Cats

This is the lovely view outside our window every morning.

There are normally 4 (FOUR!) of them staring in,

but some saw me coming and felt guilty.

Is this kind of unnerving or what? What do they WANT!?

Here are some theories:

1. It's a stakeout.

Of course, if it is a stakeout - they are REALLY bad at it. I know you're there guys!

2. With the new addition -

new substances are becoming desirable.

3. We are just plain better than watching television.

4. They are waiting for the opportune time.

5. Ours is the party place! I always knew it was.

Please don't let me turn into this -

I'm not ready!!

A Little Tour

Today you are in luck. You are going to get a personal tour of our neighborhood and all the important things in it (according to the 3 1/2 year old). You ready! Let's begin.

Here is Andy. Ready and excited for the tour.

First, we have our beautiful roses.

We check on them everyday to see how much they have bloomed. They are actually our neighbors but we like to pretend they belong to us.

Next is the crazy lady's house. Here are the signs propped outside her house.

Ya, they don't seem that strange (except for the fact they look like creepy Halloween decorations). They are strange because this lady has no children. No toddlers waddling the sidewalks. Hmmmm. Oh well, I appreciate the fact that she is looking out for my children's well being. She also has random mini, purple cowboy boots scattered across her lawn, but we won't go there today.

We have the winding lanes with places to sit,


old fashioned lamp posts,


and trees poking up over the houses.

Here is the hole. The infamous hole in the sidewalk.


Christopher rides his bike into it every time even though I warn him EVERY time.

So, we sit and wait for him to get out.

Next we have the blue birds.

Oh, the blue birds. So beautiful. They are everywhere and they brighten our day.

Let's check in on our Andy - He's fading fast.

Then, we have the old car.

Totally fascinating for a 3 year old. Every day we pass it he says "Mommy! Look at that car! It's a pretty car!" I would have to agree. Just don't look inside. Ick.

Here is the orange "fence".

Christopher thinks it is beautiful. I love that children can see the beauty in things we automatically dismiss as ugly. I've learned to appreciate this little orange fence as well.

Next, is the "hangy" trees as he calls them.


They hang over the sidewalks and I love feeling them brush against my head as we walk. Lovely.

Our last stop is the rock garden.

We are little thieves. Christopher must pick up one rock every time we go and put it in his bike.

If the sidewalks ever ice over he will be so weighted down he won't budge.

And now, let's see our Andy -

Awww. Fast asleep. Mom loves these tours.

Love him

We CANNOT get enough of this boy.

Ewwww.

I loathe bugs. I hate the fact that they feel they have the right to crawl on me. The right to bite me. The right to run towards me and make me scream. I know they secretly plot to terrorize me.

Luckily, there is one bug that decided to dress up a little bit. She added some unthreatening polka dots and some red. Lovely color. Yes, the sweet lady bug. Christopher found one the other day while he was playing outside. He came in the house yelling "Look Mommy! Look! I have a bug on me!"

I ran towards him already flapping my arms around like the thing was already creeping around my house. When I got to him I could see that beautiful red and those sweet little dots.

Awwwww. The Lady Bug.

I bent down to look. Oh, what a darling bug.

Just then, the "lady" decided to open her wings and dart towards my mouth. Agggghhhhhhh! It ALMOST went in! It ALMOST went in my mouth. Those darn bugs and their surprise attacks!! I hate bugs.

To Dad

When I was young

I thought my Dad was the best.

I thought he could fix anything and that every Daddy made their little girls toys.

I thought he would do anything for me, including attend those cheesy father-daughter dates.

I thought my Dad was the most understanding man on Earth. I thought every Daddy let there kids keep a lost duck.

I thought my Dad was the kindest, sweetest, most generous, wisest man a daughter could ever have.

I guess things

haven't changed that much.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Jealousy

We are spoiled.
I know it's going to be hard for you to read this post because of the jealousy you are going to have to bridle within. We can't help it if we are coddled and catered to. That's just the way we like it.

We spent the day lounging by the pool. (contented sigh)

Our pool was luxurious.

We (of course) only spent our time with the best of company.

Yes, we are spoiled.



Stop giving us that look.

Pretty Sure

We were pretty sure it was going to be a nice day today.

We were pretty sure that nature would be beautiful.

We were pretty sure that pondering life's questions would be involved.

We were pretty sure that we would almost reach the sky.

We were pretty sure that Christopher was going to be very entertaining on the slide.

We were pretty sure that we were the coolest kids on the block.

And . . . . . . we were right.