At The Counter

We just ordered lunch at "The Counter," a burger place in Reston, VA.
The waitress sat down with us as I described an elaborate "burger" for
Rosie that we'll dismantle as soon as it arrives. It's grilled
chicken, with bacon, carrots, and black olives on an English muffin.
She looks happy now, but she typically eats all of these things
separately. We'll see how it goes when they arrive and it's all
assembled and warm!! Eep.

Any Entymologists out there?

I found this gorgeous, large, and unfortunately very dead moth outside my front door yesterday. Anyone know what sort of moth it is? It's a really beautiful light green with a fluffy white body and brown-yellow accent colors. I especially love the feathery antennae. Its wingspan might be about 5-6 inches across.

UPDATE (from Little Max): It's a Luna Moth! Wikipedia says the adult stage of the Actias luna lasts only 7 days and they emerge from the pupa solely to mate (adults have no mouth—all their eating was done as a caterpillar).

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What a strange world we share; imagine suddenly being a fantastically beautiful winged creature with one goal in your short life: finding a sex partner to fertilize eggs (then lay the eggs and die)? Anyone have a short story for this plot?

I <3 Rosie's "Slyping Byuty"

Can you see all the basic elements here? I'm impressed that she's got Princess Aurora, the evil fairy Maleficent (& Maleficent's pet crow w/perch), good fairies Flora, Fauna, Merryweather, AND the spindle that Aurora pricks her finger on.

What an eye for detail! Her spelling is just the icing on the cake. Six and a half is a fun age.

Rosie Loves Dash: Four Years Old

And it's pretty obvious that Dash loves her right back, isn't it? This compilation is from another popular subject in Rosie's camera captures, her little brother. Admittedly, the image in the center is one that I took, but the rest are all hers.

The other subject that she seems to take a lot of photos of? Images that will never see the light of day and are getting trashed immediately off the harddrive? Her cr0t¢h. I guess her lap is right there, y'know. And sometimes the p@nt!es just need a little airing, in her eyes. Nope, nothing to see here.

I'll get some photos of the actual beach and sand up soon, for real. These were just hilarious and sweet to me.

The many faces of Alan

At the beach house this year, Monkeyrotica's HS buddy Alan decided to join us. He's a public school teacher in Baltimore and my kids just adore him. Rosie practically hangs on him and is constantly in his face—I caught her draped across his chest while he was trying (unsuccessfully!) to take a nap. We gave Rosie a camera to document our beach trip her own way, and this image is a compilation of what I found on the memory card.

To his credit, Alan has been great playing with them. Four and six-and-a-half year-olds are exhausting.

Dash, pretending to be a sandpiper

Rosie & Dash on the pony

Just like previous years, Rosie and Dash wanted a ride on the coin-op pony.

Only this year, a crazy, freak storm broke out right after their ride. The sky went black, lightning flashed, and thunder boomed. Once the wind started kicking up the sand into our eyes and a funnel was visible on the horizon, we started running for our lives!

Dash tripped, and I wasn't able to stop in time. I trod on his arm (lightly, I hope—due to my dance training). All's well, we got to the beach house immediately before the skies opened up & Dash only has a small bruise today.

Goofing around at the park

If you go back to August 2008 in my archives, I think you'll find a
photo just like this!

New sundress, handmade by yours truly

I just finished sewing this sundress for Rosie so she could wear it on our beach trip (& soon we'll be running out of Summer, so, no procrastinating). I used fracking rick rack and the works, man!!

The pattern and (so-cute pink Japanese-circles) fabric were purchased at Hancock fabrics. Sizing ended at 8 and Rosie's wearing 7 now, so I just cut it out for 8 in case she might get some wear out of it next year.

If she's outgrown it by then, here's looking at you, Hey, Ho, Kellygo's Thea!!

A boy among ballerinas

Dash just finished the summer session at our dance studio and the teacher let parents look in at the end of their last class. Right here, they are all doing "tendus" at the barre. He really seemed to be proud of himself. Isn't he the cutest?