As Jessica wisely notes, it just never get old taking photos of these two together.

Jessica coined this phrase to describe the state of our piano. She says: “This picture does not completely capture the clusterfuckness of our piano but it basically looks like we put a tree on top of the piano and flattened it with a bunch of presents.”

That’s our friend Oscar at right.

Bailey.

Art pogos for the girls.

Arthur wrote this note out with the help of a teacher at school. “Santa, can I have a spy kit for Christmas?” He apparently saw something like that when out with his friend Si. Unfortunately Santa didn’t get the note in time, and if he had I’m not even sure if the elves make spy kids. Jessica and I are hoping the other gifts distract him from this singular vision of his. We shall see.

Lewis’ at left (made at Willow) and Arthur made his at school.

The girls are snotty and needy again. Another cold!?!?  Anyway, they wake up from every sleep crying and cranky.  I was giving them yogurt and when they finished it they cried.  I nursed them and when I finally decided I needed to stop sitting there letting them pacify they cried.  I gave them some sweet Italian bread and only bailey cried.  Netta took her piece and started eating it.  Ten she walked over to her sister, picked up the piece I had set down for Bailey and handed it to her.  How wonderful!

—
Jessica

My brother Josh and his wife Ashley came over last Sunday to watch the kids (after the girls were down they watched Finding Nemo, a hit with the boys). Jess and I went out for dinner and shopping. We had a good time walking around the mall and came home with a single pair of awesome frog pajamas for Lewis. Which I’m sure I’ll post on the blog after he opens them on Christmas. They even have a hood with eyeballs!

Bailey.

Netta eating rice and dahl.

Netta wears her first hair piece.
[UPDATE–this is NOT Netta. This is Bailey baretta. Jessica corrected me, cause hell if I know.]

I have a few more copies of my book Ant Farm, Glimpses of Daily Life in Minnesota for sale. I’m selling them for $8 each or $10 to ship (less if you buy a couple). Cheap! And the book is just TOTALLY INCREDIBLE. I mean, wow, what an author! As magnum photographer Eli Reed said on book jacket, “Garvin’s work celebrates the best part of being a newspaper photographer. With Ant Farm he proves that every pictures actually does tell a story. Good for him and better for the rest of us!” Jesus, what a thing to say about measly old Ben. Can you even imagine a better last minute Christmas gift? And, from author Larry Millett who wrote the foreword: “Ant Farm is a testament to the intimate and ordinary rituals of everyday life. It’s also a collection of stories in miniature, told by the subjects themselves, and their words are often as poignant as Garvin’s photographs…” That’s just humbling, I’m so incredible. I can barely stand it. I hope you, too, are humbled by my awesomeness and let me unload some of these copies collecting dust…. I will ship the thing quick as possible!

Options to buy

A Book $8.00 USD A Book w/ shipping $10.00 USD 2 books $15.00 USD 2 books w/ shipping $18.00 USD 3 books $20.00 USD 3 books w/ shipping $25.00 USD

Here are a few photographs from the book: