A Night in New Windsor

     A late night and a long ride home inspired a sleep over.  This led to a delicious breakfast.  That led to some time lounging in the sun...which eventually developed into pool time! Oh, and little by little the whole crew piled on in...doggies included.  Thanks to the O'Brien Bed and Breakfast for their wonderful hospitality...bathing suits and all!

McCauley Summer Bash

     There was a white tent and decorations.  Tons of ice cold drinks.  Meat, meat, meat and mayonnaise based salads (this is now a big inside joke).  Music was fun.  Food was delicious.  Margaritas were dangerous.  (Leah, you are still in trouble ;))  There was even a fire eating man...though I'm not sure that part of the show was planned.   All of this would have made a fun party...but the people made it a terrific party.  Not only did I reconnect with my corner table buddy, Stacey,  but I made a few new friends as well.  I also got to spend some quality bonding time with the girls and the crazy that follows them.  It was a collection of family and friends and a tent full of love, laughter and life.  It was the first annual and I am already looking forward to next year!!! Thanks to Carrie and Tommy for putting on yet another amazing event!!!

Watch Little Ousmani and Alyssa in Alice in Wonderland

     Remember when we were little and every time we saw adults they would go crazy over how fast we were growing?  How tall we were just mystified them.  We would hear endless jokes about slowing down time so we would stop getting older. Well....I was one of those grown ups today.  I saw two girls I haven't seen in a bit and it blew my mind to see how big they had gotten.  How old they seemed.  How tall. 
     I also got to watch two little stars in a musical production today at our adorable little theater.  I have watched Ousmani grow for years now.  I taught her sweet little face back when she was tiny.  I watched as she painted rainbows and galloped around like a pony.  I often encouraged her to dance like the butterfly that she was...a free spirit...my little pixie.  Today, she wore wings...butterfly wings and I teared up just a bit.  She is my curly haired little buddy and it is amazing to see how beautiful she is in spirit.  I also have watched little Alyssa grow up through the years.  She stole the stage with her dancing and singing.  She shone like a little star.  I wish I would've recorded it because it just might be one of those moments they end up showing on talk shows once the star is all grown up and famous.  
     It was fun to take the kids to see a cute little show but it was extra special to know the stars.

Horrible Bosses

     Tonight I went to see the movie, Horrible Bosses, starring Jason Bateman.  It was funny.  Really funny.  I laughed out loud during quite a few scenes.  So did the rest of the audience so it must've really been funny because I've been known to be the only one cracking up at stuff from time to time. 
     It got me thinkin' about bosses.  I've had a few winners.  There was the one that screamed if you used the wrong color ink in the books.  Then there was the one that found the one piece of carpeting going the wrong direction when everything else was perfect.  There was the one that flaked at every single chance with any and all excuses for why you didn't get paid or why there were no supplies.  There were the ones that fired me right after Christmas to "go in a different direction" when I had been primed to spend years at the job.  Have I ever thought about offing anyone?  Nah, not really.  Not for being jerky bosses.  The guys in the movie had their reasons...
     I can also be grateful for the good bosses that I have had.  Some have actually taught me things.  Passed on their experiences and made me a better person.  Some are patient and flexible.  Some inspire.  To them I say thanks...which is good because I really don't have the money for a hitman!

Saute of CSA

     This week after I picked up my shares from the farm I was so excited that I set them all up (food stylist like) and took a picture.  Yes, I know...I'm a dork.  Today I grabbed Emily and told her to help me figure out which goodies would cook up nicely together to accompany our meat.  I threw in the little potatoes,  a leek, red onions, garlic seed head, lemon thyme, zucchini and carrots.  I also made a salad with the lettuce and cucumbers...I had already eaten all of the cherry tomatoes...oops.  This meal had more farm stuff than ever before and I can't wait until next week for the next batch!

Welcome Center Wash Up

     All this camping is making me see things in a whole new way.  So....when we had no power for a bit we got creative.  Solar lights were placed around as night lights.  The lantern was used to navigate down dark hallways.  Food and coffee was made on the grill. 
     But morning came and I had to get ready for work.  No power means no water at my house.  I grabbed my "camping toothbrush" and some other toiletries and headed for the local welcome center.  As I brushed my teeth I wondered if I would be asked where I was from...was I a weary traveler or a tourist from another country?  To that I could make up some elaborate tale of my cross country journey or my camping trip gone awry.  In truth I was from three minutes down the road with nothing glamorous or exciting to speak of....just no electricity.  I listened to the conversation of the poor sad woman on her cell phone.  I heard a French accent go by.  My curious little brain made up stories about all of the people there on a Tuesday morning at 7:30am.  I headed out of the center and followed my usual path to DD and then to work feeling a bit out of sorts, a little bit cleaner and satisfied that I had accomplished my new thing of the day and it wasn't even 8am. 

So Fun! Yogurt

     You take a cup to your yogurt of choice and load it up as full as you'd like.  Then you go to the toppings bar and smother your gurt with stuff.  Then it gets weighed...$18 for 4 and it wasn't all that great.  So fun?  Not so much. 

Note to rents: Monitor the children carefully!

A Porch without Mom

     When we moved to this house I was most excited about the porch.  I imagined lazy, sunny summer days sipping lemonade and playing Scrabble.  I pulled my Mom out to the porch and told her about the pinochle games and cold beers we would share.  Her health was never great but those were things that were simple enough to accomplish and would bring her much pleasure.  The first year we cleaned it together.  We moved her wicker furniture out there.  I loaded flower boxes with dripping vines and an array of colored blossoms.  We hosted a wedding at the house and that very porch is where the vows were exchanged between two people just starting their journey together.  My mother and I would meet out there at the first boom of a thunderstorm to watch the light show and smell her favorite scent...the rain.  We were given a porch swing as a thank you for the wedding and my mother and I would swing on it and talk.
     Each year as her health worsened...the porch was still the one thing that would get her up and moving.  In the spring I would clean and scrub and spruce it up.  I would load up the flower boxes with the new batch of flowers in the hopes of topping the year before.  She would get out there and smile.  In the fall I would change the boxes to an autumnal show full of gourds, pumpkins, mums and kale.  It would make her that much happier and keep us out there a tad longer after the warmth had left the air.
     Two years ago I went so far as to repaint all of the furniture.  I made the wicker a sunny yellow and the wooden bench and rocker a pale green.  They complimented the happy stripes on the new swing cushion.  Flowers stretched beyond the boxes and filled pots along the steps and on the antique chairs and tables.  She watched as her grandchildren played with the croquet set in the grass.  We still waited for storms and chances to talk whenever we could.  That summer was the hardest yet.  My life was falling apart around me and the swing on the porch seemed to magically take me to a place of calm even if for just a few moments.  Last summer there were new hopes of card games, morning cups of coffee and meals with music and lanterns and the magic of summer...but Mom was feeling pretty badly by then.
     This past winter when she was feeling very ill the ambulance came across the lawn and the porch was used for the stretcher transport.  I didn't decorate for Christmas.  There were no white lights twinkling or evergreens with bows as their had been the years prior.  When we brought her home from the hospital I rode with her in the ambulance that left grooves in the lawn as a reminder for months.  We came in through the front and paramedic boot soles and wheel marks were there long after the snow had melted.  She left through that front door.  She said goodbye to the porch one last time.
     It is now July.  Mother's Day came and went without the traditional batch of new flowers.  Spring said hello and then left without the scrubbing and preparation of a new summer.  Boxes were left in the garage with the old soil.  The porch was left dusty and dreary and full of cobwebs and dead leaves.  The swing has been lonely.  One of my favorite spring cleaning projects has been avoided.  Tonight I grabbed the mop, broom, murphy's and my bucket and scrubbed.  And cried.  And swept.  And cried.  I heard her voice saying it was about time I got to the porch...
     The last few years were devoted to a woman who had devoted a great portion of her life to me.  It was her turn.  I made the meals she loved.  I sorted the pills that gave her some relief.  I told her every detail of every event that she missed.  I talked and shared more than I ever had.  She did the same.  It was almost as if I knew that they would be the last few years.  Almost as if someone had told me to make it count...and I did.  I am grateful for that.  So much is missed.  Though I have stopped running down the hallway to tell her something that would make us both crack up with laughter...I still have trouble when I realize she isn't there when I really need her.  I sometimes talk out loud assuming she is listening because we all know she wouldn't want to miss a damn thing.  And maybe now I'll do it while swinging on the porch.  But up until today I simply couldn't face that I would clean it and make it nice for a card game that would never happen.  That there wouldn't be a pile of magazines with pages ripped out for the new recipes I needed to make for her.  No catalogs will be scoured.  No cold beers or juicy burgers.  Not with Mom.  I have one more section to do in the morning.  The sun's departure was too quick for me as I worked.  I will finish and I will swing and look at my work.  I just have to remember that I won't have to run down the hall and pull her to come and see it...something tells me she'll already be there on the swing just as proud as ever. 

Changed Screen Saver

     Some days are busier than others.  Some days are hard.   Maybe I'm weary.  But new doesn't always rock our world or change our lives.  So on a day when I was busy and weary and things were hard...I changed my screen saver.  Rocks.  Worn, smooth, weathered rocks. 

Breaking Down Camp

     When the raccoon made of with our 'smores supplies I thought that was the first and last of the little challenges...I was wrong.  We cut our trip short and experienced some challenges and frankly I am glad the day is over and don't want to relive it all. BUT, my new thing was to break down camp...tent and all.  Now, back to the sanitizing...

Blueberry Milk

     At the camp store you can purchase the most adorable glass bottles of milk from Smiling Hill Farm.  Chocolate, coffee, blueberry and banana are some of the flavors.  We tried the blueberry today made with organic milk and fresh Maine blueberries.  Delicious!!!!  Oh, and you bet I'm using the bottles for my flowers!!!

Casco Bay Camping

     We headed out for a more authentic camping trip.  We have a beautiful spot along the bay.  It's a bit more rustic but we still have a picnic table and fire ring.  We passed by the organic cattle farm on the way to our site and had the most delicious burgers from the Snack Shack.  The air is sweet and it is unseasonably warm for Maine.  
   

Travel Pouch for Emily

     Today while merchandising the shop at MudWorks I noticed an extra cute bag.  (Yes, I'm advertising here but I would only do it if I loved the product I was talking about. Eco Fugly is a line of bags and journals that use recycled material and handmade clay buttons.)  Annnnnyyyyway...this one had a patch of material that had little road signs and roads and I was instantly inspired.  We will be taking a long journey tomorrow and will be in the car for hours.  Sure, I already have a goody bag of coloring books and activities, etc but this would be a cute little special something for my creative little girl.  There is a brand new pack of the coolest mini colored pencils, a sketchpad and a note pad and they will be contained in this travel pouch.  She can also add little trinkets or collected items to the pouch.  We seem to find rocks and other odds and ends everywhere we go.   She can use the pages to draw a little story to narrate our trip better than any old photographs could do. 
     (Hey Moms...back when I started there I got her a journal.  I deemed it the Mother-Daughter journal.  We pass it quietly to one another if we have something important to share.  Something that might be tricky to talk about or maybe we are feeling shy.  It became a wonderful little bonding tool and a great way to express ourselves.)
     So there you have it.  Old material used to make something new which will lead to something creative and awesome...it's really all about how you look at things.  Here's to finding your creative something today and always!!!
     (Please be patient with posts for the next several days as we will be traveling to the lovely state of Maine.)

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

     I have never read a graphic novel before.  I'll be honest and say that I judged the cover before reading the book...all of them.  Tonight, I read the story of a childhood.  A story of bravery.  I am quite ignorant when it comes to the politics and cultures of our world but this tale goes beyond all of that.  It made me want to learn more.  Know more.  Pay more attention.  It also opened my eyes to something that goes well beyond what I thought the genre represented.  It was touching and heavy and yet made me laugh at times as well.  My favorite part is when the Grandma is passing on some words of wisdom:

"In life you'll meet a lot of jerks.  If they hurt you, tell yourself that it's because they're stupid.  That will help keep you from reacting to their cruelty.  Because there is nothing worse than bitterness and vengeance...always keep your dignity and be true to yourself."

A Night of Scrubbing

     We got home from camping in the early evening...and the cleaning began.  I detailed the car.  It was washed, vacuumed and scrubbed inside.  I started laundry.  I started dishes.  I scrubbed Em's hair.  I soaked and scrubbed Ethan.  I did a Silkwood shower on myself.  I used alcohol on my flip flops.  I sanitized our cool little toothbrush zipper bags.  I washed, dusted, scrubbed, scoured anything and everything that had to do with camping.  I allowed myself the relaxed nature of the trip but boy did I make up for it once we got home!!!

Tattoo

     It is tradition to get the kids new airbrushed tats while at Knoebel's.  This year was no exception.  Emily went with the flower.  Ethan went with the Batman logo since he has exhausted pirates and the like.  This time I got one as well.  It's a green and black celtic knot of sorts.  The funny part is the drama it created.  I posted just the word "tattoo" as my new thing for my facebook status and it led to quite the thread of comments.  It was quite amusing.  It also made me wonder about a real one.  I had enough trouble on deciding on the fake one...so many butterflies and designs to choose from.  My daughter is pushing me to get one and said that a portrait of the kids would be a great start!

Fish Fry with Mary

     We've been going to Knoebel's for years.  We have always passed the infamous fish fry sign...to which Mary would squeal..."Oooohhh, the fish fry...we should do that!!!".  We never have.  Until today.  Cole slaw, mac and cheese or fries and all the fried fish you can eat.  They even have a stand labeled "extra fish" which I found absolutely hysterical.  No need to wait for your breaded fillets...just pick up another basket!  It's nice to finally do the things you've always mentioned and hoped to do.  Fish fry on a Friday...check.

Knamping

     If you've ridden the adorable train ride at Knoebel's then you will know what I am talking about when I say I've always wanted to camp RIGHT THERE.  I would see the families with their little string of lights and think how fun it must be to sleep right there with an amusement park as your noisy neighbor.  How wonderful it would be to not have to put sleepy children and even more sleepy adults...dirty and sometimes wet from rides...into a car for an hour and a half journey home.  To wake up and take a few steps to the cherished rides that have brought smiles to my little girl's face for almost a decade.
     Tonight we set up camp and dubbed it..."Knamping".  The site was much nicer than expected though I do believe we have the most perfect space that the entire park has to offer.  Bathrooms are close.  Bathrooms are cleaned compulsively by the staff.  There are outdoor sinks for brushing teeth and washing faces.  Private bathrooms.  Bright lights and the smell of pine.  Our water source is a few steps away.  There is a huge deck, a fire ring, picnic table and an electric box.  We have tall shady trees.  Oh, and we are located exactly where I have watched those happy families with strings of colorful lights always camp.  Only this time it's us.  We might not be roughing it just yet but I couldn't have thought of a better way to introduce two newbies to the thing that is camping.
     Like a team of synchronized campers we each took on a role.  Firewood was stacked.  Tent was assembled.  Air mattresses were pumped and sleeping bags unrolled.  Table was set like a restaurant.  Chairs were placed around a ring that would later deliver 'smores as dessert.  Our first meal was hot dogs, beans and noodles.  After the fire we tucked ourselves in and zipped away the world.  Tired and excited at the same time and awaiting what the next big day has in store. 
    Since I am catching up on posts and it is days later I can let you know how the rest of the camping went... We woke up the next morning to yogurt, granola, blueberries and bananas.  We had another breakfast of bacon, egg and cheese quesadillas.   I got to spend one day with my dear friend Tina and her daughter Gabby, another day and an overnight with Mary and yet another day with The Dolls.  I took in each moment that was perfect and peaceful and remembered to be grateful for them.  But everything has a balance...and now I wait with a smile on my face for the reminders.  Let's just say one night was spent in the bathroom...BUT I did get to watch squirrel babies frolic in a nest as the sun came up.  One night included a four hour emergency vet appointment for a dog who refused to pee anywhere but on her own grass.  There was a fork to the head.  A couple of scraped knees.  We wrapped it up nicely with an emergency pick up to first aid for a nebulizer treatment for my girl.   But at the end of it all I realized I was a little bit better than before we got there.  I had started a fire, made a beautiful camp, planned out days of family and friends,  brushed my teeth amongst strangers, slept through ride testings and even kicked in as Mama Bear while my daughter gasped for air.  Our first try at camping has us hooked.
     I have a new list started for things to improve and am pretty proud of some stuff I had already thought of like those little solar lights we picked up at WalMart.  Martha Stewart would be proud to know that the deck had little lights at every corner that made stars on the dirt below...all for only $2 each.  I have analyzed the seasoned campers and might be stealing an idea or two.  I know something is a success when before it is even over the kids are begging that we do it again...and as we are leaving we are all slightly sad that we have to say goodbye to our spot.  I can divulge the site number but it'll cost ya!

Pasta Para Duritos

     While shopping for camping equipment at the big W (a store I tend to avoid at all costs) I found some interesting items.  One of them was a bag of pinwheel shaped  pasta looking things for under $2.  This is what the tag says:
    "Originating in Mexico, Pasta para Duritos puff up into a tasty snack like popcorn or chips when fried in oil or microwaved.  Add salt, chile sauce and lemon or lime juice to create an authentic Latin snack."
   Frying makes them oily...microwaving makes them puffy and healthy.  They were interesting to eat but way more interesting to watch puff up.  I guess it doesn't take much to entertain me though...also I think they would be great for shipping items.  Need something new to do with the kids?  Give 'em a try!

Thai Orchid

It's been seven months and  fifteen days
Since I've been to Saen
I cook and clean almost every single day
Plan my meals 'round the CSA
Had to do some chores and I got hungry
Needed something that was new
I can eat my dinner in a brand new restaurant
But nothing
I said nothing is like his food
'Cause nothing compares
Nothing compares... to Boon

Jane's

     It's been at least 41 days since I've had a soft twist in a cup but who's counting?  Tonight I did and I did it at Jane's...first time there.  It could be the endless weeks of veggies and water but damn if it wasn't  the best soft serve I've had yet.

Dining Poolside

     Six hour marathon at the pool.  Burgers in our wet bathing suits dining in the sunshine.  Life is good.

A stay at La Casa Bianca (A continuation of the Philly Zoo Trip)

     A busted radiator and a washed out zoo trip led us to the decision to stay overnight at the White House.  And quite the decision it turned out to be...


   The Inne at La Casa Bianca - Old World Charm with Modern Flair

···Dinner: choice of Indian, Thai or Jules Gourmet Pizza  (we decided on the pizza with various toppings including chick peas, arugula, goat cheese, chicken,  mushrooms and basil).


···Movies for the Children: Willy Wonka, Pingu and Wallace and Gromit (complete with popcorn with choice of topping)

···Game Night for Adults: cocktails and Trivial Pursuit

···Complimentary Spa Package: lotions, soaps, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, shower gels

···Breakfast:  yogurt, Harvest Mix Granola, blueberries and maple syrup as well as fresh papaya and fresh coffee

···Peaceful accommodations including ambient classical music and complimentary New York Times, Wall Street Journal and The Philadelphia Inquirer

···Kids camp: Playmobile, Dress Up and Play·doh areas

···Lunch served al fresco in the private garden

···Free shuttle service to auto repair facility

Review:  5 Stars

···Staff was friendly and knowledgeable.  Accommodations were superior.  Cozy, warm and welcoming environment.  Beautiful grounds.  Exceptional dining experiences. Adorable mascot entertained guests.  Complimentary cherub snuggles were a wonderful touch.  Attention to detail was superb right down to the lavatory's imported hand soup and lotion.  Will stay again when reservations allow.

Philly Zoo with the Whites

     Traffic was good.  Children were happy.  Weather was fine.  We were early.  It's in these moments I start to look behind me.  We met the rest of our tribe for the big event...loaded up the car...backed out of the driveway and ....sssssssscrape.  Seemed innocent enough until the neighbor called my nephew who called me to report that the radiator appeared to be leaking.  Within seconds the dashboard was lighting up like the 4th of July shows we have recently viewed.  First garage chuckled.  Second try was successful.  Change of plans and a car ride back we now have two vehicles headed to the zoo.  The girls in one and the boys in the other. 
     Parking was easy.  Family membership covered almost all of us.  We saw a few animals and decided to eat since the rain was looming.  We found a table for lunch and I nabbed a delicious roasted veggie wrap.  I looked at my awesome family and took a moment to be grateful.  As we finished lunch the clouds rolled away and the sun returned.  Hmmmm.....
     Oh look a lion...a tiger...some lighting.  We headed for cover in the primate building.  I teared up as I watched the magic of the gorilla  near the glass.  (Jenne will giggle as she reads this part.)  I watched the mischief and the mayhem of the little guys.  We then heard a story about how the monkeys were stealing the bolts off of the display and trading them for snacks.  Clever little monkeys.  We sought refuge from what now looked like a monsoon outside of the large windows.  We then decided to call it a day.  We headed back to the cars sloshing in miniature rivers ankle deep in some places.  We tried to share umbrellas as we lugged stroller, bags and four children safely back to the parking lot.  We were drenched.  But somewhere along the rushed walk back I started to laugh.  We all sort of did. 
     A "perfect" day would have been nice.   There would be lots of pictures of sunshine and magic.  The kids might have learned a thing or two...
     My nephew made me giggle at one point as he said "Why do people get so excited that they can see animals?!? It's a zoo...you are SUPPOSED to see them.  If we were walking down the street it might be crazy to suddenly see a lion but this is a zoo!!!" Between that statement and the way we handled the challenges of the day... I learned my lessons.  See, I had just said a short while before..."What is this latest test?". 
     See, it's LIFE.  It's supposed to feel like living.  Easy all of the time would get too simple.  We would stop appreciating the moments of perfect ease.  Life has to keep us on our toes.  Sometimes a car issue is a pain in the butt now but maybe it saved us from something horrible happening later on.  Turns out things were just fine.  Maybe it could've been  a gorgeous day but the rain made us get home at a time that kept us out of harm's way.  There are always maybes and wonder ifs and the occasional if only but it ended up being just perfect just the way it was.  With a decision to stay over while the repairs happened we went on to have a great dinner, the kids snuggled with popcorn while watching movies and the adults played a lovely game of Trivial Pursuit.  We talked.  We reminisced about times with a mother and grandmother we all miss dearly.  We laughed.  We shared.  I had another moment when everything was on pause and I looked around at the beautiful group of people who had shared an adventure together.  Kids saw adults problem solve and move forward and smile right  through the damn challenges.  Anyone can have a perfect day but it takes something special to create an adventure.

Design my Own Pendant

     I guess I didn't do such a bad job because I was asked to make some more pendants.  And this time I got a little crazy and tried to figure out one on my own.  It turned out to be a bit weird but I added my daughter's name and thought it would be better than just wasting the time spent on the shape.  I went back to finding shapes and patterns that would compliment each other in the hopes of something pretty being the outcome.  Some were.  Some were not.  But I was feeling extra adventurous today and in a moment of complete and utter bravery I went with an original idea.  I created something all my own.  No mimicry.  No pattern.  I stood back and looked at it and was actually pretty excited.  Now, I'm not the type to run with the thrill and imagine my works on the neck of famous actresses anytime soon but maybe with some practice I might have a new idea for my holiday list of goodies...

Kohlrabi

     I grew up in a house that knew a little something about veggies.  We loved them.  We grew them in our own awesome little garden.  Summertime meant snacks of cherry tomatoes and grapes fresh from the vine.  Some people found it odd that we ate fennel and kale and the like but to us it was normal.  I've mentioned the CSA and I have been pleasantly surprised to have been introduced to some new things.  That being said...yesterday we picked up two kohlrabi...one green and one purple.  I have heard of them but have never eaten a single bite.  So today I trimmed it up and sliced it into matchsticks and we all dug in.  I brought out the tried and true olive oil and s&p mixture that is a fennel staple and it worked well with the crispy sticks.  Today they were a crunchy raw snack and I'm saving the other one for another cooking adventure.

Rollin' Out the Clay and the Dough

     This morning at work I was taught how to make some pendants out of clay.  I worked on a few different styles and can't wait to see how they came out.  I thought I had discovered my new thing until there I was with a batch of dough rolling away yet again.  This time instead of a pendant we were making naan.  After a quick fry in the cast iron skillet we were enjoying some delicious homemade bread.  Sometimes you just have to smooth things out in order to create something beautiful!

4th of Jallow

     Tonight I did something I have never done in all my years of living in this town...I walked the levee to watch the fireworks.  No chevy and the levee was not dry.  Also no traffic.  No crazy crowds.  No admission fee.  Just four adorable kids and a lovely summer walk.  We found a spot and placed our blankets and watched as they caught fireflies.  The fireworks were in perfect view while on our own little section of the earth.  We named them as they fell...bowl of peas, sparkly popcorn, chicken chow mein, Christmas ornaments and bedazzled were just a few of the titles.  We headed back and lit some sparklers.  It was sweet and nostalgic and the very thing you love about a small town and a cherished summer holiday.  Thank you to the Jallow Family for celebrating with us...and for having another cool event in which your name fits so nicely!

Purchased Backpacks and Lunch Boxes for TWO Children

     Check your calendars people...it is only a few days into July.  I'm a Virgo and I procrastinate.  In theory I want to plan everything and line up the world in alphabetical or ROY G BIV order but that can't happen so I do it where I can.  Sometimes I battle though and get to those things but it might take a bit.  SO every summer I think about how my daughter needs a new place to put her lunch and another to carry books and before you know it...it's late August and we are scrambling.  Halloween costumes and birthday party themes come in with a photo finish as well most years.  Today, I stared at a wall of pink and blue and green and black.  I went from size to size to color to price.  I picked them up.  Zipped them.  Imagined cleaning crumbs out of them.  I was the tester with the white coat and the  #17 badge inspecting the choices.  I also faced the milestone of having to buy the set for my little guy as well.  I don't think I have let is seep in completely as to not fall down in a crumbling crying mess in the store.  My buddy will be off to all day kindergarten come September and that will be another event in itself.  And he'll be doing it with blue and orange sharks.
     Before fireworks celebrated the birthday of our country I have already purchased the school necessities and I am quite proud!!!  Those glittery explosions might have been for our beloved nation but I'd like to believe that just one or two were for my newly purchased backpacks...

Started and Ended my Day with a New Movie

     At 12:01am I was watching 127 Hours and at I got home from watching Larry Crowne at almost midnight.  One was good and one was...well...let's say different.  But they did have something in common.  There was a moment in time that changed their whole world.  It was how they dealt with it that made the rest of the story possible.  One man had to face weather conditions and pain and agony to continue on with life.  One had to weather a house forclosure and the pain and agony to start a whole new one.  That pivotal moment did not define who they were as men but everything after it DID.  When a man is pushed to his limitations you see the true character of the man.  They both had character.  They both were creative and strong.  They both fought.  One is real and one is a symbol of the typical man living in this country today but both were heroes. 

Da Vinci Science Center

     I declared today Ethan Day.  (Emily's was on Wednesday, don't get nervous.)  It's part of the letter of the day for the summer...when we get to "E" they each get their own day.  We had Chick Fil A for breakfast.  His very first tooth fell out...good timing on that one.  Then we headed to the Science Center where we played for hours.  I am pretty sure that I watched their little brains grow today right in front of my very eyes.  They explored, tested, played and experimented.  He now knows that he can lift 120 lbs if he uses the pulley system farthest away from the weight source.  He can rock a complicated little puzzle.  He can design and make bowls with a vacuum system...you get the idea.  We rounded out the day with a nasty dinner at a place I don't do too often... but let's just say he had two different play places in one day.  It was his day and I can't argue with a boy's wishes.  We will return to sanity and the letter F next week.  My final thought comes from the man himself...

"I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do."