Stuff I'd Like To Remember

Things have been incredibly busy around here.  The honeymoon is over and my not-so-new-anymore job is much busier than I anticipated - which is good and bad.  On top of that, Christian was out of town for 4 days attending a conference and James decided to become obsessed with him on the day he left NOLA.  So, the weekend was spent with lots of tears and complaining and 'looking' for daddy.

There were a few moments of loveliness and humor though - Friday night dinner outside of Whole Foods with Katie and MCB enjoying the most perfect weather ever, an attempt at the muddy Hogs for the Cause on Sunday, lots of park time, a few runs with the old jog stroller (probably the last 2 times I will ever use that thing - at least with James as the passenger), and a delicious Sunday "linner" with mom-mom at Superior Seafood - the pomegranate mojito did not hit me until after the leisurely walk home, fortunately)...and this was another lovely moment, 2 quiet minutes first thing Saturday morning when James engaged in one of his current favorite pastimes, counting chimneys and imagining what is going on in all of those other houses:

Parenting F Minus

Remember this movie :

Of course you do.  Well, I do.  It was one of my favorite movies as a kid.  I remember wishing that one day I would find myself with a similar motley but ever-so-lovable crew, spelunking our way to a hidden treasure protected by crazy booby-traps.  To me, the movie was always part adventure, part daydream, part love story, mixed with just the perfect amount of drama.  But, it is a movie for older kids, Mama is way too scary for 6 year-olds, and Sloth, forget about it.  So, you can imagine my surprise when I came home late from work the other night and found Christian and the kids sacked out on the sofa watching Goonies.* Even better still, you can imagine my surprise when they begged to watch it again tonight.  And even better yet again, you can imagine my surprise (and horror and concern) when Luz told me that her favorite part in the movie is when Chunk says "Captain Chunk says, 'let's get the hell out of here'" and proceeded to repeat it over and over again, cracking herself up.

Good grief.  This all happened about 5 years too early and to add insult to injury, it is the first movie that James has ever sat through from start to finish.  It is a parenting F minus for sure, but at least it is one I can blame 100% on Christian's poor judgment.

* It allegedly came in some bonus pack when he bought The Wizard of Oz for the kids last summer.   

Toothless

I know it did not exactly happen over night, but it sure feels like it did.  All of the sudden I am a mom of a girl who is old enough to have no front teeth.  It does not seem possible because I still feel like I am playing house and that I am pretending to be an attorney when I put on a suit and go to court, like the kid in the Frosted Mini Wheats commercial.  I am sure that at any moment they will clue in and warn me that the jig is up, that it is time to go back to being a foolish child who knows nothing and gets by on smiles and luck.

Please tell me I am not the only adult, the only mama, the only lawyer who feels this way...anyone?

Lucy, 6 years 9 months, toothless.

Luck O The Not So Irish

I think I am one of the few New Orleanians who is not the least bit Irish.  That is to say, I do not think I am Irish at all.  It does not really matter though, because on March 17th we are all Irish, at least that is what "they" say.

Here are a few pictures of the kiddos and Christian pretending to be Irish on Saturday.  Sadly, we missed out on the bars of Irish Spring and heads of cabbage:

I Think It Might Be Summertime

We spent the weekend outside, the a/c is running, and I broke I sweat walking to my car earlier today.  Is it  the end of the cool weather?  Is it the start of summer already?  I did not have to wear a heavy coat once this entire winter.  I have so many turtlenecks I wanted to wear just one more time before the 80 degree weather arrived.  I would like just one more night out in tall boots and the thought of sorting through the clothes and discovering that the kids do not fit in any of the summer clothes from last year is overwhelming (it took 15 minutes to find something for James to wear this morning).  Alas, I think it is time to dust off the flip flops and look for some new shorts.  Some people around here could not be happier about it:

Luz, setting up shop with her "guys" on the front porch, enjoying the gorgeous, warm weather:

and James, in a too-tiny t-shirt, waiting for his cousins at the Audubon Zoo:

What is it about my kids?  They have a love of figurines that is out of control.  Sure, I enjoyed playing with Strawberry Shortcake dolls when I was little, but these guys are obsessive.  They tote them around, take them on errands, play with them all over the house, and are entertained for hours on end.  You can see James' Star Wars "guys" set up on the bricks in front of the bench in the middle of the zoo.

The Voice

Have any of you been watching this?

I know, the Vaicius family is late to the game and only recently started watching it.  We are hooked though, totally hooked.  I love that the kids get so wrapped up in the contestants and the different teams.  I love learning about artists I knew nothing about.  I have never listened to any of the judges' music (other than one or two here and there on the radio or when shopping at the Gap) but I am starting to appreciate and even like all of them.  It takes two nights for us to get through one episode (because of homework and baths and reasonable bedtimes) and the kids look forward to it every week. We have never watched American Idol or any of the dance shows or talent shows or the Bachelor or Big Brother, and the closest we get to reality tv is the occasional episode of Americas Funniest Home Videos (alright, ok, we watch Survivor and Amazing Race...but those don't really count, right).  Anyway, I am sort of embarrassed and totally cool with it all at once.  You should check it out.

Palmer Park

If you live in NOLA and have not spent some time in Palmer Park recently, I highly recommend it.  I am a total sucker for a good fair/fest so I head over there, usually with both kids in tow, for the monthly market.  I do not usually buy anything, although I LOVE to browse, but most of the time I bribe the kids with a Nutella crepe or a bag of kettle corn. They are easy.   Last month, James and I were entertained by some incredible local opera singers while we shared a crepe.

The biggest draw for the kids, however, is the recently-renovated playground.  It is spacious, safe and totally entertaining for kids of all ages.  My guys particularly enjoy the scavenger hunt.  I think they would be happy to join me for a trip to the arts market without a bribe as long as I allowed for an hour of play time.  Next time you are in the neighborhood or just looking for a way to enjoy a nice spring day in NOLA, head over there.  You will not be disappointed.

A Little More Mardi Gras

Here are a few more pictures from Mardi Gras 2012, most notably a couple from Papa-T's "bucket list" ride in Tucks:

Super Fabulous Super Saints

My friend, Jen, dresses her entire family in a particular theme each Mardi Gras and was sweet enough to include Luz and James in the choice for 2012, Super Saints.  They were both thrilled when they saw their Super Saint t's and James would probably wear his every day if I allowed it.

Here is Luz on Mardi Gras day with her favorite Nyx catch, a second line, Saints-themed umbrella:

And with Uncle Richmond...he is in costume, dressed as someone from a zombie t.v. show or movie (which I am too out of touch with to recognize, ugh):

I know, I am still posting Mardi Gras pictures!  And there are more, yes, plenty... Papa-T rode in a parade this year so there is so much to share.  Unfortunately, I was out of town for most of last week for work (and managed to fit in a quick stop in Downtown Disney World, which was really cool, incidentally) and then I ran 26.2 miles yesterday (and, consequently, can barely walk today).   At any rate, as is usually the case, things are way too busy around here.  So, I am taking deep breaths, slowing down as much as possible (and with my current physical limitations it is rather possible), and remembering to enjoy a few quiet minutes with the kids at the end of the day (even if those minutes involve being climbed on and shouted at - so goes the life of a mama).