ella & sophia crack themselves up. lately they think everything is funny. especially when mommy doesn't think it's funny. then it is REALLY funny. they tickle, giggle, chase, and laugh until someone cries. it always ends in a cry. like yesterday, when we were all going into the county courthouse to get mr. leif's official passport. oh, they found something funny and caused commotion in the quiet building. they liked to hear their little shrieks while walking through the hallway. try disciplining in that setting. OR sitting in sacrament meeting on sunday as they begin to tickle and giggle. it's down hill from there. 
leif is loving his time in his baby seat. he reaches for things that surprise me -- how did he get so strong? he likes it best on the kitchen counter while mommy is cooking and cleaning. he's ripped through a fair share of paper towels; pushed a large dirty pot off the counter; grabbed couscous salad and stuffed some in his mouth; held on to a glass and dropped it (without a break!! wheww!). and that was within a 30 minute period of time. he probably shouldn't be on the counter. however, he does it with a smile and i cannot resist those chubba legs and soft baby cheeks. he makes kitchen labor bearable! 
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time for some GREEN thoughts:
"We seem to have lost the wisdom of the indigenous people, which dictated that in any major decision, the first consideration was 'How will this decision we're making today affect our people in the future?' These days, decisions are made based on the bottom line." -Jane Goodall
"Let's make it a chemical-free summer in your garden! Start with disease and pest-resistant plants. You can also repel many pests with homemade concoctions and certain herb and flowers (basil, chives, mint, marigolds, and chrysanthemums) - so mix them with other plants. Ladybugs are great at controlling aphids. Use organic compost and mulch to improve your soil, which will reduce the need for pesticides." See www.gardensalive.com
"To avoid spraying for pests or even having to lay a hand on the odd insect that wanders into your home, find the places where they enter and block them up."
"Antibiotic-free: Farmers administer antibiotics to prevent animals from getting sick in cramped conditions. Fewer antibiotics in the bodies of the animals we eat means fewer antibiotics in our bodies, and a lessened chance of contributing to the rise of drug-resistant bacteria. (There's also a good chance that animals not treated with antibiotics were raised in more humane conditions.)"
"Think of transportation and exercise as a glorious package deal. Can walking/biking/rollerblading to work or school or to errands and appointments eliminate the need for a gym membership, and its associated expense and resource consumption?"
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please consider recycling.
start with mixed paper, newspaper, and cardboard. these items can make a BIG difference. pasco, kennewick, and richland have recycling sites available. i tend to use the sites in richland because they take more materials: mixed paper, cardboard, aluminum, glass, plastics, newspaper, and magazines. of particular importance is the fact that richland recycling sites accept plastics with a 1 or 2 on the bottom of the container.
make recycling part of your errand/grocery shopping experience. it doesn't take long. i promise. where do you recycle? richland has many great locations: see http://www.ci.richland.wa.us
here are a few that i use:
on your way to the temple? there is a lovely area at 103 keene road (south of the ace hardware store/below the fire station).
visiting the west richland walmart or new target? there is a site in the walmart parking lot at 2801 duportail street.
heading over to winco? drive a little further down george washington way to the uptown shopping center and there is a nice site behind the texaco station.
a good pasco location: located approximately...road 68 & court street (across from columbia corner gas station).
