actually doing one of two things; Gulping air from the top to store in their labyrinth, or building a bubble nest. A Betta's labyrinth is an organ designed to store air to let them live in low oxygen water. If there isn't any oxygen in the water their gills aren't going to do much good for them.

Male bettas also blow bubbles at the top to make a nest in preparation for breeding. Here are some sites for learning more about Bettas and their needs;
http://www.healthybetta.com/
http://www.bettatalk.com/

Holding A Vigil

UPDATE: Apparently a fish lying on its side and not responding to tapping on its tank is not necessarily a sign of imminent doom. Football lives! I came from work today and he was darting all around.

He's still floating to the top though, that can't be good.

This is high drama...will keep you posted!

********************************************
It's not looking good for Football (Ry's fish). In fact, I'm quite sure he's dead but I'm too squimish to take a good hard look into the tank.

Last night he was freaking out and then floating to the top...freaking out...floating to the top...

I asked Phil what to do and he suggested euthanizing him (Phil has never been a fan of the fish concept). I turned to our friend Jim who (randomly) raised beta fish as a child with his dad. When I asked if I should call the vet he gently explained that maybe we should just leave Football alone so he can pass on as intended.

If anyone has any good ideas for explaining this one to Ry, I'm all ears!!

May Fest

Living in town is the bomb. There's always something going on, especially when the weather gets nice. This Sunday was the May Festival at the park down the street from our house.

Ry and Cole posed for pictures with their cousin Sarah. And when I say "posed", I mean we plopped them in front of a tree and prayed for the best.

I will now give you my interpretation of what they're thinking in these pictures:

"Let's humor them"

Sarah: "Cheese!"
Cole: "I love you man!"

Ry: "Getting....so....restless...must....escape"

Ry to Sarah: "Let's ditch the kid and get our party on"
Cole: "Suckers!"

Old King Cole

Sigh...Cole is 1. Wasn't I just pregnant?!? He's had a great first year and is now officially a toddler. We celebrated with a birthday extravaganza filled with bounce house fun, tomato pie, and the traditional yet grotesque "cake smeared all over the face" photo op.

Happy Birthday Cole!!!

Highland Orchards

So Phil has his take on an afternoon adventure, and I have another. Here are some pictures of our trip out to Highland Orchards last weekend.

An additional random note...Cole has this Angelina Jolie thing going on. Pucker up next time you see him!

Have you ever seen a tire give birth?

We were at a local farm/orchard last week and Ry was reborn . . .

Amen!

Outings With Dad

Phil took the boys down to the river today to throw rocks and eat mud.

Strouds Preserve

A neighbor told us about a park nearby. It was awesome!

Many Faces Of Ry, Part Deux

Ry's face is too expressive not to capture as often as possible. I have no idea where he gets this flair for drama...

Magic Carpet Ride

We're selling a rug on CraigsList (anyone interested???) so we laid it out in the backyard to take pictures of it. It was like a kid magnet!

UPDATE: The rug is gone already! CraigsList is the bomb.

Go Rockin' Robbie 'Cause We're Really Gonna Rock Tonight

So it seems that there isn't enough room in Ry's hand for 2 imaginary animals. Little Fishie has been kicked out and replaced by Robbie Emma.

I've been informed that Robbie Emma is a bird, and that he/she is a blackbird.

Interestingly enough, there's a cat that lives in our alley that Ry has also named Robbie. This cat, however, doesn't have a middle name like the bird.

Stay tuned for the latest developments in imaginary friend-ville!

Frankenstein Lives

Batten down the hatches...hide your valuables...Cole is officially walking. It's not the most elegant thing to see (as my Dad says "he still hasn't discovered that he has knees") but he's hobbling around the best he can.

Unfortunately I can't get videos to load...but I'll keep trying!

Scenes From A Kerper Haircut

It's just so much easier for Phil to cut the kid's hair. Any breakdowns can be completed in the privacy of our kitchen, and we can turn on the TV to distract them. Below is the progression of Cole's cut, with a zinger at the end where I think Ry is thinking "I want out of this family."

Aunt Debbie Van Gogh

Aunt Debbie finished a beautiful painting for our Living Room. Check it out on her blog!

Update: Duh, I can just add it here!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Ry is growing up entirely too quickly. And for this reason, we have to watch our words these days. We don't curse or say anything rude...we're just realizing that he's soaking in everything we say. Some recent Ry conversations which made me laugh:

1. The other day he said to me "Mommy I want some juice please!" I was talking to someone so I didn't answer him right away. He asked me a few more times. Finally I stopped talking and said "I heard your request Ry, you'd like some juice". He replied, "so what are we waiting for?!"

2. I was doing something with Cole and Ry came rolling in. He looked at me and said "Mommy, can you do me a favor?" I said sure...but he just stood there and stared at me. I don't think he fully understands the favor concept but thought it would be fun to ask.

3. I woke Ry up first one morning and asked me to help wake up Cole. He went to turn on the light and said "watch your eyes Coley Cole", which is what I say to Ry when I first go into his room in the morning.

4. Phil took Ry to the doctor last week. He asked him a bunch of questions to see how he's developing. Just like his dad...Ry enjoys giving people unexpected answers:
Doc: What's something that flies in the sky?
Ry: A teranadon (for you novices that's a flying dinosaur)
Doc: What animal is green?
Ry: Reptiles
Doc: What is in the sky at night?
Ry: The moon. The moon controls the waves