Monday, May 31, 2010


This Memorial Day was pretty laid back. We had Duncan's family birthday party yesterday and boy was in the pool for oh, about six or seven solid hours with minimal food breaks. So, we all stayed home today and just had a family day. It was also hot. Very, very hot. Duncan and I ran some errands in the late morning while the babies napped and Iain worked in the yard. We went to Office Depot to get printer ink, then to Krispy Kreme for a doughnut for Duncan and coffee for me, then to one of my all-time favorite stores...Central Market. Oh, the produce! The wine! The bakery! Such.Fabulousness. All under one roof. But, I stuck to my list and put back the bottle of "Mommy's Time Out" wine that was my impulse purchase...because I wanted to drink it and blog about it. We did get goodies for dinner tonight, though. Came home and whittled away the time with three tired kids on a hot day with no pool.
What else did we do? Oh, we planted pumpkins and corn! Duncan thought it was a good idea until he got outside and actually had to dig and work in the very hot sun. He freely admitted to being too hot, too tired, and too thirsty but upon threat of no garden at all, or of not being able to water it once planted he reluctantly helped finish the task. Then Iain fired up the grill/smoker and we put the sausages and baby backs on.
Finn had the hardest day of all...a fat lip AND a bloody nose...two separate falls. He is full throttle and does everything, including running and falling, with gusto. He was hot, tired, cranky and went to bed before the rest of us sat down to dinner where Claire at two small ears of corn and sausage with gusto.
It was a good day.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Sing Along


Today was Duncan's sing along at his preschool. End of the school year. I'm experiencing many emotions and can't help but think back to when he was 1 and I started him at Wilshire for Mother's Day Out. So, almost four years to the day later, he is finishing up. I hope I don't forget to take a picture on Thursday. I'll do a side by side comparison!

Yellow bandana. Middle row.

Friday, May 14, 2010

This morning started out better than most...I think. I was so bleary eyed I can't remember at this point. The big downfall to early bedtimes is early rising times, but our kids seem to wake up early no matter when they go to bed. It is Friday, and after my first cup of coffee things started to make sense and fall into place. I begged Duncan to stay in bed until Daddy's clock had a 7 as the first number, but it didn't work. I love you, Keurig.

We had a big birthday party at Pump It Up at 10:30, which was good. Aunt Becky and Janie came over to take care of Claire and Finn so I could take Duncan and not have to chase two babies the entire time. While I am on the subject, HUGE shout out to my sister and friend who helped me out. Duncan got to spend a solid two hours with his best buddies, and hardly noticed that I was anywhere nearby. He was a big, sweat MESS by the time they ate pizza and the joy he was feeling was obvious. Boy loves him some Pump It Up and being with his friends. After the ritual of eating/licking only the frosting and leaving the bare, naked cake he was ready to go home to see Aunt Becky and Janie. Got a precious book and lollipop the size of his head the way out the door.

Black clouds loomed but we stopped at Whole Foods because, well, they have a cupcake bar. I wanted to get something for Becky and Janie for helping me out so I let Duncan pick out their cupcakes...you get to pick the cake flavor, the frosting flavor and the sprinkles. It's totally fun! Got our cupcakes, some milk and bananas and drove home before the skies opened up.

It's been a pretty good week...lots of time in the backyard playing with the water hose and sprinkler, and a trip to my mom's and sister's for a visit. The spring has been a great deal easier than the winter was with three small children and home and a traveling husband. I no longer feel like I will lose my mind by 3:00. Claire and Finn are fairly proficient (large scab on Claire's forehead not withstanding) at going up and down the four concrete steps onto our concrete patio. We have a good backyard for play...lots of shade, just enough sun, plenty of patio to grass ratio, and it's tidy. There is a soft, shady place for me to sit and read (!!!) in between keeping a lid on the chaos. Yes, spring is far better.

Had a surprisingly pleasant afternoon, considering we were all inside due to the storms. Duncan was pretty spent from his morning so was not bouncing off the walls, but still had the energy to entertain Claire and Finn. They think he is the funniest thing on two legs and laugh (sometimes before the tears!) and are totally enamored with him. As are we. It is good to be Duncan.

I got all three in the tub, got them fairly clean and got the babies out before someone chipped a tooth. Dinner was mandarin oranges, fish sticks, tater tots and perhaps a few cupcake remnants.

Daddy should be home by early afternoon tomorrow and not a minute too soon.