Randomocity

1. Is it bad that I am totally envying my sons' tans this summer? Remember the days when your young skin turned brown the fun way by just hours of playing outside? Now it's an ordeal: making sure there is ample sunscreen, maybe a hat, definitely checking for shaved legs...

2. Tomorrow night my husband is repaying me for the days of nursing him back to health a few weeks ago by sending me off for a night all. by. myself. I get to stay here. And I will most likely get takeout here. And I will read. Yes, read.

I am beyond excited! I did this once before years ago. It was actually a stretch for me to do this kind of thing by myself but I found it quite liberating and refreshing. I love my family with all of my heart. I am planning and praying that this one night away will help fill my well of patience. It's been running a little dry lately.

3. See this girl? These days I turn my back for a minute, nay, a second and she makes her way to something she knows she's not allowed to get into. She can drive me up the wall and make me smile in one fell swoop. That's pure talent, I tell

you! Oh and I may or may not have taught my 19 month old to say "dumb dog". There is a suspicious "du" that she says before "dog" now.

4. Our baby's new digs is our walk-in closet. Phoebe is the gruntiest of all grunty babies. Translated: she is loud when she sleeps! She's not ready to move into her sister's room yet but the girl needed her own space. That space is now our closet. And we are okay with that.

5. Have you ever gone carpet shopping? If so, then you might agree with me in this sentiment: I'd rather do this any day of the week than try to find carpet for the whole house.

6. I have been stepping out of my culinary box lately. Last night I made chicken tikka masala and the family liked it. Tonight I am attempting seared mahi mahi. I've been in quite the cooking rut for the last few months, maybe years. So here's to kitchen freedom!

Jackpot!

So I finally uploaded (or is it downloaded... I can never figure out which is which) all of my photos that I have taken on my phone for the last year. Let me tell you, the feeling is akin to finding that $20 bill in a random pocket. With your phone, there are no "photo shoots". Instead, there are random, off-the-wall pictures that feel more like daily life. Allow me to share some of these moments from the last year...

There you have it, friends. Photos of in-home date dinners, newborn niece, etc.,etc. It's like a scrapbook in my phone!

PS What's going on with the picture layout? I'm afraid to even touch it because I don't feel like uploading all these photos again. Good thing I'm not OCD ;)

Phoebe is Growin'

She's already 5 weeks old. She smiles and coos. She sleeps in her bassinet at night. She's my precious, uptight, beautiful, so-incredibly-loud, passionate Phoebe bird. I have tried to find the perfect time to do a "photo shoot" but I have to say, it does not exist. Here is today's attempt to capture my girl...

Classic Baby Toes. Miniature, Tiny Toes.

Streeeeetch it out.

Well, hi there.

She's got cheeks!

"I'll give you this one last shot, Mama"

3 minutes into our session, things turned decidedly south. Allow me to share.

And that was the end of that.