Today's Happy Thought.

'Cause who couldn't use a happy thought today?

Are Schools Ranked By Charm?

Nora happens to attend the world's cutest school. Sure, it's academically awesome and socially superb and all that...

...But it's also really, really cute. Every single one of these kiddos- adorable.

I'm not biased in the slightest.

Kids in the hall. (It's the quiet ones you've gotta watch out for.)

Pretty sure she digs it here.

First Kid's First Day.

Viva La Preschool!

Big Kid. Huge, in fact.

Susannah is confused. But stoked.

Oh, Dad. It'll be fine.

Yeaaaaaaaaah.

That's one sassy penguin pack.

Skipparoo.

This is still cool, right?

Doc Bullfrog, just for "emergencies." (Must be an emergency.)

Order? Rules? She's gonna like this place.

Little girl, humongous door.

The NoraBird in her natural habitat.

The best Reunion Face I've ever seen in my life.

The second best one. 

Someone Found The Lipstick. At 6am.

I think she looks contrite, don't you?

An Almost Completely Idyllic Vid.

Susannah and Peej splashing in the Maine tide. Bonus: About halfway through, look for the completely creepy cameo of Nora.

Somewhere On The Eastern Shore...

Here are a few of the reasons why I'm not so awesomesauce on the posting/responding this week... (Please forgive. I'll save you a drink.)

The ratio of people/faces turned towards the camera is astounding.

Squnch.

Gleeful sandbarring.

Totally could surf on her own.

Think she digs it.

Probably The First Truly "Wordless" Wednesday.

9 Months Going On 3 Years.

Sigh.

It's Coming From Inside The House!

So, I've always had an overactive imagination. But I've got nothing on my child. 

If you're a close n' personal Facebook friend, then this image got all up in your feed all day yesterday. Apologies. But it still just boggles my mind. Lemme 'splain:

Nora, since she was roughly eighteen months old, has always pointed at our kitchen cabinet and told us about her bunny that lives there. We're artists. We believe in imaginary play and all that other hippie stuff. So we humored her. 

"Tell us about him- what is he wearing?" 

Nora would always look vaguely disgusted and change the subject. But yesterday, after mentioning the bunny and hearing my agreeable tones, something inside of her just snapped. 

"Mom," she said, smacking my hand against the cabinet. "This. Is. The. Bunny."

I almost jumped out of my face. There's a frickin' bunny rabbit IN THE CABINET. (And he looks none too pleased with us for not paying full attention to our child.)

Yeesh. It's like the eyes follow you.

And for fun, I've added a picture from my 3rd apartment here in Chicago. This was an actual, non-retouched water stain on my bedroom ceiling. I called the landlord once to fix it, but didn't follow up. I had become increasingly fond of my mystical unicorn friend.

He's a baby unicorn, too. That means he's magickier. 

Mystical creatures just follow me around from abode to abode.
I'm clearly the best person to live with, ever.

Patriotism Makes You Blurry.

Happy Fourth of July, everyone.

Sum-Sum-Summertime.

I should really just start calling Wednesdays This Week In Instagram.

Bravery.

Just Watch Where You're Stepping.

We live in a pretty gritty neighborhood. 

I mean, we're not talking The Wire-esque Baltimore, here, but it's not exactly Mayberry. 

Even still, we have moments and places of utter loveliness within throwing distance of our humble (and breaky) abode:

Our neighbor's Koi pond. The girls sometimes think this
is the Aquarium. Even though they've been to the real
one, I've yet to properly correct them.

We live four blocks from Manor Playlot, the manicured little park
that's right down the street from Blago's old house. It's quite
lovely there, even with all the corruption nearby.

They do okay for city kids. Zuzu can even be barefoot around here.
Even if she can never, ever, crawl on the ground of this park. 

Ten Years Old! Plus Twenty Two!

In honor of my own birthday, I'd like to revisit a stellar Birthday Past. Join me, won't you? 

This is my tenth birthday. June 6th, 1990.

There are so many things that I love about these two photos:

I had a serious love for cropped tops/wearing cute outfits way past their intended levels of appropriateness. However, at the moment that this photo was being taken, I knew for a fact that I looked incredible. (And a kind Thank You to my friend Angela for ensuring that my sister Chelly did not ruin everything. Although you can totally see that Emma was ready to make some sort of move towards the cupcakes.) There is a flower in a Clearly Canadian bottle. I'm donning a neon orange scrunchie. My Dad has a "concern face." 

 

Can you see what I'm proudly clutching in my right hand? Oh, that'd be a brand spankin' new cassette tape of Step By Step, by New Kids On The Block. (Rachel is nonplussed. Callie is excited for me. Kate is feeling blurry.) I'm exuding joy, pure and simple. 

And isn't that what's it all about, folks? For my birthday wish, I hope that each and every one of you has  your own personal I'm-Holding-Step-By-Step-And-Wearing-A-Fruitacular-Crop-Top-Because-I'm-Double-Digits kinda moment today.

Whatever that means for you. 

Or you can just borrow my definition. 

If you're feeling fancy. 

Happy Gals, A Melty Car, And A Double Stroller.

There are so many good pix from Memorial Day weekend that need their day in the sun. (The ridiculously hot sun.) Here are a few more:

That's rather warm for May.

Random passersby wondered why I was snorting with laughter.

Beach fail= backyard win.

It wouldn't be a weekend without a pic of smiling Zuzu.

V takes a break from helping us unpack the new rooms to make a pal.

It's The Little Things.

As we close out week five of "The Project," it's pictures like this that keep me going:

Yuv.

This one doesn't hurt, either:

90% finished laundry room. (Yuv.)