Time for a haircut

He has perfected the head-shake-to-get-the-hair-out-of-the-eyes.

But, R1 doesn't like my solution to the problem.

Poor kid.

Photos taken from my couch

On which I was languishing in the heat. Only eighty degrees, but I'm a wimp.

Sweet H1.

Can't get enough of her toes, doesn't sit still for a minute, loves her brothers and the entertainment they provide, doesn't sleep nearly enough, thinks oatmeal is delicious.

The bright new pillow covers which I did not sew myself. (I prefer to hunter/gather. These I gathered on clearance at Target.)

I'm pretty sure R1 rolled his eyes when he saw them.
I didn't see it, but I felt it.

Obviously, we need help

In two weeks, we move into a (air conditioned!) townhome, which we have sublet until August 15th. Then, we will move who-knows-where.

R1 and I are constantly having conversations about where we want to live. And the consensus is usually a shrug of the shoulders and an "Anywhere would be fine".



Therefore, one of two things needs to happen.

1. R1 only gets one job offer. Problem solved.

2. Someone else tells us where to move. (It's true. Sometimes we function better when someone else takes charge.)


So, in case we need to rely upon option #2, and you happen to be the lucky one to decide for us, here are some of our criteria:

1. Not too rural, but also, not too urban.
2. Relatively close to either mountains or the coast.
3. Costco.
4. IKEA. Because we are cheap. But we don't want our furniture to give it away.
5. Good schools.
6. Not so expensive that we can't afford a house with a backyard. A fenced backyard where our children may run wild.
7. Lower taxes than NY state. Oh wait, that's almost everywhere.
8. Temperatures no higher than 85 and no lower than 55.
9. Just kidding about that last one. Mostly.
10. Near a fairly major airport.


Any ideas yet?


To give you a little extra help, here are a few of the places we have ruled out. Some were actually considered at one time or another, others just fantasy.



We came this close to living here for a year. R1 had a job lined up, but I just couldn't seem to find a job which would use my degree in biology. At the south pole. Where everything is frozen.



I could just sit all day and listen to people talk. And play bagpipes.



Johnston Atoll.



Just too rundown.



Hard to get past the no oxygen difficulty.



The Princes' Islands just off of Istanbul, where we spent a day in 2002. Beautiful and rustic.



Greece, where I wouldn't be able to tear my eyes away from the view.




So, tell me. Where should we live?

today we fish in the tub

King Bidgood with shades.

and then we came full circle

Tonight at dinner.


W1: Mom, do you know where the kite is?

K1: I'm not sure. Maybe it is in a box in the basement.

W1: It is?

K1: Maybe.

W1: It is?

K1: Maybe.

W1: It is?

K1: Do you know what the word 'maybe' means?

W1: Yep.

K1: What does it mean?

W1: I don't know.

K1: Ah.

W1: Do you know where the kite is?

as I rifle through my own belongings

The great packing fest of 2010 has begun.

Or perhaps it should be called the great re-packing fest of 2010. This is partly (only partly) due to the the fact that we put quite a few things into boxes in the basement while our house was on the market in an effort to make our closets look spacious (an impossible task? yes.). The other reason it is a re-pack? All those boxes that haven't been opened since we moved them into the basement in 2004.

Go ahead and judge.

Done? Okay.

It has been kind of fun to finally open them up and see what we have been missing. Like my full set of Laura Ingalls Wilder books, complete with my name in fancy 3rd grade cursive inside each cover. At least 4 hammocks that R1 brought back from Brazil. Random pictures from both of our high school careers (these are pretty hilarious, I wish I had a scanner.). My flute, which I gave up playing in the 9th grade when I caved to peer pressure and joined the cross country team instead, because it was cooler to get all sweaty wearing shorts and a tank top than a wool marching uniform.

And my personal favorite, the reply to a letter I sent to the Lego company in 1985 complaining that they didn't make enough sets for girls. As someone who generally prides herself on being a tomboy, I think it shocking that I even sent this.

Thus, I will be embarking on a complete self image re-evaluation. If, the next time you see me, I have taken to wearing hair bows and sparkly nail polish, I will have reverted to my 1980's girly girl self. Apparently, she is hidden in here somewhere.





P.S. I know! Our house is sold! We are packing our belongings! Where are we going? Yeah, we don't know. Next step, find a map and some darts.

I'm gonna let Jason sum it up for you

(We've been inside since Saturday with our coughy-sneezy-feverish selves.)

Enough already! We want out!

I didn't think her eyes could get any wider

H1, who has lately become a champion roller, today discovered that she can get her toes into her mouth.


It's the best thing since sliced bread.

the best field trip ever

Yesterday, W1's preschool visited the local fire station. It was pretty much his dream come true.



They checked out the fire engines, hobnobbed with the firemen, wished they could slide down the pole, and (my favorite) ate a delicious snack.

L1 and H1 came along as token preschool members.


H1 was enthralled, as you can see.

just now

I folded the laundry that had been shoved into the basket from the dryer last Wednesday, and had ever since been sitting on my bedroom floor. And occasionally shoved from one side to another when I needed to open the closet door.

Now I have an empty basket into which I can shove the mound of dirty laundry that has also been sitting on my bedroom floor. And growing since last Wednesday.


I'm pretty proud of myself.