More beach photos

Beach trip

Watching tv


Dining al fresco


View of our cottage from the rear


En route to Jungle Golf


Sparklers on the beach


Blue ocean


Funny face

Detroit trip

We took a trip to visit family in Detroit, and L and Milo had a very enjoyable time with their cousins. We went to: a picnic in Royal Oak for Julia's soccer team, Xochimilco, Belle Isle (we were disappointed that the Scott memorial fountain was down for repairs), and the Detroit Zoo (we have never seen so many minivans and Radio Flyer wagons in one place before). See more pictures in the Boo Annex.


Milo at the picnic


The girls at the picnic


Dinner in the backyard


Sweet potatoes


Zoo train


Turtle portrait

Holding Milo

Milo and Karen


Chris and Milo


Milo and Lucie

Field trip to Lyon Farms

Strawberry field


Lucie and Karna


Ziah and Lucie


Mrs. Martlew and Lucie

In the sling

Scare quotes

This evening when we got our dessert plates, Lucie noted that Chris gave himself the broken cookie. She said, "Daddy is so sweet. He always gives us the nice things and gives himself the 'naughty' (makes quotes with fingers) ones."

Chicken tour

Saturday we travelled to Raleigh for what was billed as a "Hen-side the Beltline" tour of the backyards of folks who raise chickens in the city. We visited four different residences and learned that there is a small but sizable community of urban chicken keepers. We took in a number of innovative and simple coop designs, and are encouraged in our pursuit of some chickens of our very own.


Lucie: "Don't show that one. I don't like seeing a chicken's butt up in the air."








Ready for lunch

Trip to the dentist

Getting a checkup


Picking out stickers


No cavities

Strawberry Festival

We attended the annual Strawberry Festival at Old North Durham Park, sponsored by the school Lucie will be attending, Central Park School for Children. We had strawberry shortcake, strawberry smoothies and watched the Bouncing Bulldogs. L had a chance to run (and bounce) around with some old friends.


Moon bounce


Lucie grafitti from last year's festival -- still there

Peter and the Wolf

L made her stage debut this afternoon in a performance of Peter and the Wolf, with the Young People's Performing Company. She's been rehearsing for several weeks, and was very excited. She evinced a very poised and charming stage demeanor, if we do say so ourselves.


Izzy Bird in the tree


Grandfather warns Peter


The wolf is caught


Curtain call

Lucie Karen Milo Love

"That's Mommy, me, Daddy, Milo, Zoe, Zoe's mom, Roxy, the sun, and Zoe's dad is lying down behind the grass".


"My first unicorn."

Jesus and Elvis

Although we have tried several times to explain the differences, Lucie mysteriously persists in associating Jesus with Elvis. Recently, referring to a postcard of Elvis on our fridge, she asked, "Why do we have a picture of Jesus on our fridge?" I explained that that was Elvis, that Elvis was a rock star, and that Jesus was someone totally different. I told her as much as I could recall about Jesus' life, and we started reading some Bible stories. More recently, undoubtedly influenced by a recent viewing of Benji, she was asking me what we would do if she were kidnapped. Among other things, I explained the concept of ransom, and said, "But no one is going to try to kidnap you, because we don't have any money." She thought about that a while and then said, "It's a good thing that Jesus and Elvis didn't have any children." "Well," I started, "Elvis did have children, and Jesus wasn't rich..."

Making a list

Dad: Lucie, what did I tell you about jumping on that air mattress?

Lucie: Not to do it?

D: Yes, and can you tell me why you're jumping on it?

L: I forgot.

D: Do you think you could try harder to remember?

L: Yes, but Daddy? Could you go and write that down on a piece of paper with other things I'm not supposed to do that are hard to remember?

D: You'd like me to make a list of things you're not supposed to do?

L: Yeah.

D: What else would you like me to write on this list, besides not jumping on the air mattress?

L: Oh, like lying, or yelling in the house, or not getting mad when things don't go right.

Easter visit

Cousins arrival


Egg hunt


"Would you please throw these away?"

Some more Collierville pictures

Milo and Papa in the kitchen


Nana and Milo


Papa and Milo



Milo, Papa, L and K

Collierville trip

We just returned from a lovely visit to Nana and Papa's house. (See Boo Annex for more pictures.)


At the airport





Nana and Milo


In the car


Uncle Brian and Papa