That little two letter word......

You know the one. The only one in a toddler's vocabulary. The one that no amount of smiling through gritted teeth or redirection to another activity can keep from being uttered. "NO". How do they learn it so quickly and use it in such utterly perfect context? How does the child that leaps out of bed into my arms each morning so enthusiastically become so ornery from one flight of stairs to the next? How does one simple syllable give birth to the most epic of tantrums?

Spring Broken....

 Not broken-just sprained, spring sprained would be a better description. One of the 7 year old's digits after a nasty lacrosse encounter. Thank goodness for padded gloves or I do believe he would be rockin a cast right now, and he does not need one more excuse NOT to take a shower. My house looks like a bomb went off, thanks to my tiny army.  Luckily we are packing up tonight and spending the rest of the week with just him and his sprain in NYC, the only place you can expect to cross the street and encounter a naked singing cowboy. These new sparkly TOMS are a completely random addition, but does it crack anyone else up that they have been revamped with some Eleanor Roosevelt orthopedic soles? I was told it was for added durability, which is a huge relief since 2 year olds seem to sit still for such long periods of time and not propel themselves off of anything. Any bets on how long before a hole appears in the toe?

Wishing you a week where your mini militia takes it easy on you and maybe even tricks you into a few serene minutes where you think you are actually in charge.

Ikat Obsession

Let's just pick back up before this year's spring break and pretend that the last post I cranked out wasn't right after LAST YEAR'S SPRING BREAK, shall we?

The picture above is my favorite spot in our house. The Porch. The wine tastes better, the conversation is lighter, and the kids forget to look for me here. That groundhog's huge mistake is keeping me from enjoying this space much right now, but his blunder should be fixed in the next few weeks. What's your favorite part of spring?

One Left Sandal and all the words to Chipwrecked...

that's what consists of the debris leftover from a last minute end of spring break family trip to the beach. This turkey pictured is applauding after the stomp rocket missile caught a crazy tail wind and nailed her brother in his "man parts". My crazy amazing sleeper (same turkey) replaced her awe inspiring narcoleptic habits with those of a meth addict on a bender and didn't feel responsible for sleeping at night. The other turkey (with the bruised nether regions) was the proud owner of an impressive cough which upon arriving home and a quick trip to Kid Med revealed a case of walking pneumonia. So we are left with one left sandal, naturally the right one is a state away, and both were only collectively worn as a pair ONE time; and the complete "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" is all Im left with as I wait for my weekly dose of Don Draper.(that, and a propensity for run on sentences apparently). So, Monday, BRING IT, I've even got a red sandal to spare.

It couldn't of happened to a better person...

Did NOT see this one coming last night. What about you? I can't believe that this is what it took to make Betty Draper vulnerable, relatable, and REAL. After 18 months on hiatus, I was a little cynical about what could possibly be done to make the long break worth it, but so far I am loving this season. Don seems less loathsome, Roger's feelings of inadequacy are endearing, and Betty might not send Sally to years of therapy after all. What do you think of Mad Men so far?

Excuse me miss, what's the ol '96er?

I know not everyone sits down to dinner every night like John Candy's character Chet in "The Great Outdoors". I realize that most of us enjoy one "cheat"day every now and then, and live by the "moderation is key" mentality. I also know that when the above heart attack on a plate is on the brunch menu at your restaurant and you announce to America you have developed Diabetes that the looks of shock and awe are going to be few and far between. Paula Deen did not force me to add multiple sticks of butter to my casserole. She did not try and convince me her recipes are healthy. She even told Oprah that she was "her cook, not her doctor." Should she be allowed privacy concerning her health? Absolutely. My only problem with this series of events is the fact that she did not feel equipped to "bring enough to the table to help others" without financial compensation. To me, that's like two pregnant women sitting beside each other at the OB's office charging each other for advice. So, after you have your salad for dinner, tell me what you think of this. Should Paula Deen make money just because of a health condition after years of topping her burgers with two krisy kremes?

Why?

or perhaps more accurately, "why not?". I hear that a lot. "Because I'm the mom, that's why!" is what my gut always says to go with, but in an effort to get my son thinking I usually try to reason with him and explain "why" or "why not". I don't think he'll stop asking until he's in a similar predicament:

Happy Thursday! Im happy to say that after battling pink eye and a strong resemblance to Darth Maul for the past few days, I am on the mend!