Nipped in the bud

These could possibly be the cutest babies you ever saw (at least Rachel and I think so)....

But then they'd have to compete with these two. Life's good with a best bud.

Splish splash

Next on the train-my-child itinerary: teach Niko how to clean the dishes. As this is my least favorite job, I figure if I can get him early, he might actually pass his Daddy up on chores he's capable of doing (sorry, Luc). Notice that technique.

And after just one outfit change and a few briberies, they're done. Now we need baby # 2 so we can train 'em up on laundry duty.

Peaches in the Summertime

Just when you thought we'd disappeared for good, we come up for a little air. Peach-scented air. That's right, it's CANNING time. Since I have serious ambitions to be that Grandmother one day who pulls out canned peaches for dessert after making fried chicken and potatoes, I figure I'd better master the technique early. Not that our peaches resemble the ripe, juicy images I had prior to picking; they are a bit on the hard side, but we're all go anyway.

Niko selected the music, Greg Brown's Canned Goods and Gillian Welch (bet you can guess which one!).

Our bounty was good....glowing orbs of fleshy sweetness. Niko tested them all out.

"Come taste a little love of summer, my grandma put 'em all in jars."