beans, beans the magical fruit

Eloise spent the last two nights at her aunt's house for what she was calling "Camp Vicki".  As she and her aunt were enjoying an endless amount of activity and fun, me and Harriet were home in a suddenly much quieter house.

I was able to spend time with Harriet in a different way.  For instance, I was actually able to look at her and hear her and talk to her.  She's totally cool!  We had no special plans and no where we needed
 to be---a rarity.  We just played.

Filed under "simple activities to entertain your toddler" is the good ol' Bowl of Beans.  I have a very old bag of kidney beans in the cupboard that the kids have played with on occasion.  Reminder***do not ever eat kidney beans served at my house.***   Bowl, beans, cups, scoops, spoons, good times.

Harriet had a ball doing a 'toddler only' activity.  She wasn't just along for the ride on this one, she was driving.   I enjoyed watching her play quietly and seeing her experiment and discover on her own.  I will admit that, about 36 times,  I had to fight the urge to get the broom and tidy up all the beans.  I am who I am.

I think everybody won here.  Eloise was thrilled to stay with her aunt "for two whole nights!!!".  Vicki was thrilled to have her niece all to herself.  I was thrilled to lighten my work load by 50%.  And despite the fact that Harriet walked around the house doing her sign for "where's Eloise?" and went up to knock on her bedroom door over and over again, she was thrilled to have all the attention and the chance to be an only child for a day or two.

just getting started

seeing if I am going to let her eat them.

I did.

she got the idea to stick them in between 

each of her toes.  

isn't that a form of torture in some countries?

"mom, can you sweep these up now please?"

a 4th to remember

Oh man, we had a great 4th of July weekend.  The weather was beautiful, the activities were plentiful, and the fireworks were bangin'.

I am a total nerd for all things patriotic.  I love the 4th and I was excited to be able to share the festivities for the first time with Eloise.  She was incredulous that, at the ripe old age of 5, she had not yet seen fireworks   We promised that this would be the year and we were sure to make it happen.  We decided to go up to Wilmette for the fireworks this year.  They have an amazing daylong event preceding the fireworks that includes all kinds of family fun--pony rides, games, bounce houses, a playground, an orchestra concert, a rock concert and dance show, and all the glow sticks you can imagine.  This was all before the big firework spectacle had even started.

By the time we settled on our blankets in our prime viewing spot Eloise was positively buzzing with excitement.  The show finally started and, I have to say, it was spectacular!  Mike and I were laughing so hard the whole time because between every firework, Eloise would yell something out.  She made a running commentary for the entire 30 minute show.

"**Oh my gosh!  That was beautiful!**That one was my favorite!**Thank you so much for bringing me!**I will call that one 'Drippy'**This show will never end!**Mom, is that your favorite one?**I will call that one 'Popcorn'!**I hope this is not the finale!**I am so excited! **Watch out for that airplane!** This is so awesome!**Dad, did you see that one?**I will never forget this!**

We rounded out the weekend with a bike parade and party that took place in our friend's neighborhood.  I think it was actually the exact point on a map that would be called 'Small Town/Big Heart America'.  It was great fun and the kids loved decorating their bikes and parading through the streets.  We all ended up back at our place for a picnic, running though the sprinkler, and popsicles.

Next year, I won't change a thing.

ready for the festivities

little miss america

waiting for the fireworks 

self portrait on the blanket

eloise brought her face painting booth to

the bike parade

evie and hattie ready to roll

the big kids all decked out

stella, roman, and eloise

usa! usa!

popsicles for the kiddies

post parade rest

bathing suit picnic

more popsicles!  

she had just enough time to slip into a tutu before passing 

out on the couch at 3:30

the eyes have it

 I have worn glasses since the third grade and, thanks to my parents' sympathy, contact lenses since seventh grade.  I used to be pretty blind.

Used to be???  That's right, a couple weeks ago I was able to have the LASIK surgery I had always dreamed of.  It was nothing short of a miracle.

I was 98% excited about the whole procedure but 2% very nervous.  The 2% was due entirely to a woman I was vaguely remembering from an Oprah episode about 12 years ago.  She was on the show, said she had the LASIK and the result was that she felt she had sand in her eyes.  All the time.  For the rest of her life.  Egads.

I was comforted by the fact that the doctor I had chosen was very reputable, successful, and had offered special pricing for the procedure to employees and spouses at Mike's work.  I started to think that if I was a quack doctor, only interested in giving people a life sentence of 'Sand Eye',  I would not go trolling around big law firms for patients.

Turned out any hesitation or fear was for naught.  The procedure went amazingly well.  The whole deal was only about 30 minutes.  It was not painful, just kind of weird feeling... and a little Clockwork Orangey.

They send you home with all kinds of eyedrops and sunglasses and goggles to sleep in and tell you to go home and sleep for 4-6 hours.  I can tell you the truth now.  That mandated, middle of the day, 4-6 hour nap is the main reason why I did the surgery.  I settled into my nap and was in kind of a haze.  Mike came in to check on me and I remember just saying how bright everything was and could he Please! Please! Make it less bright.

When I finally woke up and could open my eyes comfortably I looked around the room, tried to focus and check out my new vision.  I looked toward the window and thought something was terribly wrong with my new eyes because it looked like the drapes had morphed into a blanket with robots on it, Eloise's baby blanket from Dee, that navy blue dress from Target I love so much, and, wait, is that Mike's robe?

This is how Mike had made things less bright.  It was a beautiful sight. 

A few minutes later I was downstairs eating pizza and then sitting on the couch watching Bravo.  No glasses, no contacts, and the Real Housewives of NYC-- it was a miracle.  The next morning I went in for a follow up to have my eyes tested.  Less than 24 hours after the procedure I had 20/20 vision.  I am still in awe of my new eyes and so thankful for my vision.  

The only down side to this whole procedure?  Mike has appropriated the free, temporary, disposable, hideous, sunglasses they provided at the eye doctor post surgery and is wearing them as real sunglasses. Everyday.  To work.  In public.  With me.  Anyone who knows Mike will not be surprised by this at all.  So even though I have perfect vision now, I am apparently married to the world's biggest NASCAR fan or perhaps even Richard Petty himself.

sigh.