Chemical interval

We all lost it when we saw this...

Look, Ma, no sense! Just kidding, he's parked of course.

This one is a recipe Jim got out of his Big Backyard magazine - Thanks, Lori!

Why shouldn't you give guns to children?

We've had quite the busy last few weeks! We've spent a good portion of it packing boxes, clearing out the shed and all manner of other preparatory moving activities - without, we now learn, the impetus of a buyer for the house. Our agent called us Friday before last to say that an out-of-state buyer wanted our house, and that he would expect us to be completely moved out the day we signed the papers. This of course freaked me out and inspired the afore-mentioned whirlwind of packing as we waited for the official offer to appear.

A week and a half later, Steve finally called again to tell us that the potential buyer apparently put a bid in on another house. We're still on the list if it doesn't go through, but the odds of anyone turning down a decent offer right now are pretty flimsy.

The upside of all this is that (a) we got some needed moving-prep done, and (b) we got the oh-shit-how-will-we-ever-get-this-done spaz attack over with. So the next time we get an offer we'll be that much closer and mentally prepared to move.

Apart from packing we've been getting out again in the beautiful, strengthening sunshine. I swear it must have reached 50 degrees this weekend! We took our friends Chuck & Kayt, and her two daughters out Geocaching at a little lake near Sagle. It was a really pretty hike, which might have been more pleasant without the unnecessary detour through the thorn-laden marsh - Chris! But no one was seriously injured and we all had fun. The cache had some fossils in it and we brought home a packet of dino eggshell fragments.

Jimmy is growing up so fast - and making his wistful Mommy cry pretty often. He got his bike out while we were clearing the shed and just got on and rode! He'd tried before last summer and gotten discouraged, but after hearing that his best friend Joziah wanted to learn/ride with him he decided he'd better learn. No falls, no tears, no fears. Yay for peer pressure and training wheels!

Jim's also started work last night on his very first Science Fair project! At first he wanted to bake bread, but a week ago he changed his mind and said he wanted to "build rocks". So we bought him a couple of Crystal growing kits. He had a lot of fun doing the kit, less fun writing his report. He's got one growing now, and will do the next one on the day of the Fair, so it can grow while it's on display.

Kirsi is not to be outshone (outshined?) and has mastered* the art of walking! She is so cute toddling around the house. She likes to try carrying anything she can, just to see if she can walk with it. She's becoming more enthralled with music as she grows up, and a good beat gets her dancing every time. She and Jimmy keep getting closer the older and more interactive she gets.

She's weaned now, which hasn't been easy for either of us. But I wasn't producing more than 1/2 oz at my best, and she loves formula. So she can live with a bottle for a couple of months and then on to cow's milk. She seems much happier now that she's getting a full meal, but she and I both miss the close bonding. She's loving all the new foods she's getting to try - still no teeth, though. I'm absolutely thrilled that she held off until we were done nursing, now she can get them anytime.

Other random Hubbell activities include paintball, dog-cuddling, and making gigantic mobiles out of coathangers.