Great News!

Thank you to all who have been praying for Hannah's allergy situation! Hannah went to the allergist yesterday to do test for tree nuts, and she didn't react to any of them! She still has to avoid eggs and peanuts, since she's still definitely reacting to those. They didn't bother to test those this time, since the blood test numbers were high enough to see that she hasn't outgrown them.

For the uninitiated, here's what it looks like to have had a whole bunch of skin tests:

Hannah was very brave and didn't cry at all. Nor did she scratch at her arms while we waited the 15 minutes to see if she reacted. Now we get to try out one nut at a time at home just to be on the safe side and make sure she doesn't react.

And here's what it looks like to be a girl who has had a bunch of skin tests and finds out that she can try nuts:

And what did you do before 8 a.m. today?

We got our compost. It was very exciting! The girls were overjoyed about the truck, although there was one loud slamming noise that Naomi felt the need to say "no thanks" to. I was glad that, since we have a group of friends coming on Saturday morning to help us spread the stuff (6 cubic yards, no less!), we actually *got* compost, since the original company I ordered from had to cancel because not one, but both of their trucks had to go into the shop this week! Luckily, I didn't panic, but did some online searching, and found another company to deliver. Hence the excitement, which I'm about to share.

Naomi doesn't appear in the pictures because I was holding her the whole time because 1.) she was in her pjs and didn't have shoes on and 2.) although she loves trucks, she doesn't quite trust them, and figures that I will run faster than she would if a rogue truck comes after her one day. And although I don't have what are generally considered long legs, they're much longer than hers, so she's probably right about that. So, since I was taking the pictures and she was in my arms, there aren't pictures of her...it's remarkably difficult to get a good shot of a subject who is 6 inches from the camera.

Hannah, on the other hand, though still in her pjs, located her boots and was able to enjoy the action from the ground. Which is good, since I can't carry her any more, especially while carrying Naomi and trying to take pictures.

The driver pulled up onto the sidewalk right by our gate...

and began to lift the bed of the truck...

to dump a whole bunch of steaming compost -- well, part compost and part composted dairy manure -- Cedar Grove's "Booster Blend"...

onto our sidewalk and street in front of our house.

Check out the steam!

Compost Party 2007, here we come!

It's great news

that the girls' swimming instructor was chosen for Extreme Home Makeover!

Karate

Hannah has had 3 karate classes so far. She is trying to teach Naomi how to do choke escapes. I am trying to get her to understand that Naomi's not allowed in the class yet because she's not old enough to learn choke escapes. Her faith in her little sister is touching. Naomi, for her part, no longer cries during the "jump, duck, dodge" game at karate. That's the one where Sensei uses a blocker and says "jump" or "duck" or "dodge" and the child is supposed to avoid getting hit by the blocker. Naomi didn't like to see Hannah in peril, but seems to have finally taken my word for it that it's just a game.

Hannah got her new gi last week. It's a bit big, and in the pictures wasn't rolled up much. But still very cute, you have to admit!

She's learned to do pushups, too. Here she is, showing off her skills.

It's fall...time for apple pie

When you suggest to your husband that he make an apple pie for tomorrow's breakfast -- of course, I mean today's dessert -- and he does, it's a beautiful thing.



Of course, these are both *before* the pie was baked. We don't have any from afterwards, because, when faced with a beautifully baked apple pie, who reaches for a camera before a fork? Certainly no one in this family!

And he did make the crust himself! :)

A comment from the small fry

We were discussing Michael's job change at dinner yesterday with a friend who was visiting. Hannah said to Michael, "So, Dada, your old boss was sorry to see you go, I take it."

I take it.

Patriotism

We recently got the CD Wee Sing America, which was a popular one that I believe Rob got when he was young. I still remembered most of the songs when we first got it for the girls, and now that it's hands down Hannah and Naomi's favorite CD that we own...the lyrics for all of the songs are pretty much permanently cemented into my memory. And theirs. It's very cute to have the song playing and Hannah singing and Naomi approximating the vowel sounds.

Also, it has proven to be quite useful in other ways. Lately when I'm having trouble getting Naomi to go to sleep, I can usually sooth her and settle her down by singing The Star-Spangled Banner to her.

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to our family's blog. Because we have a lot of family and friends far away, who don't always get to see Naomi being helped into her career as a safety device model by her sister, Hannah...

**N.B. Hannah's shoes on Naomi!

We've finally decided to join the world of scrapblogging...or blogbooking...or whatever in order to give our friends and family a place to take a look into our lives.

Today's point of interest is that Michael is a scarface. I suppose it's not technically a scar. It may be a bit hard to tell from the picture, but the right side of his lips and chin are all scraped up and swollen. He fell off his bike yesterday. Not pictured are the road rash on his shoulder, the scraped-up part of his hand, the scraped knees, and the hole in the knee of his pants. Happily, he's not too badly hurt, and it happened on our street (you know, the old "most accidents happen within whatever distance of your house" thing), so it wasn't in the middle of traffic.

Welcome again, and we hope you stop by often to take a look!