7/27/2008

THE PLACE WHERE WE COME FROM

A WEEKEND AT THE VILLA INCOGNITO
DAY THREE

Well...

The morning was spent recuperating from the lack of a normal bedtime the night before. Our kids don't do so well when they're sleep-deprived. There was house-cleaning, cooking, playing with Star Wars toys...usual stuff...

Then, Aunt Robyne stayed home with them while I went to work.

We didn't even get any pictures...

Tomorrow, Mommy comes home!

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SOUNDTRACK:
Apples in Stereo
The Misfits
Iron & Wine
Les Savy Fav

7/25/2008

LIVIN' IN A SHOE

A WEEKEND AT THE VILLA INCOGNITO
DAY TWO



Potty Mouth: Spike loves to push buttons. If he finds out something that makes you gasp, you will never get him to stop doing it. One of those things he's discovered that gets a reaction out of grown-ups is curse words.

note: To Spike, jerk, stupid, and shut up are all curse words.

note #2: He also knows most of the not-so-cute ones.

Today, it had become a bit of a problem, so I gave him permission to say whatever words he wanted for the rest of the day. Under the condition that he and I sit down at the end of the night and have a discussion about it.

After a moment's hesitation he blurted out, "Can I say shit?"
"Today only," was my reply.
"What about stupid big fat jerk?"
"Sure."
More hesitation...
"Fuck?"
I'm pretty sure he didn't notice the teeniest bit of hesitation on my part...
"Yes, if you feel like you need to," I answered.

He gave me one of those deep, immortal stares that he has, raised his eyebrows, smiled, and went back to his Batman action figure.

He didn't mention it again the rest of the day.



Slumber Party But-Not-So-Much-Massacre:
We ended the night by putting a big pile of blankets and pillows all over the living room floor, busting out the Twizzlers, stringing up a sheet as a tent, and watching Gamera, Hercules, Conan, X-Men, and Star Wars movies...I'll have to let you know tomorrow which kid lasted the longest...



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SOUNDTRACK:
Peter, Bjorn & John
R.E.M.
M.I.A.

A MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE

In a village by a waterfall, a family is mourning the loss of its youngest daughter - she died, then she was born.

A life lived in reverse.

We cry for ourselves. We cry because we never got to know her. We cry because it hurts.

But just for a second think about what life was like to her, through her rear-view mirror way of looking at this world...it was probably one hell of a ride.

Imagine careening through the streets of life by only looking in the rear-view...

Wouldn't you laugh, with your head spinning, and people and places and things whizzing by too quickly to comprehend..?

With that perspective on life's highway think of how interesting it all would be...

You wouldn't have to suffer the tedium of dinner parties with people you dislike, the drudgery of high school, the stomachaches and headaches and any other kinda aches those of us driving sensibly through life with our hands at ten & two have to endure...

Your life would be full of adrenaline, speed and thrill!

So, though Lillian's life was short (in the way we measure things), it had to be full of high-octane excitement. I'm sure she enjoyed herself.

Please rev your engines.

7/24/2008

GONE, MOMMY, GONE

A WEEKEND AT THE VILLA INCOGNITO
DAY ONE

Christina (a.k.a. Mommy, Xina, Eena, et al) has gone. She went to New York to visit a friend who...well, let's just say right now she needs her friends to come visit. 'Nuff said about that.

So...

Rik (a.k.a. Daddy, and...um...Rik) is home from work for four days (except for that pesky shift Saturday afternoon...couldn't get out of that one...).

We are going to whoop like cranes, dance like bears and have a grand time (like pianos..?).


First, though, there must be breakfast (Mommy is crazy and decided to make her infamous Morning Glory Muffins, from scratch, at 6am this morning)...


Next comes housecleaning...


Rewarded, of course, by gorging ourselves silly on watermelon and Pop Tarts for lunch (Pop Tarts not shown).


An afternoon full of video games, wrestling, running around naked in the backyard during a rainstorm (poor little Hurricane Dolly's leftovers), a movie and off to bed only about an hour past the usual time...an a-ok first day.

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SOUNDTRACK:
The Black Keys
Bob Dylan
Architecture in Helsinki

7/16/2008

SWEETNESS FOLLOWS

Here's two pictures from the last week...

Rik and the kids went to the zoo one morning while Christina was at work. While the boys concentrated on monkeys, lions, slurpees and other totally interesting things...all Hella could talk about was seeing the bears...


And, every afternoon, Royal snuggles his mother like nothing else (she works 6am-2pm)...he really misses her since she's been gone in the mornings...

7/05/2008

Happy Birthday Boris!!

We took Boris and his friend Gunnar to the Space Center (Johnson).
They had a blast!





Boris wanted a Predator cake, so he got one! Mmm...
(my kid is so cool) ;)






I think Hella might have a bit of a crush on Gunnar! poor guy... he never knew what hit him...

POST-A-DAY 6 : Circus Folk

Just a couple of pics...write your own captions...


7/03/2008

POST-A-DAY 5: Battle Royale



Royal was outside this morning, naked.
This is a pretty regular thing, so he has no problem being "one" with nature... in every way.
Well, Royal naked + outside = poop!
Here you see the boys all geared up while attempting to keep Royal and his poop covered (you read that right) body (entire) off the porch until Rik can make his way outside to "handle the situation."
Nicely done, wouldn't you agree? :)

7/02/2008

POST-A-DAY 4: Boris



This is the kid, my eldest son, who is turning the ripe old age of 7 years this Saturday.
Sure he looks kinda tired, but you know as well as I do, that when you do anything for 7 years straight, it takes a lot out of you!

7/01/2008

POST-A-DAY 3: Royal




Royal spent the entire day running around laughing, literally.
Boris took this picture, isn't it great?!
He's just such a happy baby. I mean all the time happy.
No matter what's going on, we can always count on a huge, genuine smile from Royal.
Rik and I agree that he's proof we've done at least one thing right! ;)