Gar's kitchen

Meet Alice Rose and Patrick Christopher

Ali and Paddy are my numbers 4 & 5, at four months old we are still learning about them...but their personalities are evident.  Ali is more serious, she watches the world with Old Eyes and contemplates its fate.  Paddy is silly, alot, he smiles so much I'm surprised he doesn't have smile lines already.
They are sweetness and joy incarnate.

Our Alice

And our Patrick

Emmet's haircut

It happens about once a year.  Emmet's haircut...kinda like Sampson.

This is where I work

Only part time these days, but still...how lucky am I ?

I miss Ireland

Its just been too long.  This was taken on the west coast of Ireland, while a lovely storm was rolling in.  I can still smell the sea and feel the cool wind.

The County Fair

Every year we hit our county fair, not the State Fair, which we find too big, too noisy, too hot. But the county one, smack dab in the middle of cool corn fields. It has everything you want in a fair, fried foods, animals, rides and surly carnies. This year it was featuring this super cool ferris wheel from the '69 World's Fair in Seattle.

This is why you can't turn your back on a two year old.

You hear people say that but you can't understand it until it happens. It's not the first time, won't be the last...sometimes it's paint or toothpaste. Sometimes it's in a store...it is why you see frantic parents rushing around shouting some child's name. Mostly likely that child is about two. They have no sense of repercussions. No sense of fear or danger. In this case, no sense that the blue paint will ruin something. And in my house it always seems to be blue paint. Luckily I like blue. I sat at the computer for about five minutes, he was right there playing...I could see him. And-bam-I turn around and there is blue paint all over him and the floor. I didn't get mad, it's something I'm working on, not getting mad when there is no point. We just cleaned up the floor and went to the sprinkle park.

A letter to my two year old

Dearest Fra,
I cannot tell you how delighted I am that you enjoy your food. It fills me with glee that you prefer berries over ice cream and that I have to watch you with an eagle eye in the yard to slow your tomato consumption. However, I must say I would prefer that you request your needs in a slightly less shrill and a some what quieter voice. It is not actually necessary to climb into the fridge shouting "Some ! " at the top of your lungs when I don't move fast enough to suit you. And , incidently, it is not really the thing to smear yogurt all over the table. And the floor. And the walls. And your face.
While my heart goes pitterpat over your love of apples, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, do you think you could slow down on the blueberries? Because I'm pretty sure I'll cry if I have to help you wipe after another "blueberry poo". Perhaps some cheese today?
Much love,
Mama

Fra is a big helper

Taking care of the twins is certainly a big job. Thank god Fra is up to it! And yes, those are "tattoos" on him. This summer his older brother and sister ran a tattoo parlor.

After the ice cream truck

Here are Emmet and Francis after the ice cream truck, need I say more?

Fra and Happy Cat

The first daily scene--here is Fra with his Happy Cat, his very special friend...I just loved both of these images and couldn't pick only one for todays picture--so here you go, bonus day.