Two Words

For Andrew

Off Needles

Summer Treats

Naked Vowels

My Office
or
Spoiled Bitch

Ball & Book

Getting By

Practice Sewing
ABS

More Nakeds

Good Night

Two Nakeds

I have been sick (again!) this week, so not much note worthy or photo-worthy has gone on around here. But, I have been working on potty-training Georgia. She's doing great. If we're home, I'd say 75% of her pees make it in to the potty. No poops yet. But, she's been close once or twice. In fact here is a funny picture for you:

It's the little poop that could

I would tell you that I'm trying to potty-train Normy. But, that would be a lie. I'm not. He's too stubborn. He can stay in diapers till he goes to college for all I care. I won't change them after he's 12 of course but...

Anyway, with all this potty-business, Georgia runs around bare-butted most days. She love this. In fact, she much prefers life without clothes. Throughout the day I am often met with a request of her's that she be "NAKED!" It started early today. She was tugging at her jammies and asking to be undressed at six this morning. I was too tired to protest; and of course then Normy wanted to be naked too.

Before I had even had my coffee I had these two running laps around the play room. The whole while Normy yelling:

"Two Nakeds!!!"
He's just discovered plurals.

Gratitude.

There has been so much for me to be grateful for recently. It seems as though I am living a charmed life.

It is amazing how one person's small kindness can radiate out goodness. Take for example this lovely pile of extras that my wonderful friend J gave me. This spill-over from her garden seems to have blessed our whole day.

(Note: this is probably less than a third of all the cherry tomatoes she gifted us. We've been eating those by the fistful for two days!)

Like many gardeners this time of year, I think Jana might be swimming in zucchini. Which is lucky for the rest of us. She gave me more than I could eat in pastas and stir-fry before it spoiled, so I thought today would be a good day to break out the old Kitchenaid and make sure it survived the trip to Omaha. (It did.)

There is nothing better than baking with a toddler. Normy has entered that magical age where he wants to help. He wants to do whatever the big people do. This is such a precious time; when every mundane household chore holds fascination. There is no concept of drudgery clouding his opinion of doing the dishes. (More on that later!) I have, however, done my parental duty and made him fear the stove and our knives. When I told him NOT TO TOUCH the knife I was using to cut the zucchini with he said,

"Too dangerous!"

TOO CUTE.

"Z is for zucchini!"
I'll tell you what, it was like a Montessori preschool over here all afternoon!

Stirring the dry ingredients was a hit. But nothing captured his interest like washing the dishes. To me this is pure genius. If I start him now, I wonder if this could grow into a life long love of his? I would never have to scour another pot! Am I dreaming to big? This all came about as I was trying to show him how, when cooking, it's best to clean as you go... and that you are never done in the kitchen until everything is washed. I'm trying to preemptively head-off the freak-out I know will ensue ten years from now when he makes a sandwich and leave crumbs, or worse, CONDIMENTS on my counters! Do I have a prayer?

He is also a big fan of laundry. Me too. That's my favorite chore.

He was not a big fan of dinner.

Thankfully Georgia was.

I loved it too. I took all of those amazing garden fresh veggies from my friend and created a lovely and easy eggplant/zucchini spaghetti. It was heavenly.

SO I wanted to share three more things I am thankful for right this minute:

Clean dishes: didn't Norm do a great job!

Fresh Baked Zuchini Bread: breakfast is DONE for tomorrow!

My AMAZING new home: the kitchen is finally starting to feel like my own.

The good life.

Because Grandpa asked so nicely.

Things are going swimmingly over here at Casa de la Smoochy. We are so grateful after our time as wandering nomads (five moves in four years), to finally be planted someplace permanently. And by permanently I mean five to seven years. Unlike ALL our other moves, this is the first house we've bought because we love it... not just because it fit the bill. And unlike all our other homes, this is the first place we've lived where we have room to unpack ALL our things. It was so nice to finally unpack all of the special treasures I've saved but not displayed for years. My books, my gnome collection form my grandma from when I was a little girl, a huge and beautiful conch shell from my childhood (Mom, did Fran Marcum give that to me or did Grandma? Grandma must have brought it back from Florida!) Anyway, it is amazing to really feel like we've really landed.

Most of our unpacking is done. Now I am focusing on organizing and finding the RIGHT spot for all our stuff to live. I wish I had taken pictures of when we unpacked the children's toys. Oh my, the delight. It was better than Christmas. Jacob spent and ENTIRE day playing with his Little People Garage when it was uncovered. His cars drove up and down up and down for hours.

We've also started back with painting in the mornings. This makes us all a little happier. The kids had become horrible TV addicts during our time of flux, but the art supplies have helped them make the transition back away from the silver screen of mindlessness. In these photos, the computer (where they watch most of their shows...especially the Smurfs!) is still in the dining area, but it has been moved in to MY OFFICE, and the big TV is in the basement, so the chord has been cut. We are all surviving. ;-)

He went diperless for five hours, drank 3 cups of juice and didn't pee once. I read to him, chased him around the room, pleaded with him, and finally put him in a diaper and sent him off to nap. That diaper exploded. Georgia on the other hand, peed in the potty four times that day. We haven't tried it since.

Feeding baby peanut butter at lunch today.

Nothing like a couple of romps around the fireplace to get everyone tuckered out to bed.

Alright, that's all I've got. Are you content now Grandpa W.?

Seriously Sweet.

At Corporate Housing

Georgia's Drifting.

In the new house: Kid's Room
(They're sharing: it's good for them.)

I.Love.Them.

You guys crack me up!

Now that all our uteri are joined in solidarity, I can get down to bloggin'! (I had to look up the plural of uterus!)

Anyway, we are in the midst of unpacking. I am bone tired. So, really this won't be much of a post... more of a promise of posts to come. If I could only find my camera I could show you the adorable picture of Smoochy reading bedtime-books to the kids that I took last night. They have this new night-night routine that doesn't involve me (or my breasts!) at all. It's kinda nice.

The only thing is, it's a quarter to ten and they are still not down tonight. It's the first night we're sleeping in the new house, and I think there are some adjustment issues going on. I'm surprised because I have never known them to have any trouble sleeping in a new place. Hmm... I'm sure they'll settle down soon.

Personally, I am ready for a shower and bed. Tonight Smoochy and I get to sleep in our own bed for the first time since May 30th. I. CAN'T. WAIT. After being smooshed into a little queen sized bed for the last two months, I'm ready to spread out. We aren't much for snuggling. We don't even share a blanked most nights! Plus, the mattress at the apartment was crap. We have a Tempurpedic... so I'm a little bit of a bed snob. Smoochy actually bought it the year before we met... so it's seven years old. It's starting to show it too. The glue has give out between the layers of foam. So, after every move we have to unzip the cover, restack the layers, and put it all back together. That still has to happen tonight. Oh well, it will be worth it!

I can still hear Georgia jibber-jabbering away up stairs. This may be a late night.

I'm not Posting anything else!

Until someone comments about how fantastic the previous video is... and how astounding it is that women are denied the right to birth their babies where and with whom they choose!

Birthing women unite!

Speaking of healthcare reform...