"And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God?"
While Al Gore was in Europe, predicting that "the entire North Polarized cap will disappear in 5 years" due to global warming, the southern California desert was getting blanketed in snow.
Global-warming induced snow storm in southern California, 15 December 2008
Photo © Julie Shropshire
Irony, thy name is Al Gore.
Just a quick note to let everyone know that Karen's WebNursery is now online. We should have birth announcements and pictures in the mail to everyone in about two weeks.
I mentioned previously that Karen looks just like Lily did when she was born, except for their hair. Well, let me show you just how much alike they really look:
Can you tell which one is Lily, and which one is Karen?
Photo © Chip Bennett
This morning, at 8:09, we welcomed into the world Karen Elizabeth Bennett:
Karen Elizabeth Bennett (Karen 00 Months Flickr set)
Photo © Chip Bennett
She was born via c-section at 8:09am; she weighed 6lbs, 10oz, and was 20" long. Both baby and mommy are doing well, and are recovering.
Nana and Papaw brought her Big Sister Lily to the hospital to meet her this afternoon. We'll have more pictures up soon.
Lily is going to be a big sister!
The digital indicator says "Pregnant," and yes, we are - as this test (and two others, just for good measure) confirmed today!
Photo © Chip Bennett, all rights reserved.
We quite literally just found out today, and are incredibly excited and overjoyed! More news as we have it, but in the meantime, please keep Steph in your prayers.
Sorry for the infrequent posting, but things have been really busy here.
My most recent project is the basement. When we moved in, I had basically everything that we didn't know what to do with, put into the basement workshop/storage room. So, now that we've got the main level and upstairs essentially in shape (except for the breakfast room), I've been concentrating on organizing the basement and storage room. Here's what it looks like now:
Cleanup and organization of the basement living areas.
Photo © Chip Bennett, all rights reserved.
Of course, I had to make some special additions:
The basement would not be complete without a Colts shrine.
Photo © Chip Bennett, all rights reserved.
And then there's the workshop/storage room. Without having seen the before pictures, you really won't get the transformation - so these pics are mainly for my dad:
The area now resembles a workshop and storage area, rather than an overflowing dumping ground.
Photo © Chip Bennett, all rights reserved.
I also uploaded a bunch more Lily photos, to her Nine Month and Ten Month sets. She's been as adorable as ever, learning new things such as clapping, drinking through a straw, and trying to climb the stairs. But of all the photos, this one has to be the best:
Lily gives such sweet kisses. Also, note mommy's cute new hairdo!
Photo © Chip Bennett, all rights reserved.
Imagine, if you will, a blogger who decides to focus his work on exposing the inaccuracy of the mainstream media's photojournalism. In order to do so, this blogger would need to post the photos to be discussed (be that discussion editorial, critical, or corrective in nature). Certainly, any rational person would understand that such action would constitute fair use of copyrighted works.
Such a blogger exists, and his blog is Snapped Shot.
The AP apparently disagreed with his fair use of their photos, and sent him a cease-and-desist letter. (The fair-use defense in this instance is pretty cut-and-dry. Snapped Shot has a run-down of the blogosphere's reaction, so there's no need for me to re-hash it all here.) After some consultation, Snapped Shot decided to comply rather than to place his family in jeopardy. After all, who can afford to fight the AP's legal department?
Here's the irony, though: the AP, who disputes Snapped Shot's fair-use right to their own copyrighted photos for the purpose of discussing the very photos themselves, apparently finds a fair-use right to others' copyrighted photos, even though the photos used were in no way related to the story (unless the AP can prove some link to a photo of a bikini-clad Ashley Alexandra Dupre in the Caribbean to a story about Eliot Spitzer's use of her call-girl services in New York).
Oh, but the irony gets even thicker: CNN is in on the copyright violations, too.
Hypocrisy: good for me, but not for thee.
So, you wouldn't know it from the ten inches of snow we got yesterday, but this past weekend was gorgeous. Sunday was about 77 degrees and sunny, and we got the chance to take Lily to the park, to enjoy the weather - and the infant swing:
I'm too cute!
Photo © Chip Bennett, all rights reserved.
Whee!
Photo © Chip Bennett, all rights reserved.
Hey, I think I really like this!
Photo © Chip Bennett, all rights reserved.
As the weather continues to get nicer, and Lily gets closer and closer to being a year old, I'm really looking forward to playing together outside in our yard, and more trips to the park!
After we closed on our house, we decided that we only wanted to undertake one project before moving in: the kitchen. We were fortunate to have new appliances already installed, but the cabinets made the kitchen a bit dark and dated, and the hardware was in obvious need of replacement:
We sanded, primed, and painted the cabinets Coastal Fog. We painted the walls Cumberland Fog. We replaced the drawer and door pulls with brushed nickel pulls, and also the door hinges. Finally, we replaced the sink faucet:
(Of course, now with everything else done, the range hood sticks out like a sore thumb. Hopefully, I can replace it next month, so that it will match the rest of the appliances.
I have to thank my parents - and especially my Dad - for all the hard work they contributed toward this project. We certainly would not have everything done by now, if not for them.
We still have much to do, but it is starting to feel more like home!
Lily has been making so many advances lately!
First, she is so proud of herself for being able to pick up her food and put it in her mouth:
Lily is excited to eat her cereal puffs by picking them up herself!
Photo © Chip Bennett, all rights reserved.
More recently, she has been trying so hard to pull herself up. The first time she accomplished the feat (this past Friday evening), it was so brief that I couldn't get a picture. Not to worry; when I went into her room to get her up from her nap yesterday, here is what I found:
Lily standing up in her crib, exploring her nursery.
Photo © Chip Bennett, all rights reserved.
And when I called her Papaw to wish him a happy birthday yesterday evening, Lily decided she would show off for him:
Lily standing up in the living room, showing off on her Papaw's birthday.
Photo © Chip Bennett, all rights reserved.
I haven't gotten any pictures yet of her other new discovery: looking at things upside down. Lily loves to see anything and everything upside-down. She will throw her head - or even her whole body - backward in order to look around the room, or at the paintings on the wall, or even just Mom and Dad. She is also becoming amazingly expressive; some of her facial expressions are just adorable - or hilarious.
Steph and I marvel at what a fun and exciting time we are experiencing in Lily's life. She is learning so much, and becoming more inquisitive and adventurous. We already know that part of moving into our house will mean installing outlet covers, cabinet locks, baby gates, and all of the other required "baby-proofing" that we'll have to do. But we wouldn't have it any other way!