Naming

Names our children avoided by not being named after family pets:

Kittypoo
Kazoo
Pierre
Andy
Cheri
Teddy
Robi
George
Thor
Pewter
Jay-Jay
Fruff Biscuit
Camper Van Beethoven
Shelly
Portnoy
Mambo
Miss Rose
Rocket
Kiko
Pink
Mack
Dinger
Chester
Napoleon & Josephine (that is what the fouryearold has called the owls that are living in our trees, with a little help from Grandma)

Now, don't you think our children should be grateful they were only saddled with Beppina and Chuckles?

A Funeral On A Friday

Originally uploaded by Scott & Justine fromWyo.

I went to a funeral today.

Huge, so many people there to say goodbye to a wonderful woman who fought an epic battle against cancer, only to pass on at the young age of 51.

She, too, had a daughter and son, now grown.

I don't want to think about the pain of leaving them behind.

I sat throughout the service thinking of my two. I know, everyday, how lucky I am to have them. They are the everything I've waited my whole life for and I hope we can have all the time in the world together.

Cakes for Kids

Today was a little, last-minute bake sale to benefit the fouryearold's HeadStart program. Lots of cakes made in the kitchen, many donations from parents and friends and $196 raised. More to come, I think.

That Was A First

I spent all day cooking. Again. Made pear sauce yesterday and canned it, suffering with a sore wrist from all the pear-peeling the rest of the night. Today I baked chicken for lunch and made chicken soup for the sick fouryearold, who'd missed preschool this morning. I took some beef ribs out of the deep freeze and marinated them in a Thai ginger garlic soy concoction all afternoon. Stuck those in the oven to roast about 4, steamed a pot of Cal-Rose rice, and got ready to sit down for a well-earned supper.

The fouryearold comes to the table, after jumping around on the furniture with her little Bam Bam of a brother. She hadn't been seated a minute when, ka-plooey, she barfs. Right at the table. Thankfully, she missed the plates and the ribs.

"...well, THAT was a first," says the too-tired-to-be-annoyed mother. Ick.

Here's a picture of the ribs and rice, for anyone not too grossed out to look.

Oh, and after cleaning her up, giving her some rice, and attempting to resume a Friday night supper, the fouryearold went back to jumping on the furniture. Sheesh. Raised by mountain gorillas.