I did not write this either

http://www.girlsgonechild.net/2010/06/in-defense-of-happiness.html

But it is still worth reading.

If My M-F-ing Coolers Don't Stop Effing Up There Is Going to Be Blood

Anyway.

In other news, I read this at SuburbanSnapshots.com and it is worth sharing.

WHY HAVING A TODDLER IS
LIKE BEING AT A FRAT PARTY*

THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2010

*That one frat party I've ever been to, having gone to a Very Serious Arts College.

10. There are half-full, brightly-colored plastic cups on the floor in every room. Three are in the bathtub.

9. There's always that one girl, bawling her eyes out in a corner.

8. It's best not to assume that the person closest to you has any control over their digestive function.

7. You sneak off to the bathroom knowing that as soon as you sit down, someone's going to start banging on the door.

6. Probably 80% of the stains on the furniture contain DNA.

5. You've got someone in your face at 3 a.m. looking for a drink.

4. There's definitely going to be a fight.

3. You're not sure whether anything you're doing is right, you just hope it won't get you arrested.

2. There are crumpled-up underpants everywhere.

1. You wake up wondering exactly how and when the person in bed with you got there.

i

Ki is gone until MONDAY which means it is uber easy for me to be uber grumpy.



I am working on it.


weather hot. kids good. annaliese is sleeping without a pullup these days, knock on wood. this morning she hopped out of bed and used her portable potty in her room all by herself. she got big kisses for that one. and caspian, teething again, only 6 teeth to go before he is all teethed up! walks more and more every day and is saying mama and daddy like a champ.

i am contemplating life without anika in a month and it ain't pretty. it's nice having company with the kids in the long afternoons, another adult to make really good dinners, and generally a go-to person for anything that crops up. sheesh. can't believe she is leaving all this for berlin. talk about c-razy.

the garden gives me great eace, joy, a little anxiety, and quite a few bugbites. what it has not produced, to date, is produce we actually really eat... the beautiful lettuce was wasted on us (though i sold some at the store), caspian's the only one who really liked the beets, new zealand spinach was also wasted on us, and the tomatoes are green and slowly turning but have yet to hit in force. we have had a little yummy squash, but the kids do not like it. beh. i have taken to planting zinnias and basil in the spots that crop up because in my opinion you can never have too many of either. the beans are standing still... the heat? i plan to shower them with manure and keep up the watering and mebbe something will happen. cukes are forming, k ate two before he left. they are 99 cents a pound in the store though-- for homegrown-- and it is hard to beat that.

i have some kickass sunflowers in my turquoise planter in the courtyard though, that make me feel all south-of-france-ish every time i drive home.

that's me, these days. a little grumpy, a lot hot, and very conscious of how much i have to be thankful for.

The Biggest News

Caspian is walking! By which I mean he proudly, grinning like a maniac, takes a few solo steps and then plops onto his butt and claps.

Cutest thing EVER.

Considering my two little numskulls have taken turns in not sleeping-- as in really not sleeping, as in every fricking-45-minutes-uncontrollable-wailing-not-sleeping-- I am in a really good mood.

Must have to do with the vacation research I've been doing for our upcoming anniversary trip. That we are taking in January. Which is really, relatively, right around the corner. Not really sure where the children will be, but one thing's for sure: not with us.

Selling watermelon, pushing the season's first corn, stone-cold out of pork chops and bread. I like this business. I think it suits me.

On a personal note, I picked my first tomato-- a red Mortgage Lifter-- yesterday evening. I am surrounded by produce all day long but I am still excited.

K's leaving next week. All week. Some work and a little play-- on Tahoe in a lakeside cabin with a bunch of guys, no less-- and I am both jealous and apprehensive. Thank Heaven Anika is still here!

Postcard Lady just pulled in. Later, taters.

Belated Bday Pics... And Annaliese

Homemade Banana Cake with Wilbur's Blackberries, Thank you VERY much

And the verdict is....

Yum! Yay for being one!

Little rock star.

----

Some long delayed pics...

Kids are down with a fever, which is going to make tomorrow... interesting, what with the produce trip and K's day of meetings and all. Good thing Anika is still here.

Annaliese has decided that there is a duck who lives in her room and he scares her. Not sure where THAT came from. Also, she insisted very sweetly this afternoon on putting her scraps from lunch out in the courtyard for the Easter Bunny. He figures promintently in her prayers these days as well.

We have reached the time when I wish we lived elsewhere. Summer in Mississippi is like winter in Vermont-- any time outside is uncomfortable. Although, at least here we do get the bearable mornings and evenings, when people emerge from the air conditioning to walk downtown or cut the grass. I have two friends who ae very pregnant and in so many ways, I don't envy them.

Cheers. Regular posting will, I promise, resume.

Beefcake, Courtesy of Anika

Back in VA, K. wanted to go here.

So we did. With bebes. And Cousin Nick, Caspian's godpapa, a good friend, an actual cousin, etc.

Then we got to the very cold water. Too cold for the kids. But men are men!

They still had to think about it.



Conclusion:

Blame Everyone Else

for the lack of pics. My mother, Anika, and my cousin took pics of hiking, christening, etc, and I've yet to see a single one. And Caspian looked ADORABLE too.

It a slow lunch time here at the BTC. Things seem momentarily under control: orders placed, checks written, account balanced, items priced. I've got a call in to sign uo for a food safety course so we can serve sandwiches: july 4th goal and more of the addicting crackers on their way.

sure hope we make it.

Was missing my little boy this morning-- spending the day with just him, trundling around town and cleaning up the house. Honestly, he doesn't seem to miss it-- he goes off to nursery school in the morning without a murmur, holding his arms out to his teacher-- but I will always be thankful we had 10+ months together at home.

Being away from the house, being at work, not to mention MANAGING a store... big-time change, and I don't have it balanced yet. Sometimes I wish I was still a kid and someone would tell me when I did something right. It's not always easy to tell these days.

But! Sun shining, air conditioning working, been getting some garden time in, and K and I have a date on Saturday.

Plus my little sister, 1 week out of college, went and got herself a JOB. An awesome one that she's excited about, pays well, gets vacay and benefits and whatnot, and involves travel to Hawaii. That kid. She always lands on her feet. I am uber-proud of her and uber-frickin-jealous because man, it'd be good to get paid.

Cheers sister!

All is well.

We went to Virginia. My sister graduated, the bebe was christened, once again Annaliese and Kagan puked. And me too. Still fun though. Even if we left at 4´30 in the morning with my mother and sister in the throes of stomach flu.

We came home. The store hadn't burned down. Hit the ground running.... or jogging.... or limping... but it's ok.

Caspian, MY BABY, turned one. He cried a lot and then had banana cake. picures to come. He now has 14 teeth, since the molars are through AND 2 eyeteeth. He is now called Piranha Mouth. He likes pork chops. He is sitting acrss from me right now with a balloon tied to hs chair, trying to use a spoon in a real bowl for the very first time. I am inordinately fond of him and everyone who spends time with him comes up later to tell me-- with wonder in their voice--- how sweet he is.

Annaliese took his presents and then sang him ''Happy Birthday, Baby Brudder, Happy Birthday, Baby Brudder.'' She is very terribly two. We are weary of time-outs. But she is also impossibly charming and speaking full thought-sentences, so...

Going to Bham tonight for a whirlwind bachelorette party.

Pictures, someday, to follow.