A Powerful Never-Coming of Age Story

OK, this has some language in it. Viewer - consider yourself cautioned.

But if you can make it past the language, it's terrific!

Wax On, F*ck Off with Ralph Macchio from Ralph Macchio

Huh. Who'd Have Seen That Coming?

This video is dedicated to all those team policy debate judges who didn't see Braden's reformation of the invasive species policy in the United States as necessary.


Boy’s Tragic Death Could Have Happened To Any Family With 20-Foot Pet Python


I know you all wish you could go back now and give his team the win.

Werner Herzog Reads "Curious George"

Colson and I read through "Curious George" on Tuesday. Afterward, we discovered this delightful little parody video.



I think I thought it more delightful than Colson did, but we both enjoyed it.

It's Tornado Season Again!

We spent Tuesday afternoon and early evening in the basement when the tornado sirens went off.

Thankfully we spent the weekend cleaning and de-cluttering the basement, so it was quite comfy! Our weathercasters and storm chasers aren't as much fun as the ones we watched in Kansas, but they got the job done.

I occasionally ran upstairs to peek out the windows at the storm. The clouds were a scary, unnatural purply-blue color - never a good sign.



By the end of the evening three tornados had touched down in our area. We also saw an awful lot of lightning, quarter- to golf ball-sized hail, and high winds. At one point it was raining and blowing so hard you had a difficult time seeing the other side of the street.

In the interest of public safety, I am going to re-post our "Tornado Safety" guidelines. You may wish to click on the picture for easier reading.

You're welcome!

Summer School is in Session!

We do school year-round at our house. This is for two reasons:

1. Over the years I've found that too much idle time for boys leads to much unpleasantness. We don't live in the country, so there's not a lot of outdoor work to be done on a daily basis. And we live in a neighborhood where 90% of the children are either toddlers or in day-long child care all summer. I need to have something structured for the boys to do.

During the normal school year and in June, we take lots of days off of school when the weather is nice so that we can do special things: hikes, field trips, picnics, park days, etc. We spend a lot of time at the pool as well. This summer all 3 boys will be on swim team.

In the late summer, when the weather is miserable and you just want to hide inside all afternoon, we do. And we do school then.

2. Our family has moved a lot. A LOT. Since 2001 we have lived in 6 cities and 9 homes. That's a lot of disruption. Schooling during the summer gives us flexibility to take time off to pack, unpack, and explore a new city.

This summer I've also given the boys Summer Reading Lists. They're actually fairly excited about them, and Colson is tearing through his. For those interested, here are the lists I've come up with for the boys. I may need to add more to Colson's.....

Braden's Summer Reading List (Rising 9th grader)

Mr. Midshipman Hornblower
The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Dragon and the Raven
The Eagle of the Ninth
The Secret Garden
The Black Stallion
The Hunt for Red October
According to Plan (by Graeme Goldworthy. This is a Biblical theology book.)
Liberty and Tyranny (by Mark Levin. This was one Braden wanted to read.)
All Creatures Great and Small
Johnny Tremain


Brogan's Summer Reading List (Rising 4th grader)

Key to the Treasure
Baby Island
Boxcar Children
Little House in the Big Woods
Little House on the Prairie
Encyclopedia Brown, 100 p.
Homer Price, 149 p.
Mr. Popper’s Penguins, 139 p.
Crabby Cat Caper
Creepy Sleep Over
Green gravy
Midnight Mystery
Misty of Chincoteague
Paul Bunyan
Stuart Little

Colson's Summer Reading List (Rising 1st grader)

I Can Read Books
• Morris Goes to School (Level 1)
• Frog and Toad (5 book series, Level 2)
• Mouse Tales (Level 2)-
Each Peach Pear and Plum, 32 p.
Drummer Hoff, 32 p.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, 20 p.
Doctor DeSoto, 32 p.
Corduroy, 28 p.
Circus Caps for Sale
Curious George, 36 p.
Harry the Dirty Dog, 32 p.
Bread and Jam for Frances, 32 p. (5 book series)
The Little Engine that Could, 37 p.
Floss, 32 p.
Ox-cart Man, 40 p.
Blueberries for Sal, 32 p.
The Magic Fish, 32 p.
Gregory’s Shadow, 32 p.
Maybelle The Cable Car, 42 p.
Madeline, 46 p. (6 book series)
Seaman’s Journal: On the Trail with Lewis and Clark
Poems to Read to the Very Young, by Josette Frank