straw creations

Here is what Gilly does with a pack of straws, some tape, and a pair of scissors.

 The funny thing is it actually works



Here's what happens when I'm not looking.

Its really not so bad considering he's wearing a helmet.

They constructed the moving vehcile by dismantling a semi truck that held matchbox cars.

Guess who had the grand idea?
Do you like how he calls it a "loom" instead of a luge?

Dinner with the Jones'

Ahh there is a chill in the air and that means its soup season. I love soup. Its so....homey.

This night I made some Minestrone with lots of pasta in it for the kids.

I always include homemade rolls for dunking

And 5lbs. of cheese for taste.

plus maybe a dose of Miralax for later

Its....complicated

Chapter 1

The last few weeks Emily has been having the time of her life. Each night after homework Jeff takes her and her dog Molly hunting. Its great fun because Molly retrieves whatever they shoot. They bring home robins, sparrows, and finally (in her words) "the worst bird ever created", a magpie. She hates magpies because someone somewhere told her that they peck at horses and give them diseases which kill the horses.

Which is probably true but still....

Chapter 2

After bringing home her kill she brings up preserving it. Otherwise known as stuffing and mounting.

sidebar: where did this kid come from? I was NOT like this as a child or an adult. I loathe guns.

I try to pacify the child by telling her that I will look up a taxidermist in the phone book and call them in the morning, however I was lying through my teeth. I wasn't going to call any taxidermist nor will I ever.

I don't think stuffed magpie matches my decor.

Chapter 3

The next day upon arriving at home she bombards me with questions about my call to the taxidermist.

"Uh, Em nobody answered their phone. Its probably because its hunting season and they are busy." I didn't call.

The next day the same questions. This kid isn't letting it go. So I pull this one out...

"Yeah Em, I uh, I actually talked to one and they said they don't do magpies because they are too small to stuff." I didn't call.

pretty good, pretty good I think

Emily: "mom that's not true because I talked to Carlos and he stuffs all kinds of things and he said he'd do it. I have his address."

Huh?

Well too wonderful bad it was garbage day. That thing is gone.

Epilogue

Two things here:

1. Don't critique my parenting because I let her shoot live birds. Look in the sky, there are lots of them. A few less isn't hurting anyone. I'm not letting her take aim at dogs or cats or anything that could make a difference in society.

2. I find it extremely odd that my husband who became a vegetarian is teaching her this stuff. Its not just the hunting with Em though. He took a day off of work to go deer hunting in the mountains, fully outfitted in camo. I tried to get a picture but he ran too fast.
The Vegetarian Hunter.

Its complicated.