catching up . . .

hi everybody, big jeff here. Our house hasn't burned down yet, and it looks like it won't. woo hoo!
It's been a long time since we've posted kiddie pics, so here is a HUGE gallery of family photos from the past month, including our recent trip to Utah.


The keeyods, snacking in our back yard.


In Utah, snacking on ice cubes on a hot summer day


Ruby gazing into her bright future


St. George has a park with lots of water features where kids can splash around.

it looks like Levi is about to grab his crotch, but he's really just having a good time.



After seeing a small black frog outside at G'ma & G'pas house, Levi changed from being a "baby lizard with no tail" to a "baby black frog". Here he is, getting ready to hop like a frog.


under a shady tree




Mommy & Levi, relaxing in the shade


Levi still loves to goof off in Grandma's Big Orange Car


Levi, Ruby and I climbed around the rocks behind the house


the kids with their Great Grandma Barber! Notice the tight purse-lipped smile on Ruby's face. She does that a lot, and we don't know where it comes from.


Ruby loves Grandma.


Ruby doing what she does best -- vegging out in front of the TV. This is at the Oakwood apartment, where we're staying right now.

fire

Our chaotic summer is about to go into overdrive. A few wildfires have flared up around LA this week. We've been staring at the worst of them--the La Canada Station Fire--from our own window. Due to the renovation, we actually haven't been living in the house for the past 7 weeks. I visit the house daily to check on progress, and the irony of all the new paint, new tile, new cabinet hardware, etc. against the blazing backdrop is as palpable as the smokey air. It's absurd, really. Jeff went up to the house today to round up our irreplaceable possessions--photos, files, the computer. It'd be a true shame if the house and everything else went up in flames, but in the end it's just stuff. Ahhhh, catharsis. We'll survive. In the meantime, we await the evacuation order...


Unfortunately, that ain't no cumulous cloud in our backyard.