Kids In Costumes

(from October 26th)

 Moms have been getting the kids together for four years now, maybe five. And this year we had a few new additions to the crowd. Seems like the gender war has been evened out some. Congrats Oscar.

A unicorn up to no good.

A decent group shot

Now just the happy boys.

Erin Go Bragh Beag Déanach

 For some reason, holidays don't fall on holidays, so while everyone else in the world has already packed up their greens, we headed out to the St. Patrick's Day Parade, the only way we knew how. 

 Smart thing to arrive early on Main Street, before they close the roads and while the drunkards are still tolerable. We wandered into a bike shop, mainly because of the sweet tandem in the front window, but when we heard it was a cool $750, we had to make up another excuse to be in there. That's why we have kids. To save us from potential social embarrassments. 

 The strip was yet to be jumping when we bumped into the Trunks, so we decided to go for lunch, a little off the path, to the Willow Tree.

Holy crap this place was good. Laura ordered the biggest burger I've ever seen and was also done before everyone else. The girls had freedom to roam since everyone was lining up for the parade, and  the feta baked brie was amazing.

We headed over to Main Street and good hour into the procession, but I doubt we really missed anything. For some reason parades have become mostly a bunch octogenarians in sports cars and every emergency vehicle in a 100 square mile radius. Note to self: best time to rob the record store is during a parade.

The girls had a blast, collecting thrown candy, waving to strangers, and getting an early view of the kind of boys we'd like them not to bring home someday.

Are There No Rules Of Orbiting

We started off the New Year with a free dinner!

The Trunks had been bugging us since before Christmas to come over and since we don't really know the best way to celebrate a large group of people successfully orbiting of a massive ball of gas and flame, why not some free shrimp!

Seems like everyone had a fin holiday season. The girls, for the first time hid out in Isabella's room and from what I hear, they destroyed the place. Apparently toddlers celebrate a large group of people successfully orbiting of a massive ball of gas and flame by dumping all their toys on the floor. There are no rules.

The night ended with some impromptu performance...



Good thing they have class on Saturday.

Kidless Wifeless Hapless

This is how I started the day, like all the other, feet in my back, hand in my face. But after that I have been kid free. We pawned her off on the Trunks today. They asked for her so... here!

Me (as if you cared) I been chilling. Laura's at work, and I ain't doing nothing. Watched some TV. My shows. Stuff that nobody wants to watch but me. Listened to loud music loudly. I skipped lunch (unintentionally) and ate a whole pizza for dinner while I watched the UGA/Auburn game during which the sportscaster said that it was the craziest 4th quarter he'd ever seen. That's the only part I watched.

Listened to lots of music and worked on some little of my personal projects I got going on that I can never give enough time to. Using the computer for funtime stuffs makes my carpal tunnel go away.

So Laura just got home and Yuula comes home tomorrow, probably against her will, and it's back to the basics. No better way. Today was lame.

Kicking With Both Feet

Trunks Of Buttered Apple

We got invited up to the Elder Trunks for their annual apple butter day and what a hoedown it was

Mama & Papa Trunk own a lovely little farm atop a hill in Rome PA, where the wildlife roam free, until they shoot and eat them

The apple butter was in constant flow in a giant witch's cauldron, and that was kind of it

Mostly we watched the girls entertain the "big kids" with their insane babble and yammering on about nothing in particular

Yuula had a blast

 and we are set with apple butter

Quesadillas With The Trunks

Had the Trunks over for quesadillas Saturday night, and Yuula was dresses to impress

they hadn't had enough of each after last weekend

Starts With A Floater, Ends With A Sweller

And it went a little something like this...

Dead bird. That was the start of my Memorial Day.  I placed it in front of the tool shed, where I think that grey kitten is hiding out. It was disappeared just seconds later. Busted. The rest of the day was better tho. Continuing our run of mini-projects in the yard. Insisting on the small stuff is both instantly rewarding and supremely satisfying. Unfortunately the day is soon coming where I have to dive into some heavier dutier duties, but let's not worry about that now.

First official lunch in the shade garden I started. It is gonna work out just fine I think, mainly because we finally sat in that corner of the yard, for the first time in 5 years. We got it. May as well use it.

That's Yuula eating lunch.

We were invited to the Trunks for a Memorial BBQ, but it was shortlived due to both Isabella and Dunja having fairly severe allergy issues. Swollen eyes and sullen dispositions make for bad hosts. And we told them so. We may not see them ever again. That is until the pollen count dies down a bit.

Places To Go / Time To Get To Them

Been shooting black/white for a couple days now. Sometimes you just get in the mood. Memorial Day happened. We worked in the yard and had dinner with the Trunks. Details to follow. I've had this set of assembly instructions hanging over me for what seems like forever. I swear I'm almost done tho. One more day. Maybe. Our trip is coming up and it's heads down til then. It's fairly legit vacation, and a new destination is being added every day. We better leave before the places to go outnumber the time we have to go to them.  

Laura's at the gym. Better than at a bomb scare I suppose. Oh we didn't tell you about that one. Next time we see you. Laura's still diffusing. Pun intended.

3 Seconds A Day, December 2012

I noticed that, for the first time, I shot a video (almost) everyday of month. Thought it may be fun to do the whole thing in snippets. Three seconds each. Ready...

Yeah, I said almost.

She's Become What She Covets

Last night the Trunks came over for what now apparently is a holiday tradition, gifts, wellington, and wine. They got Yuula a her-size Minnie Mouse outfit. You can imagine how that went over. She took to it like a fish and even slipped into the heels and accessories that we got for Isabella and began parading around the house. Isabella fell asleep on the couch around 9pm. Yuula was literally whirlygigging around the house still at midnight. Must've been that cookie or 12 that she ate.

Good times Trunks. Enjoy your popcorn.

We Have A Way Of Salvaging

We made plans last night to meet the Trunks in Bethlehem for a little holiday cheer. About halfway there Laura was pushing the limits of her new phone and looked up the parking situation only to find out that there would be plenty of parking on this Wednesday evening because Christmas City was closed. A little stunned and poorly we made the snap decision to return to our Main Street and see what we could see. It ain't new but it's knew.

They had the place lit up pretty well

Yuula did some window shopping

This was hidden down a side street

The square was barren as usual but they tree stood strong and lovely

the girls were not impressed, and hungry

After exhausting every option we ended up at Sarah Street and had some delicious meals. The girls ate each others dinner and didn't finish their ice cream. They must've known how col it was outside. Then we went to Yuppie Puppie so the girls could see what they're not getting for Christmas and we could pet bunnies. Not the night we were planning on having but we have a way of salvaging.

Mall Hallow's Eve

Surviving Sandy: Day Three

We woke up this morning with the realization that this was not going to be the day we got power back. Neighbors were found wandering the streets muttering blasphemes such as "Saturday, Sunday at best" and "Jersey is running out of gas". We had to decide whether we should go buy shotguns at Walmart and hunker down to protect our homefront or load up the car with the bare necessities and head for greener pastures. Scary Halloween decisions. We decided to dress Yuula like a lion and take her to the mall.

I had heard of these mall trick-or-treats but refused to believe they could replace the real thing. I was right. What a travesty. Ghosts were rolling over in their graves. A line that wrapped the interior of the mall twice, a systematic "parade" from store to store with communistic candy rationing. The GNC was handing out vitamins and they weren't even Flintstones! Let's remember to never attempt that again. It shouldn't be hard.

Yuula did get a decent share of candy however. Her first box of Nerds was a hit. I think she even ate one off the ground. Yeah, she definitely did.

Giving up and sucking a lolly

We met up at the mall with the Trunks and since it was the girls turn to decide where to eat we ended up at a mysteriously empty Chili's. 

But that was fine with us because it gave the girls a chance to run around some open space. That and the spilled margaritas, the waitress didn't hate us, no. Not one bit.

just let them

This was the first night we transitioned from blanket fort to sleeping on the daybed mattresses in front of the fireplace. Temperatures outside were starting to drop and we weren't messing around anymore.

Seeking Asylum In The Greater Lehigh

Surviving Sandy: Day Two

The blanket fort actually gave us that extra layer of warmth, recirculating our hot breath that first chilly morning to warm our toes and fingers worked like a charm. And it was fun to boot.

First thing on our minds was some warm breakfast and hot coffee. We weren't on the road long til we saw this doozy.

Wandered the wasteland til we found out the Lehigh Valley Mall was to open to the public at 1pm. Called the Trunks and rendezvoused accordingly.

The girls took advantage of the section cordoned off for the coming of Santa, til the big mean mall security guard scolded them and told them they'd get coal in their stockings.

The inevitable return to the icebox we call home happened a little early this night, as we intended to heat up our blanket enclosure by a little aerobic activity, creating a game where Laura pushes Yuula onto a pile of pillows and she rolls down into my lap and I throw her back to her mother. This went on for about 3 hours.

and dancing...

I thought, what better time to teach Laura the rules of backgammon

It didn't take long for her to start cheating with the help of her child. Have she no shame?

Some storm inspired arts & crafts took place

then she passed out