Emily!

On good sportsmanship:
"Okay, we're going to see who runs faster. We both start at this line...but this is not a race, it is just to see who runs faster. Now on your mark, get ready, set, go! I'm gonna beat you!

On finding good help these days:
"Mama, did you just break the pony holder?" *insert eye roll and sigh* "You're fired."

How to charm me

Tell me I'm beautiful just as I'm falling asleep at night.

How to annoy me

Tell me my shoes are a little bit Betty Boop. Well your shoes are a little bit orthopedic.

So this is love

Ben and I have been married for almost 10 months now. Like never before I feel utmost confidence in his love for me. Often when people have been together for awhile the compliments start to fall on deaf ears. I'm not sure if there is a name for this unfortunate syndrome but I know I've fallen prey to it in the past. I suppose it is similar to the way a teenage girl decides her mother has to think she's beautiful because that's what mother's do.

Last night Ben and I were watching what Not to Wear together. Now I don't want to mislead anyone here. I don't have to force Ben to watch this show, but neither is it his favorite form of televised entertainment. During the make-up segment when Carmindy was explaining how to emphasize one's favorite features, I teasingly asked Ben which of my facial features were his favorites. He answered, quite genuinely, that he liked my nose and that "from the side, it is especially cute."

Now people, I have never given a lot of thought to my nose. It is a nice enough organ but nothing I've ever spent a lot of time loving or hating. When he said that, though, my heart fluttered in my chest and down to my toes. It has been echoing in my head all day. My husband thinks I have a cute nose! Isn't that just lovely?

I have no idea why this particular compliment means so much to me. I think it must be love.

Emily!

Acting as Emily Post:
B: Emily, it is horribly inappropriate to eat that with your fingers.
J: Yeah, baby. Please use your fork.
E. But why? I promise I'll pick them up with my fingers only when you aren't looking.

On life decisions:
That man in that truck is smoking! That will turn your lungs black, my body book says it. I hope he is happy with his decision to turn his lungs black.

On the drudgery of traffic jams:
E: Mom, why does the traffic have to be stopped both ways?!
J: I don't know, baby. I cannot control the traffic.
E: I wish you could. Then I wouldn't have to stare at the ugly old man.

Rain clouds and a cold. It must be Monday.

Three months. That's how long I've lived here. The summer is drawing to a close rather more quickly than I ever remember it doing in Texas. We are giving it a pretty good send off, though.

One Mr. David C. Caray (What does that other C stand for anyway? My guess is Christopher, but that seems too average.) came to visit. I got his trip off to a fabulous start by getting lost while leaving the airport. Let's face it, we are not true friends until you have been white-knuckled in my car as I narrowly avoid other vehicles and random inanimate objects while trying to figure out where I am. It's a good time. Really.

Dave arrived on Thursday followed by my husband on Friday and then the weekend. Saturday's weather was DE-LIGHT-FUL! We had to go to the beach before fall got here. We just had to. The boys decided we also had to grill bratwurst at the beach. HAD TO. It was just that kind of day. The waves were huge. What does that mean? It means I chased my kiddo all over the sand while Ben and Dave threw themselves at the waves. The ocean definitely gave them a beating, but they insist they "gave as good as they got." Yeah, I'm sure the big sea will think twice before tossing you about next time.

We returned home in a complete state of sand-covered exhaustion. Emily got the first bath which gave Dave enough time to invent Hennefress. It is a blend of Hennesey and Fresca served on the rocks. It is delightfully refreshing until you swallow and are hit with the indescribable aftertaste. Needless to say, our day at the beach had not left Dave in his right mind. After the remaining members of the household showered and Michelle, the babysitter from paradise, arrived me, Ben and Dave drove to The Winehouse in Ghent for a date with the Oberlins and some cats called Jenny and Matt. I won't lie, we rocked out to Sinatra and Flogging Molly the entire drive. The food was so good, the wine was good, the Mojito was A-MAZING, and the company kept me laughing. Jenny was hilarious. Ben, sadly, was a little sun sick so he interacted as much as he could, but did not have nearly the good time I had. By the way, thanks again for dinner and the drinks Dave!

Sadly, the sunshine has now been replaced by rain and I can barely breathe thanks to the thousand pounds of snot in my sinuses. Ugh, it must be Monday. And fall.

Emily!

On social behavior:
"Naturally, Jafar loses because he is not acting beautiful on the inside."

On thinking scientifically:
E: Why does there have to be so many people on Earth?
J: Well I don't know that there has to be, but there are a lot of people on Earth.
E: I know! I bet there are no other planets with people because they got hit by too many meteors and everybody moved here so they wouldn't have to live in busted up houses.

On wearing big girl panties:
"If anybody makes fun of my lip I'm just going to tell them 'I don't want to talk about it,' and walk away."