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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9JA6EF418U&w=480&h=360]

I wish I had taken a picture today to show the scene in my bedroom all morning, but instead I will have to describe it.  In the bed was Lewis, with two gackoos (pacifiers) and an iPad and his brother, Art, slightly greenish-yellow, feeling sick.  Netta and Bailey were gleefully looking through books both right side up and otherwise.  Carma was on the bed snuggled next to Art, who was just watching Lewis play Agry Brids.  This scene lasted for about two hours with Lewis activity variations and occasional snacks for the girls.  Art had a mild stomach bug and Lewis wasn't sick at all, just wanted to stay near his brother, I guess.  I used to do that, too, when my sister was sick.  I would hang out in her room, watch the T.V. (that was brought up just for her sick day.  Pretty easy when it's a 13" set) and just putz with barbies or whatever.  It feels somehow wrong to be gaily frolicking around the house when your sibling is bedridden.  Anyway, it was a sweet morning with all ...

For more than two weeks my dear mother has been asking that I post a video of Netta walking on the blog. So, here it is (from about a week ago). Bailey walks, too, but only when holding onto a finger. It's a mental thing. There's no hurry I suppose and I hope Bailey doesn't feel pressure from us. I do have a feeling though that after my mother's visit (and encouragement) next week Bailey will be walking. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4UgYk5Zjfs?rel=0&w=640&h=360]

I realize there are probably lots of good reason not to do this, but last night we had a spectacular little fire in our Weber as we burned the pine tree boughs from our Christmas piano.

Our family. (photo taken by my brother Josh) Josh, Ashley and their three dogs (from left) Tula, Jesse and Cora. Jessica sister Emily, Mike and their daughter Charlotte.

I was singing a song, I don't even remember what it was, and art asked me why I was singing that song.  "I just love it, that's why."  Lewis observed, "Momma, you like a lot of dinners that you make, you love Papa and... You love songs.  You love all those things!"   Yep.  That pretty much sums it up. -- Jessica

On Christmas day we took our family and met more family down at the Mississippi dog park for a walk. We took some nice family portraits we'll post later. What beautiful day!  Art and Lewis had their new binoculars from Christmas. Here's a spectacular owl we saw. Josh climbed the cliffs with the boys, a highlight for them.

As Jessica wisely notes, it just never get old taking photos of these two together.

Jessica coined this phrase to describe the state of our piano. She says: "This picture does not completely capture the clusterfuckness of our piano but it basically looks like we put a tree on top of the piano and flattened it with a bunch of presents." That's our friend Oscar at right.

Bailey. Art pogos for the girls.

Arthur wrote this note out with the help of a teacher at school. "Santa, can I have a spy kit for Christmas?" He apparently saw something like that when out with his friend Si. Unfortunately Santa didn't get the note in time, and if he had I'm not even sure if the elves make spy kids. Jessica and I are hoping the other gifts distract him from this singular vision of his. We shall see.

Lewis' at left (made at Willow ) and Arthur made his at school .

The girls are snotty and needy again. Another cold!?!?  Anyway, they wake up from every sleep crying and cranky.  I was giving them yogurt and when they finished it they cried.  I nursed them and when I finally decided I needed to stop sitting there letting them pacify they cried.  I gave them some sweet Italian bread and only bailey cried.  Netta took her piece and started eating it.  Ten she walked over to her sister, picked up the piece I had set down for Bailey and handed it to her.  How wonderful! -- Jessica

My brother Josh and his wife Ashley came over last Sunday to watch the kids (after the girls were down they watched Finding Nemo, a hit with the boys). Jess and I went out for dinner and shopping. We had a good time walking around the mall and came home with a single pair of awesome frog pajamas for Lewis. Which I'm sure I'll post on the blog after he opens them on Christmas. They even have a hood with eyeballs!

Bailey. Netta eating rice and dahl.

Netta wears her first hair piece. [UPDATE--this is NOT Netta. This is Bailey baretta. Jessica corrected me, cause hell if I know.]

I have a few more copies of my book  Ant Farm, Glimpses of Daily Life in Minnesota for sale. I'm selling them for $8 each or $10 to ship (less if you buy a couple). Cheap! And the book is just TOTALLY INCREDIBLE. I mean, wow, what an author! As magnum photographer Eli Reed said on book jacket, "Garvin's work celebrates the best part of being a newspaper photographer. With Ant Farm he proves that every pictures actually does tell a story. Good for him and better for the rest of us!" Jesus, what a thing to say about measly old Ben. Can you even imagine a better last minute Christmas gift? And, from author Larry Millett who wrote the foreword: " Ant Farm is a testament to the intimate and ordinary rituals of everyday life. It's also a collection of stories in miniature, told by the subjects themselves, and their words are often as poignant as Garvin's photographs..." That's just humbling, I'm so incredible. I can barely stand it. I hope you, t...

Art pulled this out of his backpack the other day, a lovely little alien he made in art class.

Arturo has been coming home with some wonderful things from his Art class at Barton , including this clay tile.  He made the impression with his hand, made a little border, painted the whole thing and then had it fired.

We'be been sending our oldest son to a little science class on Saturday's called Ayrie's Place . If you've got a kid, age 4-6, who digs science you should look into it or ask us. $5/class which is great, too. One week the kids studied rocks, one week was trying to figure out what sinks and floats and last week they made fairy houses. Here's a snippet of the course 'syllabus': " Santa's elves really love fairy houses! These small habitats are made from pieces of nature and other interesting materials. Fairies have been known to visit them and Santa's elves are good friends with fairies."  I didn't know that elves and fairies are friends--it's the sort of information that's invaluable as a parent. Here's Art's fairy house:

Here are a few more photos from Arthur's birthday party last Sunday. We made 12 PVC marshmallow guns (for about $10). Cheap fun! Learn how here . Jessica made each kid duct tape belts which ended up doubling as a holster and ammo holder. Maura taking a shot. Jess, with the help of the boys, made a series of targets. You can't see it here but Arthur decided how many points each hole was. The biggest was 1 point, the smallest 900. Anthony!!! Look at that complete lack of ammo control. He's eating a bullet. At Art's request Jessica made her first chocolate ROCKET CAKE! Yes, those are black asteroids in space. Jessica lighting the rocket boosters.

She has been able to takes steps, sometimes many, for a few weeks now, but today she made the choice to toddle at least half the time.  I consider that a milestone.  Netta is now a toddler. (Ben adds: Bailey, however, is like a periscope. She'll crawl around and then stand up to have a look around. No real steps, though. It's as if she's making a choice to just take her sweet time. She's more deliberate about things in general I think. What's the rush?)

Jessica and I layed in bed last night and watched this thing on my phone. And, since we have free reign to post stuff we've already posted, we're posting again in this posty post post. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdlIiWjo0RQ?rel=0&w=640&h=360]

Sunday we had Art's long overdue birthday party. Jessica had the fun idea of having a build-your-own marshmallow gun party. It was good fun. I'll post a few more photos and notes later, but here's a fun photo of everyone shooting the target at the same time.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgWd3ZHF4Y4?rel=0&w=640&h=480]

Bailey, left, and Netta getting cleansed.

Big D with Netta, left, and Bailey. Those who've ready our blog for a while know Devontae's my little brother (through Big Brothers Big Sisters). That's how we initially met in 2003 when he was a wee little tot. Now he's a man. A 16-year-old one anyway. His life has been chaotic and unpredictable for reasons beyond his control. He's lived in a few different spots in Minneapolis and St. Paul with each parent, his grandma and now his uncle. His sisters are both having babies (not that babies are bad mind you!) and his brother is on probation. But Devontae doesn't even cuss, he makes straight A's, doesn't drink. He's got his eyes set on something way off in the distance, beyond the chaos that tries to distract him. He's always been that way, I don't get any credit. And it's been a real honor and joy to be his friend. A few years ago.

Sunday Josh came over with a huge tire tube as a birthday present for Art. It was real big, almost too big. The boys either had to ride on the sides or across their papa stretched over the top. But actually really fun and super thoughtful of josh to get us. Here's grainy cell phone photo he sent: and then later Devontae came over and we all went sledding again. Wipe out.