Quite a mix.

Of "my stuff" today, that is. This will be quick and painless. I've been thinking a lot lately, which actually freezes my brain instead of getting it to work more productively. Go figure. Anyway... Lil and I joined the family on the baseball outing yesterday. The plan was to divide and conquer (cuz we had 4 REALLY good seats that would thrill the boys and impress Olivia - for a good time had by all ;-), but... Lil's feelings were going to get hurt, and, truthfully, I was NOT in the mood to do more laundry. So we went and Lil did run from me and go into full tantrum mode most of the time but ... everyone got hats (and it freaks me out that hubby will pay $75 in hat money, but.... will refuse to buy food there - told the boys they HAD to take care of these hats cuz I have a sneaking suspicion that we've bought and lost others - today, they came downstairs wearing them, then... dutifully put them back on their little pegs in their room - they LISTENED - wow. Digressing...) and everyone got to run around and sit and eat fries and act silly - and watch the balls come flying at them over by third base - and got cotton candy... Fun for all but sweaty, frazzled Mommy who indulged in a milkshake post-game when we stopped for ice cream (and, yeah - REAL ice cream for me this time :-).

Yesterday, we also tried to do a photo shoot for a personal venture that we have in the works. Instead, in the planning stages, hubby and I argued over what defines creative - who was more competitive - ridiculous stuff - then it rained and foiled our plans anyway. Now... I'm feeling self-conscious about all the photos I take. I photograph the house a lot for my blog - for my, for lack of a much better work, scrapbooks, photos collages, etc. (documenting a life well-lived, which is noble, I think). I'm also documenting my fitness progress (as young dancers and gymnasts, we used to photograph each other as we improved on technique, etc. - why not implement that same motivation now? Anyway....), so... prompted by a dumpy, can't seem to suck in that post-baby gut yet photo (yeah - I know - it's been two years - time flies, K?), I had to show off my new muscles and much flatter stomach (photos for me, of course, though I will share some of the sillier and / or motivational ones with you if need be ;-). Again, starting to think my camera has become an obsession with me (or - maybe has been for years.......).

So ... Olivia at sleepover (Olivia B) .... house cool and calm .... Lil up and down last night, which is maddening. I think her summer schedule is a bit off - plus, if we do something exciting during the day, she gets very wound up - ALL NIGHT - and I find myself giving her milk, rearranging her covers, changing her pull-up, allowing her bits of banana or graham cracker if she really gets up and needs a little sleepy time routine to get her back down... Makes me tired and then she sleeps in too late...Any advice? Any "been there done that" and / or "nipped that in the bud" advice?!?!

Photo: Was leafing through a drawing pad the boys found in one of Olivia's old art bins, and... had thought it devoid of anything but random scribbles and yellowed edges, but... did find a drawing that my Mom, Olivia and I had done way back in 1998. So... of course, I saved it, and... in its honor have posted a photo of my Mom and I AND my girlies - all together (from the 4th of July weekend).

Hope you have some clarity to your day. I am muddled, having forgotten to pay a camp balance - forgotten a hair appointment - more... I am OUT of it. I think I've been focusing on odd things like the leaky fish tank (had to get new one), the fact that the little ones picked all my green tomatoes - ALL of them, so... no yummy just picked from the vine tomatoes for me for a while - if at all... that kind of stuff. On the bright side, all my Oakland Catholic forms are in (and for those of you going down that road soon, there are a lot and in many different places... :-).

In closing, here is Julia Child's Poulet au Porto recipe, which is soooo good (in the movie, Julie and Julia, it is the chicken with mushrooms, cream and port that Julie references). Give it a try. I think I may do it today :-).