*taps screen*
Er....hello? Is anybody out there?
*wipes cobwebs off the blog*
Yeah, it's been kind of a while, hasn't it. Turns out that with three kiddos in the house I'm either too busy or too tired to care about updating a blog regularly. Who knew, right? Anywho, I figured there's been enough goings on that I really ought to drag my tuckus back into the blogosphere and catch everybody up. So here goes...
The first big news since my last post is that we finally got the gerbils we had promised the kids around Christmas on Memorial Day. This one wasn't entirely my fault that it took so long to get done. I have about the same opinion on buying small rodents from chain pet stores that I do about buying dogs there (which I don't think you can do anymore anyway) and that is that a) they tend to not be terribly healthy and b) I don't like to support "breeders" that sell their animals to retailers (aka [applicable animal] mills). I much prefer to get a healthy animal from a reputable breeder that cares something about the well-being of the animal in question and the breed in general, and isn't just in it for the money. Granted, it is possible that a licensed breeder is just in it for the money, but more often than not they aren't, and you can bet your sweet bippy that anyone selling to a retailer is. *looks down at soapbox* Woops, how'd that get there. *steps down* Anywho, I found some gerbil breeders "in the area," by which I mean "within a day trips' drive," and the only one that got back to me (who happened to be located near Boerne) said she wouldn't have any pups available until the end of May. The breeder contacted me about mid-May to let me know that the pups would be available to adopt on Memorial day and to give me a chance to reserve a couple. So, we loaded up for Asher's second car trip, which went somewhat more smoothly than his first. The only real problem we had was that around about Columbus traffic on I-10 just about stopped on the way back in, so we had something of an adventure following back-roads the last stretch home. At the end of the day, however, we ended up getting our new charges, Corbin and Colton, home safely and they have been adjusting to life in the Bailey household, or more correctly the kids' room. The only problem that we have had with them so far is that their wheel tends to squeak and they like to run at night, so their nighttime wheel privileges have been revoked, but all in all they are fun and it gives the kids some responsibility (with oversight, of course) which is good.
Our church had their VBS a couple of weeks ago which was, as always, a lot of fun for the kids and very tiring for the adults; I haven't been able to manage volunteering the last few years, but I have in the past, so I can attest to the amount of work that's put into it. Jamie was too old to attend this year so he signed up to help out. He was originally going to be helping in one of the story rooms doing a skit, but there was some concern over his epilepsy so he got moved to helping in the one of the craft rooms (which is where Denine was, but not in the same room). I think he was a little bummed about that, but ended up having fun helping the kids with their crafts. He's really pumped for next year, when he'll be old enough to be a group leader for the kids attending.....which is, frankly, quite frightening to me. Ren, naturally, had a blast. Which goes without saying, as long as she doesn't have to sit still and/or be quiet. The church always does something special on Wednesday night on the week of VBS to try and bring in the attending kids and their parents that aren't members. Last year we had an astronaut come in and talk because the VBS theme was space, and that was really interesting and had the kids riveted (he spent a lot of time on things kids would be into, like "how do astronauts go to the bathroom?"). This year we had Kidz Blitz! Live come in. Total. Polar. Opposite. Seriously though, it was a blast. Not sure what it had to do with our theme of exploration (ie Indiana Jones) though...
I finally got a chance to buy bows for Jamie and myself a couple of weeks ago, too. This is something I had started looking into about two years ago, and had actually ordered a bow for myself (I'm left-eye dominant, so I shoot left-handed, hence the need to order). After the first time I called to check on the order and was told "we'll call you when it comes in, you don't need to call us" I decided to take them at their word. Shortly after that, the 50-hour work weeks I'd been enjoying dried up and all my spare cash dried up with them, so I chalked it up to providence. I recently had the opportunity to help out another discipline at work on a rush job and was approved for 50s, so I decided to use some of the OT money to finally get our archery supplies. Of course, when I started looking at this stuff the first time Jamie was two years younger and several inches shorter, so I was intending to get him a cheap fiberglass bow to see how interested he really was. Now that he's almost as tall as me I decided I needed to spring for a legitimate bow if he was going to get a fair shake at it, so that cost a little more than I had planned, but I figure he'd waited more-or-less patiently for almost two years for it, so what the heck. We got a few hay bales last weekend to set up a range in our back yard (I tried a few test shots with what I had and determines that plywood does not a good backstop make) and got a chance this weekend we can get out and shoot some. Jamie and I are both seriously in need of lessons (and Jamie could use some strength training, poor kids can hardly draw his bow) but we're having fun in the meantime.
We sold my grandparents' old conversion van RV, so all the work I did cleaning out the garage is finally paying off. I had to install a new garage door opener before we could actually use it, but now we can at least park the van in the garage so it doesn't get nearly as hot. It's nice to park in a garage again, the last time I got to do that on a regular basis it was still the 20th century.
Er....hello? Is anybody out there?
*wipes cobwebs off the blog*
Yeah, it's been kind of a while, hasn't it. Turns out that with three kiddos in the house I'm either too busy or too tired to care about updating a blog regularly. Who knew, right? Anywho, I figured there's been enough goings on that I really ought to drag my tuckus back into the blogosphere and catch everybody up. So here goes...
The first big news since my last post is that we finally got the gerbils we had promised the kids around Christmas on Memorial Day. This one wasn't entirely my fault that it took so long to get done. I have about the same opinion on buying small rodents from chain pet stores that I do about buying dogs there (which I don't think you can do anymore anyway) and that is that a) they tend to not be terribly healthy and b) I don't like to support "breeders" that sell their animals to retailers (aka [applicable animal] mills). I much prefer to get a healthy animal from a reputable breeder that cares something about the well-being of the animal in question and the breed in general, and isn't just in it for the money. Granted, it is possible that a licensed breeder is just in it for the money, but more often than not they aren't, and you can bet your sweet bippy that anyone selling to a retailer is. *looks down at soapbox* Woops, how'd that get there. *steps down* Anywho, I found some gerbil breeders "in the area," by which I mean "within a day trips' drive," and the only one that got back to me (who happened to be located near Boerne) said she wouldn't have any pups available until the end of May. The breeder contacted me about mid-May to let me know that the pups would be available to adopt on Memorial day and to give me a chance to reserve a couple. So, we loaded up for Asher's second car trip, which went somewhat more smoothly than his first. The only real problem we had was that around about Columbus traffic on I-10 just about stopped on the way back in, so we had something of an adventure following back-roads the last stretch home. At the end of the day, however, we ended up getting our new charges, Corbin and Colton, home safely and they have been adjusting to life in the Bailey household, or more correctly the kids' room. The only problem that we have had with them so far is that their wheel tends to squeak and they like to run at night, so their nighttime wheel privileges have been revoked, but all in all they are fun and it gives the kids some responsibility (with oversight, of course) which is good.
Our church had their VBS a couple of weeks ago which was, as always, a lot of fun for the kids and very tiring for the adults; I haven't been able to manage volunteering the last few years, but I have in the past, so I can attest to the amount of work that's put into it. Jamie was too old to attend this year so he signed up to help out. He was originally going to be helping in one of the story rooms doing a skit, but there was some concern over his epilepsy so he got moved to helping in the one of the craft rooms (which is where Denine was, but not in the same room). I think he was a little bummed about that, but ended up having fun helping the kids with their crafts. He's really pumped for next year, when he'll be old enough to be a group leader for the kids attending.....which is, frankly, quite frightening to me. Ren, naturally, had a blast. Which goes without saying, as long as she doesn't have to sit still and/or be quiet. The church always does something special on Wednesday night on the week of VBS to try and bring in the attending kids and their parents that aren't members. Last year we had an astronaut come in and talk because the VBS theme was space, and that was really interesting and had the kids riveted (he spent a lot of time on things kids would be into, like "how do astronauts go to the bathroom?"). This year we had Kidz Blitz! Live come in. Total. Polar. Opposite. Seriously though, it was a blast. Not sure what it had to do with our theme of exploration (ie Indiana Jones) though...
I finally got a chance to buy bows for Jamie and myself a couple of weeks ago, too. This is something I had started looking into about two years ago, and had actually ordered a bow for myself (I'm left-eye dominant, so I shoot left-handed, hence the need to order). After the first time I called to check on the order and was told "we'll call you when it comes in, you don't need to call us" I decided to take them at their word. Shortly after that, the 50-hour work weeks I'd been enjoying dried up and all my spare cash dried up with them, so I chalked it up to providence. I recently had the opportunity to help out another discipline at work on a rush job and was approved for 50s, so I decided to use some of the OT money to finally get our archery supplies. Of course, when I started looking at this stuff the first time Jamie was two years younger and several inches shorter, so I was intending to get him a cheap fiberglass bow to see how interested he really was. Now that he's almost as tall as me I decided I needed to spring for a legitimate bow if he was going to get a fair shake at it, so that cost a little more than I had planned, but I figure he'd waited more-or-less patiently for almost two years for it, so what the heck. We got a few hay bales last weekend to set up a range in our back yard (I tried a few test shots with what I had and determines that plywood does not a good backstop make) and got a chance this weekend we can get out and shoot some. Jamie and I are both seriously in need of lessons (and Jamie could use some strength training, poor kids can hardly draw his bow) but we're having fun in the meantime.
We sold my grandparents' old conversion van RV, so all the work I did cleaning out the garage is finally paying off. I had to install a new garage door opener before we could actually use it, but now we can at least park the van in the garage so it doesn't get nearly as hot. It's nice to park in a garage again, the last time I got to do that on a regular basis it was still the 20th century.
A vehicle. In the garage! (Yes, it was that big of a deal)
We got my brother to take Asher's three-month pictures the first weekend in July, couldn't get him to smile to save our lives. What I saw of them was still pretty cute, though. Currently waiting on Bro to get them posted so we can tell him which ones we like and he can "process" them; I'll get them posted on here ASAP after that (promise!).
We just got back from our first trip of the summer to the neighborhood pool, which was also Asher's first time in a pool. He was pretty completely disinterested....
All decked out for the pool
Chillin' in the agua
That's about all the major developments of the last couple months. I'd make a promise to be better about regular updates, but you've all heard that before so I wouldn't expect you to believe me anyway. Of course, I've only got a few weeks before birthdays start hitting, then it's fast and furious until about March. So at least I should have stuff to post about, should I manage to get off my keister and do it.
