For Art Lovers

I just read a friend's blog and she posted some pictures from the Boston MFA. They have a contest every year where florists are challenged to make arrangements inspired by paintings, etc in the museum. So, if I figured how to paste the link here, follow it to flowers imitating art.

http://bostonmcquivey.blogspot.com/2009/04/art-in-bloom-at-mfa.html

Enjoy. These reminded me of being in Tucson when Elaine was little and my friend Stephanie was weaving kiwi. It didn't look exactly like a kiwi fruit, but it "imitated" kiwi by having all sorts of colors and textures that one would find in a kiwi fruit. I miss being around artistic folk.

Frog Spawn

Happy Memorial Day. I've spent the morning cleaning out frog spawn from our pool. Disgusting. Luckily, I did capture the female frog (huge) after the male finally popped off her back (yah, quite educational for the kids) and flung it into the desert. Dave "disposed" of 4 frogs the other night. He cleaned out all the spawn on Saturday morning, thinking that if he super-chlorinated the pool, the frogs would not come back. Sigh.

Also, Jeremy, in an effort to take care of the frogs himself (what a sweetheart), broke the net. So I called a neighbor who happened to have a net and a 2 year old who was thrilled to come over and learn about frogs. Of course, they came through the house so they could witness the chaos of my house with a newborn in it.

So why isn't Dave taking care of the problem today, you ask? Well, he and Elaine are living it up on the beach in San Carlos. It was originally scheduled as an educational field trip with one of Elaine's classes at school, but the school withdrew support a few weeks ago (I imagine due to swine flu and safety issues). But most everyone still went.

I'm sparing you photos of the spawn. Look it up online somewhere if you are interested. The basic description: thousands of tiny black pearls strung together all over the pool floor and steps. Did I say thousands? I'm sure it is millions. Look it up. I can't think about it anymore without heaving. Blech.

Baby Jill's Debut

She's Here!

Really quick . . . Jill Kathryn Parry was born on May 6th at 6:24 pm. She weighed 9 lb 3 oz and is 21 inches long. She has black hair like Elaine did. Pictures will come when we both start sleeping more.

Baseball pics

Ben in ready position . . .

And he makes the play!

Alex at bat . . .

He swings . . .

He runs!

I don't have pictures of Jeremy, yet. It is not easy getting shots through a chain link fence. Jer hit a double the other night, hitting in two runners. It was his first real hit of the season. His coach picked him up and swung him around after he made it home again. Great confidence booster.

In pregnancy news, I'm ready for the baby. Let's get this over with already. On the other hand, who is going to get my kids to baseball and swimming and cub scouts and birthday parties and . . . who is going to help with END OF YEAR SCHOOL PROJECTS????????????? I think no projects should be allowed to be due beyond April 30. I need a vacation before this baby comes.

BTW, Dave is speaking in Stake Conference on Sunday, so I'm taking a towel to sit on, just in case. Do you think we should sit in front or back? What is the best way to apply Murphy's Law? Sitting in front so we can make a big spectacle if I go into labor? Or sit in back so Dave doesn't notice and we have to send a messenger up to let him know? Hmmmm.

Sick

We are sick. William has been throwing up for a week. Dave caught it a few days ago. I got it yesterday. Jeremy is missing a field trip today. Alex had a fever a few days ago, but seems to be escaping the worst part. Ben also seems fine, so far. We'll see. I'm really tired. Trying to drink water so I don't get dehydrated and go into labor. Elaine is gone so much she will hopefully escape it. Sigh. At least today I don't have to go anywhere. Poor Dave.

Baseball updates

Alex hit a grand slam home run in coach pitch last week. He now considers himself to be a great baseball player. I'm glad he has confidence.

Benjamin explained to me the difference between tee ball and baseball. He said, "In tee ball you just hit the ball. In regular baseball, somebody throws a ball at you and you have to hit it. Then in tee ball the coach tells you where to run. And he tells you to run and stop. In real baseball, you just don't have a coach telling you where to run and you just have to run and run."

In other news, Jeremy is finishing a poetry unit at school. He woke up in the night last night and wrote down this poem:

Nature
As I listen to a rippling brook
And feel the breeze of spring
I spot a purple poppy, as humble as can be
I spot a purple poppy, as humble as can be