haircuts

We're ready for summer.

with the cousins, by the river

Mother's Day weekend, my brother, sister-in-law, nephews, and niece came to Cincinnati for a brief visit. Before we went to the Reds' game, we frolicked along the riverfront with them for a bit. Left to right, Ariana, Isaiah, David, Eli, Owen.

I hold my brother personally responsible for the baseball brainwashing he is doing to his poor impressionable children. They were all three wearing Mets hoodies. Oh brother.

My beautiful sister-in-law with her beautiful daughter. 

The amazing Owen!

The whole family walked out onto the river.

Happy Mother's Day!

I knew my mom wouldn't mind me posting this picture of her sneezing because 4/5 of her grandchildren are looking at the camera!! Totally worth it, right mom? 

See?! Grandma looks good and the kids are done.

the cousins came to town

Oh, those lashes!!!

the stories owen tells

Chapter 1: The Chocolate Milk and Yogurt Incident

Strange things I eat are: grilled cheese with apple sauce and peas, frozen peas, and root beer floats with green mint ice cream, but this time was different.

One day at dinner I was eating chocolate milk and yogurt. I thought I should try them mixed. I hated it. I almost threw up twice. But my mom said I had to eat it. 

I finally ate it, but it took so long that I didn't get my homework done. So the next day I missed recess and half of library.

I still like strange things, but I never eat something I don't know I like.

Chapter 2: The Suprising Day (dedicated to Shigeru Miyamoto)

People all over the world were complaining. There weren't any new Zelda games! Then one morning at my house...

I woke up, 7:03! I was late! I sprang out of bed and grabbed my pink bag. I pulled out my 3DSXL. Suddenly I got zapped by it's electricity! After that I could make Zelda games just by thinking! I made a ton of games, and everyone was happy. THE END

Chapter 3: The Best Day Ever

One Day I woke up and my mom said we were going to the all you can eat seats at the Red's game! I was exited because I like to play baseball and you already know I like to eat.

It was awsome.

This is what I ate: pizza, grapes, cinnamon sticks, peanuts, more cinnamon sticks, more peanuts, a popsicle, even more peanuts, another popsicle, again even more peanuts and Cracker Jacks. Even better The weather was realy nice! and all thanks to grandpa.

Chapter 4: The Future

When I grow up I want to be a archeologist so I can dig for prehistoric sea life. I want to find a: Plesiosaur, Megalodon, Dunkleosteus, Anomalocaris, Kronosourus, Mixosaurus, Cornalianus, Ophthalmosaurus, and a Sarcosuchus. I will be realy famous. I will travel all over the world to dig for bones. I will even write a book about prehistoric crocodiles such as sarcosuchus. It will be a very interesting book.

About the Author:

Owen is a second-grader at (his school.) He is 8 years old and lives in (his town) and has twelve cousins. Owen likes to watch BeyBlades and Pokemon on TV. He plays the violin, and baseball on his school team "Falcons." 

Dedication:

For Signeru Miyumoto, the most awesome guy in the world!

(FYI: Mr. Miyumoto, if you haven't figured it out, is the person responsible for creating Zelda.)

young author's night

These are all Brian's photos. Man, I love this one.

I imagine that creating a class full of original stories is a lot of work. But, Owen's teachers, I really, really love that you do it. These are lovely, lovely keepsakes of the imagination of childhood. So thank you.

Eli and I (and Grandma, who didn't make the picture cut evidently) enjoyed "The Stories Owen Tells."

The author and his creation.

After we read the book, Owen burned off some energy in the gym.

six years old

So big. Next year, he'll be in uniform on the field instead of walking through the dandelions, dragging his scooter.

too late

I have driven by this sign so many times in the past three years. It used to have a donut advertisement under it before it got tagged. I always thought, as I drove by, I want to take a picture of that sign. For some reason, it just struck me as lovely. 

The other day, the building that stood under the sign was being razed. I worried that the sign would be next, so I got my photo. I wish I had gotten it when it was just an old donut sign, but I missed that chance. Glad I didn't miss this one.

It's also a kind of fitting memorial to my days as "school bus" driver. I started my job full time last week. Because it was Brian's last week of classes, I still had some duties, picking up and dropping off. But next week, it's all him. A page has turned.