Brenna's Big Day Out

We went out to the Renassiance Festival today with Emily's parents. Hard to believe it's been a year since we took our then six-month old out there.

Our first stop was the giant swan swing. That didn't go over too well.

Afterwards we stopped and visited with a greyhound. Brenna enjoyed that very much until we decided to move onto other things.

Here is Brenna chewing on her hand, while Emily poses for a picture. We're still waiting on our canines to come in.

Here's one of the acts we stopped to watch, Brenna liked them very much.



Here she is clapping along to their music.

And here she is slapping her legs for good measure.

Later we paid Dextre a visit, by this time we were in a bit of a mood.

By comparison, here is Brenna last year in the same pose, same mood.

Here is Brenna opening her mouth to catch some spray coming off a dragon mister, with Grandma Becky looking on.

Brenna's favorite part of the day came at the end when we came across a harpist. Here she is dancing to the musical stylings.

Afterwards she was invited to play the harp herself!

And here we are with the woodland fairy, a favorite of last year. We stupidly attempted to take the shot with the sun shining on Brenna, and here are the results of that failure.

The woodland fairy kindly suggested we turn to where the sun was at Brenna's back. Much better.

And a final comparison to the prior year.

Brenna Beach

This week Home Depot has 50 lb bags of sand on sale for two fitty. Below is what twenty bucks worth bought us. I one day envision this entire area around her swing to be covered in the white stuff, but for now Brenna has enough to dig around in. Every time she dumps sand on her legs, she exclaims "ewwww", and then proceeds to do it over and over again, very funny.

Thursday's Child

My apologies to David Bowie.

Below is a picture I forgot I took of the new valance (sp?) that Emily just recently made for our dining room, a compliment if you will of the one she did in our living room. A few more blown up pictures of the islands and we'll be mostly finished with our Hawaii project in this part of the house.

Here's a random picture of a Mexican crossing in front of my camera in Nogales back in 1990 when I was there with my parents. I wonder whatever came of this gentleman. It haunts me sometimes.

Hey, check out the Brenna Art Gallery, she's discovered a new medium for her talent. Not to be missed!

One More For Easter

Here are a few pictures of Brenna during this past Sunday's service. She seems to have really good hand/eye coordination. I wonder where she got that from, just like her eyes, it wasn't from either one of us, I can assure you of that.

She seems to have gotten the best of both of us, rather than the worst. Her eyesight and hearing seems to be great, she enjoys reading like her mommy and she's shown recently that she's very interested in basketball, and has spent time out in Grandma Becky's backyard putting one into a basket that's about her height (well, a little higher, she has to heft the ball almost over her head to get it to go in the hoop).

I have a few more yard pictures that I'll post on the blog site shortly. We're cruising along in the 80s every day now, and it's been about four weeks since we last had any rain. I'm afraid it's going to be lean times for the yard from here until the monsoons start in about, oh, four months. There's always an outside chance of rain in the first part of April, but it's not terribly likely.

Also, after a two month hiatus, I've managed to get back on the treadmill these past two days (taking this afternoon off to get groceries). My first day back I was able to struggle through a mile in 10:15, which actually was my best time to date, and yesterday I finally got under ten minutes, clocking in at 9:55. I'm not sure at this point if I should work on running for distance, or continuing to improve my mile, but either way I'm feeling more energized than I have in a while because of it.

Counting

Emily requested that I post this video post haste. So here it is, enjoy, and turn up the volume so you can hear Brenna and her counting, etc.

Brenna Easter

Below is Brenna in her outfit from yesterday, and a vidoe of dancing around some.

Sidewalk Scribblin'

Below is how we spent some of our Saturday, coloring on our sidewalk in the shade. We also cleaned house, went shopping, and did a few other around-the-house outside activities, like going to the park and swinging in the back yard.

Speaking of, check out the Hoes blog for some more yard updates!

Some of the following pictures could use some explanation, but I'll allow you to come to your own conclusions. Good day.

Another Week Over (This Is All I've Got)

Another week gone by, and the following picture is all I have left in reserve to share with the masses. Brenna received a nifty package from Grandma and Grandpa H, including some summer clothes (which will come in handy soon, it was 87 here today), a Dora Easter DVD, and some other odds and ends, and below is the only picture we managed to fire off for the occasion.

For Grandma Becky, who constantly seems to be in my line of fire for unforgiving pictures of her being posted here, this one is for you. Hopefully now we're closer to being even, and if I can find any other unflattering pictures of myself where I appear stoned, confused, gape-mouthed, or sluggish-looking, I'll be sure to share them asap.

As you can tell, Brenna was none interested in posing with her Easter bag and goodies. But you can imagine the excitement when she watched her new Dora video.

I have some new video of Brenna dancing in circles, almost a line dance of sorts, if you will, and will be uploading that as soon as I possibly can.

Also stay tuned for a Hoes update, the main part of the deck is finally finished (at least flipping the planks over to the good side, I've yet to sand and finish it, but the pergola is anchored now).

Another Video

I can't get enough of these grainy, filmed in the bottom of a well videos. Believe me, they look MUCH better on this end when they come off the camera. I've yet to find a video format that translates well for uploading here.

Anywho, you're not hear to ready my grumblings. Here's a nice long video where the audio is what really matters. Brenna goes over the shapes that she knows, her animal sounds (albeit their a little muted), and at the end sings a few words from the Wonder Pets, although it's pretty hard to hear, as she's at the other end of the room.

At any rate, enjoy, and I'll do better about posting more videos.

Be on the lookout for another post here of Brenna coloring on herself (again) and some of her latest art pieces at her Art Gallery site.

Monday Night Festivities

After her coloring on the floor (pictures of that will be on the Brenna Art site shortly), Brenna decided to become the next member of the Blue Man Group.

"What have I done????"

The aftermath washing off in the tub.

And here's a completely random video of Brenna playing with jewelry and attacking me like I was a member of the paparazzi.

A new update is coming to the Hoes blog very soon as well, including new hummingbird pictures.

Late Night Brenna Videos

Three more Brenna videos for your viewing pleasure.

The first is of Brenna pushing her baby stroller around.

The second is Brenna enjoying making her rocking horse neigh (nice six dollar find by Grandpa Ron at a garage sale).

The third is of Brenna crawling on top of me, taking control of the camera, running into the camera, and other hijinks.

The floor is open for discussion.

Nothing To See Here

Sorry, if you came here looking for new Brenna pictures, I don't have any at the moment. But hey, while you're here, stroll over to the Hoes blog for some new yard pictures (updated 3/13).

Hopefully next time I'll have something new here for you!

Tid Bits

I don't think I've posted these two pictures before. Happy Tuesday/Wednesday.

A Few New Pictures

Below are a few new pictures from over the weekend, including Brenna eating dinner and trying on a hat.

Mosey over to the Hoes site for lots of yard pictures, including a cute one of Brenna for your trouble going there (yes, it's bribery).

Wedding Adventure

This blog is proof that Emily's camera, which got left in my parent's driveway overnight in the rain during Christmas, is still a force to be reckoned with.

Before I move onto the gazillion pictures posted below, a quick update:

- I'm no longer itching, thank you for asking

- Emily is still feeling quite ill, but not so much as before

- The pergola is on the porch (that's not code for anything, sorry) - Pictures to come soon in the Hoes blog

This afternoon we caravaned with Emily's parents to a family wedding about thirty miles north of town, past Saguaro Lake, to a local ranch out in the middle of nowhere.

The flowers this spring are incredible. I've never seen them en masse like this in the six years I've lived here, and Emily's mom indicated tonight that she's never so them this profuse. Below are a few pictures that Emily took from our moving car, you can even see them blanketing the sides of the mountains.

Here is where the wedding was, pretty nice, very big, old trees, a neat little pond, etc. Brenna and I were out in the parking lot picking up rocks during the ceremony.

Here we are tooling around the grounds before we headed for the aforementioned parking lot to pick up and move rocks to various places (this is one of our favorite outdoor activities at the moment).

Some pictures of Brenna with Grandma to follow. I love candid pictures. Brenna had crinkled her nose cutely when sniffing this somewhat rank rose that we were handed, and after a number of times doing this, Emily thought it would be cute to recreate the magic in a photo. This is what she got. I love it. Needless to say Brenna wasn't interested in cooperating, but you can imagine the nose crinkling and whatnot. Becky won't be terribly fond of me for posting this, I'm sure, my apologies in advance, I couldn't resist, it was the medication.

Here's a laid back Brenna playing with Grandma while we waited for the buffet line to start.

Here is Brenna and Emily at our table, with Grandpa Ron in the background.

And finally, you can't close a good blog without a 1 year old holding a knife. Well, a butter knife, anyway. Grandma appears to be very pleased, and/or concerned. I'm voting the later.

Piano Bar

We've witnessed Brenna's singing skills in a previous video. This fine evening I present her musical abilities on the piano, as well as handling the video camera (that's her pressing the zoom button).

I'm somewhat comforted that my itching is starting to subside, although this medication still has me wide awake late into the evening. Emily has a double ear infection, but wisely went to the doctor today and has some meds for the morning.

Challenges, or Opportunities?

Our sales reps at the company I work for always like to stress that a customer doesn't have issues, or problems, they are simply opportunities; opportunities for us to right wrongs, resolve things, etc. It's a nice way to put a positive spin on a crappy situation, to put it simply. I used this philosophy on Sunday when presenting our church's budgetary deficit, stopping short of doing the timeshare salesman "here's what we need from you" approach, and without banging the pulpit demanding increased giving, which is what we ultimately need to get back into our basic operations, and ultimately ensure that my wife doesn't find herself out of a job.

Anyway, that's the first opportunity in our lives that has presented itself. It will be some time before Emily's paycheck lands on the cutting block, and we're crossing our fingers that this deficit will just "go away".

My, um, opportunities with my skin condition continue to be entertaining, to say the least. After almost 48 hours of treatment, the steroids I'm on have done nothing but increase my itching and make me feel like I'm constantly simmering in an Ezy Bake Oven. It was by no means warm today, and probably for the first time in my life my hands were actually warm, bordering on hot (for those of you that know me, I come with an icy handshake at all times of the year, don't know why, blood pressure issue?). I went to Wal Mart tonight in a short sleeve shirt, and wasn't cold in the slightest walking across the parking lot in 50 degree/windy weather. I also pumped gas in the elements and wasn't phased. It was suggested that I take Benadryl (sp?) for the allergic reaction I'm still suffering from, and will be curious to see if it's warning about causing drowsiness will offset the crack-like effect the steroids or having on me. It's 12:30 am here, and despite only getting 4 hours sleep last night (awakened by the feeling of being on fire at 4am), I feel like I've had 12 instead (if you hadn't figured that by this wordy blog). An interesting side effect of the steroids is that in some people that are allergic to them, the itching actually gets worse. I hope that's not happening with me, and am holding on desperately to the fact that at least the bumps that were spreading all over my body from the mites biting me from the inside of my skin (ewww) has stopped, and are going away.

Hey, take a look at this, our deck arbor is gone. Man it's bright out there now. The four posts for our new wrought iron pergola got blown over in the wind last night, you'll see them laying everywhere on the deck. I bought a belt sander to strip the paint off the deck before I position this thing.

Here's the top, which I'm still bolting together (tightening is the better word, I suppose). I feel empowered to put this together on my own... tonight, but will refrain, even with my new found energy, my arms aren't ten feet long.

Here's another opportunity, to solve the gas crisis and the increasing costs associated therein. I've got this sweet ride in the garage that I think I'm going to start taking out on the road in favor of my gas guzzling Passport that boasts a whopping 17 mpg city. This new ride comes equipped with a sweet dashboard setup (coaster, etc), and it's my favorite color, a sure standout on the open road.

We had a garage sale this past weekend, selling our old bedroom furniture. Believe it or not, this is MUCH better than it had looked in there before the sale. You'll also see the treadmill that I've avoided for the past month. Sickness and other obligations have kept me off it, but I'm going to get back on it soon, I think. My knees can't take the slow running, which I guess is good if I'm going to get under 10 minutes on my mile, but I can't envision myself trucking it at 6mph for ten minutes without my chest and/or legs exploding. I was down to a shade under 11 before I got out of the habit, and that damn near killed me. Stay tuned.

Poor Emily is still suffering from a virus she shared with me three weeks ago, at least that's what she thinks she still has. She's going to the doctor tomorrow to get her cough and sore ears checked out.

You probably noticed (or not) in the right margin that I've installed a new monitor for who's visiting this blog, as well as the Hoes one (new post to come shortly there in honor of St. Patty's Day). This new monitor actually tells me where you're coming from, and how you got here. While the map is interesting, this new monitor gives me a good idea of when friends and family have dropped by. Pretty cool, I thought.

And yes, I promise more Brenna pictures and video will be coming. I mean, how can you beat the baby duck song, anyway?

Baby DUCK!

That Aunt Beth works wonders with our little one at daycare. Last night Emily was changing Brenna (while I stood idly by offering no assistance, filming her, as you'll see/hear in the video), Brenna broke into this diddy about a baby duck that goes quack, quack, quack. Neither one of us had a clue where she had picked that up, but we found out today that this was an Auth Beth song that she apparently latched onto, and with flair.

Listen and enjoy, I got the same serenade this morning when I got her ready for daycare.

And I'm still itching uncontrollably, thanks for asking. The prednazone (sp?) I'm on are supposed to take 48 hours to control things, but in the meantime I constantly feel like my body is in an oven, and I can't stop my legs from shaking when I'm sitting down (I might go for a run on the treadmill later to see if I can break a 10 minute mile now that I'm doped up).

One More Plant Picture, And That's It, I Swear

Somehow the Brenna blog is slowly being taken over by plant pictures. For that, I apologize. I have no new Brenna pictures to share tonight, although we taped her singing some made up song called Baby Duck, Quack Quack Quack, that we're wondering where it came from. I'll be uploading that later tonight or on Monday, it's very entertaining.

We had a cold front move through today, barely made it to a chilly 70 degrees, brrr. After church today we went on a picnic with Emily's family at the Arboretum in Superior, again, no pictures, you'll have to imagine our daughter running around and doing cute things. Sorry!

And yes, below is a better picture of our gold dust draceana, I still can't find anything on the net about this thing ever blooming, or how ofter. The scent from the blooms, although small, can now be sensed throughout our living room, and thankfully it's a pleasantly sweet scent.

And The Winner Is...

Scabies, ladies and gentlemen. After three weeks of intense nightly itching in various parts of my body, I gave in to my wife's suggestion to go to the doctor, and this is what he tells me I have. And my, what a pleasant thing to have, it is. I invite you to read up on this glamorous affliction at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scabes.

A quick excerpt:

Scabies is caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, variety hominis, as shown by the Italian biologist Diacinto Cestoni in the 18th century. It produces intense, itchy skin rashes when the impregnated female tunnels into the stratum corneum of the skin and deposits eggs in the burrow. The larvae, which hatch in 3-10 days, move about on the skin, molt into a "nymphal" stage, and then mature into adult mites. The adult mites live 3-4 weeks in the host's skin.


So yes, as we speak there are living organisms crawling around under my skin. Although this condition, I'm told, is rare out here in the desert, we have had a mild, wet winter, which is conducive to picking up the nasty buggers from plants and top soil, which is no doubt where I managed to find them.

Moving onto more pleasant things, here's a picture of me spending an afternoon pushing Brenna on her swing. It's been in the 80's the last few days, and with the setting sun, the swing has been in the perfect location for enjoyment (and by the way, despite what Wikipedia says, my condition isn't contagious, so neither Brenna or Emily have things crawling inside them at the moment).

That UFO shaped thing in the foreground is the top of our new pergola, which I hope to install on the deck very soon. The green post there in the foreground, along with the other four from our old arbor, were hacked off today by Emily's dad.

Laziness strikes again, some pictures from the yard, including this narcissus or daffodil, can't remember which this is. I have posted some other new blooms in the last few days at the Hoes site, so please check that out as well while you're in the neighborhood.

And here are some gazanias that are growing leaps and bounds in this warmth (to call this heat would be a slap in the face to June and July, who are laughing ominously for their turn to take center stage).

Tomorrow when the sun is back up, I'm going to try and take another picture of this plant, which my aunt gave me almost ten years ago. It's a gold dust dracanea (sp?), and to my recollection, it's never bloomed before (at least not in the six years I've lived out here).

The blooms are white and stringy and actually smell like honeysuckle, somewhat sweet. I won't attempt to taste one, I have enough bodily issues at the moment, thank you very much.

Other exiting things I have to look forward to this upcoming week:

- As acting chairman of our church's finance committee, I have the dubious honor of getting to present our budget deficit, which should go over like gangbusters. Tomorrow can't get here soon enough, so I can get that over with.

- A dentist's appt on Tuesday, where I will yet again be berated by my hygienist for not flossing enough, not flossing correctly, or a combination of the two. If I'm lucky, I'll pick up a few cavities for my slackassedness (that's a word now, look it up), and get to go back for some fillings.

- An extremely busy work week, coordinating the reissue of thousands of ATM cards for credit unions across the country, to make an April 1 mandate where without doing this accounting departments everywhere will scream in horror with balancing issues. If these cards aren't reissued correctly, members will get stranded trying to buy things with glorified ice scrapers. No pressure, or anything.

I'm sure there are more things to look forward to that I could post, but I think with any more excitement I might just curl up and wait for April to get here, and that just wouldn't be fair to March.