Update

Rachel and Heather turned two cake mixes into cupcakes for Mutual the other day. This is what Rachel did with the leftover batter.

Inexplicably, the "after "photo uploaded sideways.

One recent Sunday, Rachel and I were unintentionally color coordinated and decided it would be fun to have a picture. We had a hard time being serious.

For Veterans' Day, we went on an outing. Rachel let me do her hair a la Pinterest.

Everyone was happy to be out of school and together.

I pointed a squirrel out to the kids and Michael tried to keep Naomi from running up and scaring it away.

Heather took some lovely pictures.

We had a delicious lunch. I ordered two sandwiches and an order of onion rings for seven people and we still took extra food home!

Naomi showed me this picture that Rachel made her.

Lastly, we have some very sad news.

On our way to St. George for Thanksgiving, we planned on dropping Bertram Wooster at some friends' to be pet sat while we were out of town. Unfortunately, he flew away while we were all chatting in the front yard. The local shelters haven't seen him yet. We miss him and are sad and lonely.

Bye, bye Bertie :(

From the Last Few Weeks

Bertie loves these little whiffle balls. He loves them to death. He has destroyed at least five and the time from destruction to destruction is getting shorter. Last time I went to the bird farm, I asked how much a case was. They gave me a 10% discount of the per ball price.

Stan's sister Marcia and her boys came for a visit. Heather took pictures one afternoon in the front yard.

Alex

Cameron

We had craft night for FHE and Rachel made this lovely charm bracelet out of my bead stash.

I like how it coordinates with her manicure!

Who's training whom?

We are trying to train Bertram Wooster to talk. He screeches, chirps and warbles. I, on the other hand, say hello and a number of other things to him every other time I walk past his cage. I even sing to him.

This morning, while I was flipping pancakes, Naomi was dancing around the dining room, saying, "Step up, step up, " which is the command the lady at the bird store instructed us to use.

So...some of us, anyway, are getting to be really well trained.

Bertram "Bertie" Wooster

We bought a budgie yesterday. He is officially mine, so I get the final word on what to name him. Which is a good thing, because I don't think we would ever reach consensus. Stan is wisely above the fray, but here is a
run down of everyone's opinions -

Summer wants to call him Jeeves instead of Bertie, but I think it will be much easier to teach him to say, "What, what, what, what?" and, "What-ho, Jeeves!" than to teach him, "I endeavor to give satisfaction, sir."

Rachel wants to call him Poofy.

Heather is happy with Wooster.

Gwen likes William.

Kelly wants to name him Phillip.

Michael wants to call him Blue Licorice and Spot.

Naomi alternates between Birdhead and Headbird.

What do you think he looks like?