First Ponytail!

X-ray

Soon we will have more pictures of Caleb's insides, than his outside. He was "steering" a 45lb plate on the wieght lifting bar in the garage on Thursday when it fell and landed on his face and arm. He was seen by a good friend in the ortho clinic and cleared to continue wieght-lifting. It's amazing that little boys survive little-boyhood.

The World Book Encyclopedia

The previous owners of our house left us a 1980s set of World Book Encyclopedias when they moved out. Little did we know that by doing so, the Fergusens had provided Emmylou a seemingly infinite source of entertainment. She recognizes more countries flags, more breeds of dogs and more species of fish than I ever will. Recently I've been doing my best to answer questions about atoms, atomic and mass numbers and electron orbits. I came home from work the other day to find that she had been working all afternoon on a Periodic Table of the Elements. Its admittedly crude, but she's 5 years old for crying out loud! Is this cute or macabre? Any advice on whether or not we should enroll her in kindergarten this year?

Yard Work

I've always enjoyed having a shovel in my hand, but it has never been so much fun as when I'm working in my own yard. We have high hopes for our garden this year. The tree whose shade kept us from ever growing anything that wasn't laughable died last Winter. I bought a chainsaw and cut it down this Spring. We've already harvested a summer squash and green peas. The kids insisted on planting Okra and purple-hulled peas in addition to tomatos and watermelon. They've become quite the little helpers, each has their own watering can and loves to sprinkle the moutain laurel, the tree named Steve (a red bud) and the "Eater-leaves" (a cast-iron plant that they think eats things). Here are some pictures, come and visit any time.

Hair

This is a picture of Sally's newly emergent hair. If Sally's hair were in a race with a tortoise it would lose. She is still pretty bald.

This is Emmylou with the worst case of morning hair I've ever seen. What was she doing in her sleep?

So, this isn't hair, it's frosting, but it looks for all the world like she has a big thick mustache. I don't think I could have painted it on any better.

Obsession

Sally has recently developed a mild obsession with clothing. It began with her emptying the dresser drawers, carrying all of her clothes to the laundry room, and putting them in the dryer. Now she has started putting the clothes on. Here she is in one of her hobo outfits.

Enchanted camping trip

Over the weekend we took a little camping trip to enchanted rock state park in the Texas hill country. Enchanted rock is a big round bald chunk of granite sticking up out of the ground. We hiked to the summit with the kids on Monday. The wind was blowing up the mountain like nothing I've ever experienced. It was blowing so hard that it was actually easier to go up the mountain with the wind at your back than to come down with the wind in your face. I was afraid to let go of the kids lest they should blow away.

We also made a little side trip to Luckenbach, Texas since it was in the area. You can't really even call this place a town since I think there are only three people who live there. It is really just a group of small buildings made of old unpainted boards. It contained an old post office turned gift shop, a dance hall, and a barbecue/bratwurst/beer stand. Oh, and it was absolutely packed with bikers, rednecks, and the occasional rooster.

Emmylou and Caleb loved camping, but you could say Sally wasn't exactly a happy camper. She screamed all night the first night and was a little restless the next night. With Sally screaming and the usual difficulties of sleeping in a tent (the deflating air mattress, dropping night temperatures, and the howling wind), we were all a little tired for the ride home.

Note: You absolutely have to click on the second picture, so you can see up close the look on Emmylou's face.