Thursday, September 9, 2010

September 5, Hollywood, Afternoon


I took so many pictures over this past Labor Day weekend. This perfect, beautiful weekend!  Each picture seemed to capture more and more of the  love affair I have with my family, the trees mature, wide sky, the river warm, the open air.  It was one of those times where I love everything and everyone including you and your family and it all comes together, everything makes sense, the center will be solid forever and ever amen!!

You know, one of those days...














Monday, September 6, 2010

beach boy: a love story

There is no combination of words I could put on the postcard
And no song that I could sing, but I can try because this is your heart and this is
Our dreams and they are made out of real things
Like a shoebox of photographs with sepia-toned loving
Love is the answer at least for most of the questions in my heart, like
Why are we here? And where do we go? And how come it's so hard?
It's not always easy and sometimes life can be deceiving
I'll tell you one thing, it's so much better when we're together
 Mmm, so much better when we're together
Yeh, we'll look at the stars when we're together
Well it's so much better when we're together
Yeh, it's so much better when we're together
 All of these moments just might find their way into my dreams tonight
But I know that they'll be gone when the morning light sings
Or brings new things for tomorrow night you see
They'll be gone too, too many things I have to do


But follow these dreams might find their way into my day to day scene
I'd be under the impression, I was somewhere in between
With only two, just me and you, not so many things we got to do
Or places we got to be, we'll sit beneath the mango tree now
Yeh, so much better when we're together
Mmm, we're somewhere in between together
Well, it's so much better when we're together
Yeh, so much better when we're together

I believe in memories because they look so,
So pretty when I sleep
And when I wake up you look so pretty sleeping next to me
But there is not enough time
And there is no, no song I could sing
And there is no combination of words I could say

But I will still tell you one thing
We're better together
We so much better when we're together
We so much better when we're together

*lyrics by the great, great man, Jack Johnson

p.s end of summer? boo...

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

apparently Europe has a sense of humor

Lately, my son's favorite movie is Monsters, Inc.  I haven't seen it from start to finish, but I've put the bits and peices together, and I think Pixar has something real special going on.

BE THAT AS IT MAY, I have stumbled upon a new cartoon.  We instant queue'd this into Netflix. Which, BTW, is the most brilliant idea in the land of parenthood!  Because who has time or energy to watch an entire 2 hour movie? 

Yes, it takes energy to watch a movie!! 

We were spending way too much money to watch a mere 20 minutes of a movie, before promptly nodding off.  And then, have it expire in 24 hours (I'm looking at you On Demand). But not with Netflix! We are able to finish watching a movie!  Even if it takes us 6 weeks! Without paying a ridiculous amount of money!!WooT!!

So, enter A Town Called Panic.  I have never seen my son laugh so hard, so many times...Even though this is a French movie with English subtitles, boy did it keep his attention!  And, for now, it's good he can't read yet because there is some choice adult content in the film.

So, need a new cartoon? Watch this preview....



I think those Belgium animators also have something real special going on...

Sunday, August 29, 2010

my happy place

Every so often I head back to where we got married.

and I watch our son play.

Where the weather, where the air, where the energy
is all-ways peace-full

I tell him, "this is where mommy and daddy came together with their families and friends and said "'forever.'"

He runs around happily: soaking, sponging.

contemplating risks

A mixture of nostalgia, stories, deep breathing, harbor noise, big sails, grass, flowers, you, me...

perfection.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

git yer potty on! or let's git yer potty started!

Please forgive the title.  I'm turning into one of those mom's who rattle off lame parenting jokes (loosens belt one notch from mom jeans)

I've been very successful at staying away from chapter 19: All about toilet training. My philosophy thus far is this:  I never read the chapter regarding Labor and Delivery, and after 7 easy hours of labor and 20 easy minutes of pushing -BAM I had myself a baybay. (I might be exaggerating.  Or forgetful. One of those. Or both)

The body is going to do what it's going to do, man.  Peace, love, and the universe.  And stuff like that.

If you recall, Milo came a month early so I never had the chance to so much as skim the chapter.  When I checked into the hospital, hunching over the nurses station, moaning in THUNDER ON THE MOUNTAIN PAIN, with my pajama bottoms soaked from amniotic fluid ( OH,  I COULD JUST GO ON BUT I WON'T!!) I didn't even have a bag packed.  I literally kicked the car seat (which was still in the box, wrapped in plastic) out the door while clutching a toothbrush.  I had been commuting nearly 3 hours a day and working a full 40 hours a week.  I barely had time to fit in the 13 hours of sleep I required to keep my face from falling off. 

All I knew, is that someway, somehow, someWHERE a baby would be exiting my body.  And, chances are, it would happen whether I read the entire "What to Expect while Expecting" book or not.

If a caveman can do it...

sidebar: I did take a child birthing class.  Very informative. They even provided graham crackers and juice. I even got to watch the movie: The case of the hairy vagina and the woman who refused the epidural. Highly recommended.

So, I'm thinking even if I don't educate myself on the do's and don'ts of toilet 101, he will learn how to make the diaper extinct from his life.  Effortlessly...

Then again, I really don't want to be changing a 4 year old's diaper...


Potty training? Let's get on with it...

Thursday, August 19, 2010

short and true story. eventually.


"Milo, I'm gonna need you to mow the lawn this morning."  "Aw, ma, c'mon...it's too hot to be out there today," my son complained. "Well, you promised me last week this would get done, and now, I can feel the grass on my knees..."

"Your knees, mom?  Dramatic much?"

I looked at him, evenly, lips in a thin line.  I didn't like him challenging me.  Though, of course, I reminded myself, it's the age.  The task of the teenager is to individuate.  Sigh.

"Sorry, ma" he replied half apologetically.  "Besides, the mosquitos are addicted to my blood.  I have 26 bites on me!"

"26 bites?  Dramatic much?" I said, happy that I could still volley the ball, so to speak.

"Can't I mow the grass tomorrow? It's supposed to be less humid..."

"Milo, I'm much more interested in the grass being cut today.  I'll have lunch waiting for you upon your return."

"'Lunch waiting for me? Upon my return? Since when did you become Mary Poppins?"

"Mary who?" I teased.

Milo rolled his eyes. "What's for lunch anyways?" Milo's voice raised in solid hope that Italian sausage and peppers would be on the menu.

I smiled, knowingly, then threw him the bottle of bug spray. He caught it easily with his left hand.

"Put those mosquitos in withdrawal, I'll see at noon."