Taking Stock

Copying my dearest Tiff and Taking Stock.

Making: lists to prepare myself for the crazy month of September.

Cooking: Cara's spaghetti.  I really need to share this life changing recipe.

Drinking: water and telling myself it's cherry coke.

Reading: The Target by David Baldacci and Steam Train Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker.  The latter with my eyes closed.

Wanting: to win the lottery.

Looking: at the fine lines and crow's feet taking residence on my face.

Playing: with choo-choo trains and "don't hit mommy with your golf club." 

Wishing: Camden would stop using his golf clubs as weapons.

Enjoying: the last stretch of summer.

Loving: having quiet time with Ryan after Hammy goes to bed.

Pondering: what Camden will dress up as for Halloween this year.

Considering: shaving my head.  Just kidding.

Watching: ALS Ice Bucket Challenge videos.  Cannot get enough.

Needing: to purchase some oversized sweaters, boots, and scarves. 

Wearing: exercise clothes to give off the illusion that I'm actually exercising.

Following: tonight's Emmy Awards coverage.

Noticing: Camden's attachment to Franky (Kiki) is increasing at an alarming rate.

Admiring: our fence and all its enclosing glory. 

Sorting: through Camden's clothes to see what he needs for the cooler, fall weather.

Buying: more choo-choo books.  One can only read Steam Train Dream Train so many times.

Getting: really excited to see Tiff and Huck in 10 days.  10 days!

Bookmarking: links about traveling to Thailand.

Disliking: the thought of traveling to Thailand for a two day meeting.

Feeling: nervous to fly alone with my wild beast.  In 10 days!

Snacking: constantly.  Who needs actual meals?

Coveting: the new seasons of Glee, Grey's Anatomy, Homeland, and The Walking Dead.

Wishing: people were quicker to praise and slower to criticize.  

Helping: ease my nerves about flying solo with Camnado by setting my expectations really, really, really low.

Hearing: this song and immediately feeling calm. 

Take Luck,
LP

To Live...

"To live would be an awfully big adventure."

- Robin Williams (as Peter Banning, Hook)

Like the rest of the world, the death of Robin Williams has really bothered and saddened me.  It's amazing to me to think that someone who brought so much joy and laughter to people could have so much darkness within himself.  I think the reason it bothers me so much is that, dramatic as it sounds, it feels like a part of my childhood and youth died, too.

A big part of my childhood was spending time with my Grama and in addition to daily trips to Dairy Queen, we watched a lot of movies.

Some of our favorites to watch (on VHS, of course) were Hook, Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, Jack, and The Birdcage.

Source

Did you catch the one that wasn't quite like the others, The Birdcage?  In it, Robin Williams plays a gay cabaret owner.  He and his drag queen companion (played by Nathan Lane) agree to put up a false "straight" front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancée's right-wing parents.

 

Sounds like a totally age-appropriate movie for a pre-tween, yes?  Probably not, but it (along with Dustin Hoffman's Tootsie) was a staple in our rotation.  I like to think of it as being "cultured" at a young age.

 

I've always loved movies, and I feel like my Gram was instrumental in igniting that love.

She was an amazing part of my childhood and youth, and so was Robin Williams.

I'm pretty sure Ryan hasn't ever seen The Birdcage, so he's in for a real treat.

Take Luck,

LP

The Zoo

Cam has been to our local zoo twice.  But never in the daylight.    

The first time was when he was two weeks old and we thought - why not take him to Zoo Lights?  I don't even have photographic evidence of this adventure - which leads me to believe that I was mostly concerned with getting everyone there and back alive.  

We took him back to Zoo Lights a second time last December.  I do have photographic evidence of that trip, and my recollection of him being #notimpressed was spot on.

With Ryan finally being off the never-ending 12 hour shift, I insisted that we make the short drive to Point Defiance Zoo on Saturday.  I also insisted that we get there as close to opening time as possible, to try and avoid the crowds, and make sure we got Hammy back to the car and home in time for a decent nap.  This kid is wild when he has a three hour nap, but is an ornery hellion when he doesn't get a decent nap.

I should say that in the last few months Camden has really surprised me by not enjoying things that I just swear up and down he will.  Deep down I was really confident that he would love the zoo (in the daylight) but also tried to set my expectations at a reasonable level so I wouldn't be too disappointed if he didn't like it.

We arrived, bypassed all the suckers that didn't buy their tickets online and headed straight for the elephants.  They weren't out of their sleeping chambers yet and waiting for breakfast, so much to Camden's dismay - we got an up-close-and-personal-how-do-you-do.  The poor kid was looking at me with terror in his eyes as he's sitting there strapped in his stroller and I'm trying to point out these giant pachyderms (as if he doesn't see them).  He kept saying, "Bye bye e-fant, bye bye e-fant," and I took that as him telling us to get him the eff out of there.

Next we found a clouded leopard.  He was perched high in the trees of his enclosure and it took Cam awhile to spot him.  Once he did, he kept gasping and saying, "kitty!"  

A big sumatran tiger was next, and it was almost time for it's breakfast, too.  I am pretty sure that Camden was afraid that the tiger thought he was his breakfast.  Moving on.

We saw lots of other animals - monkeys, penguins, walruses, seals, muskoxen, red wolves, coyotes, sharks, and fish.  I'm pretty sure the seals were his favorite.  Lots of gasps and excited Camden speak that neither Ryan or I could decipher.  

We made the aquarium the last stop and he wasn't a fan.  He kept saying "bye bye, fissssh" and "bye bye, shaaar" and clung to my neck for dear life.  

The up-close-and-personal experience really isn't his thing, I guess.  He much preferred to admire the animals from afar. 

He got to run through the grass before leaving - where he tried to make friends with two little girls who didn't speak English, and got the best ride of the day on Daddy's shoulders while we walked back to the car.

He crashed in the car for a good 20 minutes, woke up when he got home, and proceeded to alternate between screaming and contently talking to himself for two hours.  Of course, I was giving him until 3:00 (his normal wake up time) to figure out that he was tired and fall asleep, so what did he do promptly at 3:00?  Fall asleep, of course.  

Ryan and I had plans to take Hammy to my parents while we went to see Guardians of the Galaxy, so I woke the sleeping monster at 4:00, watched him cry and fall down a lot (remember that ornery hellion I mentioned earlier?), and off to Grammy and Papa's we went.

Maybe some day we'll even out the daylight/night time zoo experiences.  I certainly can't have a child that equates going to the zoo with Christmas lights.

Take Luck,

LP

10 on 10: August 2014

10 on 10: 10 pictures on the 10th day of the month!

Document a snapshot of your life & find beauty among the ordinary things in your day!

Two months in a row.  Whaaaaaat?

[1] Maybe this is cheating because I took an almost identical shot last month?  Guess what.  I don't care.

[2] An 8:00am ballgame after a 7:00pm Saturday night game means it's a triple grande kind of morning.

[3] It was early and my body hated me, but it was a beautiful day.

[4] Purple shoes are fun.

[5] This guy makes blowing bubbles much more enjoyable for all.

[6] Simply can't get enough of this boy.  And his love for Kiki (Camden speak for "Franky").

[7] Also can't get enough of how much this aunty loves her nephew.  And I guess he kinda likes her, too.

[8] A rare (but not particularly beautiful) moment on the couch with my hubby.

[9] Cars, trucks, choo-choos, and balls.  All day.  Preferably naked.

[10] Our flowers are wilting in the heat.  So am I.

Take Luck,

LP