7qt / two's company

1. 

When Amby was a baby and Joe just two years old, we had neighbors with two boys ages two and four. Those boys were inseparable--always scaling trees or piles of junk in their backyard or running around with dress-up fireman clothes on allllllll the time. I'd hear their mom near-constantly shouting at them to come in for this meal or that nap, for one to stop hitting the other, for the one to just leave the other one alone. 

I stupidly (and un-observantly) asked that mom once, "So it gets easier, right? As the kids get older?" And she paused with a very "Oh, honey" pitiful look on her face and told me that no, it wasn't really easier for her, at least not yet. 

Her honest answer has made me feel less guilty about...everything I'm prone to feeling guilty about by 8:00 p.m.

2. 

Joe and I are washing our hands in the bathroom sink. He grabs the towel to dry off, then hands it to me. 

Me: Thank you Joe.

Joe: Just doin' what I can, Momma.

3. 

The best blog ladies have written recently about being sick and having their husbands take care of them. I'm in the opposite boat. Sean took a nasty fall on some ice the day after a snowstorm and both feet flew out from under him. Good news: His left shoulder broke his fall! 

One urgent care visit and a fractured rib later and I have one patient in bed and two snotty-nosed minions all under the same roof. It could be worse. I'm the first to admit it. And I can imagine 100 different scenarios (98 of which involve the words "stomach flu" or "empty the contents of one's stomach") which would vastly increase our suffering. But I'm having a hard time keeping all the balls in the air. I kept my game face on until 7:30 p.m. on the day he fell, then I began sobbing face-down in my bed next to Sean. He patted my back and said, "Hey, I'm surprised you lasted so long!" 

4. 

Back to the inseparable boys. Playing hide and seek with Amby is my favorite. 

5. 

Favorite blog post of the week: "Ass of the Year" by Heather at Mama Knows, Honeychild: with an epic takedown of Govenor Andrew "Get Outta My State" Cuomo:

Oh Andrew. I don't know if anybody ever told you this before you became governor, but there are all sorts of different people who live in any given area. These people have actual opinions that differ from yours. I know, Andrew, I know. It's CRAZY.... 

Did you know there are people who live in New York State that don't like Sandra Lee's cooking and find it disgusting? Yes, these people exist! Shocking as it is, there are living, breathing people out here who don't like dumping five different cans of soup together to make one big soup, even if they hate cooking. Some of these people are even poor and they still like making actual soup from scratch, despite their poverty.

We gave up cable last year and that came with a few sacrifices, but one huge benefit was never again having to stumble upon an episode of Semi Homemade and those madwoman-decorated "tablescapes." 

6. 

I don't always watch American Idol, but when I do, I like Harry Connick, Jr. to dance. 

CJ Jones - Stand By Me - American Idol 13 by IdolxMuzic

7. 

When everything's going wrong in life, there's little I can do to stop it.

Except do the dishes.

Clean countertops are my love language.

Linking up with Jen.

Go Hawks!