Happy New Year

Merry Christmas

Nelly really enjoying her new shopping cart and her dolly, who is named "Polly."

Ingrid in the bride dress that Namma made for her. Very impressive, isn't it. A good reminder to me that it won't be too long before we're not just pretending, yikes!

Aunt Woe teaching the kids how to take crazy photos with a cell phone. We were waiting for John to finish wrapping his presents (yes, this is Christmas morning).

Nammacamma, with one camera to rule them all and with the flash-gun blind them. ;)

Driving Photo: demonstrating that parts of the Northwest had a white Christmas.

All of us out for a walk to deliver homemade biscotti to friends who live near by.

Here's one house where we delivered biscotti. Notice that the kids in the window are friends of the kids delivering, and they have no idea why we are standing outside their house, at this point.

Ah, and here's Nelly with her biscotti. She doesn't eat it when she is outside, for some reason.

And Also...

St. Ingrid the Pious with her new Bible
The joy of reading.

Sounding out the front of the Birthday Card.

Inge's Birthday

Wind

Rivalries

These days the kids have a competitive streak. Some mornings (like today) they pretty much wake up arguing. I returned a few minutes ago from an early trip to Rosauers to buy some anise seed--which by the way is sold out all over town--to hear this:

Inge: "...walkin' in a winter wonderlaaaaand..."
Lewis: HEY! (in a tone of voice reminiscent of some Manhattan apartment dweller in a book. I half expected to hear next: "Hey lydy! Whaddaya think this is? The bloomin' theater?" But no... he had other griefs in mind.)
Lewis: I'm ignoring you. It's not a bluebird, it's a blue jay.
Inge: NO, it's a blue bird.
Inge, appealing to a higher, or at least another, authority: Nelly, tell me, is it a blue jay?
Nelly rose, I must say, nobly to the occasion. The adenoidal little voice drifted clearly down the stairs.
Nelly: NO.
Inge, encouraged by the success of her venture: So, Nelly, tell me, is it a blue bird or a blue jay?
But Nelly's not at her best with disjunctions yet, so she only mumbled something.
Lewis, boisterously pleased and probably accurate: she says it's a "pinepone."

That Moment Before Church

Blurry Photos

Kryptonite

Conversation at dinner tonight:

Lewis: I feel like Superman.
Daddy and Mommy look skeptical.
Daddy: What's Superman feel like, Son?
Lewis, laconically: awwww, like nothing.
Inge: He's teasing.
Lewis, indignant: No, I'm not!
Mommy: What does it feel like to feel like Superman, Buddy?
Lewis: mumbles.
Mommy: What does Superman feel like, Lewis?
Lewis: He has a big "S" on all his clothes.
Mommy: But you don't have an "S" on your clothes, so why do you feel like Superman?
Inge: He's teasing!
Lewis: No, I'm NOT.

Eventually one maybe pertinent fact emerged: "Superman," says Lewis, "never throws up."

Daddy: I think Superman does throw up if you give him Kryptonite.
Inge: What?
Daddy: Kryptonite.
Inge: What?
Daddy: If you give him Kryptonite.
Inge: What? What's Krrriip?
Daddy: What?

All of which just goes to show that you don't have to be in college to have esoteric conversations.

The Writing on the Wall

Here's a little exchange we had after dinner tonight.


Me, very fast--trying, in fact, to spell supersonically: Peter, would you like some f-u-d-g-e?

Inge: FUDGE!

Mercy Claire Douglas

Tonight Mercy Claire Douglas, the youngest daughter of some dear friends of ours, passed away. She was born a few days ago with a condition called trisomy-18, and the Douglases knew she would not be with them long. They loved her well and sent her on her way to her heavenly Father--please pray for them.

Winter is Here

Northwest Thanksgiving

Namma's Birthday

On the Road Again

Happy Thanksgiving

That Nip in the Air

Beautiful Family

Inge by candlelight. Amazing what ISO 1600 and an F1.8 lens can do for you.

When she isn't tweeped, this is what the hair looks like.


Louie by candlelight...
Namma made this dress-up dress for Inge.

Isn't she beautiful!

Happy Veterans Day (a little late)

I'm not exactly sure what I want to say about veterans but it has something to do with the fact that one of the main reasons the first Triumvirate was formed was because the Senate wouldn't give Pompey's veterans what Pompey had promised them for their good service abroad. The incredible sacrifices that are made by soldiers, need to be appreciated--but they require more than lip service. If the US military is the best in the world, it is due in no small measure to the fact that they are equipped well, paid well, and given due honor. The influence of veterans on a society is not only in the service and sacrifices they made on the battlefield but is also seen when the come home. And when veterans get caught in the middle of political ambitions and fears, we are all at risk.