Joy in Motion

This week John and I went to music class 3 times.  Normally, we only go on Fridays but we had a couple sessions to make up.  We had been sick and missed a couple weeks.  Our instructor is wonderful and we have so much fun.

It’s amazing how much John has grown up over this 2-month class.  He went from immoble to sitting up and pulling himself up. He’s now looking around, curious at everyone and everything around him.  And loving looking at himself in the big wall mirrors…just like his daddy – can’t pass up a mirror.

Here are some photos of our classes this week.  If anyone has young kids and a few dollars, check out this website to see if there’s a class nearby.  It’s worth every penny!

This photo is classic, and it’s JD using his mama’s expression when she’s frustrated and wants to say “for pete’s sake, people”.   Of course, I told Rob it’s an imitation of daddy

Can I have my toy back, please?!

So, I thought my Cala Lillies would make it on the South side of the house, but no.  I had to re-position them this morning.  Along with my Azalea and a couple Hydrangeas.

My roses are getting full sun and seem to be doing well after being re-planted from our neighbors’ yard.  The two big, unidentified green  shrubs (that I’m sure were purchased on a whim a couple years ago at Home Depot) are very healthy.  But not pretty and not flattering to the garden.  So I put them in the Cala Lillies former home on the South side of the house hoping they’ll plod along not causing anyone too much trouble.  They are drought-tolerant, so I may forget to water them:)

Here are photos of the new configuration, along with a photo of my yellow bush daisy.  Which, as you can see, has some problems.  The under-branches are brown.  I would guess that it’s an insect infestation, but don’t know which insect or how to get rid of it.  Any suggestions out there?

I’m about to plant my honeysuckle vine up against the facade where one of the green shrubs used to be in order to cover the entire ugly facade.  According to a very smart friend (thanks Heather!) it should do a nice job of climbing and covering pretty much anything in it’s path.  I’ll probably in fact have to keep it in check.

Ok, so I think that’s the fight song for the Bruins.  Hey – now that we’re back in the Pac-10 and have only one conference to keep track of, I’m becoming more open-minded about who I support.  In Florida there was the ACC and the SEC and I’m supposed to remember that FL is in one and FL State is in another.  Too much information!

Here are the photos of our successful trip to UCLA medical center for JD’s final check on his cranium.  All is well, and we’ll just go down in Oct for a final once-over check (including his head and his jaw) and we’re done!  I’d like to stay in Santa Monica when we go, or maybe Beverly Hills (right!).  Rob and I drove down Rodeo Dr. and he made sure the doors stayed locked.  Didn’t want me jumping out at Jimmy Choo.

Last week Rob, John and I drove up to SLO with a friend who was in town visiting from FL.  When we arrived after work, about 6pm, the farmer’s market was hopping.  Food, flowers, fruit, vegetables, and a wide cross-section of people all demanded our attention.  I also saw some dogs.  Despite a big placard at every entry point noting – Dogs Not Permitted, Please Remove Your Animals.

This proves to me that us northerners ignore signs.  We view them more as ’suggestions’.  It’s a deep-seated feeling of independence and our right to be free that make us do it.  This is in stark contrast to down south where I’ve found that people are afraid of what may happen if a regulation is broken.  Very much more orderly.   Very much more compliant.

Here are a few photos of our fun night – where Rob and Shannon had BBQ at F.MClintocks and I had a Portobello Mushroom sandwich at the Natural Cafe.  John just had milk:)

The following photo is just the begining.  Now it’s on to pulling himself up, and standing.  He’s not even fully crawling yet!

His new favorite way to explore his new upwardly-mobile status is to grab onto a low windowsill and intently gaze at Kona on the other side.  Meanwhile, Kona is out in the backyard thinking “do I have something in my teeth”?  ”what are you staring at”?   John even banged his head a couple times on the glass just to try and get Kona’s attention!

Today while Rob did a little Father’s Day golfing,  I stopped by a neighbors house to give away one of John’s favorite books – Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?  A dear friend gave it to us and she is in the know about kids books – she’s a children’s librarian!

When my friend answered the door and I presented him with his first Father’s Day gift (his wife is 7 mo. along) he was very touched, I could tell.  He also said  ”well, I’m not a dad yet” – after John and I left to return home, I started to think: he is a dad.  I mean, if I believe that life starts at conception then he is a dad.  The first moment his daughter, Hope, was concieved he became a father.  hmmm…

Later in the day I ran into an older friend to whom I also wished a happy Father’s Day (even though for obvious reasons, she’s not a father).  I could tell there was a battle going on behind her smile when she said “well, for me I visit the cemetary” – her husband’s death has thrown a shadow over her life.  I think for her, Father’s Day is more of a painful reminder than a treasured memory.

Happy Father’s Day to Rob and to my dad.  And to my brother, who has a new son to enjoy!

Here are some photos that have nothing to do with Father’s Day, but I thought were cute anyway.

Shrader men at Home Depot

I'm in a big orange cart!

Oh John, why must you keep saying what you do?  Why must you keep talking?  It would be a far better thing to keep your own counsel.  Yes, we are aware that you are paid to give your opionions, and you do that well.  You just do it too often.  Thank you immensely, NBC, for pairing John with Ted.  And for adding Mary as the comic foil.

Go Roger!

On another subject, I’ve finally found out why my little John, referred to in this post as JD solely to distinguish him from the Mighty McEnroe above, was so cranky and fussy yesterday.  And in fact today.  A new tooth!  It hasn’t popped all the way through but when it does I’ll post a nice photo here on the Shrader site.

Today we pre-bowled a game at the bowling alley here on base with our dear friends the Jertbergs.  I bowled terribly, as usual, but Amanda really came through for the team with three strikes in one game.  There’s no smoking, fairly reasonably -priced food, and it’s kid-friendly.  All these things make it a prime choice for an intramural sport for families.  Since we just finished our volleyball intramural season, Rob and I have moved to bowling.  What’s next?  Softball?  Soccer?  This is fun.

One last thing: check out this website…and all those people told me not to worry about sharks while we lived in Brevard county (near New Smyrna Beach!).

Just one beautiful photo on Mothers Day…I know, it should be of mommy and John but it’s a good photo of the guys, yes?  I spent the day doing what I love best – gardening.  Put in a Calla Lily plant, a couple rose bushes, and a shrub that I still need to identify.  I got all the plants from my nice neighbor who also gave us the carpet:)

John and Daddy

In honor of John starting to crawl, we’ve decided to put down carpet.  It also helps guests to identify all the dog hair we accumulate.

Our next-door neighbor is moving (as all of our neighbors do eventually) and she no longer had a need for her carpet, so we graciously took it off her hands.  It was quite a production, moving out all our furniture on the back porch and then fitting her carpet to our house.  Rob did most of the cutting and I kept John busy.

propping myself up!

post-intall hug

taking the carpet for a test ride