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What To Do On A Rainy Summer Day, or, “Sugar Anyone?”
This morning, as it rained buckets, I wasn’t much in the mood to leave the house, so I baked a batch of chocolate cupcakes. When they had cooled, I set out frosting and pretty much every sprinkle, jimmie and Smartie I had in the house, and told the kids to have at it. I knew those paper liners that go between the foil cupcake liners could be used for something: I filled them with sprinkles and such that came in a bottle with no shaker lid!! I suppose I should have supervised a tad bit more closely, as they went a bit overboard, but they sure are pretty!!! I think…
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Phoning Home
I had a laugh, really, even as I picked today’s topic for my post for Mama Kat’s Writers Workshop. It’s actually not hard to recall “who I last spoke to on the phone for 30 minutes” – it could only be my mom. And not just because she is my mom. Mostly because I don’t think ANYONE here actually uses their phone to call people, unless it is for business- it seems like everyone here texts. (Which I do now, constantly, and never did when I was in the US – thinking that it was for teenagers….) Ok, so that is an exaggeration, but that is how it feels to…
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Simple in Barcelona
My little family unit is well into the first week of our “Great 2011 Med Adventure” – which I’m thankful we have the opportunity to experience – but I’m finding that the things that are sticking with me the most are the simple things. The quiet moments sitting on a park bench enjoying the view. Walking hand in hand with my 5-year old, listening to her chatter about what she sees. A family dinner, enjoyed at a slow pace because there is nothing to distract us, no pressing chores to do and no urgent need to be anywhere (sorry, Macy-pup, we love you, but your need to pee can cock…
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Colors of La Boqueria
I dragged a reluctant husband and one tired child (Boo) and one surprisingly bouncy child (Pea) down Las Ramblas in Barcelona yesterday because I wanted to see La Boqueria. It was completely worth the long, crowded walk ( although I’m ultimately pleased with our hotel choice in the less crowded L’Eixample neighborhood.) The market was energetic and colorful – I wanted to take in (and take home one of) everything! While I don’t think the Hubs much liked the crowds, I loved the colors and flavors of the market (and the kids loved the fresh juices). And this is my gratuitous photo post for myself.
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A Morning in Barcelona, or How I Nearly Missed The Big Picture
We started our day with a visit to what must be Barcelona’s most famous building, the Sagrada Familia. Work on this Roman Catholic church began in 1883 and is still ongoing – a point with which Boo was extraordinarily impressed (but any building surrounded by tower cranes is a sight to behold, at least in his eyes…) We all had audio guides, and the kidlings had a version just for them. Which sounds like a good idea… …until you are stopped 11 times with “Mommy, where is the ____?”. Which you cannot answer, as you have a completely different version and so the questions Pea was asking made no sense.…
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The Simplicity of Childhood
This afternoon, after checking in at our hotel and wandering out for a bite to eat, we went for a walk in the neighborhood. After a morning of travel with a lot of “behave…or else” threats hanging over their heads, the kidlings needed to blow off some steam. We found a lovely park with a playground across from the Sagrada Familia. Within mere minutes of arriving, Pea was squealing with delight on a teeter-totter which was also being ridden on by an equally squealing girl about her age. They were soon joined by the little girl’s big brother, who, having put his sibling in the center, proceeded to rock it…
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And Away We Go….
Earlier this week, I wrote a post about travel. I love to travel. I also love to plan trips. I’m very good at the planning bit. Typically, there are lists involved. Lots of them. I like lists. What I don’t like is packing. Once upon a time, in a time long before nappies, schedules and car seats, I could throw things into a bag and go. (My favorite kind of trip is still the last-minute kind, I will admit.) Somewhere along the line, however, (quite possibly after I had been vomited upon during a flight, where I remembered to bring a change of baby clothes, but not mommy clothes) I…
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Silent Sunday
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Dear So & So
I think that Kat might be taking a break this week, but I really needed to write my Dear So and So’s, anyway. Because that’s how i roll…… So here we go: * * * * * Dear Dog Groomer, Thank you for shaving my puppy*. It was really getting tiresome picking weeds and seeds out of her tangled ears. If I looked shocked when I picked her up, it was only because she looked so…weird with short ears. Love, A Happy Cocker Spaniel Owner *Boy, that sounds wrong. * * * * * Dear Macy, I promise to stop laughing at your short ears. But. Dude. You look goofy.…
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I Didn’t Run The Mum’s Race at Sports Day (And I’m Proud of It.)
I don’t think it will come as a surprise to anyone who knew me in grade school – or high school – that I am not an athlete. I am a bookworm. I can read lightning fast. But run the 50-yard dash? Forgetaboudit. The only time I run willingly is if I’m caught in the rain. Or if a beast is chasing me. I’m slow. My husband says I run flat footed. I have no hand-eye coordination (to such an extent that a few beers typically improved my aim when playing a game of darts.) I am NOT competitive. Which is why I chose to NOT run in the Mother’s…