timber...

so, we've had this half-dead tree for nearly as long as we've lived here.
a few weeks ago, we had a pretty strong storm that finally brought half of it down.
luckily, it narrowly missed hitting the corner of our house and the power and cable lines.

the other day, jackson decided to saw the trunk into pieces (more because he wanted to have a bonfire than he was really motivated to move the debris).

and, after taking a bajillion pictures of him using a chainsaw (not sure why i find that photo-worthy or why it makes me giggle), i decided to carve our initials into the trunk...8th-grade style.

then i decided it was too cute to throw in the bonfire.
so i convinced jackson to keep it as one large log and use as a bench on our patio.

not bad for something that's been dead for almost 7 years.

look what i caught...

a couple gold-fish-bowl-heads

i filled my house...

with lilacs.

we've lived here for almost 7 years.

and we've had lilacs for almost 7 years.

i am absolutely infatuated with their scent.

so i finally decided it was time to cut gobs of them and bring them inside.

i was sad and shocked to discover how quickly they wilt. they lasted less than 3 days.

but my house smelled just like spring for those 3 glorious days!

can you spot the monkey?

the only one NOT using the ballet bar correctly?

yeah...that one's mine.
photographic proof that her nickname is appropriate.