We shouldn't be celebrating

...that the van hit 100,000 miles. (YAY! Our van's old and broken down!) But we can celebrate that we get to take Claire home with us for about a week and a half!

You only THOUGHT the Blue Mountain Mall was dead

It was really only mostly dead. Now it's completely dead. (Even though Sears and Shopko are still open, and Gottschalks opens for a few hours when they feel like it.)

Still, a dead mall is less depressing than a dead downtown. The NY Times loves us and downtown is good. We even have a few restaurants, not that I can afford them.

Happy Hawaii 5-OH, Jenny!

We celebrated Jenny's 50th birthday with a fundraising luau for ALS. We decided we couldn't afford to send the whole family, but Ethan would have loved the hula dancers, especially the tiny one.

Jenny is pictured here with her neighborhood helpers, guests of honor for the luau. I hope the video journal from the Spokane newspaper is still available online...it's really sweet. Check out the Angels on Empire.

Ummm, Mommy?

Which do you like better: Doctor Who or Indiana Jones?

Doctor Who.

Are you serious?

Completely serious.

Come on, seriously?

Serious as a heart attack.

But why?

He has the Tardis.

[thinks a while] Indy has the hat!

Sonic screwdriver.

Whip.

(Daddy intervenes, peace is restored. For a few miles, anyway.)

On the Raggedy Edge

David installed swing hangers as fast as he could while Stacy washed rocks for her stone wall and I attempted to put odd bits of swings together. The children spent their time fighting over each piece of equipment as it was installed and trying to damage each other. Ethan won (?) the Muddiest Child award. Note to self: Next time, don't even think about packing one outfit per day.

A pack of robins had gone on a nest-building binge in the well house. Only one nest seemed to be occupied, and we didn't see a parent visit it all day. I hope it hasn't been abandoned.

Too, too, too, too much yardwork

Amazingly enough, there are still plenty of weeds in our yard.