Oh, Save Me From These Pale Green Pants With Nobody Inside!

We are fresh in from a trip to see Nina and Pa where the main attraction was, once again, Nina's washing machine. The kind with an agitator, in case you'd forgotten. I am so baffled by this fascination, but it kept an otherwise very energetic boy totally still and fixated for, and I'm not exaggerating here, 3 or 4 hours during our visit. He stood on a stool watched at least 4 cycles from start to finish. If he had to go to the bathroom, we had to stop the machine until he got back, lest he miss something important, like a rinse or spin. At one point I lured him away because my mom had a present to give him. He excitedly played with his gift (Moon Sand ... very cool stuff) and then realized he'd left his post. When he saw that the load was done, he was devastated and cried (seriously, tears and poked out lip and all) until Nina agreed to wash some towels. I mean, wow. If I didn't remember, quite vividly in fact, this child coming forth from my very person, I'd be pretty sure we weren't related as I can't begin to tell you how disinterested I am in the washing machine (just ask Phil, who moments ago informed me that he's out of clean underpants).

I am, on the other hand, quite interested in Cheez Ballz (something I do have in common with my boy ... and my girl). We took a trip to Myrtle Beach on Wednesday and stopped at a drug store to pick up a few beach essentials, which naturally included a giant vat of Cheez Ballz (not to be confused with your old run-of-the-mill cheese balls). We purchased these because the bucket they came in had a little plastic shovel attached, and we were concerned we might be one little plastic shovel short in our stash. And the bucket was a nice shape for castle-making ... bonus! Thus, we (I) felt the need to eat each and every salty, cheesy delectable ball before we got to the shore. Nina wasn't much help at all, and Andrew hung with me for at least the first two-thirds of the bin. Elsbeth and Kat Von D were the last ones standing ... but they did it. Look at those cheesy babies. You can tell Els took her job very seriously.

The beach was so glorious and the kids loved it! The sand, the surf, all of it! Yea!!!

Gone are the days of standing sadly by a water slide.

This girl was not at all intimidated by the ocean and wanted to follow big brother as far out as he'd go.

And as the grand finale to a grand trip ... My Precious decided to turn 4.

"Zoom!" Said The Head, Buttering My Bread

This is home, my sweet Genevieve.

Phil keeps asking me what I love most about her - hard for me to settle on, but the outdoor spaces are high on the list on any given day.

Here's Phil relaxing on the front porch. Based on the piles of hair I keep finding on that swing, the neighborhood cats also like relaxing there.

Unless the day begins at 90 degrees with air that could drown an ox, we eat our breakfast on the back porch watching all the birds (and squirrels) on the feeders and listening to the little pond waterfall. (Full disclosure: This photo was taken before we bought the house - some of the cool stuff you see here now lives somewhere else.)


Elsbeth LOVES the child-size wicker set the dear former owner left for us. AHHHHHH!

Backyard.

Andrew and Daddy working on a compost bin. It was completed 5 days ago and is already full.

Front yard.


This is how we travel to the park, which is now 1/2 block away.

Two blocks away is the Greenway Trail that is fabulous. I walked it every morning for 3 days straight, contemplating my new yard and how I really, really, really don't want to kill it with my black thumbs and complete lack of knowledge of anything botanical. Then I got a cold and lost my walking ambition and have thus been left to fret over the yard while peering at it from the windows.

I plan to post some of my plant questions (like what the heck are the crazy shoots coming out of my Lady Banks rose that grow, like, 8 inches a day?! Do I cut them off? Photo coming.)

Wierd. Do NOT Give Her A Key.

With the help of many strong backs, willing spirits, and du-rag-wearing nut jobs, I am thrilled to announce that we now occupy the greatest house in the world (as far as I'm concerned, anyway).

For those of you who might not recognize her (like Papa) ... this is Nannie. This sweet woman slaved over our old house, leaving it sweet and clean for our renters, pretty much unpacked my entire kitchen the night we moved, and spent hours playing hide-and-seek with Andrew.


Super fly Aunt Sallie is the best thing since sliced bread. This lady can haul boxes and wrap pictures like a pro, and look like a darling peasant woman while she does it.


Here's my baby daddy, lookin' all fine while he puts together a tv cabinet. I just found out he not only has a favorite screw driver, he's named it Steve.


The kids were major champs on moving day. Andrew was Daddy's right-hand man, and Elsbeth rode sweetly in her backpack for hours.

I'm so glad to be here, and so glad my world seems to be taking on some order again.

Couple of fun shots of the sweeties:

Andrew at his first Braves game with Daddy (as a reward for a very long sought-after bathroom achievement).

Elsbeth's first pigtails (aka the "double snork").