Our home internet signal has been compromised. We hope it will be available again soon, but in the meantime posts and certainly pictures will be scarce. How did this post come to be? Do not ask this lest I be dooced.

Surrounded By Geniuses

Loosely surrounded that is, like, within a 2,800 mile radius but still...this week my little brother goes and writes an article, gets it published and snags himself a freelance writing position with the Boise Weekly! This following on the heels of my dear old dad getting published in World Magazine some weeks ago (I wasn't organized enough to get a link up and its buried now - sorry dad!) and of course, there's that (deservedly)gloating/genius/master/husband at home (who shushes everything I try to say with 'Just don't even try to think in the presence of The Master'). My goodness I'm so intimidated that I'm inspired! I'm going to go think of something awesome to do now.

Library Envy

A larger personal library there might be, but probably not one described so cleverly and whimsically with anecdotes, stories from childhood and not a touch of boasting (though I would boast of 30,000 books). He is not a book collector, just a true book lover.

"Confessions of a Sweatshop Inspector"

As is the case with so many things, after my initial outrage I became quite confused about the issue of sweatshops and I gave up. I shopped at Wal Mart if I needed to (like when it was the only grocery store in a small Southern town) and generally grabbed 'Fair Trade' or 'Made in the USA' when I noticed it on the package but that's as far as my revolution went. This article might have changed that. A former sweatshop inspector even handedly lays out the methods, benefits and even disadvantages of sweatshop inspections, including how we might sort through some of the hype. I don't enjoy being preached at, but I do enjoy being informed, and this article refreshingly contributes to the latter.

The remains of a wonderful weekend

This is not a staged photo...we had this much fun and even after Em and Steph washed for an hour there are still more dirty dishes than even fit in the frame. Thanks to you dear ones who joined us to celebrate that boy as he deserves!

Now please excuse me while I do dishes for a week.

The Master

So proud!