Responding to Customer Complaint or I've got a freckle INSIDE my belly button!

Heeeeyyyy everybody!

Yes, yes, I know there's been a little problem called no blogs, no photos. Such a disappointment! In fact, one particularly devoted individual who shall remain nameless lodged our first customer complaint this morning via Alexander Graham Bell's invention, which has been necessary at our house lately as our computer up and DIED! And along with it into the ether plunged ALL OF OUR DIGITAL PHOTOS, MUSIC: EVERYTHING YOU COULD POSSIBLY IMAGINE ONE MIGHT STORE ON A COMPUTER. Basically if it weren't for old time cameras and the fact that B already printed out some of the photos, there would be no visual record of Ellis' babyhood, and no evidence of the farm in the pre-renovation phase. In fact, the poor soul died as B was attempting to download some new photos on to the blog, my new pregnancy poses for this here site sitting in the queue, just waiting to be ogled. So we've all been busy mourning the loss of that information, plus to top it off last week I had the worst flu bug in the history of me (did you know that when you're pregnant you don't get to take flu drugs? Just a few judiciously-doled Tylenols for the fever. Brutal).

So we're in the market for a new computer right now - please be patient with us as we go back to trying to get all of our business done on the library computer, with its ticking clock constantly blinking the warning (17 minutes 55 seconds left, in case you were wondering)as I type as if my life depended on it. In the meantime, I'm sure you can imagine me in all of my Large Marge splendor. We'll get something on soon - I promise! We're working hard to earn back your satisfaction! And you can be expecting some free coupons for our product in the mail...

I am also very sorry I've missed telling you about the gradual melting of the ice on Lake Menomin, the quiet greening beginning in the pastures and in our lawn, and the fact that I found out something new about myself very recently (see title above). You know, when you reach the age of 34 you pretty much think you know your physical self pretty well, which makes the stretching of the old belly hole (and subsequent freckle discovery) quite the event! Another thing I must relay for posterity is that after the big snow, I went cross country skiing. Now, normally people don't spend a whole lot of time falling down when they're cross country skiing, but normal people don't have a big, intensely weighted belly and relaxin coursing through their veins, so the fact of the matter is that I fell thrice, and in the process wet my pants completely for the first time since the first grade. Oddly compelling, vaguely indignified this pregnancy thing is...

Thelonious continues to hop about - especially when aided by a Bavarian-creme filled donut. Ellis has discovered an affinity for spitting some very dramatic raspberries, which is especially effective with a mouthful of bright green peas. I have to say that having Ellis around has been very good for my ego, as I think the kid digs me, and enjoys enthusiastically sucking on my face from time to time. Watch out for the two small teeth on the bottom though! Nothing beats a grinning baby, really.

Chris has been very busy starting seeds, and we've got five trays of various sprouts in our living room right now - we're holding a work party this weekend to get the garden mulched and primed for action!

AHHH! Time is running out! 6 minutes, 35 seconds. I'm going to publish this fast!

Love and general springiness to all,

Charis