flickr feed up and running

so, several years ago, i tested flickr out, but didn't quite like it.  then yesterday i found out they now give you a terabyte of storage; so i've been playing around with it and it has a lot of cool editing tools.

i've got a lot of neat pictures of the kids that i want to spruce up and share on the flickr stream.

go check it out: click here.  i plan on keeping the photostream updated once or twice a week.

the first and last pinch

we had a vagrant try to bust into our house this morning.

before he got inside an inch,
he experienced his first pinch;
...
but it was also his last pinch.

And now the rest of the story ...

I was working from home this morning because Ben had a 7am dentist appointment and Jill needed a little help getting the kids ready and off to school.

So I got the kids all ready, took Erick and Camille to school.  Jill came back from dropping off Ben.  While I was taking the little ones to school, Emma was outside walking around the pool.  She was headed back inside the house and was putting on her flip-flops, which were sitting on the back porch, when she screamed after seeing a copperhead snake.  Since the door was ajar, he tried to go inside the house!  Jill was right there and slammed the door in the nick of time!

The above picture is what I saw when I arrived home.  Jill took Emma to the dentist and left me with the task.  I didn't want to get too near him, so I got some long pruning shears and pinched his head (the shears are a bid dull).  When he was immobilized enough, I finished the deed with a leatherman knife.

All our hearts are beating a bit faster this morning.

april nature walk

we took a nice walk this morning and found some really neat things.
i posted some pictures on my other blog (click here)

Erick taught Camille how to catch lizards

phone pictures catch-up post

 Erick's interests come and go.  He's been into writing books, poetry, Mario Kart K'nex tracks, weather measurement, fish, lizards, frogs and on and on.

His current interests are lizards, frogs and weather measurement.

Here he is setting up a rain gauge.

 Mardi Gras is huge in Houston.  Our local community held a Mardi Gras parade.  We had fun throwing beads and hanging out with our friends.

Ben loved the suspenders.

 Camille and her best friend join the fun.

 Erick went with the minimalist approach - my kind of guy!

 Emma getting ready to have some fun.

 Like mother, like daughter.

 Ben and I went to an 11-year-old Scout day-camp.  They got to have some fun on the canoes.

 Before getting into the canoes, they received some instructions.

 We went to the kids' open house at the school.  We loved seeing all their work and talking to their teachers.

 Erick showing his creative skills.

 Camille and her cowgirl project.

 One of Erick's current interests - catching lizards.

He had two friends come over every day after school.  They catch 10-20 lizards every day.  Yesterday, we went on a hike through the forest and looked for other creatures.  The highlight of the walk was seeing a Western Cottonmouth.  Erick and his friends were really excited.

 Spring has sprung in south Texas.  Ben and I have gone on long walks and bike-rides.  We stopped by one of our favorite spots along Lake Houston to see the sun begin to dip.  Ben got to throw some pine cones into the lake.

 Jill and the kids went to Dallas for Spring Break.  I stayed home to go to a chess tournament ... didn't do too well (1 win, 1 draw and 2 losses).  But my mind was occupied as our 12-year-old car was having major issues and we decided to turn him in for a Tacoma.

 Erick received his Bobcat at this year's first award's Pack meeting.

And then the last picture is Ben getting his Webelos and Arrow of Light.  We're so proud of him for his accomplishment.  He's a great addition to the 11-year-old Boy Scout troop!

Ben's Science Project

Ben presented his science project today. His project was on bridge design (truss vs. beam).

Below are the tests of the two bridges.

Here is a picture of his completed display.

He is not home yet from school to report how he did, but Jill said she saw a few other projects and Ben's looked really good compared to the others.

 

Tower Building

Every year, our stake have a "Commitment Fireside" for all the 11-year-olds.  I think it is really neat ... they talk about some very important issues with these kids, right at the cusp of their teenage years.

At the end of the fireside, they commit to keeping the commandments and being pure.

The theme, in previous years, has been King Benjamin from the Book of Mormon ... the fireside speakers speak from a tower while all the kids and their parents sit in tents.

This year, they kept the tower, but not the tents.  Instead the theme is the 2000 Stripling Warriors.

So ahead of the fireside is the tower-building.  The 11-year-old Scouts get to help out.  Since Ben is just a week away from joining our troop, he joined me and the rest of the boys in building the tower.

The boys did all the lashings ... but lest you become too worried for the people who have to climb the tower ... every joint in the tower was screwed and secured.  If you look closely enough, you'll see we've anchored the tower to the volleyball pole-net holder in the floor.

Anyway - cool stuff!

Stay tuned for Ben's Webelos / Arrow of Light ceremony in a few weeks.

Pinewood Derby 2013

 The Pinewood Derby was last night.  This was Ben's last year and Erick's first year in the derby.

We consulted a veteran Pinewood Derby builder this year ... and just in the nick of time as he was heading out of town on a business trip.

We went with the minimal design and optimal speed option.

Ben placed 4th in the Webelos division.

And Erick placed 1st in the Wolf division!  Ben was really happy for Erick and Erick was very pumped up!

If you want to see a pre-race picture of the cars, click here.

We only have two more years of the derby now!