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I can't find my keys or my brush or my notepad, but I can find this blog.

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The oak, again

shot with Zeiss Nettar 517/16 on Fomapan 100

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Oak trees remind me of home and are my absolute favorite, especially when you can appreciate both their strength and crookedness.

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What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas

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Oops.

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My child now strikes a pose whenever I want to take a picture. That he is sort of smiling in photo one is rare--he typically dons "Blue Silver" or a peace sign, which he holds in a way that suggests it is actually a gang sign.

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A brilliant way to look at Christmas music. I definitely hang out in certain quadrants.

Source: http://happyplace.someecards.com/christmas/this-chart-perfectly-explains-the-meaning-of-every-christmas-song/#

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In case you missed it.... Bon Appetit's suggestions for seating arrangement. Sure to work on Christmas, too.

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Multitasking

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Things that are bad, according to a seven year old.

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This guy has an annoying voice. But these look unreal. I can't believe I watched the whole video. That's how good these look.

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A perfect cloud day.

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Aack, my child is 7. How in the heck did that happen?

Tonight we did a small gathering in which the boys simply loved each other. It was pretty sweet (and a refreshing stage that is likely short-lived). The younger got a chance to blow out the elder's candle (after it had already been done by the birthday boy)--and then he decided one candle to represent seven years wasn't enough. So we added more candles and did it again.

We opted for a tech gift, about which I was somewhat apprehensive: A Kindle with the FreeTime subscription. I love that I can monitor the content and the time limits. I don't love that you can't default to that mode. (How long until he figures out that by not going to FreeTime, he can play whatever he wants, as long as he wants?) And I REALLY don't love that the day after I opened the package and customized it, Amazon announced a kids' tablet that is pretty much everything I wanted this to be. Such is life--it isn't as though the tablet will sit unused. 

My other favorite part about the night was that Truman was genuinely excited about Conrad's birthday--he is just so happy when his brother is happy. No jealousy. No disappointment that he didn't get a new thing. Just happiness. I expect those two to be connected at the hip all weekend, staring at a screen--albeit an educational, age-appropriate screen--until the time limits turn it off, anyhow.

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I hate cats. And yet, it's asleep in my lap.

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A few more weather photos from Loon Lake. I took about 50 shots hoping to get a lightning bolt--and totally certain I didn't get a thing. Three weeks later, I look, and what do you know?!?

In the last one, forget the weather: there is a baby to love.

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Ominous evening on Loon Lake

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Eastern Washington has wheat and not a ton else.

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Rails are up. Little house and stairs come next.

Our summer labor of love is getting closer to completion!