Just Somethin' Pretty

I love butterflies, and these are especially pretty to me. So delicate and beautifully designed. They're called Glasswings (Greta Oto). They originate from Mexico and Central America. Their Spanish name is espejitos, which means "little mirrors".

Big Tent = Cocktail Umbrella

The Republican State Convention is this week in Houston. If you think the party leadership is upstanding, honorable, and committed to truth and the rule of law, think seriously again. We witnessed the unraveling of that belief right before our very eyes.

http://www.fairconvention.org

http://www.rightintexas.com

There are many within the Republican party who still hold to the values it stands for, the Goldwater, Regan, constitutional, limited government, freedom for all values. But the leadership has been for the most part hijacked by people willing to sell out. This hijacking has been slow and stealthy and is now firmly rooted.

But there is a fight going on in Houston this week to root out the imposters and restore the GOP to what it was and what it can be again. Some of our friends are there. Brad and I witnessed the lies and deception firsthand through our own participation in the Parker County election and convention. If you're interested, let me know. It's too long and too sad to post here.

The media wants to spin it as just some "Ron Paul crazies" stirring up trouble. Please believe me that is not the case. We discovered that the GOP hasn't been following its own rules, or those of the Texas election code, for many years, while they continue to spout their love of the grassroots and their staunch adherence to truth. This is happening in county after county and state after state, all the way to the top of the national GOP. They've got their dog and pony show just the way they want it and don't want new input or anyone actually requiring them to stick to the law.

The Republican Party is hemorraging and I cannot see how they will win November with John McCain (who is the furthest from a conservative Republican imaginable.) The GOP can either accept the infusion of the thousands of grassroots people who've gotten involved this year. Or they can die a perhaps not so slow death. I personally hope the transfusion works. We will never "hold our noses" again and vote. And there are over a million of us who feel the same way. Sorry for the bummer post. I felt I needed to say it.

Six months until 13 ...

She had to get the sillies out, too. It runs in the family. How could it not?

Maelan got braces back in March and is adjusting to them pretty well. She's amazing on the cleaning, brushing, band-wearing schedule and I haven't had to remind her once on any of it. Good thing, because I've forgotten about it plenty.

She is currently re-reading the Lord of the Rings books. I read them through to the kids last year, but it took about 18 months to get through all four. Maelan read The Hobbit in four days, I kid you not. I believe she's in the middle of The Two Towers currently. She is enamored with Legolas and his archery, and we sat down yesterday to plan out some touches for her birthday, which will be subtly Lothlorien/Elvish themed. Ah, I remember being twelve. I kinda miss it ...

She also writes short stories, one of which I may post here in its entirety. Long, but well worth the read.

"Robin's Eye View" of the inside of a lamp

This boy is the photographer of the family. He's taken over until Mama can get back into her high school hobby, though judging by the "Mama's Eye View" of Robin, she's still got some of the knack going on. Robin has an excellent eye for photos. He's also started doing short stop motion clips with the camera. I'll do my best to post some soon.

Windowsill Sillies

Gideon & Tabitha play pretty well together, for the most part. He's very protective and watches out for her in parking lots and such. Though he has no qualms about whacking her with his toys, or squishing her. I guess that's pretty typical for brothers/boys. "No one hurts my little sister except me!"

Tabitha has a cute phrase lately. She'll be saying, "that was quick", in regards to whatever quick thing is happening. We finish washing the dishes, she'll say, "Mama, that was quick," etc. Except that it comes out sounding like kick. So when she rolls down the driveway on the wagon, she'll trudge back up saying, "Wow, that was kick." Brad and I joke about it being her generation's replacement for "cool" or "neat" or "groovy". "Dude, did you see that car? That was kick, man."

To hear her little two-year old self stylin' with the language like that - obliviously - is pretty funny. The only drawback is that when you hear, "That was kick," then your brain automatically wants to add a certain word to go with it. I have mixed feelings about that.