Right now Gwen is running around the house looking mischievous and crawling up onto chairs, standing on the edges, and making a general clown of herself. She's the only one of us who feels normal, as the rest of us have been struck by some virus or other. It's the one that I think is referred to as a "common cold." You've had the experience.... It sneaks up on you when you've lost a little too much sleep and attacks the sinuses and throat, leaving in its wake heads like balloons, throats that are raw, and general feelings of worthlessness. Don't get your leather couch, I'm speaking of physical feelings. Although the leather couch does sound comfortable right now.....

I think it started for me yesterday, when I got up after about five hours of sleep to go to Farmers Market. It's the first I've gone this year, and it was a beautiful day. It was just chilly enough in the morning to wish for an extra shirt, and just hot enough by noon to be grateful for the shade of the tent.

I usually enjoy market, and yesterday was no exception. I don't know about you, but I like observing people. Like the little girl and her parents who came by at about 8:15, she rubbing her eyes sleepily. These were the disciplined, healthy type. They perused the table for healthy things, and weren't interested in the yummy rolls, cinnamon twists, pastries, or cookies. Perhaps getting up early and taking their little girl to a market is part of their healthy lifestyle. This type of person often looks like they just may have ridden their bike to market. (Not to be confused with the ones who wear the whole "bike" outfit complete with helmet, who have legs like hercules and arms like pencils)

Then there are the people who come and buy the rolls, but comment about how they shouldn't violate their diet in such a way. I wonder, do they actually feel guilty about eating them, or do they just say things like that to make small talk? Perhaps they feel pressured by societies' "green, healthy" mantra enough to feel a tiny bit bad for indulging themselves, but not enough to keep them from their favorite pastries and rolls.

Of course, there are always those who don't comment one way or another. They simply come and buy what they care to have with neither apology nor explanation. These make the best customer.

Then there are the fads to observe. One that has intrigued me to watch over the last year or so is the gradual shift in sun glasses. There was a time when the glasses were fairly small and normal looking. Then I suppose that some Hollywood starlet or other decided to be different. Unfortunately it's hard to be different if you're a Hollywood starlet, as the second you try to be different, everyone joins you in their effort to be "different too." Maybe we can learn from the irony of that...

But I digress. I personally feel that it is entirely possible that the latest sun glasses fad was started by accident. I can see it now. Some actress or another donned a pair of ridiculously large sunglasses in an attempt to disguise herself, pose as a dragonfly, or perhaps temporarily cover her latest facial repair. She was discovered, and the next thing you know all the high school and college girls are seizing on the new style and masquerading as dragonflies. I can see that the glasses would be handy to wear in lieu of a hat, as they do shade about the same amount of the head. I can imagine that one wouldn't dare to wear them too long in the sun however, or they would certainly look silly with them off, as the untanned portion of their face would encompass two three inch circles around their eyes.

Ah well, it's fun watching people, isn't it? I wonder what they'd say about me.....

I started all that to say that now I'm not feeling quite myself. Jenny has the same symptoms as I (although she's starting to complain of them which means she probably feels far worse than I, as she always complains half as soon and half as much as I), and Myles hasn't been sleeping well, what with his stuffy nose. So we're home today relaxing, sleeping, and trying to get better.

~GB

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I will be the ripe old age of twenty-two. That doesn't actually sound very old to me anymore for some reason. In fact, I think it sounds a bit young, especially for having two children in my care.
It will be our "Golden Birthday"... I remember when my cousin, Sam, had her golden birthday. I think she was five. I wanted so badly to have golden birthday too, but Mom informed me that I'd have to wait until I was twenty-two years old, since our birthday is on the 22nd of May. To a five year old, those years seemed like an endless stretch of time, that I couldn't even begin to fathom. Kind of like eternity or something. But here I am... twenty two years old already.
Now I am married, have two babies, and live in Nebraska, where golden birthday's don't matter a whole lot. Gabe didn't even know what I meant when I mentioned that Lance and I would be having a golden birthday.
Abbey ordered some flowers for me and we picked them up today while we were in Seward. They are beautiful. Thank you Abbey, I think I shall try to preserve them with silica gel, they are too pretty to throw away. Gabe got me a gift while were in Seward, but tried to be real sneaky about it. I think it's a new journal. We got some columbine plants too, and I am supposed to be planting them, but I thought I should post while I was inspired.
Gwen and Myles are both napping... I love when they both nap at the same time. It is such a pleasant feeling to have quietness all to myself for a bit. Myles is doing ever so much better, I'm not sure if it's because he is growing up, or because I have been on a dairy free diet, or the if it's the probiotics, or all three. I am just happy that he is happy. I feel a bit deprived though, not having had ice cream for a month or so, except for one time.
So Happy Birthday Lance and Me. I think you should come surprise me, Lance. That would be fun. It's sad not spending our birthday together. Aren't twins supposed to be together on their birthday?

JENNY

A boring post

You've been warned.

So in addition to the whole knifemaking thing, I've taken on a new hobby recently. I guess you've maybe seen a picture or two of a whip crop up in my picasa albums, but I thought I'd show you a bit more.

See, since I was but a wee lad, I've been fascinated (as most boys are I guess) by things like horses and all the paraphernalia that goes along with. Including things like bridles, ropes, saddles, and incidentally, whips. Okay, so the whip part isn't necessary for the horse most of the time, but it's a part of the culture. When I say whips, I mean Bull Whips, of the variety that catch the imagination of most boys at some time or other. I've owned a whip or two since I was in my young teens I suppose, and enjoyed learning how to crack them.

As interesting as ropes (of the cowboy variety), and whips are to me, I had never really gotten serious about making one. That is, unless you count a 12 year old boy spending hours on end braiding bailer twine strands together to try to make his own lasso. I've always had an interest in braids and knots that was idling back on a shelf in my mind somewhere, and when I recently discovered a nylon rope known as paracord, that interest reawakened.

So I've spent some time learning all about things that make good core materials for whips, and reading interesting books and looking at helpful youtube videos about plaiting. (That's the term we snobbish whip makers use when we mean "braiding") The intricacies of the patterns that can be created are fascinating to me, and while I certainly don't have a very advanced ability, I'm still enjoying learning this stuff tremendously. So, since it's about time for me to go to bed, I'll close this post off with some pictures. Let me know if you need a whip, by the way!

This is a little 4 foot whip I did recently and sold on Ebay. By the way, this and all the whips shown here are made with a core of some kind, and then a plaited "belly" or two, and then a final overlay. The overlay on all of these is a 16 strand plait, which of course drops strands as it tapers to the point of the whip, ending in four strands at the fall hitches (those knots at the end of the braid).

Here's an 8' whip that will sell on Ebay tomorrow evening. (Bid now if you want it)

And a close up of the fancy plaiting in the handle, which I really like on this one. Incidentally, sometime when you're bored, have a shot at making one of those knots you see on the handle!

This is my most recent, a 10' green and tan whip that belongs to my brother.

And I closer shot of the handle on this one. Believe it or not, this handle was way easier to plait than the black and purple one. But I really like it anyway.

Well, that's my boring post!

~GB

Life Right Now

Hi, this is Jenny, and I thought I'd blog a small bit about our lives right now. As you all know, we have a new baby around here... Myles Andrew. He has changed our lives quite a lot, and this mommy is trying learn how to take care of two babies now, while keeping a positive attitude about life.
Gwendolyn likes her new little brother, but also still likes to have her mommy and daddy time. She is doing very well with the adjustment, and as soon as she has pushed those two bothersome teeth through, she should be doing even better.
My mom and younger siblings were here to take care of us when we got home from the hospital. Actually, we got here about 1/2 hour before they did. I don't know how I would have ever done the first week and a half without my mom staying here with us. Dad and Lance came too, about a week after mom got here, so I got to have my whole family, except for Clark's and Dru's, here!
This week we've been working at getting back to "normal" again. It went pretty well... today Mom B. came and took care of the babies while I slept for about an hour and a half. That was very nice. Life seems a lot nicer when I have my rest.
I thought maybe I'd add a few pictures to this post, but I am too lazy and have other things I want to do quick before the babies wake up. You can go to picasa to see pictures I guess. Goodbye.