Do you know what a fairy looks like?

Cooper: Mom, when you call the Tooth Fairy can I talk to her? Me: Oh sweetie the Tooth Fairy only talks to adults. Cooper: Why Mom? Oh I think I know...because adults can keep secrets. Me: You think so? Cooper: Yeah probably. Me: You might be right...but you know Coop, even though I have talked to the Tooth Fairy I have never actually seen the Tooth Fairy. Cooper: You haven't? Me: Nope...never...what do you think she looks like? Do you think she walks or flies? Cooper: Oh she flies...all fairies fly. Me: Yeah I guess you're right buddy...how big do you think she is? Cooper: About this big (holds his hands about 8" apart). Me: Really? What color wings do you think she has? Cooper: White...all fairies have white wings. And she might be made of all teeth because she has collected so many. I think she might have a special grabber to get the tooth from under the pillow. You know mom, you might not like this idea but maybe I could build a trap so that I could catch the Tooth Fairy so that I could look at her and then I would set her free. Me: Wow...how would you build a trap? Cooper: I could use a laser & when she went in the laser it would drop a net down and catch her. Mom maybe when you talk to her you could find out where she lives and then we could go and see her? Me: Where do you think she might live? Cooper: I think in a tree...that's where fairies live.

So I guess I'm just not Zen

Back in January I got myself this nifty Zen page a day calendar. It was however only nifty until I took it to the office and started tearing pages off. I must be totally honest when, on maybe day 7 I had to admit that I did not understand one single page. Not one. I thought...maybe I'm trying too hard or maybe I'm over analysing (I know, so totally not like me). Well I let go of trying to make "sense" of the calendar (yes I surprise you yet again) and decided to share my confusion with my coworkers. I can now say that the Zen calendar is pretty much pure entertainment for us and I have decided to share this entertainment with you all. So here goes: Wednesday February 11th "One day Chao-chou fell down in the snow, and called out, "Help me up! Help me up!" A monk came and lay down beside him. Chao-chou got up and went away." ~Zen Koan Sunday February 15th "Lie down as if dead. Or if very angry, stay angry. Stare without moving an eyelash. Or suck on something and become the sucking" ~Shiva, on centering Thursday July 16th "He who knows how to shave the razor, will know how to erase the eraser." So yeeaahh, umm, huh? Will more wine help these make sense? Or maybe I had to live through the 70's? And not be 5. I am actually rather surprised that this calendar was mass produced and thousands of people actually have this very calendar on their desks right this very minute! So all you hippies out there...is it just me?

Useless information

Would you like to know the way to my heart? Okay maybe not my heart and probably not my stomach either; but you could totally get me to roll over and show you my belly...yeah that's a little weird too...but anyway; the orange slice has GOT to be one of the greatest candy inventions ever followed up by its close cousin the peppermint leaf. And the really really good ones are actually "naturally" flavored...I know hard to believe, but if you search you can find them, usually in a general stores or trading posts in towns that sell worms out in front of their stores along with an isle that is entirely devoted to Coleman products. The only horrible thing that the candy industry has done to almost ruin the perfection of the orange slice is to pack them with 50 calories each! EACH. This is meanness in its purest form but I have decided that 45 minutes of sweat and misery on the Arc Trainer is a deal with the candy devil I'm willing to make.

Introductions

Say hello to my Great Niece Lucy Lawson. Her dad is the armed man in the pool with my children. While Lucy was smiling for the paparazzi, her father was teaching my boys how to kick Grammy Barbie's butt. Lucy...I highly recommend that you quickly learn the mechanics of a Magnum 8000 water pistol...your ol' Gram needs some serious back-up.

Sweet toppings

Rainbow sherbet with sprinkles and a cherry on top. Because pretty much everything in life is better with a cherry on top...

3 years

2009 vs. 2006

Sigh.

How?

When?

I love it.

I love him.

Life.

Life with him.

Wow.

Lucky me.

Its all fair in love and family...

It was boys against girls. We got totally creamed.

Peek-a-boo. Yup, we are still out here...just hiding behind a little vacation, lots of work and life. Promise to update and fill you all in this weekend.

Last game

I have a blog. I have two boys. And although I am sure there are 100 gazillion photographs in the world exactly like the ones here...it is my duty as a mother to share yet 4 more. Saturday was Coop's last game. He loved t-ball...was there a doubt that he wouldn't? He had a great season. He really is a wonderful baseball player and I swear I am not just saying that!

AND...yes, you see right...the coach let Duncan play!! They gave him an honorary t-shirt and hat at the beginning of the season and he has gone to every one of Cooper's games in full attire and has patiently sat on the bench or in the dugout. He understood that he was too young to play and was happy to just hang with the team.

He actually played pretty well considering he did his fair share of flirting with his very captive audience.

Stepping into it just like Dad taught him. Isn't he just the tiniest pipsqueak? My goodness he's so darn cute!

But why?

Lying in bed with me the other night... Duncan: Mom, why does everything in the world have a name? Me: Well I guess so we know what to call everything. Duncan: But why? Good question. How do you describe this to a four year old? I tried to go on to say, "well if things didn't have names we wouldn't know what to call them or how to "refer" to them"...but then he just asks "mom, what does "refer" mean? Sigh. It is just so beautiful to see his mind grow and I love these questions because it just means he is sucking life right up. But I honestly think the local college should offer a course in The Answers to your preschooler's "But Why" Questions so I can stop feeling so unbelievable inadequate.

Today

Duncan got a big fat kiss

and took a pretty nice photograph.

I am

My parents are quarantined in their friend's apartment in China after someone on their flight tested positive with H1B1 virus so I thought I would give them some light reading and a snapshot of what's going on around here. (Got this idea from a blog I read - seemed like a perfect idea). I am loving this totally awesome watermelon dessert (thank you Bryn) with lemon sorbet and fresh mint I am reading The Spanish Bow (no thank you Bryn...but only on page 100) I am appreciating a fairly clean desk at work I am enjoying sunshine (finally) I can hear children playing in the backyard (two of which are mine) I would not want to live without fake suntan lotion I need to carry the folded laundry upstairs and put it away I am looking forward to bedtime I am excited about being very close to breaking our all time record at Comfort Keepers I would love a trip on a plane (so I could read) to visit a friend (any friend) and sip wine with them and laugh and relax (interested?) Hope the authorities spring you soon mom and dad! If not, make me a list of "I ams and I will post it to the blog"!

A summer of face painting

Yeah, I'm not really sure what Duncan is either...some scary monsterish thing I suppose. When you are four this is very cool.

I am a total geek...because what I think is very cool...is the awesome blurred background in these photos. (Possible with this lens.) Having no zoom whatsoever takes some getting used to, but I love the effect.

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away. Henry David Thoreau