Rainbow Flower Katherine

I bring to you, today, a great loss. Rainbow Flower Katherine (named by a hodgepodge compilation of children) passed through this world and on to the next one today. She (he?) was hit by an ice cube (read: hailstone) on Saturday night. The girls and I discovered her on our sidewalk on our way to church Sunday morning. We arrived home, found her still alive (ish), and made a bed for her. Reese raped the azalea bushes to give her flowers for her new home and we gave her water in a little leaf-cup.Rainbow Kate held on through another few days and nighst. She gladly drank water but wouldn't eat anything (neither would I if my offerings had been canker worms and really wet and mushy Special K). Poor thing essentially starved to death, but I do think the broken wing, broken leg and visible head injury had something to do with it, too.
This morning, we found she had left us (and our front porch). We gave her a fond farewell and lovely ceremony this evening.Reese even included her flowers with her.In case you can't read Brett's lovely epitaph..."Here lies Rainbow [drawing of flower] Katherine"

What can YOU do with an office chair, yoga mat...

...and a stuffed monkey?
Reese can sail a ship. Her destination or route was never disclosed to me, but she sang a song on her way! Obviously, it's a party boat- note the balloons. The first mate looks like he's falling down on the job...

The Triplets

Way back in my former life, I was gainfully employed. When I was pregnant with Reese, two of my friends and co-workers were also pregnant and we were all due within two weeks of each other. We don't get the chance to get together often, but we did this weekend. Here's a now and then of Reese, Brodie and Nash.
And Brodie, Reese and Nash in November 2006.It really goes so fast!

It was a dark and stormy night....

no, seriously, it's dark and there's a crazy thunderstorm out there. Complete with hail!
So Brett is out of town this weekend and I am putting the kids to bed with hail banging on the roof and into the windows. I'm distracted wondering if our cars are both getting dented beyond repair. The request of "read five books" has been bargained down to three. There is a lot going on. We've finished reading, Makena has left Reese's room to go get into her bed while I tuck Reese in. Enter: Maggie.Both dogs are always on the bed with us when I'm reading to either or both girls. But when I'm done and the lights turn out, Maggie goes to her sneaky spot under Reese's bed while she waits for me to walk out the door. With the new super-long bedding, you forget she's under there.
So imagine the creepy-crawly factor when you lean in to give Reese a hug and need to shift your feet just a bit closer to the bed. When one inadvertently steps on a dog's foot and the dog (understandably) yanks her foot out from under yours...in that long second it takes your brain to process that it's just the dog, you've already gone places you don't want to go. Considering the vast majority of the residents under Reese's bed are dolls, Chucky came to mind. Or the clown from Poltergeist. Sweet dreams!