The Fort

So by now you know our house is very strange. One of the biggest oddities is a room on the back of the addition. It is about three feet deep and 18 feet long with 11 foot ceilings. It has no access from inside. I think it was built for garden storage. We decided it would make a good fort. Here it is pre-construction.














Bringing up the heavy lumber.

I even got in on the act. Catherine was amazed that I knew how to use a hammer. I think the quote was, "Whoa, YOU know how to do that!"

Aaron was pretty happy when the first floor (about two feet off the ground) was finished.

He was even more excited about the second story. It is like a loft, an adult can sit up there comfortably.

The ladder and railing are the next steps, but for now they get up there with dad power.

Happy Happy Birthday Catherine Dear!

Catherine celebrated her birthday in March. We had so much fun with Aaron's cupcake, she decided to have candles on hers too.

This cupcake was a product of her birthday party based on art projects. The girls had so much fun decorating them and making a mess while eating them.

In addition to the cupcake decorating, the girls made smile seeds that we put in Danish paper hearts, friendship pins, and a bouquet of flowers in a paper vase.

The flowers became microphones and they had a good time putting on a show.

Cora joined in for the opening of gifts and was thrilled to be part of the party.

By the time they went home each girl had a pile of stuff and I was glad to sit down after a day of paint and glue and icing and beads and stickers and busy, busy, happy girls!

Taking On City Hall

In the last month and a half so much has happened! We have become a family of protesters. First, I got involved with trying to get a burning ban for our little village. Most people would think it was cool to be able to burn leaves now and then, but here is what happens when out neighbor gets going.

Here comes the smoke........ better get inside.

And there it is. Enough smoke that you can't see our neighbors roof or our own roof clearly! This happens at least 15 times a year. It is gross. So this complete liberal and I formed the Freedom to Breathe Coalition. We agree on nothing, except leaf burning and the need to stop it. In our small town it has caused an uproar with the people that moved in as Earth was cooling. They don't think things should ever change.

The last straw was when the landlord across the street decided to burn a huge pile of branches and a pine tree. This is what it did to the clear coat of our car. And they said, "You can't prove it was us." Everywhere the ash landed there was a discoloring around the area. Joe got most of it off, but it kind of makes me miss the good old days when you could smack someone with out fear of prosecution. Did I say that outloud?! Actually, I've forgiven them and I'm glad that I am more strongly motivated for this cause. I've heard from lots of parents who have kids that struggle with the smoke. Some have even been hospitalized.

On April 15th I pulled the kids out of school to go be political as a family. They had a blast. We made signs and marched around the park. There was a great cross section of people there. Lots of people wanted to take pictures of the kids with their signs. I wondered if any of them were opening up files on right-wing extremists. Yes, Cora probably has a file now! She won't be able to be appointed as a nutty judge in Illinois! There were maybe 400 people including all three conservatives from the local university who were handing out the conservative college newspaper.