Once Upon a Time....

We went to the Florence Griswold museum this weekend to see their fall family-friendly exhibition of fairy-tale birdhouses arrayed across the scenic grounds (yes, it's where we saw the fairy houses two years ago).  These fantastic, whimsical artistic creations, more sculpture than shelter, depicted aspects of well- and little-known fairy tales.

And thankfully, we'd spent the week shoring up our knowledge of fairy tales by reading a couple every night.  Because the kids haven't seen most of the Disney movies, the stories of Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and the like were new to them.  But even if they'd seen the movies, these were different versions--no, not the PC or feminist versions out there--the traditional gross, violent, harshly just Grimms and Anderson versions, with the blinding of Sleeping Beauty's prince, the burning-at-the-stake of the witch tormenting Snow White, the torturous hot-iron shoes of Cinderella's stepmother, the sacrificial death of the Little Mermaid, etc. Sis said, "Mom, are all fairy tales so wicked?'

Yes, yes, they are.

But that's the point.  Children on their own (which is why the parents are dead or even oppressive) navigate their quests through a scary, harsh world full of good and evil and usually triumph (sometimes with sacrifices or help).  Consider their origins.  Of course, it's not real, because of the magic, but the notions of good and evil are perhaps accurate in that they exist, have power, and also a remote chance of winning (which they don't, often, in sanitized versions).    However, the stories aren't perfect.  Again, consider their origins.  We had to address the sexism, racism, and entitlement in the stories, with Jack stealing from the giants and Hansel and Gretel eating the witch's house and the rescues of several of the helpless women.  We also learned a few things:  don't take food from strangers; 16 is a dangerous age for girls; and cleverness really helps.  

They knew most of the stories as we wandered searching for the birdhouses.  My favorite was an elaborate wooden creation with straw, gold thread, and a tower, all built on a real spinning wheel.  Yep, Rumpelstiltskin.  Sis liked the birdhouse of Little Red Riding Hood, but only because there was a bunny hidden in the woods.  Bud preferred the Wizard of Oz (which we hadn't read but I'd told them the bare essentials), complete with Dorothy's house on the Witch with the red slippers and a yellow road leading through poppies to an Emerald City.  Mama liked the Owl and the Pussycat, with its detailed interior decoration inside a guitar, compete with photos of the lovebirds.  We also enjoyed meeting the artist of the Country Mouse and the City Mouse and talking to her about her creative process; she also read the story to a group of kids.

We had picked up a great little lunch beforehand, from a cafe run by Laotian refuges--Mama loved the pho and two kinds of rolls (fresh and fried).  But we grew hungry during our ramblings and picked up a cheese platter (mmm, Winsleydale!  Bud liked it too), cookies (lime in Lyme!), and brownies at the museum.  We even got ice cream afterwards--chocolate and strawberry, of course, plus pumpkin and ginger (very citrusy and fresh).

Our fairy-tale adventure actually ended the next day as we watched Into the Woods, the Sondheim musical merging several stories.  The kids enjoyed identifying the characters and the plots ("What story is the baker?" Sis wanted to know) hummed along to the tunes, but didn't see the second act because, well, Mama and I weren't ready to explain how everything gets messed up and then fixed, in its own way.  Some other weekend.  We finished the weekend by reading Eloise, a modern fairy tale included among the birdhouses.  The kids seemed nonplussed by, even uninterested in, Eloise's precocious ways at the Plaza.  Thank goodness.

Because fairy tales are fun to read but no one really wants to live in one . . . especially the traditional ones!

A Stone's Throw

With everyone feeling a little better this morning--Mama's sinus infection and headache clear and Sis's early-morning stomachache gone, we decided on a little historical outing to the oldest house in Connecticut and the oldest stone house in New England, the Henry Whitfield House. Built in 1639 by Puritans for their minister, this was one of four houses (the other three are long gone) that acted as a fort in the early settlement. An example of post-medieval English construction, this L-shaped house doesn't look like anything else I've seen in the U.S. And originally it wouldn't have had that chimney on the right nor probably most of those windows (though, there are historical references to that little window on the corner of the second floor, which originally could see all the way to the Sound).

Beyond being fascinating architecture, the museum is very family friendly and accessible, mainly because it was do-it-yourself/self-guided, with two scavenger hunts and lots of informative and interactive labels. Those hour-long house tours you usually have to take at most historic houses, with their focus on specific family genealogies and the provenance of particular antiques, just aren't always interesting to children (or often even to me and I love old houses!). But the kiddos loved exploring this house, complete with flashlights in case it was too dark to see in the garret. We searched for bed keys (the infamous--and anachronistically quoted--"sleep tight"), betty lamps, butter churns, candle molds, footwarmers, quill pens, sanders (for drying ink), among other items. We talked about ways to stay warm--the aforementioned footwarmer, fireplace, bedwarmer--and ways to light a room--windows, rush light, lanterns, white reflective paint. The kids were nervous about the loose and creaking floorboards, especially by the time we were on the third floor, in the garret, admiring a very old musket, Revolutionary War uniforms, and all manner of tools to process wool and flax into cloth. And they were glad we had staircases instead of the ladders the original inhabitants would probably have used.

As the little museum display noted, the museum is not set up to look as if a family lived there, for there were more objects than any one family would've owned--several chairs, a few rope beds, several chests, lots of kitchen implements, all the wool and flax tools--which really surprised the kids because it didn't look like too much to them. It reminds you just how spartan life was, and difficult, too--dark, cold, with lots of hard, constant labor. In that light, it is a very impressive house for 1639, with very thick stone walls, numerous floors, and that L-shape, proof of just how important ministers were for their Puritan followers (who built themselves small thatched-roof houses).

After a stop at the shop for postcards for our scrapbook and a few materials for my own work at historical houses (including a book on colonial games and colonial childhood. And, confession, a reproduction tape loom!!!), plus jacks for Bud and a bunny for Sis ("wildlife at Whitfield" the sign said!), we headed to fetch lunch from nearby Bishop's Orchards. A lunch of apple turnovers, apple dumplings, peach pie, cherry pie, and bread. Which, really, are all foods the Puritans would have probably eaten in the Whitfield House . . . .

Upside Down You Turn Me

Sis and Bud saw a troupe of Chinese acrobats performing the most amazing tricks this weekend: body contortions, balancing acts on chairs and bicycles, spinning plates, flipping bowls on their head while pedaling unicycles, something we can only call "the yo-yo," tumbling (which is such a simple word for such amazing maneuvers!), lion dancing, among other things.

So of course that came home and wanted to do the exact same things.

Despite the fact that the performance was prefaced with an announcement "not to try this at home," a warning reiterated by Mama several times, along with "they've practiced for years."

Suffice it to say, those warnings didn't stick. The kids have been trying to replicate the easiest-looking of the tricks, only to find that it's really hard to catch a bowl on your head, even when you use your hand and not your foot to toss it there, or that you can't spin one plate on a stick much less three in each hand while flipping yourself back and forth.

They were a little more successful outside, on the rope ladder and monkey rings and the swings. Thank goodness we mulched that playset this summer! Not that I think 2 inches of bark will keep it from hurting when they fall on their heads. But that's the theory.

I did enjoy both their own acrobatic performance for us on Sunday and also watching the video of the troupe with them, particularly because I hadn't gone with them. Really amazing stuff, that, though I kept holding my breath lest they make a painful mistake and imagining how much I would hurt myself if I tried the same thing!

And I managed to teach the kids how to do a headstand, memories of my own thumping against the living room wall of my childhood home suddenly fresh in my mind. Note: couch pillows help.

But at least you can try that at home.

My First Outing

No, no, not National Coming Out Day (though, thank you, Ms. Sew-and-Sow for calling attention to the day in such a beautiful way; I'd totally forgotten the date).

We went on a family field trip on Saturday, our first since the weekend before my injury. And it was a doozie: the renaissance festival! Perfect for Bud and Sis, who are into all things knights and dragons these days. They even wore their medieval knight Halloween costumes for the occasion, complete with faux chain mail, capes, armor plate, shield, and sword.

Now, the faire had a major thing against it, mainly the long drive, but several things for it, including a focus on walking instead of sitting, a casual self-directed activity, and, most importantly, places to lie down, namely the ground or a bench. And so, with emergency meds in tow (because Percocet will fix anything in a pinch!), my brace, and an ice pack, we were in business.

The kids were really excited at the site of the castle gates and all the people in garb, but Bud needed some reassurance that the several pirates, hooded executioner, and armed men were all pretending, just like he was, and that the muskets' firing in the weapons demonstration were not dangerous and would stop shortly. They were both shy when people spoke to them "Elizabethanly" and addressed them as Dame Knight and Sir Knight. Otherwise, they had a blast. They loved the jousts, the games (and Sis was good and won at frog toss and whack-a-rat), shopping (yes, shopping: Bud was desperate for some real armor--and they did sell heavy chain mail and real swords!). There wasn't great food or much music, which was a disappointment, and we only sat through a few shows, namely the joust, the weapons demonstration, some one-on-one sparring. But those shows were exciting and so real, as was the reenactment village with historical cooking and costumed interpreters.

But for me, I think the best part was when the kids participated in the knighting ceremony, learning the code of chivalry, raising their swords to swear fealty, and then kneeling to be dubbed. So cute, especially in those Halloween costumes. Later, they danced around, wielding their swords and mock fighting, capes billowing behind them. Really, the perfect day.

And I only had to lie down three times in five hours!

Never On a Sunday

For once, we went out on Sunday instead of Saturday, our preferred family outing day, especially for big trips like going to the "dinosaur museum." Yep, we went into the city yesterday to see the Silk Road exhibition one more time and also to see the new "Race to the End of the World" exhibit on the South Pole expeditions. Plus, of course, dinosaurs and dioramas.

Why Sunday? Well, with kung fu class on Saturday, we wouldn't have gotten into the city until 11:30-12ish, which puts our visit square in the middle of the rush. At least going early on Sunday, we had it to ourselves for the first hour or so. Literally. There was only one other family anywhere near us in the Silk Road exhibition. And they had young twins too!

Then after a long and fun day in the city, we tacked on some things at the end: we went to our favorite local ice cream place and got kids' cups of strawberry, chocolate, sweet cream, and chocolate mint. And, still being "city kids," Bud and Sis had a good laugh watching two asleep barn cats, who looked just like our two cats. Yep, it was fun to watch cats sleep.

Heading home, I spotted a sign that I didn't expect to see, for one of our favorite barbecue joints. It has closed and relocated and expanded so many times we'd lost track, but here it was. And so we picked up dinner: ribs (alas, pork!), brisket, beans, greens, sweet potato fries, black-eyed peas and rice, and sweet tea that was so sweet that even I couldn't drink it.

We got home two plus hours after we'd intended which extended bedtime 'til almost 8:30. But it was a great day.

Except I kept thinking it was Saturday and was sorry to remember that today is Monday.

The Visit, Edited for Content*

Where there is art, there are nudes. And today proved no exception, especially because we visited the "Art and Love in Renaissance Italy" exhibition at the Met today. I had given them a quick talk before we entered, beyond "quiet voices" (special exhibitions are always so much quieter than the permanent collection), about how they were going to see a bunch of naked bodies (and yes, yes, I could expound on the differences between naked and nude, but not here, not now). No big deal. Everybody has a body and artist like to paint them. Here we go. I probably should've just waited 'til we came across one because they excitedly asked where the naked people were throughout the first few clothed galleries. But then Sis saw one: two toddler boys pulling on each other's penises, a painting on a childbirth tray. I wasn't there when she spotted it, but apparently she said, "They shouldn't do that." And then came and found me to show me the art. And ask for an explanation (Mama just stood by, curious to see what I'd come up with.) Bud immediately wanted to know, in a loud stage-whisper, why the boys were doing that. Because little boys do that, I said, you do that, and the whole room was about children (or childbirth and the works of art associated with it). Let the fun begin.

We talked about penises until we came across all the naked ladies. Sis said, "there are lots of mommies with no clothes on." This was the room with the Prado's Titian of Venus with the Organ Player and Dog, as well as the Met's Venus and Cupid by Lotto. And lots of other "naked mommies" (can't wait for the visitors who google that and show up here!). As I stood looking at the Titian, Sis queried, "why is that man staring at the naked lady?" And the man next to us seemed to leave rather quickly, while others turned to us bemused. Not ready to delve into the art history of it, I simply said, "Well, we're all looking at her because she's pretty." It's true, isn't it? I tried to interest Bud in other aspects of the painting--the organ, the peacock near the fountain, the deer in the park--but the glare on the painting ("all the white dots") made it and many others hard to see from his vantage point (something for me to remember when I start lecturing, I mean talking, to my kids about what we're seeing).

As interesting as all the nudes were (and I was really glad to have seen the show, even if I didn't get to linger at all), they weren't the best parts. Those were, predictably:

1. the cafeteria (chicken nuggets and fries in a paper taxi cab holder!!! "Mom, I've never eaten from a taxi before!" Sis exclaimed)
2. the elevators (and the broken escalator we didn't get to ride), even the ones where guards got to push the buttons instead of the kids
3. the automatic flush toilets (how have they not seen these before??)

There was some art in the top five, thankfully:

4. "the room with the building it in" (i.e. the Temple of Dendur gallery)

5. the jousters and horses (Arms and Armor)

Notice that the museum education program we specifically came to attend was not in that list? Actually, the program was pretty good (though I will fault their publicity materials for not providing any details about the structure of it, which would have helped in prepping the kids the night before). We all gathered with the lecturers and discussed the rules, old hat to my two by then and to many of the regulars in the group (of which there were several; made me wish we lived close enough to be a Met regular. But I don't have the quirky fashion sense of these urban mamas, and there wasn't a "Titanesque" one among them!). Then we moved to the modern art wing to discuss--get this, Dr. American Modern--Georgia O'Keeffe! Yep, our first museum program was about her paintings of bones, starting with a children's book called Georgia's Bones by Jen Bryant. Bud and Sis were entranced with the paintings, even with just being in the space, and so sat still and quietly while the lecturer read the story and started talking about the paintings. Then we moved on to an art project, coloring a piece of paper background and adding a cow's skull in the foreground. The kiddos loved flopping on their stomachs on the gallery floor to color on sheets of paper and weren't quite ready to stop when we moved on to talk about another painting. Sis, without being told, knew the painting was of a flower and she was the one--of all those kids--who raised her hand and correctly identified it. Mama especially was so proud. The kids soon became fidgety (the lecturer should've wrapped up but kept adding a few things and was losing her crowd. Old habits die hard, so I did thoroughly analyze her tour--good interaction with the kids, smooth transitions, nice pacing, varied activities--but I would get her to tighten it up a bit, both in length and in theme--I mean, she started the book, stopped to talk about the art, and never finished the book!) and we headed to lunch, only to find the cafeteria didn't open for 30 minutes.

Never, never, never try to see a museum with hungry kids. Oooooh, that was a long 30 minutes. And so, we pulled out all the stops, changed our itinerary, and headed to the Temple of Dendur, stopping to see the blue hippo/mascot William along the way. We'd gone to the shop while waiting for the program to begin and had bought 6 postcards of works of art that I thought we would be able to see during our visit: William the faience hippo; the Temple of Dendur; a Tiffany window; a suit of armor; Goya's portrait of a little boy with animals; and a Degas of dancers. We actually managed to visit all of them but the last. Both Sis and Bud had fun matching the images to the works in the gallery, Sis always being the first to spot the one we were searching for. Sis really liked little William and even chose a stuffed one as her souvenir of the day. Bud wasn't that interested. And while both admired the temple, neither wanted to get particularly close, being more interested in the sphinx, the water, and the crocodile with the broken tail.

We saw many other things: the Christmas tree in the Medieval Hall being dismantled behind barricades; several nativities and statues of Mary and the baby Jesus (still a favorite of Sis's); paintings of musical instruments (but not the real instruments, next time); the "new" Greek and Roman installation that Mama hadn't seen yet. We played lots of "I Spy," finding dragons, white horses, pianos, but no bunny rabbits. We couldn't squeeze in China, not wanting to give it short shift, nor visit the closed American sculpture court. As we kept repeating, to them and to ourselves, there is so much to see and you can never see it all. So we bought a stuffed hippo and a ukelele (for Bud), plus a few books--You Can't Take A Balloon into The Metropolitan Musuem of Art and Museum Shapes--and headed to the wonderful underground parking garage (which meant we didn't even have to carry in our coats, much less check them) and home. Inspired by our day, and ready and willing to come again.

****Title changed so people looking for porn quit coming to this post.

Sugar Coma

Miss T and I did our Cupcake Tour of NYC today and had a wonderful time.

However, I am in a sugar-induced coma from eating my way across 4 bakeries, one teahouse, and a chocolate shop, so I will post at length about the fun tomorow.

I'll say only two things now:

• Miss T's cupcakes are better than any we tried today: more creative flavors, better crumb, with a decorative touch. Now, if she'll only try to make a Lady Baltimore for me!!
• Thank you, Mama, for making our detailed itinerary map!

Have sweet dreams!

I will.

Chocolate Park

Sis loves chocolate. Chocolate cake. Chocolate frosting. Chocolate pudding. Chocolate milk. Chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate candy.

And so I told her about the "chocolate park," or Hershey's, PA. I said it had chocolate food, chocolate games, and chocolate rides.

She is ready to go.

In truth, we had long considered heading out to PA to see friends near Philly, so going to the chocolate park was not too far out of the realm of possibility. And definitely more interesting to me than Sesame Place, even if I don't particularly like Hershey's regular chocolates (I do now like some of their new dark chocolates, the Cacao Reserve line; otherwise, it's too sweet and waxy). Mama isn't much into chocolate (I still love her, though: more for me!) and hasn't been that wild about heading west. But now I have someone on my side, an irresistible and persistence preschooler.

Sis and Bud even made their own "chocolate park" this morning. The spread nighttime diapers all over the floor and then stood at the door taking tickets. We then danced around the diapers like stepping stones, our "chocolate game." We ate some chocolate and then played somewhere.

Come on, what could be better than that?

Sexism and Thomas the Tank Engine

"Did you tell your friend that we would be here?" his wife asked.

"No, why would he come? He just has daughters," the husband replied.

It must be a sentiment shared by many CT parents, as girls were few and far between at the Day out with Thomas. Lots of moms, more dads than you see at almost any event, boys galore. And just Sis and a few others. But I'd wager that Sis had as much fun as Bud. They both loved the amusement park rides--boats, firetrucks, and carousel. Sis especially liked getting a temporary Rosie tattoo and meeting Sir Topham Hatt. Bud didn't like that at all, much preferring to play with the toy trains on the track layouts. And riding Thomas the Tank Engine? That was best of all. Sis and Bud sat taking it all in, concentrating, mesmerized by the rumble of the engine, the sight of white steam spreading across the meadow, the smell of burning coal, the smooth leather seats that reversed to allow family groupings, even the luggage rack overhead where we happily placed all of our jackets. But it wasn't until we received our Jr Engineer certificates and left the train that they cracked huge smiles. Hers just as big as his.

I must admit to a little of my own sexism yesterday. And it has to do with my perceptions of the differences of male and female parenting. For two years running at Day out with Thomas, plus other situations like birthday parties when dads are present too, I have noticed that dads seem to be a lot less likely to step in and enforce a civil, social code of behavior with their children (specifically their sons). How many times yesterday did I see dads step back while their sons got into shoving matches and tug-o'wars for train engines? But as soon as moms showed up, the moms would pull the boys apart, often insisting that they share or, if not, have to leave the play area. Of course, being an enforcer of social behavior, I'm always a little surprised at some dads' complete lack of attention to such things. Not just surprised, annoyed. Frustrated. Righteous, even. This is, of course, a complete and stereotypical generalization, because I know lackadasical moms and disciplined dads. And I'm both at times, different times. But as a keen observer of fatherhood from a distance, I often wonder exactly how the parenting differs. And this is what I've noticed--there is just a lot less of "what do we say?" or "you need to share" or "your turn is over now so let's give that toy to the other little boy" and a lot more turning a blind eye to toy snatching and shoving. I've got some incomplete, sociologically and psychologically weak, even sexist theories as to why.

You with dads in the family, or dads yoursevles, can you help me out? What's going on? Or am I way off base?

Huzzah, Part Deux

"I never met a king before," Sis said when introduced to the king at the Renaissance Festival yesterday.

Indeed.

And they'd never met pirates, fairies, queens, knights, ladies, or wenches before either.

Though, they'd been to the Ren Faire as babes in stroller, they couldn't remember having gone and so yesterday was a whole new world. And, at first, it was rather strange and intimidating. Big, costumed, accented people kept greeting and accosting us as we entered. Fun for us as adults used to the Ren Faire banter, but a little overwhelming to a child. It all reminded me of when my sis Aunt Banana was totally freaked out by a witch at the TX Ren Faire and how upset my mom got at the woman for harrassing Banana. But we made it through the crowds and found some music at a distant stage, which was perfect for Bud. We listened to the Brigands sing bawdy songs that fortunately Bud could not decipher beyond identifying the concertina, drums, mandolin, fiddle, and guitar. He calmed down soon enough and eventually settled into the festivities and had a good time.

Meanwhile, Sis and Mama headed to the children's section, where they found the sheepdog demo area and "Bunnyville." We were soon all there marvelling at the Border Collie pup, the sheep, ducks, and different rabbits. Later in the day, we actually saw a herding demonstration where the dogs corralled the ducks as well as the sheep. Sis kept asking when the "bunny show" was. But, then, she is very partial to her own stuffed critter, a white bunny named Amy (with sisters named Meg, Jo, and Beth. I wonder when she'll figure that out.).

The kids also loved the toy vendor who wisely sets up a low table and puts out all his figurines and toys and lets all the kids play as long as they want. Two years ago, Bud and Sis had a blast at this booth, even though they weren't even cruising yet and had to be propped up against the table to see, with us nearby to keep them from falling backwards. Bud choose a jousting knight, Sis got a horse, as Mama said they could each choose one. Later, they managed to complete their sets, with Bud getting a horse and Sis getting a knight.

Just in time for the jousting. Again, they didn't understand much of the ribald banter, but they liked watching the people on horseback catch rings on long poles, slice cabbage in half, and throw spears at targets. Indeed, they would have been happy with no talk as long as the people kept riding around. But at least it gave them a better sense of what their little figurines were doing.

It's not the best festival we've been to--Texas and Bristol, WI, and Sterling Forest, NY are bigger, more elaborate, more entertaining--but it's ours now, and their first. No doubt we'll be back every year, to play with the toys, listen to the music, and watch some jousting. Maybe we'll even dress up. And sooner or later, the kiddos won't think it's strange at all.

Of Pickles, Prizes, and Prayers

We spent the whole day at our church's festival today, praying for no rain (well, we're UUs, so I can't really be sure if there were actual prayers said, just wishes, hopes, vibes, tidings, but I'm not sure about prayers). It didn't rain and we had a great day. (Hmmm, so what does that say about prayer or the lack of it? I mean, Falwell thought the gays caused Hurricane Andrew. Has anyone wondered why Houston got hit by Ike? Too much attention to Mammon? I digress). I was there early to set up the baked goods table, complete with cookbook, and the kiddos and Mama arrived when the fair opened to the public.

We played lots of games and won lots of little trinkets: there was duck toss and fishing and egg hunt and bean bag toss, all of which I think they actually remembered from last year. And, like last year, the kind coordinators of the booth let the kids have several turns playing each game without requiring tickets (though we did also buy at least $10 in tickets to play too). There was a new trinkets table--the church email announcing it said to bring all your junky little toys from fast food meals and the like and so I had intended to steer away from this completely because we don't need anymore of those--where Bud purchased a rocket ship (and not a cheap meal toy at all) for 25 cents much to his continued delight (and to that of the adults around us at lunch when he asked me "to put the rocket in my pocket."). Sis won a Pet Shop game with little pet figurines and also a stuffed Siamese cat at the Nothing But Nets fundraising booth for malaria nets--that and the kettle corn were her favorite parts. Bud loved the music--the techno sampler, the folk strings, the acoustic singalong, anything with a fiddle/violin. They also had their hands painted with spiders (Bud) and cats (Sis), but insisted on washing them off the moment we got home. Mama and I bought some books--a vegetarian cookbook for me and lots of kids books--and found a few tag sale treasures, including some really cheap but solid dollhouse furniture (most likely for Sis eventually) and a wooden plaque with a cat (the hobo sign for "a kind-hearted woman lives here), that we have intended to buy from Signals or Wireless or Paragon or whatever that catalog is for years. We saw several good friends--thank you, thank you, oh good-natured ladies who bought the cookbook (and to Mama Teacher who baked dozens of muffins to sell!)--and also a couple of people we haven't seen in ages. It was a really wonderful day.

The only downsides: I don't think we sold many cookbooks. And I saw our kiddos' carseats for sale at the tag sale--offered up with our knowledge and approval by the person we'd passed them to--but still kinda bittersweet to come across, since Harvest Festival was their very first outdoor outing in those very carseats 3 years ago, when they were only about 2 months old. Oh, they were cute in these little white and yellow sleepers with matching hats; we have pictures. Time flies. But I think I'm glad we have these annual traditions and rituals to help us mark it as it goes.

But what will the kids remember most? Something a new congregant taught them at the end of the day:

"Give me five,
On the side,
Cut the pickle,
Tickle, tickle!"

Oh, this was exceedingly hilarious and too fun not to share with everyone, especially Mama, me, and each other. Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. If you see us during the week, definitely ask them about the "pickle thing."

Just make sure I'm nowhere nearby.

New Places

Our neighborhood store reopened!!!!

After weeks of remodeling during which the kids almost daily asked about the store, its owners, when it would open, would they have Skittles, the store put out its open sign yesterday. And so today after school, we went. Sis and Bud practically danced and sang in their car seats when I told them it was finally open.

Ooooh, it's fancy. So much cleaner and nicer and roomier than the old one. The food counter had more and better choices. There were more people making it all faster. And some of them were the same, which was good.

The kids couldn't be happier. They got their half meat sandwiches on a roll, plus Skittles and an M&M cookie (because there were no Hershey bars). With water, there being no juice boxes. I got a delightful panini and a Snapple. All of which we devoured outside. A nice little picnic. A great addition--re-addition??--to the neighborhood. I know we'll be back.

Another new place, or actually, new to me, place, that I've been recently is a nearby farmer's market. There weren't too many booths (I always think of the Greenmarkets in the city) but what they did have was delightful, fresh, local, and reasonable. Unprepared for a big spree, I bought a few eggplants, which we had in a pasta bake last night. Delicious! I'll be back, though, for more fruits and veggies, plus other little treats, probably with the kids in tow. I think they'll like it.