New Game

The One-Handed Diaper Drop. Holding a baby (so that you can't bend over), try to drop the dirty diaper into the diaper pail slot so it doesn't fall on the floor.

(Necessity is the mother of game design.)

What my kids have learned from Grandparents

K, looking out the kitchen window: "What's that big bird out there in the tree?"
R: "I think there's an owl over there. I saw some gray. No, it's a woodpecker."
A: "It's a towhee. A female towhee."
R: "I see a chickadee. Chickadee, chickadee."
A: "I see a spotted flicker. Three flickers!"
A: "There are so many birds around."

When there's a buzzing noise in the other room

R: What's that?
Me: Daddy doing the drill.
R: A lockdown drill?

First World Complaints

Rebecca: "I want a better life!"

Lar: "What would make it a better life?"

R: "I want to ride in a hot air balloon RIGHT NOW!"

A surprising week

Day 1: Lin Oliver tells me that I need to start a new project, whether I get up early (like that's going to happen!), stay up late, hire a babysitter. Whatever it takes.
Day 2: My agent tells me that my publisher has requested ANOTHER CANDY EXPERIMENTS BOOK!
Day 3: With a deadline of May 1!

A Long Absence

It was hard to leave one of our beloved family members in Utah after a Christmas car accident, not knowing whether recovery was even possible or if the insurance would even kick in. But after weeks of uncertainty, waiting, and insurance-wrangling, all was finally settled, and Lar flew down to collect our missing piece. Welcome home, minivan!!

Rebecca diagnoses a headache

"My brain is bad!"

Rebecca on haircuts

Rebecca does not like my new short haircut. "It makes you not look like Mommy!"