Life, Love, and the Pursuit of a Dishwasher

Today was a weird mix of lazy and busy. We've all been fighting some sort of cold that just won't let go. Dora's by far the worst, and a current inability to sleep is not helping her immune system. Alas.

I took Arden to gymnastics, then we came home and hung around the house, figuring we'd just spend the whole day at home. Then we discovered a movie gift card tucked away in the coupon basket, so decided to take Arden to see How to Train a Dragon in 3D. We've been promising to take her for ages. Oh how she loved it. She wants to ride a dragon now, and she thinks we should buy a house big enough so we can own our own dragon. It'll go well with the goats Dora wants.

We were luck enough to get a rebate through Cash for Appliances, so hit up a couple of stores to find a new dishwasher. We ended up getting a good deal on one at Lowes. Their selection was far superior to Best Buy's. And, since we were down the street, Bobby and Mandy met us for pizza at Bertucci's. Arden was wiped out by that time, and we told her we could just go straight home but her response was "I'm not that tired!".

Needless to say, it's not what we had anticipated for the day, and we'll probably regret the lack of downtime come Monday, but a good time was had by all.

And now, this week in pictures....

Bobby and Mandy gave Arden a butterfly garden for Easter. The butterflies have been, well, butterflies for a good week now, and Dora finally managed to convince the child we should release them into the garden. So, Thursday morning before D headed off to work, she and Arden released the 4 (living) butterflies. #5 is well...in the great beyond.


She was quite unsure about the whole process.

Good thing Mama could come to the rescue.

I worked from home on Thursday and decided to keep the kid home with me. I then decided that we needed some sort of energy burn to have any hope of sleep, so we took a picnic to the playground and she had dinner and then ran around for an hour. It was one of my wiser decisions this week.

Going down the slide is so pedestrian.

Jumping is good for the soul. And for making little souls tired.

On the phone with Grandma Mary

Swinging onto the slide

At 3D How to Train a Dragon. She approved.

So, last weekend we went to the Pride Parade. Oh how Arden wanted to be one of the kids in the parade. I asked her this morning if she might want to march in the Boston parade. So, while I was at the market today, she rummaged through drawers and came downstairs and proclaimed herself ready for the parade. Dora snapped this photo with her phone. It's a good look, and frankly, a carbon copy of some we saw last weekend.

Quite Possibly a Post Long Enough to Make the Guiness Book of World Records

I am so behind on the blog! Last week was mostly out of routine, which apparently completely throws off the rhythm of life, and therefore the blog. First was a fun filled trip to the ED with Annette. She's quite fine now, and was able to keep all of her appendages. Always a good thing!

The next night Annette and I went to see Young Frankenstein at the Boston Opera House. It was a particuarly special evening because an old friend, Beth Curry, stars in the National Tour as Elizabeth. Beth and I grew up together, I guess now I can say I shared a stage with a Broadway star. A long, long time ago. We danced together for a number of years at the Academy of Dance. Beth was extraordinary, as was the entire cast. What a hilarious and fantastic show. I highly recommend getting tickets if it comes to a city near you.

http://www.ticketmaster.com/search?tm_link=tm_header_search&q=young+frankenstein


Friday night, Charlie and his parents hosted a few of us for a last minute barbecue. Our weather has been spectacular and Clay has a new grill. Enough said. I expect a standing invitation for the rest of the summer.

Charlie, Arden and Emily play so well together. Amusing to think had we not found our house the day we did, we would have lived on the same street as them as we had seen a house we had decided to make an offer on there. We didn't even know them at that point! Small world.

Ah, the queen.

Who knew so much fun could be had with a plastic seesaw?

Playing tag in the dark

Saturday, May 1 was Pride Day in Northampton, MA. We make our annual trek out and had delightful day. It was hot, but perfect.

Mama and Arden, waiting for the parade to start.

Arden's back at it with the camera again!

Mommy and Arden. I can't believe it, I'm actually posting a picture or two of myself! Don't get used to it.

Family self-portrait

Happy kid.

The view was just better on my shoulders.

The parade!

Watching the parade. Arden would like to move to Noho, she's pretty sure they have parades every single day of the year.

Choreography with shopping carts!

It was pretty amusing

Symbol of the day...the rainbow.

I volunteered at the GLAAD booth for a couple of hours, so Arden, Dora and 'little' Mary hit the children's area. They had self face painting.


See?

Fantastic, no?

After the parade and the festival, we headed to a playground before going to dinner.

Arden had some lovely blue beads from the parade. This is a picture of her throwing them up in the air.

This is where they landed. Too high to rescue. That did not go over well.

Hangin' out.

Sharpening her weapon. Oh c'mon, you know it.

Practicing her beam work. She found a straw and put it on the 'beam', just like they do at gymnastics. Look at that form.

On our way to dinner, we passed a guy with his guitar. As you can see, we did not just walk on by.

After dinner we went into a used bookstore. I can't tell you how amused I was to find this box of cards, my hometown! Odd.

Toward the end of the night, she led us on a tour of town. She really didn't want to leave. Neither did we.

Sunday we spent the entire day outside. With temps nearing 90, we broke out the pools. Amusing how big these used to be next to her.

Taking a dip. Thankfully the MA water crisis of the last few days didn't impact us.

Bobby and Mandy were in the area so called us and asked if we wanted to get lunch. We decided to grab sandwiches and take lunch to the playground. Seemed like the safest way to keep the child, who did not want to go inside all day, entertained.

Bobby took a trip down the slide with her

Pondering life. Or something.

Racing a pinecone, I think.

Back home, back into the swimsuit. Anyone remember that scene in "Parenthood" -- with Justin at the bucket? Yeah.

She asked if we could start our own circus someday. This is her talent. I'm pretty sure we'd sell out.

It was a good day. Just ask Lucy.

A Night Out with Friends

Tonight, Clay and Veronica introduced us to a restaurant in our city, Cafe Azteca. It was fantastic. We have lived here for 6.5 years and never been to this restaurant, boy were we missing out! The area around it is shaping up nicely, the potential of this city is unbelievable. If only we could stage some sort of takeover of the school system...

www.cafe-azteca.com.

Arden was ecstatic...ecstatic, to see Charlie. She had to wear her 'rose' dress for him. She wanted him to wear a cape but alas, he did not get the message.

Here she is pre-dinner, lecturing the groundhog who lives somewhere under our front yard. Evil monster of a creature.

The kiddos. Hard to believe they are 4.5.

Oh so many hugs.

Won't these be cute in their wedding slide show?

Parting is such sweet sorrow

Sometimes, love causes you to crash to the ground.

"Charlie, I can pick you up!"