Post-Post

Since Har is getting so much attention, check this one out:
This was when we decided T. Cal should lose hose control privileges.

Fun (with a little bit of car commercial)

Harrison or "Har-bear"
car partying

by the bean...

T. Cal announced he was going to brush his teeth while we were driving to the park and my husband and I yessed him, like we usually do when we are having a serious conversation about cabinetry. We only discovered when we arrived at the park that he indeed had a toothbrush and tooth paste in hand and had in fact brushed his pearly whites.

Yay for toothbrushes in the back seat and new houses to move them into. I love sweet moments.

Sorting

grandpa with the boys

Brown eyes work better.

My dad and my son were playing the glorious game of Slap Jack. This is the meticulously complex (can something be both meticulous and complex?) game using a deck of cards and cat-like reflexes to "slap" the Jack whenever it appears.

I am not sure who the genius was who created the game, but I am pretty sure it was my father. He is in fact a super hero - well, mine at least.

The two of them played this game for almost 2 HOURS last night.

Two whole hours.

That's love.

For the game.

My favorite part of last night's heated competition was when, after my son beat my father to the Jack Slapping, I asked him how he did that and he told me he has better eyes.

I said, "Oh yeah, I guess your eyes are younger," and grandpa added, "Yeah, yeah, I have glasses so I can't see too well."

But then T. Cal clarified, "No, I have brown eyes and grandpa doesn't. He have blue. They don't work so good."

Sister Sunday

My sister (on right) and her longtime friend

ran the race together

Yesterday was a good day. I almost had 100% sister contact.

Since our apartment is toy free and mess full, keeping the kiddies out of the house has been part of my job description so going to the beach yesterday morning was on the agenda.

We left and I called ahead to my beach sister but got no responses because the cell-phone less sister was already out of the house. But I went anyway to let the boys freeze in the sea breeze. Another sister was running in what my mom, who always sees more when there is less, keeps referring to as a "half-marathon" not knowing what the K was really for when there is a 5 in front of it. So - I called her, but assumed she was already on the run since there was no answer.

We stopped at the inlet and the boys popped out of the car and were reminded of what the ocean looks like and what the sand feels like before running back into the car for warmth. When we pulled out of the parking spot and rolled toward the main road, we were shewed aside by a policeman leading the half-marathoner charge.

I pulled aside and started the search for Aunt Therese, without any luck. I thought that was it - we weren't going to catch a glimpse of the runner or be able to give our support, but at least we breathed the same air for a few minutes.

Calvin kept asking, "She have a doggy?" I clarified that no, that was Aunt Kristin (the beach sister).

"Are we going to her house?"

"No Calvin, we are going home" I kept saying, hoping the dialogue would end there.

Then, it happened, we were stopped at another crossing and in the long wait, there she was! Hair a bouncing, getting her jog on. We honked and waved and got all excited. This is the sort of spontaneity I love about living here. Then we headed home.

Calvin kept asking if we were going to Aunt Kristin's and if she was the one with the dog. He told me that the rule was that we go to Grandma and Grandpa's and then we go see Aunt Kristin.

After spending the rest of the evening at my parent's house, we stopped at "my sister who just bought a place's" house - because she is kinda on the way home. On the way - Calvin clarified that we were going to Aunt Kristin's, the one with the dog, after Aunt Chant's.

The boys had a good run at Aunt Chant's, starting from the door and steamrolling into uncle K for the entire hour we were there.

When we got in the car, Calv asked again, "We going to Aunt Kristin's house? She have a dog?"

I couldn't believe he remembered, and the answer was not received well since we had to break his rule.

I feel so blessed to be living near so much family and being able to see them so frequently, even if we don't always stop at the house of the one who has the dog.

I Dream in Scottish

I dream in Scottish, of life in a place like this:

And in those dreams is a guy who looks remarkably like this:

married to a girl who shares my name; we're both called this, 

Which, not surprisingly, he likes to pretend is short for this: 

On Fridays, they meet here with friends
for a pint and some craic:

and open their door to the world on Saturday nights, 

so girls get a chance to wear pretty dresses like this:

and plait their hair prettily, like this:

and so the men have a chance 

to chat up pretty birds like this:

This is one party where Gaga pays due deference to pipes,

yet these high heeled monsters 

still manage to make a dance floor. 

Only to meet up later in hallways to giggle

Or gather handsomely in the kitchen to laugh by his side,

While she sneaks off to carry out naughty capers 

while no one is looking (except for Flossie):

Oh, what dreams may come.

How lucky I am, to spend my nights 

honoring friendships, like this:

And throwing shameless parties as

 excuses to celebrate families like this:

While partnering in love the same as I do in real life.

May that love age in both life 

and dreams and grow this distinguished

while staying forever fresh

and never losing its sense of humor.

In hopes that someday we may live in life 

where we do in my dreams:

Alba Gu Bra

Piles of It

A little of this in the morning...

produces some of this in the afternoon...

and this in the afternoon...

some of this in the evening...

and choosing to go to this place for a "Night at the Museum"...left this on the floor since the morning...

We chose fun today.

I have a secret to tell you: it is always worth it.

Oh-So Saturday

I had the best Saturday a girl could have yesterday.

I listened to 2 more hours of this book, which affirms my oh-so athletic life.

I let my husband have it oh-so to himself.

I got to spend 1.5 hours in a salon having girl talk with my oh-so sweet niece.

My children got to play with their cousins, but more importantly their oh-so maternal, biker-looking uncle.

I realized that the world (or maybe just NJ) is an oh-so small place since the girl cutting my niece's hair is the older sister of one of my brother's friends from high school (girl-talk, remember?).

My kids slept. I filled my cup again. And tomorrow will be just as sweet because I get to think about today.

my sweet niece