weekend trades

 Whim's playing at a big music festival this weekend.

Playing backup for some big name bands

When we were first married, I used to go watch Whim play every weekend.  I've never been a night owl, but I'd stay out late to watch him.

But these days, weekends for me are a lot less:

In his element

and a lot more:

In his element

A fair trade.  Especially when I remember that before too long, they'll be jamming, too.

Ballet boys

The boys started ballet this week, and it's pretty much exactly as adorable as you would imagine.  The tutus and tiny slippers.  Three year old tummies and ruffles and excited smiles.

Does this picture even begin to show L's undying adoration for teacher Vivi?  

Family pictures

Do you like our latest family portrait?

I couldn't get enough of those ridiculously cute bodies.  Luckily I know the artist, so he hooked me up with another one, no charge.

The other loves of my life

I was fortunate to marry a wonderful man, but it would be a lie to say there haven't been others in my past who rivaled for my heart.  Some still do.

The love is one-sided, true.  But it was no less sincere on my part.  From the pages of my favorite books to the big screen, these men, each in turn, have stolen my heart.  So somewhere deep inside me (and in my crush listicle) there will always be a place for them.

1. Calvin O'Keefe

2. Mr. Knightley

3. Alan Bossley

4. T. B. Player

5. Ron Weasley

6. Jim Halpert

7. Dekisugi Hidetoshi

8. Moses (Prince of Egypt)

9. Blaine Anderson

10. Seth Cohen

Do you recognize my crushes?  And who are yours?

I'm proud of the pictures we didn't take

A

B

C

D

H

I

J

L

O

T

U

V

X

Y

We've spent the past two Saturday mornings at the park on an alphabet hunt.

I'm a total sucker for this kind of project.  Entertaining... educational... outdoors. 

The boys ate it up.

Well... until they were done.  We found about 6 or 7 letters the first time we went, and then several more with renewed vigor when we went back the next week.  But the boys aren't cursed with my do-or-die mentality when it comes to things like finishing the whole alphabet.  They just enjoyed it, without tying it into accomplishing something. 

It is totally my nature to reduce something like this to the end result.  I probably could have cajoled a few more out of them without too many complaints. (Come on guys.... you really don't see ANYTHING around here that looks like an S?)  And then I would have had to lay on some major hints for the last few.  (Hmm... what does this chair leg look like?)  And by the end I'd be saying, "Ok, just two pictures, come on guys, we're almost done!"

But I didn't!  It's good for me.   I could feel myself becoming a less uptight person while I reminded myself, "Z doesn't matter...and I was never that fond of F, anyway."

Besides, there's always next Saturday. :)