Sssssssssssssssnake....

Hey kids,

So we took you to see a bunch of snakes at the museum in Reno last weekend. You kids were utterly unflappable. The snake handler draped snakes around your necks, with the instructions, "Be a tree..." and you took to them like you'd been handling snakes all your little lives. So proud of you!



Here's you and Wavy taking a break and getting some coloring done before checking out the shark cage. The museum is in the middle of a big park complex with an "adventure park" (whatever that means, it's always been closed when we've visited), a hugely lush arboretum, picnic areas and all sorts of other stuff that we'll have to explore this summer.



You guys have both reached this "golden age" where I can't wait to take you places and do things with you. That sounds awful. I've always loved doing things with you, but sometimes it was a chore. Or sometimes you were just so young and gaga about EVERYTHING, it wasn't altogether clear if you were enjoying yourselves.

Here's a shrunken head. I should've stood back a bit when I took the picture to give it some kind of reference; this thing is only about as big as my fist. Gruesome!



But now I'm getting to do all this stuff that I never had the time to do -- or couldn't be bothered to do -- before you were here to enjoy it with me. I guess this brings to mind that hoary old cliche about "seeing the world through a kid's eyes." Finally, I know what that means. Among other things, it means just getting out and doing ANYTHING, just for the sake of going out and having a good time. Right now, you kids are super-stoked about going to the chili cookoff this weekend. Jakob's been asking me every day this week, "How many days left until the chili cookoff?" I mean, enthusiasm like that is certainly contagious.

Here's Wavy right before she almost fell in the koi pond:



It looks to be a busy summer, then. Chili cookoff in two days (TWO DAYS, Jakob!), bluegrass festival in Virginia City the weekend after that. The outdoor summer concert series in Truckee starts up soon. There are beaches to be combed and camping to be done and fish to be caught this season. Whoot! Can't wait!

Here's Jakob and Miss Droopy Drawers teasing a big bear:



Good night, kids. Love you. Get rested up. I think we're going hiking tomorrow.