Toddler Tea Party

It wasn't until we were sitting in Kinderschuhe, a children's shoe store in Connecticut looking for a pair of shoes for Hadley that I learned she knew how to have tea parties. In a play area at the back of the store, she picked up a tea kettle and started pouring fake tea into cups for my mom. My first thought was *sniff* what else is she doing that I don't know about. But as soon as we got back, I opened the tea set that her Aunt Jinnie had gotten for her first birthday. At the time, Jinnie insisted that all little girls love to have tea parties and boy did she know what she was talking about. The day I opened the set, I had to limit our tea parties to 3. Of course, I also taught her how to invite her stuffed animals and serve them all tea and crumpets, and how you have to be all hoity toity and stick out your pinky as you sip (not slurp) your hot brew.

In Our Shoes

iPlay Sand and Water Table

Hadley loves playing with water. She loves putting her hands in it. She loves pouring it on herself. If we are outside, she wants her pail filled with water. If it is hot out, she wants water in her pool. After Mommy, Daddy, Tica, and Gibson, Water was probably her 5th word, which she says as if asking a question, on repeat like a broken record. Wawa? Wawa? Wawa? The way she says Wawa reminds me of Gilda Radner's Barbara Wawa skit. Until I correct her, and then she says WaaaTer.

Because of her love of all things water, when we were in Connecticut on vacation and I spied iPlay's Sand and Water Table at a toy store, I knew I had to get it for her. I called a few toy stores when I got back to Denver, and thanks to my friend Cynthia who has a 25% off coupon, I was able to get this for her at a store down the street from us. Total Score!

It was super easy to set up out of the box and I love how colorful it is. Despite DGs crotch in this shot, this picture is great because Hadley is having a blast.


Water and boats and ducks go in one side and sand in the other. You can pour water into the funnels at the top and watch them spin the wheels.

This is RATED A for Awesome!

Actual Conversation

This is an actual conversation that took place last night during dinner while talking about the potential of playing badminton on the outdoor court of the Mountain View Grand.

Mom: I will beat your butt so bad at badminton that it will make your head spin.

Me: Are you kidding me? I could tie one hand behind my back, be 9 months pregnant and still kick your butt.

Dad: Oh yeah? Well I could stick the badminton racket up my butt and kick both of your asses.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Square Foot Gardening

The 3rd week-end in May we planted our gardens. Each are 4' X 4'. I was testing 2 new vegetables this year, Kale and Broccoli. A week later all 4 Kale were gone as well as the broccoli. I didn't realize we had rabbits, I thought. Until one night, as I sat on the patio, I witnessed Mr. Gibson's little weiner body propped up on the edge of the garden reaching over for something. And then I knew I had found the culprit.

So I replanted more Kale, more broccoli, and I added some eggplant AND A FENCE! Fool me once, shame you. Fool me twice...you get the picture.

As I went out to pick lettuce, I noticed all my Kale was again gone, broccoli gone and a few carrots were dug up. The little bugger broke through the fence.

Therefore, I have one dog for sale. He likes to bark, snuggle, burp up the smell of poop and eat ANYTHING and EVERYTHING.