The Many Faces of Savannah Rose

A little photographic tribute to the youngest, in honor of her upcoming half birthday.

"The Stylish Face" (to go with the pose, natch)

"The Biting Devil" (self-explanatory, yes?)

"The Gene Simmons"

"The Dance Party"

"The I Was Crying so Grandma Gave Me a Chocolate Bon Bon and Now Look How Happy I Am!"

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It's a Good Life

I have this friend. Let's call her Grace.

Grace has a very nice life. She has a charming husband whom she loves and is in love with. She has two charming, healthy children.

She has a well-paying job that she loves and where she is able to work a less-than-full-time schedule.

Her husband owns his own business, doing what he loves, and is able to work a somewhat flexible schedule.

She and her husband recently bought a big, beautiful home in a wonderful neighborhood. They live on a cul-de-sac where their kids roam and play safely with their neighbors' children. They were able to buy their home for far less than it is worth (and much less than what many of their neighbors paid).

Grace's parents live nearby and are occasionally able to help out with the kids. Grace also has lots of other family and friends nearby.

Grace and her family live in San Diego.

Enough said. Are you ready to kill Grace with your eye-daggers of envy yet?

Her life is pretty much perfect. I'm jealous of her on a regular basis. I'm pretty sure she has more bathrooms than I have rooms.

And yet, she called me today asking me if I had to live somewhere else, where would it be? She knew that I'd lived in Los Angeles, Washington DC, Atlanta, Savannah, and Boston. (Sheesh, I get tired just thinking about all that moving.)

She and her husband are talking about leaving San Diego.

My reaction: Excuse me, wha-HUH?!

Because her life? Is seriously about as good as it gets.

But even with the two of them working, Grace and her husband are going broke living in this crazy-expensive state. Which seems to be getting more and more expensive by the minute. And THAT? I can completely relate to.

But even paying through the nose for everything from groceries to gas to the mortgage cannot deflate my excitement about living here and my bewilderment that Grace and her husband would want to leave.

Now I know, San Diego is not for everyone. But if you happen to have family in an area of the country that is so astoundingly beautiful and so eminently enjoyable year-round, like we do, and like Grace does, how do you think that moving somewhere else will be better?

We don't have a big fancy house. We don't live in a stellar neighborhood. I don't have a job that I'm passionate about, or any job for that matter.

But I have a home. A charming husband whom I love and am in love with. Two (mostly) charming, healthy children. And lots of family and friends nearby.

And we live in America's Finest Freaking City.

You couldn't drag me out of here if you tried.
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Things to be Grateful for Today

1. Savannah went into Kids' Club at the YMCA without crying. For the first time ever. And stayed until I was done working out.

2. Free pizza for lunch.

3. Savannah ate some apple slices.

4. Chelsea likes the Little House books (so far).

5. Savannah told me she needed to poop and then pooped in the toilet instead of her diaper. Or training pants. Or panties. Hallelujah!

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Unhappy Camper

I have tried to like camping. Really, I have.

I have camped at the beach.

I have camped in the desert.

And now I have camped in the mountains.

Can I be done trying to like camping now?

I just. don't. like it.

I want to like it. For the children. And for my husband, who really does like it. But I just don't.

I don't like the dirt. Or the bugs. Or the hikes. Or the sleeping on the ground.

I do like the stars. The campfire. The s'mores.

But we live by the beach. So we can go have a bonfire with stars and s'mores just about whenever we want, minus the dirt, and bugs, and hiking, and butt and/or hip hitting the ground all night long because your fancy air mattress is not properly inflated.

Come to think of it, we have a firepit. So we can do fire + stars + s'mores without even leaving the house!

Top that, camping.

For now, I think I'm all done. I'll take a year off, then try again. We went camping with some really lovely friends this time, and I was just such a Debbie Downer. I hate to ruin everyone else's trip, so I'll just stay away for a while.

Part of the problem with camping is me. But part of the problem with camping is my children, particularly Savannah. She's just too young to be fun on a camping trip. She won't sleep through the night, she pours lemonade all over me and herself, and she throws a handful of dirt into her own eyes. Maybe in a year she'll be more manageable.

Lest you think I spoiled the entire trip, here are a few pictures to prove otherwise.

Chelsea's patented "stylish pose."

Now THERE'S a happy camper.

See? I was there, too. And I even smiled!

Post-camping exhaustion. Like father, like daughter.

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The Red Sox! In Anaheim!

While we were in Massachusetts last month we went down to Fenway to see the Sox play. Today, we drove up to Angel Stadium in Anaheim to see the Sox play. Here, for your enjoyment, are some similarities and differences.

The Same:
Talking a long drive to get to the park. (Boo!)
Finding free parking! (Yay!)
Eating hot dogs and hamburgers. (Yum!)
Standing in line on a hot-ass day with whiny children. (Double-Boo!)
Being surrounded by friends of Red Sox Nation. (WAH-HOO!)

The Different:
Today, we had tickets. So we actually made it IN TO THE PARK. Unlike at Fenway. (Yay for today!)

And here's a peek:

Who loves going to a baseball game?!

We ALL do!

Chelsea doesn't look as excited as we think she should be that she's having her picture taken with Red Sox pitcher, Clay Buchholz. Smile, child!

Does it get any better than this?

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Massachusetts Memories

Since our camera battery crapped out early into our month in Massachusetts, most of our great adventures were not captured on film. Before my craptastic memory erases this month from my mind, I'll try to write it all down.

In no particular order...

Mom's Night Out at Salem Beer Works, Fire Pit Night at Barbara's, Twilight with the girls, playgroup at the church and Nicole's house, July 3rd with friends on Nahant, July 4th with more friends on Nahant, Marblehead Horribles Parade, afternoons at Tudor Beach, running into old friends at Flash Rd. playground, running into old colleagues and students at Clark School, Music Man in Wenham, taking the T to the aquarium and the ferry to Georges Island, playing at Balch Park, finding our old friend Heather at the Coffin School playground, cruising Shubie's and Starbucks in Marblehead.

and in Maine...

Stopping for lunch at Bagel Maineiac on the way to Bar Harbor, playing in the Village Green, doing puzzles at the Opera House cafe, sticky buns and chocolate croissants from Morning Glory, Toy Story 3 at Reel Pizza, Frozen Banana Chai smoothies in Southwest Harbor, making friends at the playground by the YMCA.

We were able to document a few of our adventures before the camera died, and afterwards with the help of friends and Jeremy's work camera.

Borrowing Ms. Esther's kayak

Playing at Patton Park

Hanging out at Acadia National Park Headquarters

Exploring the fort on Georges Island
(Chelsea insisted that I post her "stylish pose" on my "faceblog" so that other kids could learn how to do it. You're welcome.)

Posing in jammies in Maine

I missed seeing a bunch of people and we never did make it into Fenway this trip. Shoot, I guess we'll just have to visit again.

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Travel Day Sponsored by Satan

Here's what the day looked like. This is the short version, the long version would make you cry.

Got denied from self-check in, and sent to line with a million bazillion people.

Missed 9:30am flight while standing in line with a million bazillion people.

Ended up next to people with resident alien ID cards who are trying to send two unaccompanied minors to a foreign country, with no return ticket, to a person who is not a parent. (Also? They can't speak English.) And our agent has to help their agent because this is the most impossible scenario ever.

Spent an eternity at the counter because our agent can't figure out how to get us on another flight and needs at least three different supervisors to help.

Asked agent if Jeremy could stay with her while I take kids (who are beyond losing it, have been in line over an hour) to the play area. She says yes, but play area is closed. (WTF, LOGAN?)

Got tickets for next flight... leaving at 4:30pm.

Took kids to playground at Airport T stop to avoid spending 5 hours in Logan, and all suffer heat stroke in the most disgusting heat wave in anyone's memory.

Found a water play area but Savannah refused to go in and big kids splashing made Chelsea cry.

Back to Logan, (Thank you, Air Conditioning!) go through security and I get pulled aside for special screening. Culprit? The bottle of sunscreen we bought at the heat stroke playground. (Screw you, heat wave. Why you gotta mess with me twice?)

Got on the plane and despite Jeremy and Chelsea's TVs not working (WTF, Jet Blue? Isn't that the whole point of you?) and Savannah not sleeping (WTF, Two-year-old? How is that even POSSIBLE?) we made it to San Diego....

And our luggage did not. OF COURSE IT DID NOT.

AND NEITHER DID OUR CARSEATS. (OMGWTFBBQ... *head explodes*)

I was very proud of myself all day for being very calm about the whole missing our flight and spending the day in the ridiculous heat and baby not napping thing. But the luggage and carseats not being there was more than I could handle.

So yeah. The lady in the Land o' Lost Luggage gave us some loaner carseats so at least we could leave the airport. And a couple of $30 vouchers from JetBlue. HAHAHA.

But we're home. We got our luggage and carseats yesterday. Everybody is (roughly) back on West Coast time.

I hate that after our wonderful, amazing month in New England this is our last memory from the trip.

Tomorrow (hah! tomorrow!) I'll post some pics and happier memories and try to make THAT the last word on Massachusetts 2010. Because THIS? Deserves to be forgotten.
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