Guess what?!...I'm going to Harvard!!!

So I finally made it past Barstow and I'm now in Yermo, California.  I am excited that I'm making headway again (and I'm finally on a different page of my atlas) but it is still hard to be that enthusiastic when you really do the math.  Let's see...I've been on this run since two weeks after Maddie was born.  That was two and a half years ago...365 days in a year, and I've gone just over 200 miles.  Hmmm.  That's not so impressive now.  But why be a Debbie Downer?!  I'm doing it and I'm clicking off miles. 
If I were in Yermo right now, it would look something like this...

In the words of Scuttle the Seagull, "That's very dull."

This looks a little more exciting.  I'm sure I'd end up here for a greasy burger and fries, and a shameless chocolate shake before heading back out to beat the street.  And I'd probably end up tossing that lunch up on the side of the road, so how wonderful that this is all pretend.
Somewhere between Barstow and Yermo is a little dive called the Ghost Town of Calico.  I briefly looked in on those Google Images...

That's enough for me!  Time to go!  Onward and upward...I'M HEADING TO HARVARD!!!

Yea..no.  Not that Harvard.

Yup.  This is the one.  Just keep running just keep running just keep running....don't make eye contact...just keep running....

Before and After

Took the girls in for hair cuts today.  Ella needed a trim and some shaping.  Her hair has grown out a lot since she last....ehem....cut it herself.  Maddie desperately needed something to happen to the front of her face.  Every night after baths, I braid her hair so it won't tangle, and every night when I go and check on her, she has pulled the braids out and her hair is smashed into her drool.  I put it in a clippy in the mornings...she takes it out and it sticks to her Cheerio'd face.  I pull it back...she pulls it down and it dries stuck to her face if she has a snotty nose.  FIX IT. 
Ella loves going to get her hair cut.  She asked me for two days straight whether or not today was the day to see Miss Tiffany.

She's such a little lady.  This pic looks odd now that I see it bigger, but the cut really looks cute on her.
And now Maddie.....

What a little lady she....looks like.  This look just makes me smile.  Here's why....

That's me and my Granddad.  When I saw Maddie after her bangs were cut, I almost cried because I immediately thought of this picture.  What's really awesome is I still have the dress that I was wearing in this pic.  It's hanging in Maddie's closet and it fits her perfectly.  I think at Easter she'll have to cuddle with her Granddad in that dress and get a story read to her.  Dang...I'm tearing up again.
Well I better break this one up with a laugh...
Before:

and After:

Somebody had dry skin and needed a soothing soak.  That someone did not find it very relaxing.  Piffle.

When life gives you ear infections, make rainbows.

So Payton came home Thursday afternoon screaming in pain. 

He had an ear infection and his ear drum ended up blowing.  That sucked.  It was a lovely day out and he couldn't go out and play.  That's crap. 

So we made rainbows!  I've had this idea for a while, but the season wasn't appropriate...and we must be seasonally appropriate.  So we donned our towels and went to work.

Ella's rainbows were all red.  No other colors.  I asked her if red was her favorite color and she said, "No, purple is my favorite color."  Sure. 

Payton was very colorful and he had nice coverage. 

This was mine.  I'm so lame.  I had to follow the color pattern....whatever.

These are my kind of dirty dishes...

Assembly.

and.....enjoy.

A storm came through that night so now they're hanging all over the house.  I know pretty soon the temptation to pull on them and tear them down will hit the kids, but for right now they're blowing ever so gently in the breeze.