Turn Your Back for Two Seconds

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Today during the hustle and bustle of lunch preparation Alethea snuck upstairs and in a matter of a few minutes managed to get her stool out of the bathroom, drag it over to the changing table in Lydia’s room, line up Baby Doll, Dee and Foggy (her new cat) on the changing pad and put a fresh diaper underneath each of her friends.

Fortunately, Peter went to check on her before she got butt paste applied to them all…

Unfortunately, Peter didn’t go to check on her before she got butt paste liberally applied to baby doll…

He then proceeded to have a long conversation with Alethea about how butt paste is only for Alethea and Lydia and not for anyone else, doll, animal or otherwise – a good life lesson, wouldn’t you say?

Progress Report

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Flagstone path laid down in bean – check!

Mulch removed from in front of porch – check!

Gorgeous new lighting installed to replace these el-cheepo we hated them so much solar lights – check!

die ugly light, die!

Giant boulder moved into bean (nearly crushing Peter’s wrist in the process) – check!

Sore back, headache and tons of dirty laundry – check, check and CHECK!

Still to come:

An even more gigantical boulder to be moved (why did we think it was a good idea to let Alethea pick a rock at the landscaping store?)

Finish putting down river rock where mulch used to be.

Fill in cracks of flagstone path and tidy up bean.

More laundry.

And of course…

PICTURES!

…stay tuned…

Guess what We’re Doing this Weekend

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I’ll give you a hint…

Alethea was super excited when we arrived home this afternoon to discover that the people from the “rock store” had been by and left something in our yard.

So, you’ve probably guessed it, but just in case, here’s another hint…

If anyone decides to spontaneously stop by this weekend, you may find yourself becoming a conscripted rock mover.  (However there might also be homemade blueberry ice cream in it for you too!)

So admit it, you want to come over now.  You know you do!

A Refreshing Summertime Dessert

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When we were recently at my grandparent’s house, my grandmother, who is a culinary wiz, whipped up some Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream.  It was TO DIE FOR!

Even better, I realized the recipe was from a Williams Sonoma cookbook that I already own.  But just in case you don’t also happen to have their ice cream cookbook, you can find the recipe here.  And you really should check it out, because if you like blueberries and you like cream, you’ll love this simple-to-make ice cream.  It tastes like a mound of tart berries floating on a cloud of whipped cream.  (And if you don’t like blueberries and cream, then I can only suggest therapy.)

If I haven’t yet convinced you to run out and buy the ingredients, here’s my final sales pitch:

Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream:
Alethea Tested, Alethea Approved

Falling off the Face of the Earth

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No, that’s not what happened to me.  You might think so being as it’s been over a week since I’ve written a post, but it’s not true.  I spent the whole week on the planet.  I was in Iowa some of the time, but contrary to popular belief around these parts, Iowa is not an alien nation.  Here’s a summary of our week, to corn country and back!

Visiting Great Grandma and Grandpa

We spent three lovely days last week visiting my grandparents in Iowa.  Everyone seemed to get along well and it was fun to have Grandpa Jim and Grandma Ruth meet Lydia for the first time.

We took one afternoon to visit the local water park.  The girls thought that was pretty cool.

I jumped at the opportunity to play photographer out in my Grandmother’s garden.  (Someday I hope my yard looks half as beautiful as her’s.)

No wireless for my computer, and lots of nature all around.  Ahh… some rest for my soul…

And Then… Back to Reality

I don’t have any real excuse for why I haven’t posted since our return from Iowa last Thursday.  Just life.  You know, things like dropping a boat load of money on a tent and other supplies at REI so we can take our 2 year old and six month old camping.  (Yes, we might be insane to try it.)

Also, getting my fall registration materials out to my students.  I like being a piano teacher, but typing up forms, writing studio policies and creating a calendar isn’t my favorite part of the job, so at least that’s done for the year.

Got to go downtown and have lunch with Peter today while his mom so graciously watched the girls.  I can’t remember the last time we had lunch. alone. together.  Sort of a weird feeling… but I like it!

Insert various other social engagements, church, errands and assorted things that would not be in any way amusing to read about and that about sums up my week (and a day) falling off and then back onto planet Earth.

Dish Duty

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I have at least one little girl who won’t mind if ‘Do Dishes’ ends up on her chore list.  Any time I tell Alethea, “It’s time to clean up the kitchen!” she eagerly responds, “I help!”  Then she drags a chair over to the sink and begins splashing, scrubbing and making a huge soapy mess.

No, she doesn’t really get anything clean and yes, it would be easier to just do it myself, but seeing her so proud of her accomplishments is definitely worth a little hassle.

Maybe some day Lydia can help too and then I’ll quit doing dishes altogether, but for now, she’s content to sit in her carrier and watch the occasional soap bubble float by.

Scrub-a-dub-dub!

Sentimental or Gross?

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Alethea’s hair has finally gotten long enough that we can start doing updos with it!  It’s especially nice to be able to put her hair in pony and pig tails since we are experiencing an awful heat-wave.  I’m having fun playing Mommy stylist and naturally, Alethea is completely adorable in pig tails.

However, despite the fact that we are both having a good time trying out new styles, I am contemplating giving Alethea a haircut, because when her hair is not contained by clips or bands, it’s pretty reminiscent of Albert Einstein.

And that brings me to my dilemma of the day, should I or should I not save the clippings from Alethea’s first haircut?

In my mind, hair no longer attached to someone’s head is something to be vacuumed up and gotten rid of, so I wouldn’t even consider deliberately keeping hair in the house, except that Alethea’s baby book has a page with a special vellum envelope labeled “First Haircut” (and also one marked “First Tooth”).

The germaphobe in me says, “Eeww!  Why would you want to keep hair and teeth in the same book as pictures of your adorable baby?!?!”

But the rule following part of me hates to have an incomplete baby book and is reenforced by the wants-to-be-a-perfect-mother part of me, who thinks Alethea may wonder some day why I didn’t bother to fill up that empty envelope.

What to do, what to do…

Your thoughts please.  Keeping hair and teeth in a baby book: sweet and sentimental or germy and gross?

Rug Love

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Have you ever wanted something so badly you could hardly stand it?

That’s me right now.

See, I’ve been searching high and low for a reasonably priced wool rug for our living room for some time now.  I want something that looks like an antique Persian rug without the antique Persian rug price.  The main color has to be blue or blue-green and I don’t want any red in it.

Sounds simple enough, but after hours of searching I’d found nothing…

Until yesterday, when my Pottery Barn catalog arrived in the mail.  Their new rugs have just arrived and I’ve fallen hard for this one:

It’s soooooooooo perfect!

Now I just have to save my nickles and dimes (and maybe a few quarters too)!