Easter tree

Continuing a tradition I didn't know existed until we had a daughter, Greta and Carey decorated our Easter tree this evening, with a little help from Lincoln, who asked to put the "bluebird of happiness" on a branch. I played around with camera settings, trying to focus the girls' faces through the branches, but obviously got it backwards. So just imagine the branches are blurry and the faces are in focus.

Weekend fun

Because we're spontaneous and a little sadistic, we decided to paint our living room this weekend. It's needed it since we moved here in Sept. 2007 and even more so after our kitchen renovation last summer. We chose Behr Premium Ultra plateau and got to work on Saturday. The kids enjoyed DVD viewings of Ponyo and Earth while one of us painted. It was when both of us tried to paint that the real fun started. Lincoln couldn't understand why Carey couldn't freehand a straight line while he rode on her back.

But Carey was patient and gave both kids a Karate Kid lesson.

Bum wheel

This was Lincoln during a more mobile moment on Sunday at the park, before he jumped off his sister's bed and twisted his foot. Out of an abundance of caution -- and because he was crying in pain when he placed weight on it -- Carey took him to the ER last night after dinner. No breaks visible in the x-ray, but he might have messed up the "growth plate" in his right foot, so it merits watching. For now, he's wrapped in an ace bandage and wearing one of his sister's bigger socks as the teachers carry him most of the time at school.

A pose for Grandpa Jerry

Imprisoned at the playground

Not my kid

But the photo was too good not to share. This is Shaw Kirk McVety, almost 6 months old, at her brother's fifth birthday party on Saturday.

Family photo

Taken in Sara's backyard on Sunday. The kids' school has a "family tree" on a bulletin board and we've received a reminder every week for the last 10 that our children have no delineated ancestry. So they can have this shot, with my apologies.

Rye beach

We spent a couple hours there on this windswept Sunday with my folks and the cousins. They spent the week watching Max and Esme while Sara and Peter gallivanted around London.

The eyes have it

My father, in his never-ending quest for artistic inspiration, is painting or drawing some sort of eye montage of Greta, Lincoln, Max and Esme.  Max is writing a tall tale to accompany the art. It's for some contest they're entering together. ANYWAY, he asked me to take eye photos and I obliged today.

Dinner conversation

Greta: "I'm going to marry Lincoln because I love him."
Carey: "You can't marry Lincoln; he's your brother."
Greta: "But I want to marry him because I love him."
Carey: "I know you love him, but you can't marry him because he's your brother. Sisters don't marry brothers. You love the person you marry, but it's a different kind of love."
Lincoln: "I love Greta. I'll marry Greta."
Carey: "You can't marry Greta. She's your sister. It's against the law. So think of someone else you love that you can marry."
Greta: "I love Duncan."
Carey: "You can marry Duncan. Greta McVety; that sounds nice."
Greta (giggling): "Greta McVeeeeety."
Lincoln: "I love Duncan. I'll marry Duncan. Lincoln McVeety."
Greta: "You can't marry Duncan. He's a boy. Right, mommy?"
Carey (deep breath): "Lincoln can marry anyone he loves, except you, because you're his sister."

Tree monkey

Last week's torrential rains brought down an ancient tree in a local park. Because we don't pay enough taxes for the village to quickly remove the hazard from the playground, it's still there and the kids love crawling all over it.

I drink your milkshake, I drink it up!

Our princess

Carey spent a few nostalgic minutes tonight visiting old blog posts -- commenting on how frequently she used to post and how witty she was when she did. Most of 2006 is great stuff, if you're ever bored. For now, here's our little girl all grown up on Sunday.

Adored dad

Another snap, taken by one of Disney's ladies in waiting, at Sunday's soiree.

Perks of the job

The Princess & the Frog comes out on DVD this Tuesday, which means the Disney hype machine is in full swing. They hosted an official "crowning" on Sunday at the Palace Hotel. All the princesses came and so did Tina Fey, her toddler and her cleavage.

The kids had a great time and left with a packed goodie bag, including the DVD, a Tiana barbie and some big girl earrings. Lincoln loved the fruit kabobs and was rapt when they formally put the crown on Tiana's head.



He didn't want to pose with the princesses, but Greta had enough patience to pose once with Cinderella.


The Palace Hotel was lovely, decked out for spring.  Even lovelier were my two favorite women.

Pose in repose

Pack mule

This is progress -- Greta toting her backpack and her brother's and all the lunch bags this morning! My life just got a little bit easier...

When I'm big...

Lincoln is fond of starting sentences with that clause lately. Tonight he busted out a gem: "When I'm big, I'm going to have a gun." No, Lincoln, you don't want a gun, said his NRA-fearing father. "Yes I do." Why, son, why? "So I can hunt the fox."

Running into spring

Spring fever

It pushed 60 here today and I got the camera out during our trip to Grove Park. The kids were a lot like the squirrels who were having a post-winter nut orgy. They ran everywhere and wanted to do everything -- all at the same time. I'll trickle out some photos throughout the rest of the week. The best one is above.