We're melting....

The heat doesn't bother Matteo, but he does
think putting his shirt over the portable
A/C is hilarious and refreshing.

Point me to this post the next time I complain about our cold, wet spring because I am here to say I
REALLY miss said spring. A lot. Once again we're having the hottest summer on record, this time breaking the record for days over 90 degrees in a year and it isn't even August. While the kids are relatively unfazed by this, Chris and I are having a love affair with our fans and portable A/C and I actually felt *chilled* in San Diego when I was there for ComicCon. But there was a bright spot - OUR NEW YARD!

After 7 years of living in our house, letting the dogs have their way with the yard, letting the butterfly bush grow out of control and basically ignoring it, Chris has done a total overhaul. I am kicking myself for not taking a "before" picture, but I do have some good "after" ones. Chris did all of this himself over the course of many weekends in the hot sun (Matteo helped by overseeing the work and saying "phew" every time Chris lifted something heavy). When I say "all of this" I *really* mean ALL OF THIS...dug out all the sod, laid the fake grass, built the planters, installed the patio, dug the holes for the posts, built the fire pit brick by brick, hauled in the gravel one 50lb bag at a time and so on. It's gone from being a total embarrassment (Yes, we have a yard, no you cannot see it) to being our beautiful Shangri-La and favorite place to be.



From the house looking back



Opposite view. Unintentional it is Xbox green. See that patch of faux grass?
First week it was down I looked out my window and saw Lily and Bob lying
next to each other, both on their backs, heads touching and staring at the
sky. The patch was a worthy investment.

What he dug out to make our oasis happen. This doesn't take into
account the entire truck bed of butterfly bush our neighbor hauled
away or the many compost bins filled.

I think the heat must make the kids extra funny, because this month they were on a roll....

I brought Lily in on "Bring You Kid To Work Day" and in the "fair area" they randomly had a petting zoo with chickens.
Lily made this clever observation: I thought this was a petting zoo, not a pecking zoo!

Me to Matteo: Tater, would you like some grapes?
Matteo: NO! I'm just SO TIRED my heart will BREAK and then I will GO to Jupiter.

Lily, staring out the car window: Awwww look at the cute doggie!
(Dog starts pooping)
Lily: Aaaaaand the cute moments are over
Slightly ironic since I've long believed if I had a dollar for every time lily and I laughed and talked about farts and poop, her college tuition would be covered.

Me/Chris: Matteo would you like (fill in the blank)?
Matteo, shaking head and with sad intonation: No no no no no

ComicCon swag and t's

Lily: Is Matteo licking the car?
Me: No...well, I hope not
Matteo: YES I AM! I am making it clean WITH my TONGUE!

Matteo, after making an observation (he makes about 172 a day): Right daddy? Right mommy? Right Lily?
(if 2 seconds pass without a response)
RIGHT DA-DEE?! MOOOMEEE?
(insert wee stomping feet)

Me: What would you like for breakfast?
Matteo: A house! (Giggle giggle) and then I will be Boba Fett!

Lily: How do you tell if a pony is a girl?
Me: If it has a penis it's a boy and if it doesn't it's a girl
Lily: You shouldn't have said that and I shouldn't have asked it
Me: Why? It's true
Lily: Yeah, but it's disgusting!

Matteo, in the bathroom: Pee? Peeeeeee...come out come out wherever you are!!

Matteo: I want an iron man toy!
Me: you should ask Santa for that
Matteo: I can't - he's closed!

Matteo: I go to the potty now. There's a lot of stuff coming out of me!
Me: YAY!!! (potty dance commences)
Matteo, in the voice people normally reserved for wounded animals: No more potty dance, mommy

Sitting at Maritime Brewery, Lily lets out a huge burp
Me: Wow, you're a classy dame
Lily: What?! It's what pirates do!
Kinda hard to argue with that...

Matteo, seeing a fruit fly in the house: There's bugs in our house! Release! RELEEEAASE!

Um, yeah...there were a few things about Matteo using the big boy potty in there....but this is a new development and I don't want to jinx it, so more to come on that (fingers crossed) next month!