One of my favorite things today

Many lovely things today-Ava's soccer game (sadly they lost in overtime the first game) and the party afterward with her teammates and their families. The Southwood Park Home and Garden Tour and a lovely dinner at the Calhoun Street Soup Salad and Spririts. Now cruising the web a bit and came upon this and thought it would be a lovely way to end the day. Am off to make bread and fold some laundry, but wanted to share with you this loveliness, dear reader.

Proof that the Boy is the sweetest in the universe

Step 1: Declaration from Boy: "Let's Wrastle!"
Step 2: Boy comes at me without restraint
Step 3: Big head bonk.
Step 4: Pause. Boy: "Are you okay Mommy?"
Me: "I'm okay Sweetie, are you okay?"
Step 5: Wailing with despair. (Boy, not me.)
Final Step: Comfort from Mommy and Ava.

Keeping Busy

What with PJ being out of town and all, and my sleep levels dangerously low, I've been trying to keep busy. Not the busy for me kind of busy, but the fun for the kids kind of busy. It's been tricky as it's been high 80's low 90's the last few days, but we've been making it work. Yesterday we went to the zoo bright and early-they open at 9 a.m. and we were there by 9:30. Unfortunately so was the planet! But the kids did a great job staying close to me and as a reward we rode the train. The kids had a blast. We saved it for the end, and by the time we got off the train it was after 11. Time to head home to the climate control! But we had a good plan-went to a specific area of the zoo, then the farm (James LOVES the draft horse and Ava looks forward to petting the bunnies) then the train. It was fun. I think we will renew our membership as it's a great place to go when you need to get out of the house- the kids always have fun. And it really is a great zoo. The new African Journey exhibit is amazing- last week the kids fed the giraffes! We're saving that part for when Didi and Papa come as there is a ski lift thing they can take to see things from a better vantage point and y'all know where I stand on heights!

Itty Bitty Basketball

I posted the link of the photo the pro took-I took a few too. Bless Coach Kate and Coach Benicia-those girls have the patience of saints trying not only to wrangle three year olds but to try to teach them skills. James alternates between standing with his fingers in his mouth and attempting to follow along. His favorite part of class is shooting the ball. He is pretty good unless he's too far from the basket. Today he was being kind of a pill but I participated with him and (I think) that helped. Ava was a champ and played on the adjacent playground while I tried to coerce the boy into cooperation. I learned my lesson well-next time I schedule them it will be at the same time. I should have had her in tennis down the road at the same time I had him in basketball-but this way they get playground time a couple of times a week regardless of whatever else we have going on. Here are a few pics of our little Larry Bird in the making.

Cops in front of my house do not help me to sleep at night when the man is gone!

So as most of you know when PJ is absent I suffer from insomnia. Boogey Man Syndrome. I was watching inappropriate tv last night and came upstairs about midnight. I got onto the computer to check on Iran, and came down about 12:30. As I was turning the lights out I noticed a police vehicle (suv-not sedan) parked in front between our house and the corner. Looking at this page I noted halfway down something at 1600 Curdes. I just need to figure out what the heck ATL is. When I get that mystery solved I will work on who the hell is responsible for taking down the beautiful (if wildish but only in need of a trim) lilac bush at the end of our alley. Nancy Drew look out!
EDIT: ATL is attempt to locate. Perhaps I was right to be disturbed- who were they trying to locate? The Boogey Man???
EDIT II: Holy Crap that police log on the FWDailyNews.com website is awesome. I click on the address for the ATL and it shows our corner. I totally heart google earth. I think its interesting to see what is going down in your 'hood and know where it is-most times it's not as close as you'd think. Still wondering who they were looking for. Wish I knew someone on the squad!

James in the News!

I brought the camera to basketball this morning, and found someone else had too! A reporter from a new (to me) website called Fort Wayne Daily News was taking names and photos for a splash on their web page. I asked her if they were print or online only, and she said this would be found online. I wasn't expecting it till tomorrow, but here's our little Media Darling!
http://www.fwdailynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3937:Basketball-program-keeps-kids-active-during-summer&catid=51:latest&Itemid=6

Funny

I know I'm supposed to be posting pictures of the kids- will do. Promise. Soon.
In the meantime, here's this.
When the Real Geeks Ride were here, at the party I was part of a discussion re: Twitter, i.e. like it, hate it, or eh. I didn't really have an opinion as I'm not really on it and am just beginning to understand it. (thankfully, I wasn't the only one.) But since the uprising in Iran I am reading more and more and understanding it's usefulness. (As a main way of getting info out of Iran, it's incredible. Check out Andrew Sullivan's blog at the Atlantic. Stunning.)
So I hear this politician say that the Iranians using Twitter to get the truth out to the world is kind of like when the republicans started using Twitter (to complain about the President?) it was angering. Till I saw this. And it became funny. And he became inconsequential. So regardless of whether or not you "twit", or what political party you subscribe to, this is funny. Check it out.
photo courtesy of google images.

Where Are My Planners At?

Here's a challenge for you:

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/107206/retailers-head-for-exits-in-detroit.html?mod=family-autos

Blech

So I (once again) am a total blog slacker. It is the backlog. I put about a trillion pictures on the computer and took out red eyes from most, and am hoping to post about the Real Geeks Ride guys and the extravaganza that occurred during their visit. Plus a few other tidbits. I really am working on it. But school is out and we are transitioning from everything to nothing, and I want the kids to decompress well. I know, excuses, excuses...

Takin' the new Mixer around the block

I was hesitant to use the mixer, what with it being so NEW and PRETTY and AWESOME, but after the abundance of strawberries that were found in the fridge I decided something needed to be done. My initial thought was an angel food cake, but upon opening the yogurt this morning I found this recipe and thought it would be perfect. We chopped the strawberries in the mini cuisinart food processor Laurie found for me and put everything into the mixer. It was amazing. So much faster than if we had done all of it by hand. And the batter was so tasty. Will report tomorrow on the actual muffins. The mixer gets an A+!

Holy Breaking News Cow!

All other information has been trumped by the present I received from my in-laws via the ever so nice SPU guy. (No, that's not a special crime scene investigative unit, it's what Ava used to call the UPS guy and it stuck!)
A BEAUTIFUL STATE OF THE ART PROFESSIONAL SERIES KITCHEN AID MIXER !!!
(sorry about the all caps but I needed to be sure you heard me.)
Yes, that's right. My whole world as I know it has changed.
It's so awesome.
I'm going downstairs now to pet it.










More later...

Surprise Wedding Reception?!?!

I don't know where Andrew finds these things, but this warmed my cold cynical little heart...

Weekend Update Cubed

So here's what's going on 'round these parts:
*Ava's last day of school was Thursday. We went to a Chapel / Closing Ceremony. Most of the 200 kids received an award or three. The kindergarteners only received one award each-Ava's was for excellence in reading. DUH!!! Our girl is on chapter books, yo! I am so pleased to see how much she enjoys reading.
*PJ and his friend Dave traveled overnight last night to see the Supersuckers in Columbus, OH. They had a great time. He got home around lunchtime today, very tired.
* A routine visit was expected for Belly and Lionel yesterday afternoon at the veterinarian. There was nothing routine about it. They didn't have Lionel in their system, although I am super certain the super kitty has been there before. So there was some shuffling around to figure out what was going on there, but we got his rabies shot and all was well. Not so much with the Belly Dancer. I told the good Dr. that she'd been having potty trouble, and when she felt her belly it was declared that she had stones and lots of them. An x-ray was done and sure enough, upon seeing the x-ray I could tell why our poor pooch was having trouble! There were two huge stones and the beginning of her bladder, and the rest was filled with much smaller ones. The Dr. said she could get Belly in for surgery the next day (today) or it could wait till next week. I said I would discuss it with Belly's father and call right away. She said the reason the cause for the stones began with a bladder infection. Since the Belly couldn't tell us something was wrong, we didn't treat it, which led to stones forming. They will send the stones away to a lab to see if they can tell if this is something that will recur or not, and if we will need to put her on a special diet. So the kids and I were up bright and early this morning to take Belly in for her surgery. I tried to take a picture of her but she's like me and doesn't like to have her picture taken. She knew something was going on too because I couldn't get her out from under the bed. But eventually the leash was on and we were out the door. When we got home the boy fed Fred, who was so upset about Belly being gone he didn't eat his breakfast, even though he was locked in our room for over an hour. He's been hangdog all day. Laying in the sun and shade alternately, not even interested in shaking hands which he is usually all over. We just a while ago got a call from the vet who said Belly was doing wonderfully, but due to inflammation she isn't tinkling normally (why didn't I get a spellcheck on tinkling? I did on spellcheck!) yet and she wanted to keep her overnight. She was going in tomorrow a.m. (her day off even!) to check on Belly and we could take her home tomorrow. But the Dr. said she feels all went well and that Belly will do great.
* Tomorrow afternoon there are two gentlemen coming to town and staying with us two nights. I spent my day cleaning the house. PJ did the back yard yesterday before he left, and I did some weeding. Last weekend he filled in the "pond" (now called the raingarden but try breaking that "pond" habit!) and made a makeshift patio for the grill. The stone we put down last year wasn't cutting the mustard. I will post a picture. Soon. I promise. There's an event scheduled Sunday afternoon and we are hosting a reception for said gentlemen Sunday afternoon / evening. Here's the invite. We are hoping for good weather, and right now we are looking at a 30% chance of scattered thunderstorms. Please send your good weather juju. And for those thinking we are insane for offering to host them, please note that none of their previous hosts appear to have been axe-murdered.
*I almost forgot that Wednesday the plumber came and put in two new hose bibs- the weather resistant kind. I'll photo those too. Promise!
So please keep us all in your good thoughts, esp the Belly. And I'll have a lot to say after this weekend!!!

How Could I Love Mary Poppins More?

Here's how. Pause the juke and enjoy, friends.