Zapped! But we're back!

Hi folks,

Almost two weeks ago, a thunderstorm rolled through our area, complete with lightning. You'd think that after growing up as the daughter of a computer specialist who always stressed the importance of unplugging the computers during a thundstrom, I'd know better than to leave our computer plugged in. But did I know better? What do you think?

Our computer was turned off before the storm arrived, but I can hereby testify that just turning off a computer is not enough to protect it when lightning strikes the house or the street outside. In fact, a computer that is still plugged in when such lightning strikes can (will?) be ZAPPED!

ZAP!

And then, guess what? The motherboard is fried. As is the neighbor's TV, another neighbor's cable box, and at least three neighors' satellite dishes (but that wasn't because I didn't unplug them... I'm only responsible for the computer problem).

That's it. My excuse for not writing in the past few weeks.

But you know what? My boys, including this little smiley guy, make it all ok.

In a heartbeat.

Who needs computers when you've got access to this charm?

One thing I really like about Scandinavia is the fact that small circuses still exist and tour the various countries every summer. Recently, one such circus visited a nearby town.

And we visited the circus.

We all had a great time. Nick spent most of the time running in and out of the circus tent, as he wasn't quite comfortable with the darkness inside the tent.

Luke found a bit of his own clownish side to share.

Nick was very brave and insisted on riding the camel during intermission!

But the highlight of the show came in Act 2, when the clowns searched the crowd for a new addition to their act. They pulled Matthew into the ring and asked him to do all kinds of silly tricks with a shiny, red ball. He was a good sport about it, smiling and laughing along with the crowd.

See how talented he is? He can make a basket with the ball using only his belly!

Here I think he's preparing to do a similar trick in which he, most embarassingly, had to make a basket by bouncing the ball off his rear end.

Lucas, ever the supportive, loving younger brother, was literally laughing so hard that he couldn't breathe.