the fair

worn out...

dog days

J started back at school this week, so E and I are getting in to all sorts of trouble. We have taken to baking whole wheat bread daily. In other news, the garden is splendid. We have no less than 6 cantaloupes ripening, several eggplants (will they never end!), peas, spinach, beets, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts are coming up. We also have a rouge cherry tomato plant coming up in the flower bed, a volunteer I am certain from our neighbors' disastrous fight with the squirrels last year. Though I try not to have favorites, I have a special place in my heart for that plant.

I am on an Oaxacan kick in the kitchen, and have a chocolate mole sauce simmering at the moment to cover some green beans. I plan to use the rest of the Poblano peppers in a cream sauce to cover mushroom filled crepes tomorrow, with some cardamom-vanilla shortcakes dipped in white chocolate for dessert. I love summer cooking.



My friend Becs started this tradition last year, asking a series of questions to her older daughter. I think we'll start it this year. Though likely this will be the only year, because I am not good with traditions.

1) What is something that your Mom always says to you? I don't know
2) What makes your Mom happy? ME! I make your heart happy!
3) What makes your Mom sad? when I hit you
4) How does your Mom make you laugh? when you are silly
5) What was your Mom like as a child? I can't even possibly begin to answer that question. maybe you played in the garden.
6) How old is your Mom? older than me, so 5?
7) How tall is your Mom? this big (demonstrates by patting my head)
8) What is her favorite thing to do? read
9) What does your Mom do when your not around? I don't know, I am not there (with a 'duh' tone to his voice)
10) If your Mom becomes famous what will it be for? I don't really know
11) What is your Mom really good at? arts and crafts
12) What is your Mom not good at? driving
13) What does your Mom do for a job? Well, I really need to go poopies. You can wipe my bum if you want. (wow, this kid is astute)
14) What is your Moms favorite food? well, you make bread
15) What makes you proud of your Mom? you know, when you give me hugs and kisses
16) If your Mom was a Cartoon Character who would she be? (I don't think he could really answer this one)
17) What do you and your Mom do together? play
18) How are you and your Mom the same? I don't know
19) How are you and your Mom different? I think this is about enough of this
20) How do you know your Mom loves you? you say it like oodles of poodles
21) What does your Mom like most about your Dad? hmmm....that's tricky. I am not sure I really know that one.
22) Where's your Moms favorite place go? CAMPING!

E to the rescue!

I wish these pictures had come out a bit better, but it was a 'grab the camera and shoot without adjusting the settings' kind of moment. E decided he was a superhero today, and spent a long time 'flying' back and forth across the living room 'saving' things from what I assumed to be imminent peril. I was informed that there were "cap-dap-doos" (i.e. 'roosters' for those of you not privy to the code) living under the couch, and we all know what feisty blighters THEY are. I am lucky to have survived the day. (I do love the movement blur captured, he was really moving those little legs!)

Happy fourth birthday James!

James turned 4 in the wee hours of the morning. He woke up in the wee hours of the morning as well, too excited to sleep. He is such an amazing little dude. He is fascinated in the world around him, learning all he can about insects and snakes. He loves to help me cook, especially if it involves cracking eggs. His favorite color is still pink, because it is "the most beautiful of all the colors". Better still if it has glitter in it. His personality sparkles as well, he is quite gregarious, with an easy smile and mischief in his eyes. He loves to perform and to make people laugh. His diction and word choices make him sound more like a refined gentleman than a small child. After taking several bites of his cupcake he told me, "this is FAR too delicious for me to eat, might I have some watermelon instead?". He would eat watermelon and cucumbers all day if given the choice. And since it is his birthday, he may!

Rusty's visit

Eliot turns two

Is anyone else feeling a bit horrified by this? He is now a hefty 21.6 lbs, and an inch and a half taller than he was in January (poor, poor second child. I only know he is taller because I marked his height on the wall to commemorate his birthday). He is of the silent but deadly variety. I fully anticipate him becoming a ninja, or some similar profession. He has a relatively large vocabulary, though the enunciation is still such that few people can understand him (or perhaps he WANTS that and is talking in code. It is hard to tell with him). He loves to play basketball (Joe says this comes from him, so anyone who has ever tried to play with Joe can now laugh) and honestly, his biggest impediment is his small stature. He makes more baskets than he misses in his little hoop, and his form is better than mine (not hard). He loves to read books where there is a reoccurring item you can find every page. He is a master at making messes (which I am calling a strong sense of scientific curiosity). He likes motorcycles, digging for worms and eating chocolate. And he looks just like me, so he gets points for that as well.

time with Poppy