Pierce's room

Pierce asked for his own room and finally got it. When we asked him what he would like it to look like, he said "like a jungle". I think I did a pretty good job.. Mindy would be proud!

Brendon's Friend

Puget Sound

Ok, you all have been asking me for some pictures. So here they are. I took the boys to Tolmie State Park on the Puget Sound. It is only a few miles from our house and the boys love it. There are tons of crabs, starfish, sand dollars, jellyfish and of course, seaweed. The other two boys in the picture are Sam and Steven, our next door neighbors and the boys best friends.

My Nemisis

This "little" thing is a Leopard Slug. Otherwise known as "The Destroyer of the Universe". This one was crawling on my patio today. They destroy any kind of living plant. Everynight, Pierce and I go out slug hunting. I have used commercial bait, beer in a can and everything else I could think of. They still believe that my lush garden is Buffet at the Bringhurst's. This leopard slug measured 6.15 inches. Imagine stepping on that in your bare feet!

Here is a little excerpt I found on the bastards.

Leopard Slugs eat leaves, flowers, and fruits of plants. They will also eat mushrooms, carrion (dead animals), and will regularly hunt other slugs.

After I took this picture, I showed Pierce and Brendon how to properly dispose of a slug like this, using the lawnmower. The results were pretty gross, but they thought it was the coolest thing they had ever seen.

Garden Flowers

These are a few flowers from my garden.

Brendon being... Brendon..... how could you resist this face?

Two artists!

These are two paintings done by Pierce and Brendon. Brendon's is of our cat "Whiskers" and Pierce's painting is of a "Japanese Color Fish". The paintings were done for the annual Boys and Girls Club art show/contest. Austin's "Japanese Tree Dragon" painting won the local, State and competed in the National Boys and Girls Club art show in California a few years back.

These are just a few random pictures. Most of them came from our Summer trip to Idaho.

Grandmothers are mothers who are grand,

Restoring the sense that our most precious things

Are those that do not change much over time.

No love of childhood is more sublime,

Demanding little, giving on demand,

More inclined than most to grant the wings

On which we fly off to enchanted lands.

Though grandmothers must serve as second mothers,

Helping out with young and restless hearts,

Each has all the patience wisdom brings,

Remembering our passions more than others,

Soothing us with old and well-honed arts.

Brendon just spent the last 2 months working on his "battle ship" in his wood working class at the Youth Center. He is very proud of it!