SO....HOT....

hi everyone. i don't really have anything to say, but i was tired of no one posting anything, so i thought i'd share with all of you how hot it is here. it's hot, for lack of a better descripton. Karl's at band camp this week, so his family invited me to come spend the night at their house seeing as they have extra rooms and air conditioning.

I go back to school in a couple of weeks. just to let you know in case any of you were wondering.

my car has been invaded by a ghost. today as i was driving to work the locks kept relocking over and over again. and then as i was driving home from work, as the locks were locking, the dome light started turning on and off. so, it's either a ghost, or the result of my car being rained on the other day. i prefer to think it's the ghost of some nerd who always got locked in the car as a joke.

it's so humid, i think if i went swimming i would feel drier than i feel sitting here in the kitchen.

ok, now i really have nothing left to say. leave comments saying how hot and humid it was where you live today. whoever was the hottest gets a prize!!!

A few thoughts from Andy...

Hello Barnharts. It's been a while since you've heard from me, so I thought I'd update you on what's going on in my life.

Janell and I just celebrated our 1 year anniversary. I reminded her, that she has spent roughly a quarter of her life with me. Once she finished crying, she realized that it isn't quite as dismal as it seems. She still had a good 3 quarters of her life still. Now, when she turns 36 and has been with me for half her life, we could have bigger problems.

You can view the happy couple here and here

On a brighter note, the best day of the year is approaching quickly. That's right, it's everyone's favorite brother/son in-law's birthday! July 30th, 1980 was an amazing day in history, and it should be celebrated as such. So, I have updated my gift list and reposted it. I know what you're thinking..."It's awfully presumptious of him to think WE are going to give HIM a present". If you're thinking that, you are correct. I am presuming it.

http://www.andy-mccann.com/gifts.html


That is all.
Thanks.

The Yard is Back!

In an earlier post, I detailed the promising-yet-currently-dismal garden. This evening, mid-July, I'm back to announce that rain has taken its toll and the garden, successful beyond all our intentions, has even begun to invent all sorts of new vegetables that we didn't bother to plant. Few of them, unfortunately, are very tastey. And they happen to crowd out the vegetables that we intentionally planted. So, sadly, we had to let them go. But now that we've cleaned them out, the glory of the tomotoes and the cucumbers springs forth. For those too lazy to click back to the old post from a month of two ago, I'm including the picture here for a side-by-side comparison.

Ella Invents a New Sport

Lisa: Her Secret Life

I recently came upon this snarly picture of Lisa, and it took a moment for me to realize what it reminded me of. Then it hit me: Lisa is a celebrity! There is no other explanation for this "Why-are-you-photographing-me-you-annoying-paparrazi-but-I'm-glad-I'm-famous-enough-that-everyone-wants-to-look-at-me " look. Sorry Lisa, I just had to out you.

Floody?

Does anyone else remember a certain RedRiderTheGunShotCowboy running around singing this for days and days until he was threatened within an inch of his life by other, unnamed siblings? Or maybe it was Lisa...either way, you can imagine my delight when I stumbled into the lyrics for this beloved song. And yes, I did proceed to sing the whole thing to myself. I was alone, and I couldn't resist. Laugh now, but wait until you start reading!

The Lord told Noah, there's gonna be a floody, floody

Lord told Noah, there's gonna be a floody, floody,

Get those animals out of the muddy, muddy,

Children of the Lord.

The Lord told Noah, to build Him an arky, arky,

Lord told Noah, to build Him an arky, arky,

Build it out of gopher barky, barky,

Children of the Lord

The animals, the animals, they came in by twosies, twosies,

Animals, the animals, they came in by twosies, twosies,

Elephants and kangaroosies, roosies,

Children of the Lord.

It rained and poured for forty daysies, daysies,

Rained and poured for forty daysies, daysies,

Almost drove those animals crazies, crazies,

Children of the Lord.

The sun came out, and dried up the landy, landy,

Look! There's the sun, it dried up the landy, landy,

Everything was fine and dandy, dandy,

Children of the Lord.

Rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory

Rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory

Rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory

Children of the Lord.

England is apparently Boatland

Although I had plans of posting dozens upon dozens of intriguing pictures that I've taken over the last week or so, I was foiled by my lack of intriguing pictures.

No. I was foiled, rather, by my unwillingness to crop, resize, upload, describe, and oogle over all my photos. I'll outsource that task to Daniel once I get home. But, in my ever-charitable thoughtfulness, I've decided to release a teaser:



This was probably a pirate ship. Although I didn't read the little signs that talked about the ship (mostly because the funny British spellings like "shippe" and "cannonne" threw me off course), I'm just going to go with my gut feeling here. Vicky and I went took a train down to Portsmouth today, on the south coast of England. It was full of boats, naturally, so Vicky eventually dragged me away from shoe shopping in the mall to visit the big boats. This one is so old they decided it best to leave it out of the water.

Sometimes he makes me laugh

Anyone who has known Andy for very long would be able to tell you that he is a little picky when it comes to food. To be fair, I will eat just about anything, so it doesn't take much before I put someone in the picky eaters club. But by any standard, Andy's tastes are highly discriminatory. Though I could list all of the foods on the "Andy-does-not-eat-list," that is not the real reason for my post.

The food I want to focus on today is bread. Not so much a loaf of bread, (because he doesn't really eat that), but sandwich rolls. I am gradually learning what makes a good (and bad) sandwich roll. The bread must be soft and a little doughy, with no type of seeds or other foreign objects on top, and any kind of flavor is out of the question. Its incredible how fresh and tasty the rolls can look in the package, and then when you try them they are tasteless, tough, or stale. Needless to say, I've learned by trial and error. Though Andy has been more than gracious, I always feel a little guilty packing his lunch with a sandwich I know he isn't really going to like. I usually have a flashback of my first-grade self, trying to swallow the lump of white bread and Bologna in my mouth.

All of this is a backdrop for the events that unfolded tonight. After Andy and I ate dinner tonight, I left to go grocery shopping. Among the items on my list for this week were "Good sandwich Rolls." I wrote it like this so I would remember to really look and find the PERFECT roll. I write this every week. Except that tonight, I actually found it! A new grocery store opened down the road just recently, and their selection is superb. So tonight, I found the perfect fresh, doughy, plain sandwich roll; I was ecstatic!

As I put the groceries away, I set aside the things I needed to make lunches for tomorrow. I could just imagine Andy coming home after work and raving over the sandwich perfection. (a little much perhaps, but you'd be surprised how excited he gets about good food) I was just finishing putting the groceries away when Andy came into the kitchen. We started talking about something, and it took a moment before I noticed that he was holding something in his hand. And he was squishing it. And it was the rolls! My perfect, Andy-approved, my-search-is-over sandwich rolls! My face must have conveyed my horror, because Andy immediately froze, then slowly looked down at the bag in his hand.

ME: "What are you doing??"

ANDY: "Uhhhhh...."

ME: "Those are for your lunches!"

ANDY: "I thought they were moldy!"

ME: "So you wanted to smash them?"

ANDY: "I was going to give them to the birds."

By this time, Andy looked so crestfallen that I couldn't help but laugh. You may be wondering, as I was and actually still am, why you would want to pulverize the bread before you would give it to the birds. You may also be wondering, as I was, why it was assumed that the bread was moldy. However, I feel it is best not to pursue the answers to these questions. I do know that next time, I'm getting two packages; one for Andy to eat, and the other for him to play with.

Happy Birthday Bweeza!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful (I'm not being sarcastic, as this picture may lead you to believe) talented, free-spirited, mole-match sister. I was very glad when mom had you, because I really needed someone else on the girl's team. And because you looked like Shirley Temple, but that wasn't until later. I love you Lisa!

Love Janell

Camping in the UP (or the DOWN)

If we don't start talking about this soon, August will be upon us and the only place left to camp at will be Pioneer Park. It's time to start figuring out who's available and where we might be able to go camping. Dad has the week of August 13-19 off, and he's determined to go camping even if it's only he and Daniel.

Apparently, Dad and Daniel stopped by Hiawatha National Forest on the way back from Steve and Rachel, and he verifies that it looks very good. Right next to Lake Michigan somewhere around Mackinac. Ben also proposed visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes. Please look at the below table to see approximate traveling times (in hours) for each party per campground.

Name	Hiawatha	Sleeping Bear
Ben	11	13
Janell	7.5	6
Home	5	3

As you can see, the largest burden will be on Ben. Steve and Rachel were not included in the table because mapquest could not locate the U.P.

I've talked about us celebrating my graduation (as well as all the other parties) sometime around the camping trip. Ben suggested that we go camping nearer to home (Sleeping Bear Dunes) and all meet here in Muskegon for the first weekend. We could celebrate all the parties, pack stuff up and go camping for the rest of the week. Who likes that idea?

So, let's find out who is available during this time and what everyone thinks of the options so far. Any better ideas?

The Blooming Yard

While the UP and frigid Minnesota are just beginning to throw off their annual glaciers, the sunny Southern Michigan is busy bringing forth fruit of the bountiful Barnhart yard. Last week we planted the garden, which promises a bumper crop of cucumbers this season. Also promising is the new irrigation system installed in the corner, cleverly hidden by one of the bushes. We buried a water line out to the garden and installed both a tap and a permenant sprinkler. Now we don't have to worry about the hoses messing up the lawnmower blades. Furthermore, the tap has come in quite handy for watering the apple trees, nearby.

Speaking of which, the apples are also come forth in great vigor this spring. All three apple trees finally have apples this year. Although the original apple tree (from a mail-order catalogue) is still lagging behind the other two in quantity of fruit, it's still growing nicely and has a healthy shean to the leaves. We've been watering the trees almost every day with a hose, and I'm starting to suspect that water is the key to growing large apples. It's only the beginning of June and look how big the apples already are! At this rate, they're going to be a fantastic meal for the squirrels come August.

In case any of you feel so inclined...

Well family, it's that time of year again, and I don't think I really need to remind you of what I'm talking about. I have a plethora of gift ideas for my birthday this year.

Gifts of which the expense may be shared with one other person (I can't have too many of you sharing one present because then I won't get as many :-D)

~a beadspread for my room. I already have it picked out from a catalogue. cost: $40
~a gift card to any of the following stores: Maurices, The Buckle, Express, The Buckle, Gap, The Buckle, or....The Buckle( I really need some new jeans :-)
~a DVD season of I Love Lucy. check with mom to see if or what season she already has.

Gifts of which the expense may be shared with more than one person

~I could really use a watch.

Other gift ideas may be obtained from mom. She has a few presents that I think she would be willing to share with someone else.

Janell and David are excused from buying me presents this year for the following reasons

Janell: you already gave me that amazing face mask. i was the envy of my entire dorm :-)

David: I still haven't given you a birthday present.

Isn't the internet amazing?

I found this video of Janell as a child. She's imitating the horse from Black Beauty. It's a great impersonation, if you ask me. One of her proudest accomplishments. Right up there with getting married to me.

Ella learns to drive

On our recent travels (much longer than anticipated, much more stressful than usual, and much more emotionally draining than I ever imagined), Ella came into her own. Her personality, size, and abilities all grew by leaps and bounds (not quite literally, but close). Ella has determined that her favorite place in the car is not in her car seat (where she should be and does indeed spend most of her time) but in the driver's seat....where there are lots of buttons and knobs and a steering wheel to be entertained by. As evidence, I add this photo, taken just days ago, for your viewing pleasure. It appears that she takes quite naturally to this new role, though I hope that it doesn't really take off for another 16 years or so!





I thought I'd add this photo, just because she's so adorable! We'll put more photos on our photosite soon, but we had to clean off our camera cards at my parents' house so that we had space for the wedding photos that we had to do before heading home. So we'll be getting those photos (from our travels 'round the state) from my dad sometime soon, and then you'll get to see Ella's amazing growth over the past few weeks!

A few of the things she learned to do while away from home: crawl, swim, eat carrots, eat peas (doesn't like them very much), eat potatoes (loves them - definitely Mommy's daughter!), and open dresser drawers. I think she also grew about an inch (just bought her some new clothes in the size she was wearing when we left, and I don't think she'll get much use out of them! AHHHHHH!!!!!) and her personality shines much more. She's very interactive....and loves to watch all of the dogs that are nearby (Fletcher wasn't with us on our travels, so she had just a few random dogs to see). I don't think Fletcher was quite prepared for her mobility on our arrival home, but he seems to be adjusting well. She's only grabbed his leg a couple of times, and he's been very patient with her. Or maybe he's just moping because he doesn't get to chase squirrels all day long here at home like he did while we were gone.

Finally, a video of Ella!

I thought everyone would be excited to see a short video documenting Ella's most recent triumphs in the art of movement. Although Steve and Rachel were trying to keep this hidden from the family, it seems that Ella has now learned to walk. It also seems that Fletcher has somehow turned into a cat. And Ella stopped being so cute. And Rachel turned into another person. In short, I believe that this video documents more than just Ella's first steps. It is also evidence of her double life. I am sad to inform everyone that Ella has a whole second life, with a whole new family (and a cat). Steve, Rachel: I think it's time you came clean on this whole thing. We need to know what's going on. Or, at the very least, we need actual videos of Ella so that I don't have to post stuff like this.

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish

As I was getting ready for work this morning, I found myself remembering little flashes of a dream my brain had conjured the night before and the more I remembered, the more I liked it. What follows is my attempt to recount a pleasant little dream as well as pay a small tribute to one beloved children's author:

It all happened on Central Road at the Grandma's house. David and I were outside, and we were both pretty young, probably still in grade school. I remember seeing Daniel sitting over in the bushes by the part of the driveway we always parked in. He seemed to be about 1 year old, and was of course wearing only a diaper. I think he was playing with a squirrel, who seemed strangely unafraid to let Daniel pet and feed him.

Meanwhile, David and I were chopping up a tree. I'm not sure why we were being allowed to use an axe by ourselves, but I imagine it was because everyone else was just out frolicking in the woods in boisterous go-carts or unruly cars. Anyway, David challenged me to a contest of "who can throw their block of wood the highest." I readily accepted. We proceeded to launch our newly chopped wood high in the air, (granny style became our method of choice) well beyond the top of the tire swing tree. Each piece soared progressively higher, until eventually we would lose sight of them momentarily and wonder where they were going to land.

Now if you'll remember, Grandma always had an assortment of little pools around the yard, usually filled with what may have once been water with a few other things floating around. Unless they had just been filled that day, these were usually to be feared and avoided, in fact, better to walk in a wide arc around them so as to avoid any chance that your brother may reach in and splash you as you walk innocently past it. True to form, Grandma had a little plastic kiddie pool in her yard, but untrue to form, it was filled with clean, clear water. Also untrue to form or any kind of reality for that matter, there was an orange Dr. Seuss fish in the pool. On my fourth or fifth launch, my piece of wood reappeared directly over the kiddie pool. David and I watched as it came back down from the sky and landed right on the ledge of the pool, tipping it over and sending a sploosh of water over the grass.

The fish landed on the ground next to the pool, and after lying on his side for a moment, flipped up onto his tail placed his fins on his hips. (yes, he did have hips. He was a Dr. Seuss fish!) He threw me a condescending glance and then flopped back down on his belly and deftly propelled himself across the yard with his fins. Really surprisingly agile for a fish. He went and layed in the shade next to the tool shed, in the plastic flower bed. Meanwhile, I ran into the house, shouting to David that we had to find a big container to put some water in for the fish. I don't know why they pool wouldn't have worked, but for some reason it didn't.

David came into the kitchen as I was ransacking all the cupboards for a large bowl to fill with water. He looked at me for a moment, seemingly perplexed, then finally said, "You know, there are lots of fish who need water. If we're going to do it for him, we should probably do it for all of them." I had just finished filling a large bowl (I think one of the white ones we use for popcorn) with water, and was carrying it outside as David said this. He took the bowl over to the fish, who was quite ungrateful and disgruntled, and placed him inside. As he did this, I looked around. To my amazement, there were several Dr. Seuss fish, just lying on their sides in various places around the yard. None of them looked unhappy, just bored. Like they were waiting for something to happen, and they had been waiting for a long time. And then I woke up.

I imagine that in dream world, David and I are still filling up bowls of water for all the fish, maybe even some empty 2-liters for the smaller ones.

Falling gas prices to follow!

Just in time for the summer driving season, I have devised an ingenious plan to get low gas prices for me and the rest of the world, just don't let the little secret out of the bag OK? If you want to see how this will all happen, just check out my latest "news story" at www.mikesblog-mike.blogspot.com Once this is picked up by other bloggers and major news outlets, we will be paying pennies a gallon to fill up our vehicles for summer road trips. But, I think you should not depend on this story to carry us through the whole year, by fall they may have determined it was all a hoax and the prices will streak back up to record levels. But maybe by then I will have come up with another plan to fix it again. I awaite comments of deep gratitude snd contratulations for pulling off such a feat.

This one's for Ella

Who needs to post videos when you have animated gifs?

Mobility Achieved!

Well, the day has finally arrived (yesterday). Ella has learned to propel herself in the forward direction under her own power. This means (to her parents) a few things, including: much less free time (more time directly supervising the munchkin), less freedom to leave things piled on the floor (or see them either be consumed completely or gnawed and drooled on), more work to be completed quickly on the project house (a new actual floor in the living room and dining room would be useful) and just in general more FUN!

We're actually pretty excited that Ella has made this advancement in her development - it means she's growing up as she should. Granted, this crawling is relatively slow and somewhat short-distance as she does the Army belly crawl rather than the up on all fours crawling on hands and knees. I have a feeling that won't be far away.

This post has taken a much longer time than usual to get written. I continue to be required to go and get Ella from places she shouldn't be (right behind the door chewing on her high chair seat, pulling on the garbage can, etc.) Sorry there are no photos to document this exciting achievement, you just have to take my word for it. And I don't think a photo would really do justice to the actual movement she makes. It would definitely require a video (which I still need to do - this is very new) and I am definitely not that technologically-savvy to be able to upload/download (whatever it is) a video. I'm not even sure how to put the videos from the video camera on the computer. That falls into Steve's category.

Ella calls.

IT FINALLY WORKS!!

As a sidenote here, I would like to mention that this is the fourth time I've written and published this post. The first time was this morning, but I couldn't get the pictures right, so I did it again with dad's help. However, he informed me that when uploading pictures, it's best not to already have the entry written. The other three times are because I keep publishing it and realizing that it didn't turn out right. All this to say, after all the hard work I've put into this post, you better enjoy it immensly.

With the help of David last night, I'm finally able to post on this thing. Apparently I was always able to do so, but this ability was hindered by the fact that I deleted a certain necessary email.

I would like to invite you all to check out my blog as it no longer remains dormant. And now if you'll excuse me, I have hairs to be cut.

Before


After