Sorry!

So, I was lovingly reminded the other day that it's been a while since I've updated the blog. I'm sorry. I'm realizing that I am not very good at keeping in touch with people. I kinda knew it when I moved to Illinois, but now it's been hit home. So, to all of you have written me, I promise I have read all my emails and enjoyed hearing from you. I'm sorry that I have not written back. I really am going to try to improve on this, but don't expect miracles.

School is going pretty well. Xavier started going back in the afternoons last week and it actually seems to have improved things. Ulysses said he wonders if it's like only hearing half of a conversation. In the mornings they discuss things that happened or are going to happen in the afternoon, but Xavier doesn't have a clue. Plus, they seem to do art (Xavier's favorite activity) in the afternoon. So, other than completely messing up Ezekiel's and my nap schedule, life if going pretty well.

There's been a lego expo at the mall in Geneva. I just found out where the mall is and that it's not that difficult to get to, so we spent a Saturday afternoon there. Our camera seems to be behaving much better lately. :-) I don't have dates on the pictures anymore which could become a big problem, but at least I have pictures!

The break-down train ("just like grandma gave us!") was Xavier's favorite


Ezekiel wouldn't look away from the train for a picture. He was pretty impressed and excited.

There were little tables for them to build structures of their own. Daddy helped the boys build a house.

We've still been having our weekly adventures with Ruth and Wednesday has officially become Ruthday in our house. Last week we went to the botanical gardens to see deer and ducks and today we went to the natural history museum to see dinosaurs.

The ferris wheel of sorts that the kids rode on at the botanical gardens. There really wasn't a lot of garden, but we had a good morning anyway.

Watching the deer eat "Go Bucks" (buckeyes) and tomatoes at the botanical gardens

There's a two-headed turtle at the museum.

Finally, we went to a party! I don't know how to explain the status of CERN right now, but the experiment that Ulysses is working on had a big start-up event. We were gone from our house for about 12 hours (including 4 buses each way), but it was a lot of fun.

The boys got hard hats so they can go into the tunnel, just like Daddy!

The signature drink of the night, The Big Bang Cocktail (Ulysses and I decided it looked, smelled, and tasted too much like listerine to actually drink, but it was pretty!)

The dancing fools!

The detector, I think...