Old buildings are fun to play with!

This weekend's excursions had lots of fun buildings to take pictures of. Tonight I played around with a few of my favorite photos in photoshop. These are my fav creations!

This is the Domino Sugars building on the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.

This is the Masonic Temple Tower. Its a really cool building. Someday I'll go and snap the whole thing!

Ok, this isn't a building... It is, however, a plaque on a building.

Another really cool old building in Baltimore.
The Old Post Office Pavillion and clocktower. Its one of my favorite landmarks in DC.

100th!

Just so you know, this is my 100th post on this blog! You probably didn't care. Thats okay.

Okay, anyway...

Today we went into "the district". It was hot as hades, and the museum was packed to the rafters it seemed. We still had fun though. I got some good shots, and some not so good shots. However, I'm still going to post some of the not so good shots, just for comedic value.

Here we go folks!

Aren't we good little kids taking public transportation????

Ooooh, pretty!

More pretty....

Apparently all they had blooming in the butterfly habitat were pink flowers.

Was anybody aware that Lady Justice is nekkid?????? Yes, those are BOOBS!

So, giraffes have this valve that closes off the blood vessels in their neck when the bend down so that they don't overflow their brain and pass out. Taking a sip of water is quite the task. I decided that sometimes it doesn't suck so much to be short.

This is when it does. Yes, that is me in the reflection (I purposely took the picture this way). Yes, that is how tall I am compared to that Grizzly.

This Wulfenite is the MOST gorgeous shade of orange ever. After seeing this I wanted to be made out of Wulfenite. They apparently melt it down and seperate it for the lead content... I thought lead was bad?!?!

Do I really need to say anything?????

This picture was taken solely for my Uncle John and Aunt Kathy. If they see this, they'll get it.
And end credits!

National Aquarium!

We now have a family membership to the Baltimore National Aquarium. Today was our first visit and it was an absolute blast. We visited lots of fish, saw a dolphin show, and went to a 4-d immersion theater. (that was my least favorite part) There it is! Isn't it pretty???? Don't those little dragon boats look like fun????

Braxton first saw "Finding Nemo" just a few weeks ago, and had a cow when he saw the little clown fish. He had every kid there yelling for Nemo. Of course, Braxton doesn't pronounce the 'N' in Nemo...

What would Nemo be without Dory?

Onto the dolphin show. This is Spirit.

This dolphin's name is Mya. Yes, they really do make them jump through hoops. Is it still called jumping if they don't have feet?

"As she flies through the air with the greatest of ease..." This is Mya again.

That ball is 25 feet in the air. Again, I ask is it still called jumping if she doesn't have feet?????

This is the amazon exhibit. Braxton called it "The Jungle where Bindi lives". I have a feeling we're going to spend alot of time in this exhibit each time we visit. Also, did you know that there are more types of fish in the Amazon basin than there are in the whole Atlantic ocean? (Yup, I still love trivia)

They don't allow strollers in the museum. Supposedly for safety reasons. I think its just because it would be way too crowded. So Kieran spent the aquarium time in our fancy backpack. He spent alot of it asleep. This is him sacked out.

And for the finale for this post. That was my lunch. Wanna know what it was???? It was a soft-shelled blue crab sandwich. They batter and deepfry the WHOLE crab. Those are the legs dangling off of the bun. As long as I didn't think about it too much I could enjoy the flavor. It was actually yummy. Very yummy. Again, as long as I don't think about eating the whole crab. Shell and all.

Alright. I have more folks. But this post was full enough.

Reduce, Reuse - Grow plants???

In an attempt to reduce our footprint Mark and I keep meaning to start recyling (they don't just have centers around here, you have to call a company and pay them to pick it up). However, I keep forgetting. So I have had a stack of glass jars sitting around waiting to be recycled. A week or so ago I had an epiphany, and decided that we'd do an art project. Braxton, Mark and I went out and painted them. Then we put potting soil in them and planted a bunch of different seeds. Obviously, they haven't sprouted yet. I'll post pics once they do. Mark's is the furthest to the right. It doesn't take a genius to figure out which is mine...

"Mom, I'm messy!" He even managed to get some of it in his diaper. Go figure.

It was pretty fun. Even if it was way too hot for 9am. Braxton checks every morning to see if his plants are "all grown up".

Tag - You're it!

So I decided to start my own tag today. I love trivia. Pretty much any kind. Needless to say Jeopardy is one of my favorite game shows of all time! Anyway, all you have to do is write down five intriguing pieces of trivia or factoids. Easy eh?


1. Bugs bunny was the first cartoon character to ever be featured on a postage stamp. He was given this honor before even Mickey Mouse!

2. The "X" in xoxoxoxoxoxox became to mean "kiss" in this way: Back in the olden days (I mean olden days) people who were illiterate would sign an X for their signature and then kiss it as a sign of good faith. Eventually, the X just began to mean a kiss. How "O" got "hug", I'm still not sure.

3. Nuclear reactors don't glow green like the media portrays. They glow blue. Its caused by charged particles traveling "superfast" through water. Its sort of like the nuclear version of a pilot breaking the sound barrier... instead of sound it causes a blue glow.

4. The term "computer bug" came from an actual bug - a moth to be exact- found on a circut board of the Mark II computer.

5. In 1964, at the height of his popularity, Smokey Bear was given his own Zip Code - 20252.

Alright, I tag Bob - though you can't use the red hair or blood type thing, Mehgan, Lyndsay, Jill, Emily, Susan, and anybody else that wants to post, or email me some trivia!

Anticipation is making me wait...

That title totally has to be sung Carly Simon style. If you don't know the song, you should.

Our bay window is floor level, so Braxton likes to watch for Mark to come home. He just lays there and waits. If someone else passes by he talks to them for a while until they go on their merry way. Its pretty funny. As soon as he sees Mark come around the corner he bolts down the stairs like lightning. Well, at least as lightningy as his little legs will let him.

I don't usually let him have the window all the way open, because I'm afraid he'll lean on the screen and fall to his death from the second story. Ok, he'd probably be caught by our jeep below, but something would definitely break, and I'm just not ok with that.

All the photos are black and white because it just seemed to fit the theme better...

Now, tell me that this kid doesn't absolutely love his daddy. He does. He never sits still. Except when he's at the window waiting for Mark. He plays the "is that daddy game?" It goes something like this

"is that daddy? No, thats a fee (tree)!"

"is that daddy? No, its a fowa (flower)!"

He does this with pretty much any object that he can see. The trees don't change the flowers don't change, the cars don't even really change. Its the two year olds version of I spy solitaire. Goofy kid.

Braxton's turn

I know I post a lot about Braxton, because well lets face it, he has better control over his vocal cords and says funnier stuff. But I couldn't do a "what makes my boys special series" without him. So here it is. Mark says this picture makes him look regal. I think he looks like he's contemplating where his next adventure lies. That is usually what he is doing. Finding his next adventure. I hope that this side of him never ceases. I just hope he learns to control the adventuring spirt so he doesn't hurt himself...

After he is done scoping out his next adventure, he heads towards it "superfast". He isn't one that is content to sit still for very long thats for sure. (The fact that he sat still for a whole movie at the theater blew my mind.)

He is very inquisitive (think inquisition, just with less thumbscrews) about the world around him. He absolutely loves learning and figuring out new things. Some of his favorite things in the whole world (besides his jumbo sized collection of elephants) are his books.

And last but not least, he can shove a whole pancake in his mouth at once. (He learned this trick from his dad.) He also does this pancake shoving thing about a dozen times. Yes, you are figuring that right. He eats about a dozen pancakes in a sitting. Its nuts man! Another odd eating habit of his is with things like gummy bears and fruit snacks, he'll shove them into his cheeks, like seven or eight on each side and hoard them there for hours. I'm sure the dentist will love this one...

Kenny

Kieran has been going through some teething the last week or so, and has been keeping me up at night. I've been tired, and much to my chagrin, not as patient or fun-loving as normal. Today, I took Braxton to see the movie "Kung Fu Panda" (which very hilarious BTW), for a special "mommy and son bonding day". While we were out I was taking in some of the stuff that makes Braxton so special. That led me to the idea to do a post about each of my boys and list some of the stuff that makes them who they are. I call this his "what you lookin' at punk" face. He is very very expressive. To the point where even when he's screaming I often feel like laughing because he's making goofy faces. This, I'm sure he doesn't appreciate. He is very cuddly and laid back. He's ok just to chill with you wherever you are. He is NOT ok when you leave him. That means if I ever want to accomplish something during the day, I have to tote a comforter around for him to chill on wherever I am. (The comforter wouldn't be necessary, but he tends to forget he's supporting himself when gets into the throes of chewing, and needs a cushion behind that ginormous melon of his.)

Well, I'm know there are a bajillion other reasons I think he's special up here, But I'm going to post just one more. He's absolutely adorable. I know I'm biased - having squished him out and all. But so far nobody has come up and told me "gee lady, that kid sure is ugly." Trust me, if it were true, somebody would have said it.

And that folks, is my special Kenny.

Car Seat Treasure Troves and Other stories...

Braxton is what the doctors call a "grazer". That means he doesn't eat a big meal a few times a day, it means he snacks all day long. (When he gets older this will help keep him from getting fat.) Well, one of the places we like to feed him is in the car, just for the fact that he's strapped down and doesn't really have much else to do.

I also have one of those "mommy" mirrors on my rear-view mirrors so I can see the boys without turning around. Well, more often than I would like to admit, I see Braxton munching on food, that I know its been a week or more since I've given it to him. The other day for instance, I look at him in my mirror and saw him munching on a chicken nugget. The kicker was it had been about two weeks since his last happy meal. He is still living so I'm guessing it wasn't that awful...



Mark and I sometimes forget that Braxton is in the age that he'll repeat ANYTHING we say. Well one day in the car we were discussing some people who lived in the dorm my freshman year. They happened to be potheads. Mark, unfortunately said the phrase "smokin' a bowl" loud enough that B-rox could hear him. Well, Braxton repeated it, and of course he said it cutely. It made Mark and I laugh. For those who are not parents, a word of caution, don't laugh. It only makes it worse. Anyway, Braxton realized this was funny. (Mark and I Haven't said anything like that since that day). Well the other day I walked in and braxton was playing with a bowl. He was being weird about it, so I asked "Braxton, what are you doing?". Can you guess what his answer was? "Smokin' a bowl mom." Lesson learned.



Braxton is getting sassy. I've never thought to apply this term to a boy, but there it is. Today I shared some chocolate chips with him and when we were through he told me he wanted some more. I told him no, and he answered back "well daddy will get me some".
"Uhh, no he won't. Especially because he's at work."
"uh huh, when he gets home." Then he gave me the "sassy kid" look. And flounced out of the room. Another term I never thought I would apply to anyone other than a flamenco dancer.

Happy Daddy's Day!

So as everybody knows (Or at least I hope you do!) Sunday was Father's day! We didn't do a whole lot - just chocolate chip pancakes and my special chile. I got mark a gift, but the durn people haven't gotten it to me yet. VERY angry with them over this! I would tell you what I got him, but since it hasn't come yet he doesn't know. So posting it where he could see it isn't the best plan. Anyway, here are a couple of pics for the boys and thier dad.

Oh yes, they are monkeys. Crazy Crazy monkeys.

This is the first stage in a game B-rox and Mark play. Generally they end up making me wish I wasn't watching...

I didn't lead quite enough to capture everything. (apparently I've forgotten all I learned from football...) But, you get the gist. I know Braxton's look is pained but trust me, he's having an absolute blast! Yes, Mark lifts him way up high, then drops and recatches him. He tells me its good exercise for his reflexes. Its a wonder I'm not insane...

Aside from the crazy antics, Mark is a fabulous father! He absolutely loves to play with his boys. They're more his buddies than kids (though, I'm working on changing that a bit, I can't be the only disciplinarian!) He complains about diaper duty on the weekends, but thats about it. He gets up with the boys on the weekends so that I can sleep in. (woohoo for me...) He is so incredibly involved, I hope the boys realize someday how incredibly blessed they are to have him as a father.

Chez Braxton

Braxton loves to pretend. The other day he put on Mark's old chef's hat and was "cooking" on the bookshelves. It was perdy durn cute.
This is Braxton actually "helping me bake". We made german chocolate cupcakes for his Pa Hat's birthday. It made a mess, but he had an absolute blast!

Insanely good!

So, at the time of my post about the last ten books that I've read, I had just picked up a book that came highly reccomended by several friends. "The Historian" By Elizabeth Kostova. It was incredibly good. My only problem with it was it took me forever to read. For those who are not familiar with my reading, generally I have a novel finished in about two hours. Unfortunately with this one it took me about two weeks. I did not have enough time to sit down and read it. Anyway, the story is about a young girl who discovers an odd book in her father's library and questions him about it. From there you are taken on a hunt for Dracula. Yes, Dracula. The book continues to build and build until the very end where it crashes to an ending. It was a great great book, and I reccomend all you other bibliophiles to go out and read it!

Dance baby Dance!

Braxton loves all things music. Wether it be making it or dancing to it, he doesn't care as long as it has a beat. I got him doing a couple of pretty impressive moves the other day and thought I would share.

I'm definitely thinking somebody should tell him male ballerinas don't go on pointe.
This was right before he went into one of those break dancing back spin moves. He watches "So You Think You Can Dance" with us in the evenings. I definitely think he's picking stuff up.

In our house we call this the "spaz dance". He does it on cue too.

Needless to say, I think this kid needs to be in a dance class.

Testing Testing Testing...

Mark bought me a new camera (I've been dying to get an SLR for a long time now) as a consolation to not being able to go to school full-time this upcoming semester. While I am still incredibly dissapointed in not being able to do that, the new camera does help ease the sting a bit. As does the running and getting ready for races. I'm keeping myself busy, which is exactly what I like to be! Anyway, here are some of the inaugural shots with my new pretty Nikon. I'm not sure where B-rox learned this pose. But he was pretty proud of himself. He told me "mommy, I wrapped my arms like this!"

See what I mean. I really don't know where he learned this. Its pretty cute though if I do say so myself.

I have a baby with hair. Totally new concept after Braxton. Don't worry, its not gel making it stick up, its sunscreen so we could go for our run that afternoon!

He has always been so alert, and has incredibly bright eyes.

Anyway, you can bet your bahooky that I'll be posting more! Stay tuned.