I stayed up for the blood moon the other night and we could still see it despite the Vegas lights. This was the best of 30 or so tries because I don’t know how to use my camera.
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For my birthday, I received the beautiful hardcover edition of The Arrival by Shaun Tan. The pictures are beautiful and the story is engaging and very interesting. What’s interesting about this book is that there are no words! However, with clever use of paneling and other inventive ideas, the pacing of the story moves wonderfully and you know what? It doesn’t need words. If you haven’t seen it before, I recommend checking it out. It’s a very fun book that you will come back to over and over. I’m sure I’ll notice details I missed the first time through.
So the girls read a couple of books this week both basically with this kind of story…
Once there was a little girl named Mitzy. She told her grandma that she wanted to be an astronaut and her grandma said, “You’ll never be an astronaut, they won’t let girls in space.” Mitzy was sad so she told her mom and her mom said, “You’ll never be an astronaut because you’re not smart enough.” Mitzy started to cry and told her dad how she wanted to be an astronaut, he said, “Yeah right and I want to be a tight-rope walker.” Mitzy decided that all of those people were awful and you know what, she became an astronaut.
I just made up the Mitzy story but seriously why are there picture books where a kid’s parents tell them they aren’t worth anything? Maybe the mean kid down the street could tell her that she’ll never be an astronaut but come on let the mom believe in her.
In related news Mabel told me she wants to be a Doctor when she grows up. I told her that she’ll never amount to anything (just kidding but she is only 8 months old I’m not sure its time for her to pick a career yet).
This one is about ants biting your bum.
We moved so naturally the bathroom art had to change to a certain extent.
Yes it’s a robotic horse. It was inspired by this album (the album is about robotic horses). In my house we like the song My children be Joyful.
The triplets have continued to read excessively and all enjoyed some Frog and Toad today (the one with the kite is probably the best story). But they wanted to do something a little bit different and review their favorite songs. So it will consist of two categories recorded music and music sung to them.
Recorded Music – they mostly listen to music during bathtime. they don’t need to get wound up during bathtime.
Elsie’s favorite = Colors and the Kids by Cat Power – Elsie’s review – “I didn’t know it was by a band called Cat Power.”
Mabel’s favorite = Song for Zula by Phosphorescent – Mabel’s review – “Phosphorescent’s says ‘to be acknowledged by some touch from his gnarled hands’ in his song and the Beast says ‘she didn’t shutter when I touched her with my paw’ in his song. I like both songs.”
Honeybear’s favorite = Lost Cause by Beck – Honeybear’s review – “I think we can all agree that ‘Loser’ was an anthem for a whole generation but did anyone think that the ‘Loser’ guy could produce real music without using Spanish. Fortunately for all of us he did.”
Sung Songs – These are songs that I actually sing to them. Realistically they probably all prefer a song that their mom sings.
Elsie – She’s Real! a cover by Built to Spill – Elsie’s review, “This would be even better if daddy knew all the words.”
Honeybear – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by the Flaming Lips – Honeybear’s review, “I do like the song but I have to admit that I really probably just like it because daddy substitutes my name for Yoshimi’s. Maybe I learn Karate one of these days.”
Mabel – Tender by Blur – Mabel’s review, “If I’m freaking out and I mean really freaking out. Singing this song is the only thing that really works.”
Editors note: Yes, the girls are only 7 months old. Yes they don’t have too much of a choice as to what to listen to. Yes, I hope they develop a good taste in music that doesn’t involve Justin bieber but I’d be okay if it involved Justin Timberlake that guy has some real dance moves.
Another picture in our ongoing poetry project. I drew the picture but my wife took the picture in the background.
Derek and the Gator
Sometimes it can be quite strange
when meeting an alligator on the beach
its hard to know exactly what to say
or what conclusion the meeting will reach
Will the gator attempt to be friends
or are his goals something far more suspect
is the gator putting his hand out to be kind
or is he just getting close so he can bite your neck
All I can say is Derek maybe you should have gone to the mountains instead
You may end up with a new friend or you may end up without your head
The triplets aren’t into watching movies yet so we decided to go ahead and read a picture book based on Return of the Jedi. The book has been in the family for years. They’re six months old now. The triplet’s reactions are as follows.
Mabel
Wait a second they just rebuilt the same Death Star from the first movie and then left the same fatal flaw in it only this time Lando blows it up using the Millenium Falcon instead Luke having to make a miracle shot using the force? I guess I’m just too young to understand why this makes sense.
Else
But where did the teddy bears learn how to fight like that?
Honeybear
The thing is that Luke keeps dressing in black throughout this movie. Traditionally we associate that color with evil and we naturally do so in Star Wars because Darth Vader wears all black. So why is Luke making this choice? Lets think of the possibilities.
1) Luke is a tough guy and tough guys wear black. I think we can pretty safely rule this one out. My Dad does a good impression of Luke that sounds like a prepubescent 12 year old.
2) Luke may actually turn evil. I’ve read the book and know that he doesn’t turn evil but I think that we are supposed to think that Luke turning evil is a possibility. The problem is that at some point Luke whines this line of dialog, “But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!” Evil just isn’t an option for him.
3) Luke wears black so he can feel close to his father. This sounds about right to me. We’ve already ruled out the possibility of Luke being tough and Luke being evil. So what does a completely non-tough mama’s boy do to feel closer to his father? Anything he can. In this case he dresses like him.
But really this whole story is about redemption. It is possible to not only make serious mistakes in life but to recover from them and become a better man. Darth Vader’s decision to finally betray the Emperor and stand up for what he knows to be right redeems him. Many lives were lost because of Vader’s decisions and who knows where he will end up in the next life. I just know that he was able to change for the better despite no one believing it would be possible.
If wishes were fishes I’d catch at least three
I might give away one but I’d save two for me
The wishes I’d make wouldn’t have to be important wishes
Because I could just go back to the beach and catch more fishes
Wigasaurus Rex
Some dinosaurs don’t go for sharp teeth
Some dinosaurs don’t care about terrifying roars
Some dinosaurs aren’t into hunting
Some dinosaurs think that fighting is a bore
There is a certain kind of dinosaur that worries about going bald
There is a certain kind of dinosaur that thinks hip fashion is the best
There is a certain kind of dinosaur that worries about how he looks
That certain kind of dinsosaur is the Wigasaurus Rex
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