David does his own work and saves $$$:

The Calmest Kids' Birthday Party I've Seen So Far


Abe Whitesell Turns 4
The birthday boy




















Brighton Smith and Chloe had their own table




















Chloe with string cheese


















Will Leinster makes a funny face


















Benton Leinster entertains everyone


















The crowd

EEEEEEEEWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!

Above you see a trap for fruit flies, four of which have been lured into this small glass of white wine with dish soap in it. The wine to lure, the soap to keep them from escaping.

This makes about 50 total that have been trapped, swum around, and finally drowned, drunk I guess. BUT WHAT WAS THE SOURCE of these nasty critters?????

I have thrown away fruit, cleaned everything in the kitchen, poured boiling water down the drain numerous times. Still, more fruit flies. GRRRRRR.

Tonight, I found the source. The small composting pail I started about 4 months ago but then forgot about when it got full. Moist. Warm. Rotten. Perfect environment for breeding fruit flies.

I don't think I'm going to go green after all.

Baby Maeve was too tired to enjoy the party.
Abe enjoyed spending his tokens!
Chloe with her own hair design standing with Austin (Hamby--friend)
More of the birthday boy!
The hair as her mother had it fixed. Chloe is standing by the game she played pretty well. She had to knock over ducks riding by on a conveyer belt by pushing a yellow button. She couldn't see the ducks, but she knocked over a bunch anyway.
Eli made "credit cards" with his picture on them. Here he's showing them to his mother. Little Nielson Hamby looks on.

David saved $1200 by replacing the heater core in the '98 Cherokee. It took him about 16 hours. At his hourly rate, it cost him more than he saved, but it wasn't actual money. Just time.
When he put the car back together, it wouldn't start! One towing and $500 later, he has a new neutral switch and a car that runs WITH HEAT. Just in time for our cold weather.

I enjoyed watching Anne Stolarski's class perform The First Thanksgiving play with handmade puppets on sticks. I especially enjoyed seeing Eli Whitesell, our grandson, participate with his classmates! Anne is a friend and colleague of mine from years back in our school district. She's an amazing teacher.