I was sitting at the computer beside the big picture window concentrating on some research when I heard Richelle call from outside, "Mom!  Look!  Quick!!"

There was a quality of urgency in her voice that I looked, quick.  And found the air had turned golden.  Inside and outside the house, the air was a warm golden glow that made us stretch into it as if into a cozy blanket.

The sunset was one I do not think I've ever seen in my life.  I have seen the air golden as well as pink, rose, and yellow but never so vibrantly gold.

Tyee Mountain almost looks volcanic.

We saw this double rainbow just as the glow was fading and the fat raindrops began splatting around us.

 "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork."

Bradlee

Here's a couple videos of Bradlee.  I sure hope they play for everyone.  The second video is more than a minute long because Richelle's at the control and I don't know how to edit video yet.

In the first one, he's just discovered that the little flap on the toy moves but he can't always pick it up once it's flush to the toy.  He'd get frustrated and switch hands - as if one can do what the other can't (perhaps it can, who knows?  It certainly has a different angle of attack) - and finally squall until someone lifts it for him.  He figured it out rather quickly and doesn't have much problem anymore.  That's Richelle laughing in the background.

This second video is the first time he played the piano while standing on the floor.  The lid is usually closed but I opened it and plinked a few notes to see what he'd do.  What he did was immediately climb up the piano leg and make his own music.  He was quite pleased with himself.

Latin Class

Richelle is in her second year of taking Latin as a language.  She wasn't keen at first but when I offered her the choice between taking Latin and taking English, she happily chose Latin and cheerfully agreed to a second year.  There were fifteen in the beginning class last year but she has only three classmates this year.

The homeschooling mother who is teaching it added in a lot of culture studies this year.  They have a snack that is as close as a typical Roman food as she can find (lots of breads, cheeses, and fruits) and they study the duties of family members, geography, customs, money, dress, trade, etc.

Today, they learned about coming-of-age, marriage, and death customs.  Then they had a go at wrapping a deceased loved one using a doll and a roll of toilet paper.  That was quickly done and they turned their active imaginations to more challenging victims, er,  loved ones.

Their half-grown cat was handy and, surprisingly, willing.  Gales of laughter and a long length of toilet paper later, they had a very lively kitten wrapped for burial.

A Budding Pianist

One of Bradlee's favorite pastimes - playing Grandma's giant noisemaker.  He will amuse himself for quite a while making a 6-month-old's version of music.

Working on the treble notes...

Grand finale.

Four Generations

At Christmas, I realized I was looking across the table at four generations of Millers with Bradlee on Nick's lap, flanked by Mike and Mike's dad Ray.  So I demanded a photo.

They're going to get so tired of me lining them up whenever we all get together...

Fun With Family

     Last week, we had the privilege of hosting two of my cousins when they stayed in town for a short time.  Actually, to be strictly accurate, Chris and Robyn are my kids' third cousins, but who's strictly accurate except in my family?  Anyway, after supper, we pulled out the Trivial Pursuit game and had a hilarious time.  Robyn kept rolling sixes and got a tad disgruntled with her slow progress, especially when Chris habitually rolled twos and fours.

     Here, Robyn is reading Cameron's question while Chris tries to figure out the answer.  I knew a lot of the answers...unfortunately, they were to other players' questions.

I read Chris' card at this point and so missed his incredulous expression as the question unfolded.  It ran something like:  "What French president adopted a boat person refugee that he'd found crying in the Charles de Gaulle Airport?"
     "There's been so many French presidents, even the French wouldn't know this answer!" he exclaimed.
    
    

"The first name will be either Jacques or Pierre," Robyn suggested helpfully.  But after several minutes of agonizing thought, he decided he simply couldn't answer correctly and so gave in.  

     Although she didn't know the president's name, Robyn's guess was correct.  It was Jacques Chirac.  Chris groaned, shook his head, and passed the dice on.

We knew Chris and Robyn but not well, so it was a real treat to have them spend time with us and get to know them better.  

For Kimberly

Kimberly, Nick took these pictures just for you...

And for a closer look...