we have a room we call the armory

Look at this beautiful raptor on my neighbor's house!

I don't know what it is. But I love it. I wish he would come say hi to me, because I would buy live mice just to feed him. We have a bunch of varied raptors around, because we're still in the middle of a field and the hunting's good. I need to get better at identifying them, but they need to get better at holding still longer first.

Reese needed a place to stash Mason for a few hours. I don't remember why. I told them to cuddle up and they could watch some America's Funniest Home Videos. I remember watching that when I was quite small, and you know what?

People hurting (but mostly embarrassing) themselves never ceases to be funny. Also comic gold?

Babies.

Like this one. Rob does not approve of this bib, even though I told him I had no intention of buying others. Blake needed a CRAP TON of bibs when he was small because if it wasn't copious drool, it was copious spit-up. The kid was always giving back...

Which means I have a few bibs that make Vesper look like she's already on the prowl.

Rob still does not approve.

We hosted the Perrines overnight just after Christmas! Audrey, on the left, is now one (not in this picture, but now, as of 1/25) year old! Gunner, in Lane's arms, will be one on 2/12. It is crazy how quickly time flies. Also, that urn of corks in the background? The dust on the rim is striped with tiny finger streaks because Audrey wanted to explore. After about the third time of rescuing the baby from the decor (or the decor from the baby), Lane said, "You know you have one of these too, right? You'll be moving this eventually?"

Hmm. Maybe. Or maybe MY baby will be so used to it she ignores it. I'm terrible at baby-proofing, mostly because I am very lazy (one might also make a case for me being a lush, because those corks represent a lot of consumed wine!). And I want my children to know that you don't play in the knife drawer no matter WHERE you are. But mostly I'm lazy.

I don't know what they were watching, but none of them look very pleased. Well, to be fair, Matt usually looks like that.

The Schuylers gave the Perrine boys marshmallow shooters for Christmas. I am STILL finding mini marshmallow nuggets in the most random places, because Blake got one too. When I find them, I throw them away. When Blake finds them, he works on loosening even more teeth by eating them.

So, I'm serious about having a room we call the armory. When we refer to it with guests, it's simply the guest room. When we instruct boys on how to clean up, we tell them to put all the weapons back in the armory. I'd say we're the most well-protected house on the block, but these boys play fast and loose with what's considered a target.

My clock, for example, with the suction cup Nerf darts.

Or... me.

JUST after I snapped this, Mason let fire with both barrels of the orange shotgun you see on the right.

I took two to the chest.

But I have to say, that is the risk I run with nephews that I've essentially armed to the teeth.