My Mother's Day

The two littlest Crabbes say, "Happy Mother's Day!"

For my big day, I wanted to take everybody to the newly expanded Powder Valley Nature Center, nestled in the woods between two of Missouri's most trafficked interstate highways! But it was so cool! Lots of things to see, do and touch! Just like the Magic House, only for nature! Mommy took an unnatural number of pictures!



And then, guess what? There was nature outside, too! What luck! About five miles of walking trails, of which we did about a mile. We saw lots of trees, three skinks -- which are totally cool Missouri lizards -- and enjoyed the singing of the birds.



Thanks, guys! I had a great day!

Saturdays at La Plaza

For at least six months now, we've been lunching every Saturday at La Plaza, a Mexican restaurant in Fenton. They have the greatest salsa, and amazing guacamole. Emilyn loves the cheese dip! We're pretty much "regulars" now, and the one lady who works there most Saturdays even knows what we want to eat and drink!

Daddy usually gets the chile verde, or the chile relleno. That's what's here in the picture. I always get pollo loco (crazy chicken). This week, it was cut up! For the first time! Awesome time saver!

Allen likes tortillas. He likes dipping in guacamole, because he can make a major mess that way. And he likes rice. Which, for him, is the same word as "rock." Just in case you're ever forced to translate for him...

Lunch at La Plaza

Jennie's Book Chat: "Absolute Fear"

I've read one or two books by Lisa Jackson. She's another one (shrewd authors all) who write about the same characters over and over again.

This one is "Absolute Fear." I like the characters... Left over from "Shiver." Jackson centers everything around the fictional Our Lady of Virtues mental hospital in New Orleans. It's a pretty creepy setting, and many horrible things went on there, so I'm sure it's ripe for many books to come.

But "Shiver" was a really well-plotted book. "Absolute Fear," not so much. It's like someone told the woman she had 20 pages to wrap it up. She throws everything but the kitchen sink in there, including pegging the killings on a character that you've seen for a paragraph before. Cheat! Anyway, what this book really needed was an editor! Maybe there is a future for me after the death of newspapers...

More meat? Yes!

For our 19th anniversary dinner, we went to Bacana Brazilian churrascaria. This is where they bring meat around on skewers and you eat until you explode. Fun! Even Emilyn had tons to eat... Ask her about the chicken hearts.

Dinner at Bacana

Sprinkler fun

Hear the burbling water! Hear the birdies going tweet! See the filling! And the spilling!

And here's more fun with Allen and the sprinkler...

Two from the front yard...

Just havin' some fun with the camera this afternoon...

We hired a new guy ...

... to mow and sweep up around the house...

THREE pieces at the art show!

Emilyn has outdone herself... She has three works at the Parkway All-District Art Show this weekend. The coiled dragon snake thing you will recognize from the South Area Art Show. But now you can add a quilt (making Grammy and Aunt Laurie proud!) and a pumpkin picture! Awesome! Here's the proud artist with her work:



Then there was time for a run at the playground and a walk through Queeny Park. Millions and millions of tiny rocks! Allen was beside himself! Plus concrete tunnels a cool little red slide, just his size. Click below to check it all out! (Captions are with the photos on DropShots.)

Spring's eternal

Well, a month ago I wouldn't have believed it. But here's the proof:

Things are greening up on Asilomar. Or redding up, as the case may be. You can see the casualties of the cold snap, still, on every tree, but it's true: Nature finds a way. (Funny thing: This exact same picture is lead art on tomorrow's Metro front! Except I didn't take that one...)

Turning over a new leaf

Don't cry! 30's not THAT old!

Happy birthday, Derek!!!
This little guy is soon to be the father of two!

Sick boy = no fun

Allen was throwing up today... Can there be anything worse than a toddler with a stomach bug? He can't even warn you when he's going to blow. So, we did more than a few loads of laundry...

He seems better this evening, and went to bed fine. He managed to keep down a few bites of lunch, a few more of dinner and some water and milk. He perked up a bit right before bedtime. So, we'll see how he feels in the morning. Emilyn took a few days to get over this same thing last week.

Will the parents succumb!? Will we hurry up and catch it before it ruins our anniversary?! Stay tuned...

10 years! That's tin!

Or aluminum! Whichever you prefer... Steve says aircraft count.

It's just 15 days until our 10th wedding anniversary... Just wanted to remind those of you out there who think we've just been together forever. It is close to forever: In just eight days, we'll celebrate 19 years as a couple.

How long is 19 years? Some tidbits from the evening news, May 10, 1988 (I love the Internet):

Strikes in Poland. Gorbachev's reforms in the USSR. Pardons in the Iran-Contra scandal. Pope John Paul II visiting South America. A bank fire in California. The aftermath of a plane crash in Detroit. A piece on Zola Budd. And commentary on the Reagans' interest in astrology.

We're planning an exotic anniversary getaway (exotic for us, anyway), thanks to Jeanne and Joe, who will be here to watch the young'uns... a trip to beautiful downtown St. Louis! A Thursday day game at the ol' (new) ballyard, watching the Cards likely lose to the Pirates, then dinner at the Top of the Riverfront, a fancy revolving restaurant downtown... Then we get to spend the night in a club king room at the Millennium Hotel downtown, where we get robes and slippers. Whoo-hoo!

To see the view from our seats, click here, then click on Section 166 (by the left field foul pole). To see the restaurant, click here. To check out what our room will look like, click here.

It's Betty Lou's birthday

Happy birthday, Mom! A big one: 75. I hope everyone did something fun with someone they love today. Give 'em a great big hug!