my team

Margaret: Daphne did bad examples to me when we were playing the hippo game. They were eating marbles, and she locked me in the room, and I was crying for Mama and Daddy until Daddy came to get me. And she did more bad examples during our sleepover. Mama, can we go visit Daphne again?

M: Your pee-pee is going in the potty, too, Daddy. You’re on my team!

M: There’s a big booger in his nose! Come get a tissue for this big booger. [pronounced boo-ger.]

candyland

One of the things that Heather wanted to do while we were in Dallas was to take us to a nearby mall with a candy shop that her kids really loved.  It was a big hit with our lot, too -- each of them got a bag of their favorite things to nurse over the next few weeks.

press talk

Some friends from the Book History Workshop invited me to come and give a talk at their institution, and I jumped at the opportunity. I spent yesterday at Midwestern State's Moffett Library -- specifically, the Nolan A. Moore III Collection (more or less an analogue to Cushing's Laughlin Collection) -- and today gave a lecture connecting artifacts from that collection with objects and books from Laughlin.

My talk began with a verse from Richard Crashaw and then made a larger point about historical books -- "the way that physical objects gather meaning over time as various people engage with them, and how they present us with so much more than simply the words they contain."

I was able to show a good number of the highlights from the Moore Collection, and I think that the talk was well received.  (Not only was there a goodly number of participants, but the conversation after my remarks was stimulating.)  The only thing I wanted to show, but couldn't, was this Ramage Press housed in the Library.  Despite some fire damage, it's gorgeous.

landmark trim

mini-stop

double decker

driver

bedtime

tonsil strength

Margaret: Mama, walk me on the ceiling!
Jennifer: Greta, I can’t – you’re too big.
M: Can you hold me when your muscles get stronger – when you get some tonsils?

M: Do you remember that seat what locks up babies? And I used to sit in it before I got this seat that I can get out of?

M makes a joke that we call “Little Hawk” from Ghost Hawk, instead “Little Mice-y Hawk.”

backyard sisters

into the woods

Linus: I’ll tell you why Groot’s name is Groot – it’s because he’s the root of an ent!

mother of invention

Casper: What do you think a frozen pickle tastes like?
Todd: Did you just invent the pickle-sickle?
C: Pickle-sickles are delicious!

C: I’m riding so low!
I’m riding solo! Get it?
I’m writing a solo!

milestone

Today is Simon's three month anniversary, so we decided to get some shots of him in action.  He's a pretty jolly character, and is happy to recline and let the rest of us admire him.

tresses

We've been talking with Gwennie about the possibility of cutting her luxurious locks when we go to Dallas next week for my talk.  She's a little resistant, but I think that on some level, she's become tired of the amount of labor that goes into hair this long.  Update to come.

Sunday best

Margaret: Daddy, you’re a good daddy!

T: Are you only saying that because I’m taking you to the store to buy a new toy?
M: . . . yes.

M: Your brother’s annoying the baby sister – me!

M: Look, Tito! It’s your baby brother, with his cute little legs and his cute little bum!

M: sings “Down down down the soul? / All of the fire . . . cough mint.” (Mistaken from an Acrylics song her sister likes to listen to.)