As impetus, we had an impromptu 4th of July gathering. Apparently, almost no one had plans for the 4th, and what started out as two families turned into a good sized crowd. So obviously, we had to get the yard spruced up. I finally got all my pots planted, and we put up our garden lights and what not. Usually these tasks would have been completed much earlier in the year, but the aforementioned never-ending winter prevented this.

We were able to offer our guests a possible view of the fireworks. Possible, because we haven’t lived here over a 4th yet. I’m pleased to report that our house is even more awesome than we already knew! We have a kick-ass view of the airshow and fireworks over Tacoma’s Freedom Fair. Woot! The airshow was actually pretty mindblowing. It seemed like those jets were only a couple of hundred yards outside my window doing all their Top Gun flips and shit.

Anywho, just a small post to say, HOORAY FOR SUMMER!!!

Firstly, let me tell you about something cool we’re doing that is due in part to Tiana. We’ve got a farm share! We’re sharing a share with Tiana’s family, which is ideal. A whole share is a LOT of vegetables. I’ve wanted to do this for many years, but I knew that if we had a whole share, a lot of the yummines would go to waste. In similar Green Team news, we split a pig with Tiana’s family, as well! She’s a teacher in a fairly rural area and she bought a pig from one of her students. We bought one third of it. So, yay us! Yay for locally grown, healthy, sustainable agriculture and all that jazz. Last night’s dinner was a celebration feast of all of this yumminess. A couple of other friends were there as well, who also have shares, and we cooked yummy things together while the children played. Are we hippies or what? (Please say hippie in your head in your best Cartman voice, as it is intended.) Thanks for the lovely evening, as always, dear friend.

Part of the point of this blog was originally to get down all my stories, and one of last evening’s guests was a newer friend who had not heard the tale of what I was doing the day Tiana and her dear husband were married. Tragically, I was NOT THERE. This was so very, very, sad to me, because the two of them were some of our bestest friends and after a fairly dramatic courtship that’s funny to even remember now, they were finally getting married! Huzzah! Well. I was on the other side of the planet. Alone. It was while we were living in England, but Aaron was actually in New York for a showcase, so I was all by my lonesome, just me and my self pitty. Not only was I not at home attending the party of the decade, I was also not in NYC visiting friends and lounging about in beer gardens like SB. It was a Saturday and I had to work. I moped through my whole day, ate a depressing dinner alone, and even though I knew I was 8 hours ahead and things weren’t happenning at the same time, I imagined all the fun all of my friends were having, dancing the night away at the wedding. So, at a super early and depressing hour, I decided to go to bed. I snuggled up, preparing myself for a good cry, when I realized I could hear laughing and singing in the garden next door. I peaked out my window and looked down upon what looked like a really great party. There were lots of cool looking people laughing and drinking and carrying on. There was even a guy playing the gutiar while folks gathered round, singing along. (You KNOW how I love a good sing along. I’d never realized what good sing along song is Wonderwall) I watched them for a while, feeling more and more sorry for myself, if that was EVEN possible. Finally, I had seen enough and was ready for my cry. Woe! Terrible, woe. As I was finishing up, lamenting the fact that I wasn’t tired since it was only about 9pm, I saw some flashes on the wall of my bedroom. What the heck? I peeked back out my window at the party to see that now, not only was it full of drinking and singing and carrying on, there were FIRE JUGGLERS. People Juggling. Fire. That’s all there is to this story, but I think it’s pretty funny. Not so much then, but I can definitely see now, that the gods have a sense of humor and don’t approve of self pity.

All of this to say, I love my friend Tiana. Any party she’s at, I wanna be, too. I’m so very thankful for her in my life!

1. Running! GET OUT, right? But the weather has been beautiful and it smells SO GOOD outside. I am also, actually, maybe a little, starting to feel like a runner. I’m really looking forward to my half marathon on June 26th! I love having something funslashscary to look forward to. Today, I ordered myself an iPhone armband thingie. It’s so fun anticipating a package.

2. Clark said thank you for the first time this morning, un-prompted. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said, “Can you say, thank you, mama?”, I’d have a LOT of dollars. So, yay! I love that boy so much.

3. The Summer is coming. Ahhh! I love summer! There’s a bikeride to look forward to, there are some camping trips in the works, and just more general fun and togetherness with friends and family. And you get to wear sandals.

4. Last night I talked on the phone with my dear friend Heather who is living in Saudi Arabia for a whole hour.

2. I’m very grateful for this weird early spring we’re having. No Snowpocolypse here. It’s going to be almost 60 all week! I keep thinking that any day the weather gods are going to snatch it all away, but flowers are blooming everywhere and all the trees are budding. Check out these crocusses from my walk yesterday!

3. I’m thankful for free art. FREEEEE! There was this spot in the living room that really needed some art. I knew I wanted something in mostly oranges or reds, probably some kind of letter press-y or etsy find. I’ve always really liked this, but despite my desire to decorate, we’re in a bit of a spending freeze at the moment. But then! The other night after a late happy hour I found the new Beautiful Angle poster! And I happened to have the PERFECT sized frame just sitting in a closet, containing something I’d decided not to hang up in the new house. Huzzah!

4. Once again, I’m thankful for my child’s health. I’ve seen blood twice in the last two days, but he’s a strong and healthy boy and he’s fine. Both times, Clark fell and smacked his face into unforgiving objects, both times he was within my reach. It’s a good thing he was with me for both injuries. I’m sure I would assume that anyone else hadn’t been watching him closely enough.

I give you, Black Eye Baby.

That’s right, for weeks to come, as it changes to all of it’s myriad shades, I’ll have to tote around a baby with a shiner.

Good thing I took these really cute pictures of him just before:

Speaking of souls and tears, however, YOU MUST HELP ME. We are in all out sleep refusal around here. I’m desperate and I’ll take any advice. Maybe a combination of ideas will work, so let me have them. Here are the stats. I await your diagnosis. Before he got sick a couple weeks ago, he always went down easy. He had two long naps per day, and went to bed at 7 every night. (He still woke up 3 times per night, but now I realize how good I had it. Depressing.) Now, we fight and fight and fight for all sleep. This whole day has been an unsuccessful nap attemp. He just cries and cries! Or, falls dead asleep repeatedly, only to spring up and start crying the second you lay him down, like some sort of weird reflex. We’ve tried everything, including letting him cry for up to 5 minutes, but you guys. You guys. He gets so upset that he barfs. BARFS. Which is of course, the most soul crushing scenario. (Am terrible parent! Also, Barf to clean up. A baby to change, etc.) Anyway. Please help me.

So, this YOG thing. A friend of mine logged into her google account from my iPhone and didn’t log out. When I next went into my Reader, I was of course actually in hers. There, in her feeds, was Zesty Enterprise with like, 15 unread posts, all YOGS. It looked really boring to me, and not like something I’d be super motivated to read. Not only that, I don’t like feeling like I HAVE to do something because I SAID I would, you know? Instead, I think I’ll just stop making dumb rules for myself and just make an effort to post about good things, under the YOG category.

In other navel gazing news, today I’m starting a six week yoga class called Resolve to Evolve. I’m supposed to bring a journal. I hope to report that it helps me to stay on my health and exercise wagon, all while calming and centering me and whatnot. I’ll let you know.

2. A fun night out with friends. Last night a group of 8 of us went to see Kathy Griffin. She was SHOCKINGLY funny. I’ve gone to many a comedy show of someone I adore, only to feel a touch let down. But she BROUGHT IT. I laughed so hard and so much, I know I missed out on a lot of funnies. I’m so glad we went!

3. Next weekend, we’re going to a friend’s 20s themed thirtieth birthday party, so today, SB and I went to Northwest Costume and found fabulous things to wear. I’m so excited! It was really fun trying on the surprisingly large collection of fringey dresses they carry, as well as pawing through drawers labled “Flapper Headbands”. So, hooray for dressing up and huzzah for having friends who throw fancy dress parties!

#18
1. Long snoozy walks with my boy,

2. that include giant iced tea mommy treats,

3. wherein I get to enjoy these cute little monkey feet.

#19
1. My BICYCLE! I love to ride my bicycle! I love to ride my bike. I love to ride my bicycle! I love to ride it where I like.

2. Jamie, my hair lady. I’ve been with Jamie longer than I’ve been with SB. I got a much needed hair cut yesterday and she can always tell me exactly what I should do.

3. Watching the kids across the street. I get SO much enjoyment from watching the kids on the playground across the street from my house. It’s like an ant farm or a fish tank or something.

(BTW, imaginary internet friends, that is most definitely NOT my SUV parked out front, for the record.)

#20
1. Writing. Writing brings me so much joy, so much clarity. Whether it’s here, or in my journal, whether it’s making a list or keeping a fitness diary, I looooove writing.

2. My friend Marguerite.

3. My morning nap. My boy still does not sleep well. From 7-9 am most days, I get to put in earplugs and throw the covers over my head. I smile from ear to ear, as I sink into a delicious, delicious sleep, unlike any other sleeping, where I do not have to listen for Clark. I swear, it feels like the only real sleep I get.

2. Thanksgiving Dinner in January just because.

3. True Blood on DVD. Um, yes. This is a really good show.

#17
1. The Grocery Store. Sometimes, I dread it! I am such an idiot. The grocery store is a wonderful place.

2. Playdates with Jess and V.

3. The hard and the good. It was SO HARD to put Clark to bed tonight for some reason. He’s usually pretty easy, but tonight it took an hour and a half, a barf, a pj change, and a dose of Motrin to get him to sleep. But we WON. HE IS SLEEPING. And it’s so good.

SB and I have planned a weekend in San Diego in February with another fun couple. I’m super looking forward to it. I mention this because did you know you can download individual chapters on the Lonely Planet website? I paid $2.10 for the San Diego chapter of the California guide. Isn’t that rad? It’s also great for when you haven’t decided your destination so you don’t want to commit to the whole book. This came in handy when we were investigating islands off Honduras. I downloaded just the chapter for the little island we were considering and learned, oh hey! While the beaches are pristine, you need ALL 5 MALARIA SHOTS to go there. Valuable information gained, no book required.

Moms among you, tell me about your kid storage. I must admit, I’m finding it so satisfying to pack away stuff for Clark’s little brother. Last night I packed away all of the 6-12 month clothes. Here’s what I do. I have a drawer where I just shove things that don’t fit anymore. When the drawer’s full, I go through all the stuff, decide what to keep, then pack it in the appropriate rubbermaid. I feel like this system is a nice combination of lazy and organized. I also made an accoutrement tub where I managed to shove all the infant toys, the changing table pad, the boppy, and a bunch of baby blankets. I rule.

Lookie what we got a screaming deal on:

I guess I better figure out how to use it. I think you’re supposed to run behind it.

Today, I had to go up to Seattle to pick up a photo order, then just turn right back around and come home again to avoid the friday afternoon traffic. I did pay for 20 minutes of parking, though, so Clarkie and I took a little walk before getting back in the car.

He was absolutely transfixed by, and a little afraid of the Seattle Center fountain. I realized as I stood there holding him close, watching the water shoot so high into the air, accompanied by the shocking, air rifle-like, PHOOT of the hydraulics, that I hadn’t stopped to watch that fountian since I was little enough to run in it. It’s pretty neat!

Y.O. G. – #14, #15

1. Bike Rides.

2. Beer.

3. Hanging out in my house by myself. I can sit at the dining room table with my laptop, it’s perfectly quiet, and no one’s watching TV.

4. Burt’s Bees. I have those lovely post-plague, mouth breathing, cracked lips, and making out with my tube of Burt’s Bees is the only thing saving me.

5. I’m super thankful that the trip to Seattle and back went well with Clark today. He pretty much hates being in his carseat, no matter how many times we call it his Adventure Chair. (There’s a song, too, of course.) He was in excellent spirits for all but the last 10 minutes or so, when he would no longer be plied with graham crackers or sippy cups.

6. The ease in posting pictures with the flickr iPhone app. This little YOG project would feel so much more cumbersome to me if I couldn’t just snap a picture and upload it to flickr so easily. That way when I sit down to YOG, the photos are all ready to post.

2. Unseasonably warm weather.

3. Looking in windows while out on said walk. Oh, how I love to see inside people’s houses. It’s the best. I especially love when I can see a cozy, well decorated room, or a cat in the window.