Hello! And a Little Elvis Costello!

Sorry for the absence....I really hadn't meant to be gone so long!  I am still flying a little high from a fabulous weekend in San Francisco with B (more on that later, I promise!).  For now, I can just say it was restorative and filled with memories I know I will always want to revisit.  Can't wait to show you some photos.

We ended the weekend with a concert here at home.  We saw Elvis Costello on the bay on a near-perfect San Diego night.  Sparkling starry sky, warm enough to sit outside, and it's true we may have indulged a little in some pre-concert mai tais (which made the show just that much better).  I do love me some Declan Patrick MacManus, don't you?  The first thing he said to the audience was "Tonight, you're going to hear a lot of songs about love, love, love.....and sex......and death.......and LOOOVVVVVVVE."  I think I love him.  (Also, can I just say it's so awesome to go to a concert when the artist isn't promoting a new album and just plays all the favorites?  Seriously, every single one I wanted to hear.)

I love this acoustic version of Alison.  Have a great weekend!!

Happy.

I think I received the best bit of parenting advice yesterday.  It is so simple, but it is everything.  Ready?  Here it is: Model happiness for your children and everything is going to be A-OK.  Of course, truly being that happy person can be tricky (at least for a person like me).  But I do believe that everyone must work at happiness.  There are many opportunities to fall off the path, but it is what we all search for in this life.

So, I am making a commitment to focus less on all the little "dos and don'ts" of being a mom (for myself and my kids) and focus more on living a happy life.....I already know the things that make me happy and the things that don't.  My kids will be so much better off for it.

photo credit

Little Barista.

This past weekend, we were part of a garden tour.  There were hundreds of people who came walking through our yard.  Everybody was very nice and complimentary.  B had the idea to set C-Man up with a lemonade and cookie stand a couple days before the event.  So, the kids and I made 3 batches of brownies and huge jug of lemonade (B squeezed about 100 lemons with JuJu the day before the event).  C-Man decided on prices (25 cents for the lemonade and for the brownies) and made a sign. At the last minute, because the weather was cold and overcast, we added espresso to the menu (a dollar each, as daddy would have to make those to order).

As soon as the people started coming, we realized we were woefully under supplied, so I started scrambling and baking anything I could come up with (shout out to TJs pumpkin muffin and gingerbread mixes in the back of my cupboard! and to Alice and James for running over more supplies!).  In the end, we went through 2 giant vats of lemonade, 5 batches of brownies, pumpkin muffins, a pan of gingerbread, and a few dozen peanut butter cookies.  B thinks he made at least 40 espressos.  C-Man could hardly keep up with the orders, but he managed somehow.  It was so cute watching him serve and make change.  In the end, he made $104 (imagine if he had been charging 50 cents a piece for everything!).  The only downside we see to this is he will be ruined for all future lemonade stands.  ;-)

B is very excited about all of this because for a long time, he has had the plan to open a very tiny espresso bar (think a ten foot marble bar that opens right onto the street....sorta like this little wine bar in Florence) that serves only the very best caffé in town (profitability, thankfully, will not be a factor).  Now B has enlisted his son's assistance (and experience!) and the two of them plan to chat up the customers, teach them about good espresso and watch Italian soccer on TV all day.  ;-)  You will come and patronize our family business, won't you?