1st day of school

Well, Kim goes back to work on Monday, so today was Anna's first 1/2 day in daycare. Of course the drop off created a few tears (all from Kim). But the teachers said that Anna cried a little bit andf otherwise was pretty good. When Kim showed up at noon, Anna noticed her from across the room and screamed out her usual greeting of " UHHHHHHHHHH" very loudly and knocked over kids, table and chairs to get to Kim. Anna & Nina are getting along very well now and Nina gets an "Air Kiss" every night before bed. Looks like tomorrow includes a trip to the zoo and taking Nina to the woods where hopefully she gets to see the pet billy goats again. Here a a few pictures that were taken last week by a professional photographer.

New Pictures

Rattlesnake in the House???

The Labor Day weekend started out with an exciting Friday night at home. We did the usual, pick up a pizza and watch a crappy football game. As we are eating in the kitchen, we could hear a pretty loud rattling noise coming from the sunroom. I had the TV kind of loud so I ignored it the first time, thinking it was something with the TV. When it happened the next time, I looked at Kim and said"that sounds like the rattle of a rattlesnake, seriously." So thinking that I would need all of my energy to fight the snake, I finished my pizza then went to get my snake fighting gear(a big long pole and my running shoes). Kim held Anna and held back Nina and I went into the sunroom with the worst case scenario in mind, realizing that if it was a snake we were going to have to put the house up for sale and go to a hotel that night and probably never reclaim any of our personal possessions. I also remebered being a young boy and one of our neighbors found a snake in their cupboard. If you don't know already, Kim & I are more afraid of snakes than any two combined people that I know. Screaming and running are commonplace when we are working in the yard. I even bought hip waders a few years ago so that when I am weed-wacking or hillside that one can't slither into my shoe or up my pants. Anyway, what better place to look first than under the couch, so as you can envision I gently lifted the skirt of the couch with my stick and saw nothing except a few balls that Nina put under there. Then to the baskets and the big trunk. Still nothing. I have heard that snakes will eat dog food so I lifted up Nina's food bowls which sit on a wooden box. I was certain that the only other place it could be would be in the couch cushions or under a pillow. I held my breath and checked. No snake anywhere. We have like eight windows in that room, could it possibly be in the curtains? No...what I did find was a small bug that looked similar to a grasshopper that was making this incredibly loud rattling noise..so I scooped it up and put it outside. I don't know what that thing was, but we have named it "Rattle Hopper".

Last night we went to the neighborhood block party, and I will say that Anna had a really good time. There was a DJ and Anna loves to dance, she danced until 10pm and we had to pull her away from the party. She slept until 10am this morning and only woke up because I made her get up. She was cranky. She is walking and even doing a little running. She has quite a few bumps and bruises but she is pretty tough. We have seem a number of face plants on the hardwood floor but the crying usually last less than a minute. She fell halfway down the steps once when I was teaching her how to do steps. My reflexes need a little work.

Well, summer is over and for Nina what better way to close it out than to have a nice refreshing Frosty-Paws on a hot summer day. I was holding the frosty paws for her and an ant was walking by her foot, rather than move, she shook her paw and ate the delicious treat on three legs.....she is very smart. Good thing I stepped on the ant..I didn't want to see what would happen if the ant went to her other foot.