MySpace Sheep

Ok, there is no potluck at all. There is now an open house on Sunday. So Doug will take Fiona and Sophia and I will take Triana to the airport---and Triana arrives tomorrow! Squee! I have to clean out the room she'll be staying in.

Ok, I have caved and I now have a MySpace account. I did it out of curiosity and because once it's up, I don't think I have to keep up with it so much. I have a hard enough time trying to write here everyday!

The playdate with Fiona's friend yesterday was awesome! They played so well and Sophia napped nearly the whole playdate. Playdate days are so much easier--even when Sophia doesn't nap.

Jeepers Peepers

No potluck yesterday. They cancelled due to rain. It's moved to the 1st, but we're taking Triana to the airport then. I switched dishes with someone and she is making a vegetarian chili and I'm making vegan cookies.

Yesterday we did go to the library's centenial birthday party and had cake and punch. Fiona got a $10 book store gift certificate for winning the poster contest in her age category. Her picture was taken, too, so I'll have to pick up a Northfield News to see if it got in.

Yes, Triana will be here Thursday through Sunday and we are so excited! I heard on the radio that peak foliage is coming up, so she will be just in time for that. I think we'll have to peep and pick apples. I have no idea when we are going to make this practice cake. A lot to do in four days! People who come up to Vermont to look at the autumn foliage are called "Peepers", which I find amusing.

Fiona said her tummy hurt on the way to school today, so we're still dealing with that. Now it seems more like either a food intolerance (she just had a huge bowl of cereal with milk) or maybe anxiety over school. I am not sure what to do at this point. It's hard to get a four year old to talk about her feelings.

Happy Autumn!

It must be all that cool air because it's a quarter to 8 AM and Sophia is still asleep. Naturally, I have an eye appointment this morning, but Doug is taking the day off so all should be well.

We're going to have some sort of little autumn party (just the family!) but I am not sure what to do now. I already made cupcakes, but that was just because. They are coconut and they are very nice but I forgot to put vanilla bean in them (I'm out of extract). The cupcakes look more like spring than autumn. I will mention here that I am a coconut fanatic. I made chocolate tapioca pudding the day before with coconut milk and it was sort of like a almond joy pudding (I also put almond extract in). Fiona didn't like it--I thought it was probably the texture, which I admit may be an acquired taste--but she said it was the taste. It was not that sweet, more bittersweet, which is why it was so good, of course. Oh well, more for me. Sophia inhaled it. This is the sand connoisseur, however. But back to the autumn celebration. Maybe we'll go for a hike if it doesn't rain and then come back for spiced cider? Make some sort of craft with leaves? I am not all that crafty--I have to find craft guides and use the internet to come up with projects for Fiona. Plus we can't keep ALL her crafts and I feel like a horrible mother throwing any piece of paper she draws on away. Believe me, I have. I've had to, okay? Leave me alone!

So this weekend is Fiona's school potluck, which includes both schools, and I find that odd because the two schools aren't exactly close to each other and the parents don't know each other and the kids don't know each other so why...? Anyway, before that is the local library's centennial birthday party which we are going to because Fiona won the poster contest in her division. I'm making "Chili Non Carne" from Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything which will probably end up pretty different from the recipe because...it's chili. It's not even real chili. It's spiced beans with condiments and chips. I like that, but it's not chili. I don't even know why I am using a recipe. What can I say, I love cookbooks.

We Can Dance if We Want To

School went well today, but Fiona went up to nap of her own will (Sophia not so much, of course). She still seems not quite back to her old self, but hopefully that won't be long. She's scheduled to have a play date with her friend, Ellie, at our house next Tuesday. Ellie's dad volunteered to pick up Fiona with Ellie and drive them here. I think it will be okay. Ellie has the same kind of car seat Fiona does (I'd drop Fiona's car seat off with her in the morning, like Doug used to do for me). Fiona is going to be crazy at the idea of going home in Ellie's car. Now I just have to figure out what we should all have for lunch.

Doug bought Fiona her own pair of tap shoes, so Fiona has been wearing those while Sophia wears the shoes Fiona has been borrowing from the school. Tap tap tap on our wood floors! I think Sophia would really like a tutu similar to Fiona's. Too bad we'll be taking the tap shoes back tomorrow!

I watched the entire season of House, Season 2 and now I'm left with nothing until whenever the third season comes out on DVD. Doug needs to catch up, so House is back in the queue on Netfux. Wait. I bet I can see it on iTunes. Damn you, iTunes!

Back to School

Due to popular demand, here are pictures!



Here's Fiona in her new dance duds.



Sophia taking a break from raking leaves.



Fiona resting in the leaves.



Fiona's back at school today and I'm just waiting for the phone to ring. She has a cough but it is really mild and seems to happen just at night and in the early morning. I gave her some OTC cough syrup which I never do unless she needs to sleep at night. So I met the other class's teacher's assistant and I didn't get a great first impression. She introduced herself, which was good points, but then her manner with Fiona was sort of impatient and distainful. It's sort of a vague impression I got and it may be a false one. Good grief, though, the day is just starting. I can sound like she did, but it's usually about 4 PM. It was pick up and drop off time, so we did need to act in a timely fashion (Fiona likes to chat and show her teachers things and she hasn't been there in 4 days now, including the weekend) but just something in her manner didn't sit well with me. I'll give the benefit of the doubt this time, but the next time I should say something. I am just not sure what.

Last Monday morning--or maybe this was Sunday night--we knew she wasn't going to school, as did she and she said she needed her special things, which were: "1. Ginger Ale (editor's note: I think this is the first time she's had ginger ale), 2. Crackers, 3. Hot Soup, 4. Show, 5. Snuggling, 6. with Daddy, 7. with Mommy if it’s a work day" in that order, with the numbers. Glad to see where I stand, ha!

Dying of the Cute

Ever have those days where you just lounge and gaze at the chaos that is your home? Yep, that is today over here. Fiona did throw up, so that's mostly the reason. No apple picking. We hope to go later, especially with Triana in late September. The TV has been on every minute of the day. I rented movies (we don't have broadcast TV, so we rely on our DVD/VCR contraption).

I keep forgetting to mention two things. One. I got most of my hair chopped off and it's now at my chin line. I may get it shorter. I have this really thick, curly/wavy, tends-to-frizz hair. I always get the comment from hairdressers: "Wow. You have a lot of hair". It was pretty long, down to mid back or so. Now I can actually get my fingers through it in the shower while conditioning it. And it's also a lot lighter (in weight). I splurged and got highlights, too. Copper and blonde. Maybe I'll post a picture. Maybe not.

Two. Fiona is taking dance classes! She started last Thursday. Yesterday (when I could swear she was totally better) we went out after Doug got off work and bought her a very blue long sleeved leotard, black tights, black ballet shoes, and this totally adorable blue tutu that isn't foo-foo so much as it hangs in strips and has blue roses on the ends. She loves all of it and she, naturally, is so freaking cute--so much so that I can't even bear it. Sophia joined in and said "Oh, Feenona! Cute dress!" Hard not to buy two. We still need tap shoes, but we are borrowing the school's for now.

After today, I would like to put the TV in the attic for a few months. It won't happen, it's too heavy, but maybe I could hide it...

An Autumnal Update

Whew, what a week! It's not over yet, either.

This was the first week of school on the regular schedule with all the kids. Fiona had a good time, she says, but I got a call from the teacher Thursday saying Fiona was having some behavioural problems...screaming, inappropiate body language (that is not exactly what she said, but the gist of it...I know what she means, I think---when she doesn't like what you have to say, she pushes her hands out at you and makes all sorts of colorful faces, maybe covers her ears, turns away, etc), crying, defiant, bothering the other kids at their work. Really, nothing that sounded unusual--she acts like this at home from time to time. We had a gentle talk with her about expectations at school and Friday was much better. Sigh. I am so over the screaming tantrums. We're at the end of the so called rope. I know the saying "this too shall pass" but WHEN? She is four and a half. I love that she is independent and questioning and assertive, but I want her to use her powers for good.

The weekend before was the La Leche League (LLL) "baby sale" where we sell clothes, toys, and gear and it looks like it will be our best year ever. Doug is working probably all day today (a Saturday) which sucks rocks and there is a LLL meeting Tuesday on weaning which is usually a pretty popular topic, and is fresh in everyone's minds after the baby sale (the LLL meetings, not weaning!). I am exhausted. I don't go to the October meeting because there is just too much going on that month, but October is also filled with delights. At least October will be fabulous in that we finally get to visit my family and I get to see Ellen Aim and Cornithian tie the knot but the weekend (or two?) before that, Doug is off for work again to Montreal. He said he would stop in at LUSH for me, so that will be nice!

The girls have had some sort of tummy bug, but so far it's only meant messy diapers and knowing where the bathroom is at all times. Sophia seems to be "aaaah done!" with that, but now Fiona's tummy hurts. She certainly hasn't been eating any raw bagged spinach. Or any spinach for that matter. I think she is getting better, but the length (a little over a week now) concerns me. I guess we will see where we are Monday.

We're hopefully going apple picking tomorrow where they should have fresh tiny warm doughnuts and maybe some animals. Tomorrow is supposed to be about 80F which is unseasonably warm. We may or may not be going with one of Fiona's classmates. We went to the farmer's market today, just the three of us and it went okay. Fiona picked out some little artichokes (which I am not sure what to do with, but she loves the artichoke leaves from the "big" artichokes...I guess I'll show her where the heart is, and we'll go from there and maybe toss it with pasta...) and wanted blue potatoes, but none were to be found. I got some mizuna, mixed basil, ham steak (say that like Homer Simpson, I can't seem to say it any other way), eggs (I forgot we already have 2 dozen so we're going to have lots of egg dishes and baked goods this week!), flat leaf parsley, chantrelles (hooray for autumn!), POBLANOS (I nearly got down on my knees), and vibrant fresh flowers. Today is gloomy and cool, so I needed the flowers. I'm going to take a page from my friend Ame and try to have fresh flowers around more often in the winter. Winter is just so dark and colorless. It doesn't have to be, though! Fiona ate an apple samosa and a pumpkin sugar cookie, Sophia had a veggie samosa and the same kind of cookie, and I had a turkey samosa. I will really miss the farmer's market! It's over in October.

Fiona picked out some bulbs and I hope to pick out more and get them planted with her help in a few weeks. This year I swear I will stash away some bulbs so I can force them. We slacked and did not order firewood in the spring/summer, so now we're having a hard time (again) finding some. I even wrote where we got it last year on the calendar, but they did not call me back this year.

The leaves are definitely changing, but we aren't at peak yet. The compost pile will be so happy to have some leaves in it. If I can just get out there and rake them up...

Hydrogen Sulfide "Burps"

The other day, Fiona and I went to get Sophia after her nap. As she sat up, she farted. Fiona laughed and said "Sophia's bottom burped!"

After another nap, Sophia and I were reading How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?. She pointed to all sorts of things, saying their name. Then she pointed to T. Rex and said "T. Rex!". She'll be two on Oct. 18. I think she pointed to and said "Stegosaurus", too, but I am not 100% about that. She said "T. Rex" twice, however (correctly).

Yesterday, we marched in the Labor Day parade in our little town of Northfield--we were with the Library. I had great trepidation about this because I don't like marching in front of a lot of people and crowds...doesn't sound good, right? But it was fun. Fiona dressed up in her unicorn costume and she was a big hit. She stayed in Doug's arms or on his shoulders. I pushed Sophia in her stroller while carrying a sign (that said "Storytime"...we most of us had signs with something we liked about the library). Sophia was totally relaxed and even waved to people.

Gratitude

There is something about the end of the summer and the tinge of the autumn that makes me reflective. After a nice drop off and pick up from the hour of school...remembering to get more paint for the bathroom but forgetting the primer...getting shortbread for all and latte for me at La Brioche...then a quick bike ride and walk to the duck bridge before Sophia's nap...I found myself in what we affectionately call "The Study". This is the room that right about now--or soon--I fear will be innundated with sluggish confused w-a-s-p-s (if I spell it, maybe they won't come this year). It is a room with warped painted white wood panelling and the most ugly ceiling that is not quite in one piece (give me popcorn ceiling over this any day). I suspect there is nothing between the wood panelling and the outside of the house, either. In any case, this is a "graveyard room" in that it has no purpose other than storage of forgotten items and items we can't find a place for yet with inquisitive young children, one of them thinking she can climb to the top of anything (I found her on top of the diaper table the other day and that has been added to the Graveyard).

I was going through the filing cabinet, which is in this room, trying to find the user's manual for the diaper table (which is really a co-sleeper) so I can either sell it at the consignment store or donate it to the La Leche League sale (where we sell baby stuff very cheap and all the money goes to the local group, which is a non-profit volunteer organization). I didn't find it--I know it's here somewhere because we save all the user's manuals, even for the toaster---but I found other treasures.

First of all, I found the Christmas piano music that I have been looking for for at least four years (this is a clue that we need to take some sort of organization classes, I know). I nearly wept. I found a journal with black paper that I'd written in gel marker how the ideal rooms would look in our house (I made it for Doug, I've only used about 6 pages out of approximately 50...I have a few journals like this). I found another journal where I had been writing 5 things every night that I am grateful for. I started sometime in 2000 and the last time I wrote in it was when I was pregnant with Fiona. I completely forgot about it---I stopped writing in it just before we moved to our purple--then white--house, I think. I found some Astrology notes given to us by a friend (yeah, that went right into the recycle bin, but I have fond memories of the friend). I found old botany notes. I found a compliation CD from my sister Alexandra that I had totally forgotten about and now it's going on the computer.

I also just realized I have saved in the Graveyard Closet a cool sand toy for Fiona from my sister Maggie. Fiona is exactly at the right age for this now, so I will go find it since Sophia is sleeping. Sophia would just eat it. She has a taste for sand. Especially colored sand.

Purple Unicorn Sisters

Fiona started school yesterday and the only negative thing she said about it was that it was too short to do anything and she "hated that". School is only an hour a day this week with 3 separate groups of kids. Next week is 2 hours a day and the groups sort of blend together rather than stay separate. The last week is normal---3 hours and they're all together, all 17 of them (egads). She also said that there were a lot of tables and chairs but not a lot of things to play with. Hm. Well, we'll see.

What many of the parents seem to dislike (me included I must say) is that we are supposed to drive in the far entrance, circle around the back and pull up to the child's entrance to the school and wait. The teacher comes out, takes the child out of your car, and walks with them into the school. So there is this line of cars in the parking lot, idling. This is not so bad now, because we don't all come at the same time, but soon all of us (including the second classroom to our 15 families--15 rather than 17 because 2 families have siblings in the class) will come and go at the same time. Well, we'll see how it goes. It does mean Sophia can hang out in the car with me and stay warm in the winter, I guess. But it just seems rather ineffecient. Many people are short on time and have to get back to work. Of course they'd rather just get out and get their child and take them on to day care or whatever (most kids leave at noon, the older kids leave at 2?--although they have an aftercare program now).

I went to the consignment store the other day and I found a like new unicorn costume for Fiona. She loves it. She slept in it once, but she got too hot. I hope she doesn't decide she has to wear it to school. Then I looked through the costumes some more and there was a second one---in Sophia's size! They spent one afternoon flying around the house and now Sophia seems to be over it. We'll see. I took many pictures.

When Fiona pretends to be a unicorn, she is very, very quiet. She crawls over to me (with her head down so it looks like the unicorn head on top is the head) and waits until I see her and then I get to stroke her mane. She tells me in this little funny voice that Fiona is gone but she is here and Fiona will be back later---in sixty fourty days (or some big number). The amazing thing is, is that she is very, very quiet (unless Sophia is with her and then there is lots of shrieking laughter, and ultimately, crying because someone always falls down). I like the unicorn costumes.

School Countdown

Tomorrow is "Moving In Day" at Fiona's school and she will stay for about 20 minutes, putting her things away in her cubby and getting a look at her new classroom. She goes to the local Montessori school, which was new last year and they moved to a bigger space this year (thank goodness). She is very excited and keeps asking how many bedtimes (the spell check says this word should be beatings)away her first day of school is (that's Wednesday).

I made a nice rich gelatinous batch of chicken stock yesterday and I made chicken soup for lunch for the girls--carrots, celery, zucchini, vegetable alphabet pasta, and shredded chicken. They inhaled the soup. They were so taken with this soup that it was very, very quiet. It's rainy and cool lately, so maybe it was just what they needed.

Last Saturday we went to one of Fiona's friend's birthday party (I hope I did not make a possessive error there or I would have to smite myself) and had a great time. They had a pinata and everything. We've been to 3 parties now where the whole class is invited---I don't know what those of us with winter birthdays are supposed to do. Our house will not hold all those kids and siblings and parents--and there are MORE kids this year! Egads. One of Fiona's friends (with an April birthday) just invited Fiona and some neighbor friends, so I guess that is ok to do...I just hate to leave anyone out, especially because Fiona actually likes each of her classmates (so far). There is one child she has this weird love/hate relationship with, but he has a very similar personality to hers. He is a very sweet, smart kid but he can be rather boisterous, loud, energetic, opinionated...hm, sound familiar? Anyway, she and this particular boy went frog hunting and he let her hold the frogs (which I was really impressed with). She held on to these frogs forever. I kept trying to convince her to let them go or give the boy a turn. She kept trying to kiss one of them (thankfully Sophia did not see this). She finally did hand them over and one of them was playing dead. We thought it was real for while but her friend told us that the frog was only playing dead. Whew. But from now on, less squeezing of the frogs!

After that we went to the Champlain Valley Fair! We met a friend there who has a son who is 6 and a son who is 18 months. Everyone loved riding the horses. Even the little ones got to ride, which thrilled Sophia to no end. I took Fiona in first and Sophia was inconsolable---so after that I thought it might be worth a try (I was worried it would be hard to keep her on) and it went brilliantly! Every time the horses stopped she signed "more". She had a huge fit when it was really time to stop, though. After a birthday party and a couple of hours of the fair (which is an hour away from us) they were both totally worn out (heh heh). I think Fiona would have liked to get to know the 6 year old better---I think they have similar personalities and suspect they would really get on well, but they live in upstate NY.

I Lost My Title

Fiona's been referring to us as "Rachael and Douglas" for a while now. This has happened before and it seems to come and go. I don't really mind but it does sound sort of odd to hear her say it.

If (I should say "when") Sophia starts imitating her, that will be double the fun.

I haven't really lost my title. If she's feeling tender or sleepy---then I am "Mommy".

Pluto is No Longer a Planet!

I suppose you've all heard this by now. It's all very exciting!

I don't have much else to say except last weekend we went to Bath, NH for the sole purpose of bacon: The Brick Store . Their smoked bacon is heavenly. We also got some of their smoked cheese and summer sausage and fudge. The fudge is a little too achingly sweet for me, but the cappuchino flavor was very nice.

Vitamins

Fiona loves to take her vitamins, even before they were dinosaurs. She also takes (sometimes) her fish oil capsules. She sometimes takes these "green" vitamins which amazes me because I think they taste awful.

We have these calcium chews for both the girls and they taste pretty good. Fiona wants so badly to like them, but she doesn't. I said to her: "They are supposed to taste like vanilla milkshake, you know" (as I am reading the bottle yet again). She said, "Too bad they don't".

The Versitility of Tang

Bacon and...Tang?

-----------

Bacon Snack Bars

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 15 min
Makes: 12 servings, 1 bar each



1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 pkg. (2.8 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Real Bacon Recipe Pieces
4 tsp. TANG Orange Flavor Drink Mix
3 cups POST HONEY BUNCHES OF OATS Cereal, any variety



MIX sugar and syrup in large saucepan. Bring just to boil on medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
ADD peanut butter; stir until well blended. Stir in bacon pieces and drink mix. Add cereal; mix well.
PRESS evenly into greased 8-inch square pan. Cool completely before cutting into 12 bars to serve.




KRAFT KITCHENS TIPS


Substitute
Prepare as directed, using 1 pkg. (3 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Real Bacon Bits.

Jazz It Up
Prepare as directed; sprinkle with additional drink mix.
--------

I'm trying to decide what's more horrific. I can almost see the bacon (for heaven's sake, is it so hard to cook bacon?) but...Tang? Why? Why would we want to "Jazz It Up" by sprinkling more Tang on top?

This got three stars, by the way. Someone supposedly actually made this.

I get that bacon is good with sweet things sometimes (coat bacon with brown sugar and cook at 500 until done) but TANG?

Maybe it's more horrific that someone actually thought something like: "I'd love to make a snack bar that is really unique. People sometimes eat them for breakfast, so a protein like peanut butter is a good idea. People also like to eat bacon for breakfast, so that will probably taste pretty good in there. Why not add some fake orange-y instant drink so it can be an all-in-one bar? I'm brillant!"

She Won!

A few weeks ago, the library ran a poster contest for its 100th anniversary in September. There was a category for Fiona's age group, so she did a poster for fun. I forgot all about it until just now when they called and told us she won her category!

She said, "I bet it was the glitter that did it".

Here, Mommy

Sophia likes to practice using the potty (by this I mean the big one, no one uses the red plastic potty I got...). Right now this means taking off the diaper (wiping her up if needed), putting her on the toilet, her saying "all done!" and then she likes to wipe and throw it in the toilet. That is her favorite part. So today I do this and it's just a wet diaper. I am running around doing a million things and it's a moment before I can put her on the toilet (she always wants to get right up and then the toilet paper and flushing and turning off the light and saying "bye bye" to the toilet and bathroom is a bit of a production). I come in and she is standing there and handing something to me.

She hands me two pieces of bowel movement. I know what they are, but I take them anyway. Believe me, I was weeping inside. I am just glad she handed them to me (she likes to hand things to us when she's done with them). She could have done much worse. Soooo...after I washed my hands and her, she took a nice soapy warm bath.

And by the way, if you are ever faced with ballpoint ink on your antique couch, blotting rubbing alcohol on it takes it out very nicely.

You've Got a Little...Um, Yeah...Right There...

Fiona is taking afternoon classes at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science---the same place where she (and I) got to hold a Madagascar Hissing Roach (which she did again today, actually). Monday they learned about worms and yesterday they learned about slugs and snails. It's great. It's right at Sophia's ideal nap time, so she has just been napping on the go. The problem is, Fiona is totally wiped out at the end of this class and Sophia is ready for action at the end of her class.

This morning we played with a couple of their friends and had a great time. We played on a playground (we had to do some searching) and then went back to their house. I unfortunately forgot the tube of sunblock was in my back pocket when we got in the car to go back to their place. I would not even have noticed except I picked up Sophia from her car seat and then put her down in the back of the station wagon to change her diaper and there was a vast amount of cream on her leg. I was perplexed and then noticed it was all over me and my shorts. So I took the excess cream and slathered Fiona and myself and Sophia. I think it was half the tube. It's also all over the seat. So. Don't sit on tubes of cream.

Her friend, Nick, was telling us all about this boy in their neighborhood who "isn't very nice" and nearly ran over himself and his sister Linnea on his bike. This boy was riding past us on the street while Nick was telling us this. Fiona responded (boy nowhere in sight thank goodness): "Don't worry, we'll just kill him later". I swear to you, this is a non-violent household and we restrict what they watch to avoid this sort of thing (well, and other things) but something must have slipped through.

It's Official

Not that there was any question of not going, but I just bought four (gulp) plane tickets from Boston to Dallas. We are going to take the bus from New Hampshire into Boston (about 2 1/2 hours). Fiona will be very excited but I think Sophia is going to not be quite so thrilled. Well, we'll see! She'll be a different person in 2 months. I am glad to have this under our buckle, so to speak.

I am not even sure if I've mentioned this, but we are going to my youngest sister's wedding in October (hence the plane and bus tickets)! Ellen Aim and Corinthian are tying the knot (and currently buying a house) and are having quite the creative wedding. We are all going in costumes (no, I do not know what we are going as yet) and I am making her cake, with the help of the talented Triana. I think the food there will be all desserts and I am not sure if I am helping with that. I'd love to, but I guess it depends on the kids and timing and whatnot. I plan to search through recipes to find my favorites anyway. The cake will be chocolate buttercream with a red interior. I am planning to dye a nice spongecake for the red. The plan as of now is to have cascading chocolate dipped strawberries on the outside of the cake. The wedding invitation was very unique. I would love to post it here. It was goulish and creative and very cool. I didn't show it to the kids, though.

So we had the Home Visit from Fiona's new teacher (Fiona goes back to school on the 30th)(Yes, I edited the date! It's not the 23rd--I can't tell my up from my down.) and Fiona gave her a tour of her room and OUR room (didn't see that one coming, so yes, look, we don't make our beds and, yes, they are just mattresses on the floor---don't mind the books all over the floor and the baskets of cloth diapers). I think it went well, Fiona has met her before and likes her. She had the teacher (named Kristen) read her a dinosaur book--which was a cool book which came with very tiny pieces of dinosaur bones to put together--and apparently (I forgot about this) it is a quite graphic dinosaur book where they talk about this T.Rex mauling some Triceratops in great detail. Kristen asked her if this book didn't scare her---to which Fiona said no, of course. She comes up with all sorts of ghastly "meat-eater" type of dinosaur stories. At least she didn't ask Fiona what she had for dinner last night. She could very well have said "cow muscle with leeks". (Doug made this incredible "silky beef with leeks" dish that all four of us inhaled. We finished it off with leftover blueberry buttermilk lemon tart from his birthday).

We Just Have Time for a Quickie

It's so hot and humid today. It's that Armpit thing. Level 5. We all just took cold baths/showers. The refrigerator is sweating which is gross.

So the science museum summer camp thing is going well. It's quite a drive to do every day and of course they nap in the car and awake refreshed (if sticky, but at least we have car a/c now) while I feel like sleeping the afternoon away. Sophia loves being able to play at the exhibits on her time table instead of Fiona's and having all my attention. Fiona gets to do neat things in class and take walks outside. There is this awkward hour between 9 and 10---the dropoff hour and the time the museum actually opens for visitors. Yesterday we ended up just driving around and today we went to the Hanover Co-op.

Doug made these incredible spicy Hunan noodles. He's made them before but it's been a while (We neither of us have any energy at the end of the day, so he is heroic for making dinner. I think I would make...cereal).

I got Doug's birthday present (Aug 5) and it's so hard not to give it to him so he can enjoy it immediately.