It's berries, berries everywhere

We went back to Larriland Farm today and picked blueberries and raspberries, this time with the whole family.

I'm not really here

I know I haven't posted much the last few weeks. My brain seems to have left in all the family confusion. I can barely complete sentences when speaking, much less write coherently or spin or knit.

Tirtze did get finish the program she was in; she's going to have a few days off now (hopefully it'll be okay) and then go to an art camp next week. Kayla's feeling a lot better.

Everyone else is okay. The boys are enjoying day camp, and Addie talks more every day.

Of course, meanwhile I'm still trying to finish knitting the lace vest of doom (so glad I gave up on the notion of finishing by the end of the month), spinning some alpaca for my March of Fibres sweater, and now someone over on a Ravelry group devoted to all things by author Jan Brett is organizing a knit-along for a really simple sock pattern (traditional Scandinavian winter socks), so of course I'm joining in:

it's the most bunderful time of the year

Can you spot the bunny who is so brazen he hangs out right outside the front door?

There he is.

And I've finished my Herbology OWL sweater but I need some much better photos.

Things are so chaotic here I'm not going to even try to update on the family.

Everyone's been hard at work

Today, Feivel left for his big Boy Scout ride--Troop 613 left this morning to bike down the whole C&O Canal!  They'll make some stops during the week for rafting and the like, and finish in Georgetown Thursday evening.  The biked over 3 hours this afternoon and made it to their intended camping point at about 5:15 pm.

Jeffrey left early in the morning to meet up with the troop, help with davening and transport, and get them going in the northwest.  He just got home at about 8 pm.

The girls and Sachy spend the morning helping their grandparents with gardening and preparation for fence painting.  They worked very hard and Grandpa was very appreciative.

Gilad and Addie behaved nicely at their grandparents' house so everyone else could get their work done.

Meanwhile, being insane, I decided that just working the Slow Bee Mystery II shawl is not enough lace to be knitting (and I only have one other project on the needles at the moment, my Komon sweater from Knit Kimono).  So of course, I cast on Nancy Bush's summer Estonian shawl from the most recent Piecework.

We're just all worn out.

I know I'm running way behind

Just a really quick catch-up with no photos and no details:

Shavuos is over and was lovely despite the heat.
Addie is almost but not quite walking; her first birthday on the secular calendar is this Friday!
I'm working on Clue 5 of my Slow Bee Mystery shawl. I keep making mistakes but on this clue I'm ripping back and fixing them. I know, what a radical idea. I hope to be caught up at the end of the week despite the yom tov intervening.
I have something like 10 books to mail out for BookMoochers, so if you're waiting on one, expect me to notify you this evening that it's in the mail.
Gilad still seems to have a mild tummy disturbance; I'm guessing he has a bit of a bacterial icky thing going on but since it's already been about 2-3 weeks without getting any worse there doesn't seem to be anything we can do except wait it out and continue to maintain good hygeine.
Gilad is reading more and more though he still doesn't admit it.
School ends next week and I'm totally flustered about who's going where when and with what or whom for camp. I've got to get this more under control in my mind.

Anyway, more details in the upcoming few days as I catch up in the lazy hot days of summer.

Book Review: Dr. Rob's Guide to Raising Fit Kids

Not a diet book, not an exercise manual, this is a family guide to all-around fitness. While there is healthy eating advice, this direct, simple book is more concerned with encouraging activity and wellness for the whole family.Specific areas include casual activity; focused sports proper techniques, equipment, and concerns for younger athletes; coaching and motivation; safety; and youth substance abuse prevention. Healthy diet for active lifestyles is substantially covered as well, in simple, basic terms with specific examples and sample menus and choices.There is a positive message that every family can find ways to improve their overall wellness together, without coercion or pain. However, I would have prefered some mention and contact information for organizations which can assist in finding activities for special needs family members (such as Special Olympics, The ARC). To be fair, the fact that the book includes URLs to some related organizations is appreciated and is more than commonly included in similar books.The psychological, nutrititional, and medical advice all seem sound and up-to-date (which is to be expected given the author's background, but which is nevertheless gratifying given how much misinformation is frequently published in other works).Overall I recommend this as an excellent addition to the home, school, or public library.

Family photo

Somehow saying, "The Family Photo" makes me think of the twiddlebugs on Sesame Street and "The Family Car." Anyway, not a great photo, but you try to get all the kids to look in one direction without sucking pacifiers/thumbs, picking noses, giving each other bunny ears and so on.
That's Gilad, Sachy, me, Feivel, Tirtze, Kayla, and Jeffrey, for anyone who can't identify someone.

quiet, but everyone's sick

Everyone's kind of virusy--Jeffrey is feeling lousy, Gilad's still getting over his virus, Sachy says he doesn't feel well, Kayla's tired and I'm fighting a cold; even little Addie has a runny nose. Other than that, though, there's not much going on at home so I will bring you this little news tid bit from NYC yesterday:

A Moslem man helped a group of Jews on the subway who were attacked by Xians for saying, "Happy Hanukkah."

Anyone else want to get in the story?

(sad) Proof positive

...that I married into the right family.

Heard from BIL Andy this weekend:

Why are pirates so cool?
They just yaaarrrr.