Last days of Summer

We are now in the last days of Summer.

Posting has been scarce, but there are a few things I would like to remember about this Summer.

-We finished the deck and ate outside under twinkling lights. 

 -I got smart this Summer and banished doing dishes. So we used plastic baskets lined with sandwich paper! Why did I not think of this before? This will forever be known as the Summer I "got wise".

-It actually got hot! We are talking mid to upper 90's folks. With no AC...that's a big enough deal to abandon your home in search for cooler indoor temps. This Summer we went to my mom's house. Greta got to play in the water and catch bugs with her cousins, while Oliver and I kept company inside. I am a reasonable Northwest girl, temperatures over 73 make me cranky. Still it's nice to be a little uncomfortable so that I can unreservedly enjoy the rain and chill when it comes.


-There was the 2012 London Olympics, which we watched faithfully beginning to end. There was not a lot of sleep during this period, due to prime time coverage until midnight and the washing of bottles and putting to bed of babies afterwards. Oh well! Every two years right?

-Greta met many milestones this Summer. She is a fully fledged potty trained gal, and she is accepting all manner of foods now! One week saw her eating Salmon, curry, and all sorts of vegetables! A far cry from her strict fruit, cheese, and carb diet of the past.
She has played outside almost every sunny day, and has discovered all the fun dirt brings. I'm so glad that although she is very particular about a lot of things, she really knows how to let loose outside and throw dirt in the air and caution to the wind.
Her imagination has continued to blossom. It's so much fun to watch her talk to her "friends" and feed them, have parties, take baths, and impart advice. All in her characteristic British accent, which I fear, has been slightly Americanized lately. She's slipping away from Never Never Land!
I've been trying so hard to catch her on video as she monologues to herself. I know it will probably disappear altogether when she goes to preschool and starts playing with real life American friends. Just one more thing that has made this Summer so special.

-And then there is Oliver! Strapping young Oliver. Who is 3.5 months and wearing 6 months pants yesterday. He grins, he drools, he laughs! And no one can make him laugh quite like his daddy. Kent knows all the right tickle spots, and the just right way of saying "Weeeeee!" that totally undoes him.
But if it's daddy that he goes to for fun, it's mommy he goes to for sleep. When he gets the sleepy cranks all I need to do is hold him like a football, and let him smother his face into my chest, and it's seriously seconds...zzzzzzz.*

-Kent started on a new team at Microsoft this Summer. Doing something he's been wanting to do for a long time and enjoying the challenge of learning a whole lot of something from nothing. But this is definitely his element. Kent loves complicated board games, and between you and me, I think he shells over good money for these board games just to punch out all the cardboard pieces and learn something from scratch for an evening. 
-And lastly there's me. What did I do this Summer? Besides getting a haircut, I honestly don't know? You're looking at it I guess. I co-conducted this family circus! I served 1000+ bowls of macaroni and cheese, revolutionized the lives of Greta's Fisher Price play people by introducing a light rail system to their neighborhood, played catch, watched Kipper, fed more bottles than bowls served of mac and cheese, got spit upped on, learned not to care about it, hit Greta in the head with the car door on accident, started going back to the gym, laughed a lot, said "Oh for heaven's sake" a LOT. I didn't do a lot of sleeping, my standard coffee order moved up from a tall to a grande. Here and there I managed my etsy shop, but most of my projects, ideas, and grand schemes are being filed away in a list I call my "Someday List". 
It will probably get looked at in the Fall, but right now, there are still a few more weeks of Summer to enjoy.

*He's a boob man.

Olympic image via marketbulletin.com

Sigur Ros

Last night Kent and I went and saw Sigur Ros at the Paramount. Our first date since Oliver joined us in May!
Kent has seen them before, but I hadn't. And apparently you just haven't lived until you have seen them live, so I was pretty excited. Well to give you an idea, you should read some of these reviews. For a lot of people seeing their show was something like the pinnacle of their existence. Shedding tears is a given, and it doesn't seem too out of the ordinary to faint. (!)
So, when we were a few blocks away from the theater, and saw a line that wrapped around a few city blocks, (completely made up of cool hipsters, and thoughtful looking sorts) I was surprised...but not too surprised.

And it was of course amazing.
To me, it was less like any concert I have ever been to, and more like a capital E Experience*. The picture at the top was taken by some talented and very lucky person nearer the stage than us (obviously...thanks flickr!).  I think it captures the show well, at a glance. Jonsi wildly running the bow across his guitar, lights, smoke, and those dangly bits on his sleeves flying every which way. You don't see the stage full of musicians playing pianos, drums, bells, string and brass instruments. But they were there too. I don't think I have ever experienced the Paramount so full of sound. At one point I took a hasty glance and the dainty carvings along the walls and ceiling to see if they were starting to crumble or shake loose, but they were hanging in there perfectly solid, to my great surprise.
It was a memorable night, with a lot of great (as in big) beautiful music.
But I found myself relieved at the end of it to be home again, and enjoying the much simpler beauty of baby cheeks, little hands, and Oliver's soft downy head. (Being a mom is still my favorite Experience.)

Also...
-If your a fan and want to stop mumbling the names of titles and tracks, because for heaven's sake it's Icelandic and not exactly elementary, I found this page helpful.

-If you aren't familiar with Sigur Ros at all. Have a peek! These are a few of my favorites... Here, Here, and Here.

*However, I was unfortunately placed by the entrance to the balcony. So that the light to my left and the steady stream of ticket takers and people moving in and out (presumably to faint with dignity in the bathroom, or whatever) was distracting. I felt a little one foot in and one foot out of it all. Which was a real shame. Because I think to be totally immersed musically and visually is what makes their shows so special.

Sarah Sets Sail.

Yesterday Cousin Sarah embarked on a Very Grand Adventure. Two years on a Mercy Ship, docked in Guinea!
We are all very proud of her. But what on earth am I to do?
Who will come listen to me ramble, or tell me what book to read next, or snicker over tasty little words and phrases with me?
You see my problem don't you.
It's very much a Hurray and Harumph situation.