Bye Bye July.

Hey there July, sorry you have to go so soon. Honestly though, I am glad you are leaving. You're just too hot for me friend. I know it's not your fault, come back next year when I have a swimming pool and we'll talk some more. See ya.

I've been trying hard to get a post out, working on this one since Monday. Lot's of great summer distractions I suppose!

Guess what? I made an extraordinary decision, which involved convincing my unbelievably considerate, exceptionally bighearted, benevolent and loving husband that my big idea was a good idea. What is it? Hmmmm, you'll just have to read on, I am going to be a tease and make the suspense linger here, I don't get to do that often, so I am going to keep it for a few more paragraphs anyway!

Hey, have you seen my succulent hanging baskets lately? They make me happy because they are not dead. Actually, I had to trim them of the greenery that was no longer green and they sort of popped out and made me love them again. After the haircut, you can see the healthy green cacti flora in there, sweet.



We are eating peppers and tomatoes from our garden, there is nothing better than that, I love it. We have decided to take out part of our lawn on that side of the house next year and make a bigger garden with even more veggies. I told Tony that I also would love to have a herb garden and a place to grow flowers for cutting. How cool is that? I cannot wait!

Many exciting things happened last Saturday. The first was a visit we made to the big swimming pool showroom. Still just research for now. They had real full scale swimming pools just for show, it was a really good trip. It would have been better if it had gone according to plan and we could have made the trip childless. Surprise! Everyone behaved! I am feeling lots better about my swimnming pool knowledge, I'm glad we decided to wait this out and do more exploring. Stay tuned, we have our first pool company meeting us here at home on Friday.

Saturday night, we went to an amazing wedding reception. We don't know the couple, but Tony knows the father of the groom. About a month ago, when Tony told me we had been invited to a wedding, my immediate reaction was, that's nice, but no thank you. I knew that it wasn't anyone we know, because I would have had advance knowledge that a wedding was approaching, that was my reason for the flat refusal. I don't know if it's normal to feel this way, but when we don't know them, I pretty much feel like I don't really belong there. Why not just crash random weddings for the same effect? Is it just me? I get it, that you go out of respect for the person inviting you, especially if it's the father of the groom, okay, maybe I was a little bit harsh.

Anyway, my story continues...

After I said no thank you to Tony, he showed me the invite and I was flabbergasted. It was the most extravagant and ornate piece of correspondence I think I have ever held in my hand. I can show you a photo, but it does not do it justice. It was beautiful, from the envelope to the beautiful folio to the invitations themselves, one each for the wedding and the reception and printed on the thickest cardstock imaginable with elaborate shiny gold paisley designs and rhinestones. I found myself immediately with a change of heart. At that moment, I knew we would go to this wedding reception. If someone went to this much effort to invite strangers, I couldn't refuse. Adding to the intrigue, the wedding itself, took place in Canada one week before the reception.



The family is Punjabi. There may have been 400 or 500 people there. I'm not so good at judging the size of crowds. I immediately felt comfortable, can't really say why, I didn't feel out of place at all. There were a few other co-workers there so we sat near them. It was so much fun to watch everything, I felt so privileged to be there, just felt lucky to be able to step into this strikingly different culture and experience their traditions so authentically, it was so cool for me. I don't usually make it a practice to take pictures when I am invited to someones party, it seems too intrusive. I guess I felt like enough of an anonymous outsider and I was so intrigued and honestly overwhelmed by the grandness of it all, that I stood up and tried to take video when the newlyweds arrived. Okay, maybe I looked like a tourist but no one was watching me! The drums were extraordinary, the anticipation was thick, and I sensed that something BIG was about to happen. If you want to see it click here: Newlyweds Enter from Mel on Vimeo, it's about a minute long.



The girls with my kids are Tamveen and Amad, the daughters of our friends Ravi and Jasmine. They sat at our table and were explaining what was happening when we couldn't figure it out. I wish I was more adventurous about trying new food, but I'm just a pretender. They had an enormous selection of Indian food I have never tried, but being the food wimp I am, I stuck to the rice, the veggies, and the flatbread. I think the dinner was not served until about 10 p.m. but we fed the kids before we left for the party, good call.

The music was loud and the dancing was so much fun, except that I didn't dance. I so seriously wanted to, I was feeling it, but because it was so late, Eva was very needy and I didn't want to leave her. Tony got out there with the men and danced their dances, again so much fun to watch. I know that's the video you really want to see, but it was too dark for my camera. Oh yeah, you know I thought about it! We left at around 11. Wyatt and Eva were both asleep when we put them into their carseats.

Big news in my house: the crib has been disassembled and it is in the garage. Eva is sleeping in what she calls the beddy bed, which is actually Wyatt's trundle, and it's only temporary, but better than the crowded room with the crib. I thought I would be sad to see it go, I thought those mushy Mommy emotions might get the best of me, but no. It wasn't as hard to say goodbye to the place my four babies laid their baby heads as I had imagined. On we go.

Swimmer update: Three water safe kids live at my house! Two more days of swim lessons and our six week swim lesson marathon is history. Emily did a lifeguard camp last week and look how grown up she looks in her polaroid.



Wyatt did a cool front flip yesterday at the pool that I captured on film, check him out! Feet up, great form!



Did you forget about my big suspenseful idea that I acted upon and made real? Do you have any guesses? I'm just busting out with delight here so I'll just blurt it out! I am going on a one week trip with my mother to our homeland! Yep, we're headed for Tennessee and Eva's going too!

Long story short, Mom calls me tells me she's going, I invite myself and my child, it takes me two and a half days to convince my awesome husband that I should go, clickity click on the computer and I have two tickets in my hand.

More facts to share: the trip is in September, I haven't been since 2002, haven't seen my Dad since 2004, [who swears he will never fly and planned to drive out for a nice long visit this summer but hasn't shown up yet] I'm excited, and a little anxious too. My three big kids will be in school and without me and little E for a week. My husband is my hero, my very own private superhero.

Adios July, so long, thanks for your gifts and all the goodness you gave us, except for the really hot part.

Get Ready Weekend...

Here we come!




I'm happy because it's FRIDAY!

I'm flippin' fast here! Did you notice the big green rubber boots she wore to the pool? Lots of great ideas bubbling up today! Maybe the dog days are coming to and end for me? That would be nice, all I know right now is that I don't have to cook dinner tonight and the weekend looks like it will be SWEET!

Peace. See you on the other side of Sunday!

Dog Days.

I can't say that I am terribly busy. Something about this midsummer season that just rolls everything so slowly. So I wondered if there was some good explanation for this phenomenon and it turns out there is and I am not the first one to feel this way. Have you ever wondered what the dog days of summer really are and exactly what days are being referred to? No? Just me? OK. Anyway...

Dog Days
From Wikipedia
The phrase Dog Days or "the dog days of summer," refers to the hottest, most sultry days of summer. They are a phenomenon of the northern hemisphere that usually falls between early July and early September but the actual dates vary greatly from region to region, depending on latitude and climate. Dog Days can also define a time period or event that is very hot or stagnant, or marked by dull lack of progress.

Yeah, yeah, the heat thing is a little obvious. Marked by a dull lack of progress. That's a little more interesting because I know that there are many more productive things I could be doing but I keep falling back onto this slow summer routine. Things here are busy, not overly though. I just sense that there is something out there that I should be doing and it's not getting done, kind of a nagging feeling. This invisible something is almost making me nervous. Isn't that the most ridiculous thing you have ever heard? I do have a few inclinations about what it could be but I don't want to hold myself to anything yet so I'll save the telling of the invisible things for another day.

Eva has been full of ideas lately. Here are some that have made me laugh or smile or just appreciate her more.

In Mass, Eva heard something that she apparently needed clarification on. During the homily the priest used this phrase at the end of a sentence: "...and change our lives."
Then Eva said, loudly, in the form of a question: "CHANGE OUR LIVES?" It was another one of those times where something your kid does causes everyone within ear shot to turn and look at you, in a [mostly] friendly way.

Tony had pulled several chilies out of the garden and Eva picked up a big one and said
"Cheeeelay Daddy! You gonna eat it, it's good for you?"
Tony: "It's good for your Daddy!"
Eva: "It's good for your Daddy?"



Eva "helping" me fold laundry:
"I like you Mommy, you're not a car."

Eva watching me use the flyswatter:
"There's one on the piñata!" [that means piano, in case you don't speak Eva]
"Spank him Momma!"

I'm off to make lunch, to love the day no matter how hot it is, and to forget about invisible dogs!

Growing Up.

Right before my [weary] eyes.


This group was created after I looked at a photo of the three of them and thought to myself, "haven't I taken others just like this in the past?" I only had to flip the 2007 photo I took at San Diego Harbor so that Sarah could be on the same side of Emily. The other's are from: 2005-CSU Stanislaus, 2006-Emily's first communion, 2008-our trip to Napa, with the grapevines behind them.

It's fun to put them together and see how they change. I love how babyish Wyatt looks in the 2005 picture. He was just 2 1/2, younger than Eva is now.

I have so many pictures on my computer, I never send any out for printing anymore unless I need to give one away or frame something. Instead of keeping them all just chronologically, I would like to make some time to put them into more meaningful groups. It's going to be a HUGE project because I have so many thousands to sort through. I am going to wait until my eye exam in three weeks to sort through them though, you know, eye strain, headaches, no fun.

At the very least I know I need to get a pair of readers, I tried on a pair the other night and guess what? I could see the words! They were not so tiny and blurry! I think my vision trouble is called presbyopia. There you have it, the kids are not the only ones growing old up!

I think I'll put on some good dance music and practice my best moves. I have four small back up dancers and don't need perfect vision to dance it out!

Boogie Wonderland.

Saturday night, Tony brought his mother to our home for an rare overnighter. We made the most of our childless evening and stayed out until 2 a.m.! His cousin Mari was celebrating her 40th birthday with a beautiful poolside dinner and dance.

I so danced my butt off. I shook my grove thing and then I busted all my best moves. I can't remember the last time I busted all of my moves like that. You know, when you really cut loose, go all the way to funkytown, party like it's 1999, that was me.

I also don't
everoften get the chance to show that funky side of myself to Tony's family. Usually, when we go to a wedding or another party, the kids have worn us out by the time the dancing begins and we are on our way home. I began to wonder whether I was showing too much when people were saying things like: "Mel's havin' a good time!" or "who knew?" I'm pretty sure they were laughing with me and not at...wait, now I'm not so sure...who cares! It was worth it!

The only side effect was the extreme soreness. For some ridiculous reason, I had picked that morning to return [I won't even tell you how long it has been] to the gym. So I stepped and kickboxed and weight lifted and crunched to the best of my ability that morning, then danced for three or four hours straight that night! You'd think I was trying to hurt myself! Top to bottom, side to side, every millimeter of my being was laden with hurt, for days. All I can say to that is, it was so totally worth it!

I searched for a great quote about dance and I found some good ones. A really good dance is a true life affirming experience. How much more alive can you feel than when your flailing all your parts in every direction and finding your very own groove? For me the answer must be, not much.

My favorite dance quotes:

I can't tell you what the meaning of life is…
But I can dance it.
-Woody Allen

Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life--learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
-Robert Fulghum

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance...
I hope you dance…
-From the song "I Hope You Dance"

If you just look at all that already exists in your life, all that you already have: unlimited air to breathe, ample lighting to see, music to hear, books to read, stars to dream by, trees to gaze at, floors to dance on, friends to cavort with, enemies to befriend, strangers to meet, woods to walk through, beaches to comb, rocks to scale, rains to cleanse you, rivers to float you, animals to comfort you, you do have to admit, there's more of it than you could ever, ever, ever spend.
But try anyway.
-Mike Dooley

You will find meaning in life only if you create it.
It is not lying there somewhere behind the bushes,
so you can go and you search a little bit and find it.
It is not there like a rock that you will find.
It is a poetry to be composed,
it is a song to be sung,
it is a dance to be danced.
-Osho

Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody is watching. Sing like nobody is listening. Live like it is heaven on earth.
-William Purkey

Ay Chihuahua!

Or is it OUCHY-WA-WA? Whatever it is it means HOT. My forecast says 107 again today and for Renee it says 111 degrees! Insane heat I tell you!

You get a whole lot of randomness today, that's how my brain is working so here goes.

For those interested: Wyatt can hold his breath pretty good, but since we do not have a turtle, I cannot say with complete assurance that his claim is accurate. I assume that the turtle would win in all honesty but I don't know if turtles breathe. Do they breathe? Do they hold their breath? I think it was Curious George that got us into this mess! He was on the other day with a turtle and he started it.

Our veggies are growing! We have been eating the cilantro for weeks now, it's such a treat to pick it out of your own garden and put it on your plate! The carrots have big leafy tops but they are still small if you pull one out. The tomatoes are looking awesome in all their green glory, the lemons are too many to count, the peppers are plumping up too! Check it out!



Best moment of my day so far:
Me to Eva, quietly in her ear. "You are the sweetest and the cutest thing I have ever seen in my whole entire life can you believe it?" She nodded her head gently against my cheek.



I can't stop chuckling about this.

Now we are off to Costco and the Library. I wonder what temperature would it have to be for my tires to melt us into the road and leave us stranded.

I Needed Napa.

I've always wanted to visit Napa and the Napa Valley. It was one of those places that I had heard a lot about but didn't really even know exactly where it was. To me, almost an enigma. It's sort of tucked away, hidden between bigger cities and mountainous hills. On Tuesday, Tony said "let's get out of town for the 4th" and I listened. It was very spontaneous and I was feeling lucky to find a great place to stay with my credit card points.

We had an awesome weekend. It was dreamy the way everything fell into place and just flowed. Even the kids behaved, you know mostly. They had only one or two or seven meltdowns. Many times, I received compliments from strangers on their behavior. OK fine, it was just once, but it meant a lot to me, as if it happened many times. We didn't get to visit any wineries, but we did taste, and even drink a few glasses in relative calm and peaceful surroundings. I know, it sounds too good to be true, but it really happened just this way.



On the fourth, the city had a downtown festival, complete with the usual fire trucks, live music, kids activities, and after a break for swimming at the hotel, big fireworks show on the river. Wyatt fell asleep before the fireworks began [and later insisted we didn't go to the fireworks show] and Eva planted her face into Tony's shoulder after the first big boom.

Saturday, we took the trolley from our hotel to visit Copia, the American Center for Wine Food and the Arts. They were having a "Ice Cream Social & Family Fun Day." This is where we were able to do a little wine tasting which was still kind of awkward with all the kids in tow. I can't remember the label but I tasted a Red Zinfandel and a Primitivo [never heard of Primitivo, but it was good].

The kids were enjoying the ice cream tasting and the petting zoo until Wyatt began to feel the stinging rash from rolling down the grassy knolls. He launched himself into full tantrum mode, which I don't blame him, he was in pain. After I wiped him down with baby wipes and applied cortisone, he calmed down and we had lunch there.

There was a food canopy with chefs in white hats and coats preparing gourmet hamburgers, it was fun watching Tony [AKA the king of well done cooking] to eat a rare hamburger. It was seriously rare, just browned on the outside, not even close to medium rare. I had a hard time with the rareness myself but I ate it anyway, I am not so much a hamburger girl, but it was scrumptious.

The kids got in their share of swimming at the hotel. Eva wants to swim like the big kids so bad, she was actually diving under the water in the general direction of Tony. She can't swim, but she thinks she can, it's hilarious [with a little bit of scary].

Sunday, after a really nice mass in Napa, we hit the Jelly Belly factory on the way home. We had never done that tour and it was loads of fun. All in all a great getaway for us. It was only three days but it felt like a week [in a good way].

Sounds like a broken summer record but...
up this week:

-more heat, 107 degrees or so today
-more smoke and haze, feeling bad for the people closer to the fires
-more vegetable gardening, things are happening now
-more piano, it's sounding good...really
-more swim lessons, going well
-one party this weekend, adults only, should be fun

Wyatt just made the claim that he can hold his breath longer than a turtle, I'm off to investigate. Stay cool.