Monday, December 22, 2008

Modeling

Declan has been playing recently with these battery-powered Thomas the tank engine tracks. Earlier today, I set up a track that ran pretty close to the large plastic box that contained all of the left over track. On the first run, the train hit the edge of the box and fell off, so we moved the box and everything was happy.
Just a few minutes ago, Declan came downstairs into the Kitchen and requested that Tara come upstairs. I suggested that I could help, but Mommy was required. He took us upstairs into his room, where he walked across the room, and gesturing to the box (which was back in its original position) questioned: "Who put this box here?" He continued "See what happens: the train gets stuck if this box is here."
Tara had to confess. Hilarious.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Updates to the house

 
   I know I haven't posted anything about the house recently, so here are a few updates to what went on this summer. The main job was to jack up and straighten out the ceilings on the ground floor/floor of the top floor. To do that, the builder had to install a beam, so we just put a 'false' ceiling in the kitchen and dining room. The ceilings are still near 9 feet, so there is no real worry about feeling cramped, and those areas are more 'intimate' anyway.
  You'll notice the hard-wired smoke and CO2 detector that is installed in the hallway. The house is not up to code - it has even been inspected by an electrical inspector! Whooo hoo!

In that process, he removed the ceiling in the living room, and pulled out the old wall that had closed up the stairs. The banister is one he built.

From our trip to MI - this sign is in Shelby, MI

 
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Monday, August 04, 2008

Tricycling!

 

You know... When I grow up, I'll be able to cycle on this path with Daddy!

(actual quote).
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Sunday, August 03, 2008

At the playground in Shelby

 

Climbing through 1 of the 2 tunnels
 

Up the climbing frame
 

Down the fireman's pole
 

And in the swing!
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Friday, August 01, 2008

Sophie at the goats

 

Declan is showing Sophie how to winch the food up to the goats (notice the greedy one with his head through the bars trying to snatch it as it goes by).
 

Sophie and Dex play with the rocket with their respective Daddies in the background, sippin' coffee. Sometimes it seems like not that much has changed over the years...
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Coppersville Train Trip

 
Our engine. This is actually taken at the turn-around in Marne, but it is the only really good shot I have, so it will start the images:
 

Declan on the train.
 
Declan with the hilarous conductor.
 
The station and engine at the end of the line in Coopersville.
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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Vacation '08

 

Feeding the Goats at Lewis Farm Market

 

On the dock at the cabin, throwing stones

 

This is the view while feeding the goats.

 

Rock Climbing wall!
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Jeffery

 

Declan and Jeffery (and Grandma) at Lewis' Orchard in New Era, MI
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Monday, June 30, 2008

Dex & Happy


Happy is Katie's stuffed dog. She (Katie, not Happy) left her (Happy, not Katie) at our house accidentally this afternoon. We'll be returning Happy to Katie on Thursday, but in the meantime, Declan is making sure Happy feels, well, happy. 
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Saturday, June 21, 2008

Cherry Pickin'

We went to Baugher's outside Westminster to pick cherries with Katie. This is Katie and Declan:
 

Notice the left arm, free from splint! And Katie and Declan drawing on the chalk board.
 

The Cherries (10 quarts approx - I put up 11 pints yesterday!).
 

And Katie, proudly displaying her cherry-stained cheeks:
 
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Wednesday, June 18, 2008

5th Metacarpal

 

Dex broke his hand back on memorial day - he fell down in the park at Iain's Birthday party. Anyway, as the cast is coming off tomorrow, it's high time we post a pic of one of the three (really!) casts he's had. (the other two got wet).
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Friday, April 18, 2008

The Subjunctive!

This morning, as we were playing with our very cool new 'aqualand' toy, Declan declared "If I were a duck, I could swim in this." The correct use of the subjunctive form of the verb ('were' instead of 'was' for antecedent conditions known to be false - what we in philosophy call 'counterfactuals') means that his grasp of English grammar surpasses most of my undergraduate students!

Sunday, March 30, 2008

A linguist in the making...

You all know that Dex has a great linguistic ability, but now he's proving Chomsky right (at least the U-shaped curve bit about language development). This evening at dinner, while I was reading "Bus Route to Boston," Declan corrected (he's taken to correcting me when I misread one of his favorite stories) 'cannoli' to 'cannolis' in the sentence "then, of course, we ordered four cannoli." Try explaining the fact that when English speakers adopt words from a different language, we maintain the original plural conjugation to a three-year old!
He did correctly note shortly thereafter that Moma Olga "did have something different like Spanish or something." (she, in fact, speaks Russian)

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Spring Break - Chicoteague

 


Feeder ponies! (as opposed to 'wild ponies').

 


On top of the lighthouse (whose 198 steps Declan climbed by himself!)

 


With Grandma on the Beach

 



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With Daddy on the boardwalk...

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Katie!

 Declan and Katie playing with the parking ramp on her last visit.
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