I've got birdseed and peanuts in my sombrero!

Last week I got it in my head to make a bird feeder out of terracotta pots and saucers, so after a trip to WalMart and a couple nights of work, I finished it last night. I've been a little impatient waiting for the glue and polyurethane to dry, but it was worth the wait because now I've got my own little guy out in the front yard to take care of feeding the critters.

Hopefully the squirrels and birds will be happy with their new garden friend...

And the frog and bunny, too, I suppose!

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The following home video is brought to you, courtesy of this Monkey Moma, so you can have a good laugh. You'll definitely want to watch- the expressions are priceless.


We were eating steak the other night, and Blessing #3 eats his with ketchup. I showed him Daddy's "most special Vietnamese, uh, ketchup," told him it was the hot stuff, and said I'd give him a quarter if he took a bite of it with his steak. Surprisingly, he agreed and had taken the bite before I could even think about getting the camera out. It was hilarious, so of course I had to get him to do it again.:-D

Up the dare; up the ante- One bite of steak with a big glob of the paste and earn a dollar.

I was prepared this time and had the camera ready to roll.

Blessing #3 took the dare on his own free will. And, he really did enjoy himself. In fact, he decided to make a job out of eating the chili paste to earn some "more dollars," but it was a one-time offer. :)

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Overheard in the Monkey Bus:

Blessing #5:

Someday I want to be a squirrel.

Hmmmm... or maybe a daddy.

Then I can climb on the roof of the house...

It's rather shocking that I was actually able to hear him say this, as Blessing #4 fills the entire noise capacity of the car with her singing. To those of you who know her, it will probably surprise you to know that the girl actually only has two volumes when she is in the "on" position:

Loud. And Really Loud.

Blessing #4 likes to belt out the songs on her Disney "CD" player, and as her seat is behind mine in the car, that means she belts them out in my ears. Yesterday, I secretly took a video of her by pointing my camera in that little space between the seat and the headrest. Then I demanded that the joyful noises be taken down a notch, taking her from Really Loud to just Loud.

Be sure to watch B#5 dancin' away in the backseat.

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He was delivered over to death for our sins

and was raised to life for our justification.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom we have gained access

by faith into this grace

in which we now stand.

And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Romans 4:25-5:2

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Visions of Mexican jumping beans are again flashing through my thoughts. Blessing #5 is spending his days in his brother's "outside workin' hat" with its wide brim set atop his three-year-old head. My little lad is happily bouncing around in his mock-sombrero.

As we headed to soccer practice yesterday afternoon, I overheard the big girls talking to each other about B#5, while they sat on either side of him in the back seat of the Monkey Bus.

"Look," says B#2, "He's got a bumpy thermometer on his ear."

"Look," says B#1, "He's got one on this side, too."

"I told you there were goosebumps," says B#2.

Kids, right?

I was driving to the practice at the time and didn't think too much of their conversation. Until later when B#5 was sitting in the driver's seat with me. Then I was thinking about it.

The outer edges of his ears are red and blistered, a.k.a. the bumpy thermometers. He isn't sunburned, and he doesn't have blisters anywhere else.

We are now fairly certain that we are dealing with a case of "juvenile spring eruption of the ears," a probable variant and localized form of "polymorphic light eruption." It is considered a delayed allergic reaction to light, sometimes referred to as sun poisoning.

Niiiiice. But it doesn't seem to be a huge deal, and for now, a big hat and cortizone are all we need.

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Blessing #4: Moma, someday can we get a swimming pool in the backyard? And a bouncy bean?

Visions of Mexican jumping beans hop through my head.

Me: A bouncy bean?

B#4: Yah, a bouncy bean. And a swimming pool. If Daddy says so, maybe?

Me: Uh, I dunno... what's a bouncy bean?

B#4: You know, Mom. A bah-oun-cee bee-een. That circle thing you jump on?

Ah... a trampoline. :)

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I hear footsteps on the stairs after the kids have been put to bed:

Monkey Moma: I hear someone on the stairs...

Blessing #3: Well, Moma. Zacchaeus is under [B#5's] bed. I can hear him growling under there.

I can not figure out why the dog would be under his bed or why he'd be growling. So up the stairs I go. By the time I get in the room, B#3 is on his hands and knees, peering under B#5's bed.

B#3: I don't get it, Moma. He must have zoomed away because he's not there any more. Where did he go?

I am in the process of getting on my knees to take a peek when he says, "Did you hear him? Zacchie just growled again! Don't you hear him, Moma? I don't get it! He's not under the bed, but where is he?"

I look under the bed.
No dog.

I hear a low growl.
Not a dog.

B#5 is fast asleep.

And snoring. :)

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ka-boom!

Launching water rockets in the backyard park...
with our homemade water-rocket launcher!

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