Rhubarbian Consequence

On the Krupp farm it's "kill or be killed". It's also "ask and ye shall receive", so when Laura asked for some rhubarb to take home we were not disappointed. Good thing we have a van now.

Rhubarb is surprisingly easy to harvest.



Madison gave moral support.



This is the mandatory rhubarb pickin' hat and knife set.




Laura already made one pie, and it was her best yet.



We got plenty more. Who's coming for dinner?

In The Land Of Lost Toys

Spent most of Sunday at the Krupp farm in Ohio, the final resting spot of the trunk of lost children toys. They got some awesome stuff in stock including Steamboat Willie era Mickey mouse figurines, a strung-up wooden dog on wheels and the original set of building blocks. And Yuula played with them all.



She got to spend some time meeting her great-grandparents as well. We all agreed she'll have great-grandma's hair and great-grandpa's vigor for siphoning gasoline.




The girls played so well together into the evening, when Charlotte decompressing first around sundown, Yuula being rocked into a coma and Madison passing out in the midst of all the adult conversation.



But the Krupp elders had the entertainment down. They regaled their audience with tales of canine murder, what they both look naked and how Grandma Krupp came a foot in the door away from getting arrested for harassment last Friday. There's no slowing down on the farm.

Good Shower Though

Baby showers are a weird thing. I don't know that I should've been involved in one. I wasn't very good with the games. The names I came up with were inappropriate (Bartlebee & Tevia). But it was nice to see some old girls, some we hadn't seen in years. Everyone looks good and seems happy. We learned of them becoming lawyers and historians and tiramisu chefs and cat-opera directors... and we couldn't be happier for them. Good shower though.

Dave made his famous watermelon cart. We made sure to be careful with it because this is what we will be using the first few months to push her around in.


Asriel made us a diaper cake. Delicious and half the fat.


And there was food.


Laura gives it a thumb up.


This is the shower part.


Social hour began.


A girl gathering in a round.


Madison & I entertained ourselves in the meantime.


Two showers down, one to go.

Swimming South Of Sunny

We survived the trip down. More importantly, Sexy Bird survived. Now she just has to make it back. So far we've done a lot of sleeping, watched a lot of Sunny In Philly, eaten a lot of pizza and made a quick trip to the pool. The baby shower is in full swing. It's cake time so I stepped away briefly to post a few of the weekend so far. But cake is waiting...

the Krupps got birds


Laura tries to keep up with her shadow


I tried to blend in with the Southerners


an intense water park


wet Krupps


Laura takes the baby for her first float


Madison is giving us some practice


class is in session


cake awaits...

Mad & Char

Asriel, our sister, has taken a lot of photos of her girls Madison & Charlotte. A lot. I think she gives us a run for our money. But this latest batch she sent out is just terrific. I asked her if she got a new photographer. She did. MonkeyBean Photography. Check out the site. Really good. Now we just gotta find one up here.

The Sweetest Pledge

Sit thru the opening acts

Madison's Photo Shoot

We had dinner at Brian & Asriel's last Thursday night, delicious, and to keep Madison busy while the grown-ups talked I gave Madison my camera. She took some pretty good shots. We may have a little Annie Leibovitz on our hands.

Krih Sma Swid Dak Rups

I learned a few things while celebrating Christmas with the Krupps this past weekend.

• Krupps can fill up a house with holiday cheer
• The Krupp mouth is highly genetic
• No Krupp is very good at volleyball
• Braden sings Soulja Boy when he thinks no one's looking
• Madison has decided she is a dog named Martini
• Dylans head is not completely attached to his body
• blind cats are the sweetest kind of cat
• Laura & I are the best sleepers in the family
• Mad Gab may be the greatest game ever invented

That said, we had a lovely time visiting our old stomping grounds, having lunch with Christina, holding Leann, meeting Mariah, and just hanging around with the family in general. Christmas morning was great fun with good food and presents ranging from calypso drums to authentic longswords. Wouldn't have it any other way.

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