The Wonderful thing about Tiggers...

A Tigger's a wonderful thing.



Their tops are made out of rubber...


Their bottoms are made out of springs!

It's Not the Size...

Of your pool that matters...it's how cool the water is on a hot day!

He wasn't all that excited when I lubed him up with his SPF 7,982 sunscreen, but after he got to splashing I think he forgave me.

I think he may have realized that those aren't pool toys. They worked for a while, though...until he tried to drink out of them.

Nothing like a little sunscreen, dead grass, and bug cocktail on a hot, sticky afternoon.

Life's a Beach

Mister and I went to the peninsula today...or as Liam knows it, the place with the water and the girls in bikinis. He dipped his tootsies in again and even sat in the sand.

Liam ponders all manner of scratchy, wet things.


Liam and mommy have sandy toes.

Liam gets ready for winter...practice makes perfect.

Blues and Jazz

On Saturday, we went to the Blues and Jazz Fest at Frontier Park. Mister donned his party shirt and we loaded daddy up with provisions.

Here, Liam and baby Hedwig hang out with Bink on the blanket, listening to the blues.


Liam enjoys a cold one...a teether, that is. Straight from the cooler.



What would a bluesman be without his cool shades?



I think that mister might have a future in the music biz. He's certainly got some rhythm.

Hooray for Yard Sales

I love yard sales. I remember the Lake Street yard sales in Girard way back in the day. My mom always went. I got to a point where I would complain about getting up so early and at some point they just stopped.

The weekend before last, there were sales all the way up and down Harvard Street, just a couple of blocks away, so after breakfast Liam and I headed out to see what we could come up with.

My love of yard sales has been rekindled...to say the least.

I came up with a baker's dozen articles of clothing (including a Ralph Lauren polo shirt and a Baby Gap denim jacket) for 50 cents each. Gently used clothing, by the way, has the added bonus of containing much less residue from pesticides used on cotton...and, again, 50 cents each...what is that? 5 percent of the original cost of some of these things?

I got a couple of annoying electronic toys that mister loves, a Boppy pillow, and a bunch of books.

I also found this...

For those of you unfamiliar with this contraption, it is a Jumperoo. They retail for close to $100, depending on the bells and whistles. This one was $10 and a moment of my spare time to wipe it down (it's barely been used). Score.

I'm going to have to start getting the Friday paper to check out the sales.

The Whole Enchilada

I make really great enchiladas. Really. Ask Ryan.

This is the recipe. You'll notice that I do what I normally do with directions of any kind. I read them, decide that I like parts of them, and then change the rest.



This was the first time I used the grill as part of the enchilada prep. The chicken is rubbed with a spicy blend that is mostly ground chipotle and cumin...I could tell you the rest, but then I'd have to kill you...and, no, that recipe isn't 100% accurate, so don't even try it.

There are, for those of you counting, three jalapenos and two habaneros headed into the mix for eight enchiladas. If you're good at math...(3+2)/8 = spicy.



If you lean in close, you'll probably clear your sinuses. I'll bill you later.



What would the enchilada be without its authentic Goya red beans and rice? (10 points if you can't hear "red beans and rice" without starting to hum a certain Sir Mix-a-lot song...)



One last coat of cheese before it goes in the oven...mmmm...cheese.



The finished product, complete with almost enough sour cream to make it possible to eat without dying. For me, at least...According to Ryan, it was "a good start."


He wants me to make the next batch spicier. He forgets that I have to sleep with him.

Liam Likes It

So far, Liam seems to like his room. He seems concerned about that ray of sunshine, though...it must not be certified organic.

He was making that funny noise because it echoed while the upstairs was empty. Now, there are a lot more toys than I thought he had in his room. Along with his crib, which he is sleeping very well in despite the change. He actually naps better...must be having his own space out of the hustle and bustle.

I'd say he likes it.

Back at It

"It" being Puffer-hole (see previous post about hole-ness). This is a little late. We were actually there on the 31st of May...we counted that as our June outing.

A shot from the only good place to eat outside in Erie if you're a baby. Heck, one of the best places to eat in Erie no matter who you are.



The best place to read a book, too. I believe Ryan was taking his dorkiness to a new level and reading about Napoleon on this bright, beautiful day.



Mister loves him some Pufferbelly. He mostly likes to flirt with the waitresses. He likes older women. He tried to order a beer, but since he doesn't speak English yet it didn't work out too well. It's probably better that way...Tigger's had some trouble with the booze.


Liam also loves mommy...and self-portraits.



Stay tuned for our photo-documentary on Erie's unhealthy obsession with block glass...Part One: Erie Insurance and the Parking Garage of Doom.

Happy (Early) Father's Day

With all of the housiness that will be going on next weekend I figure it's better to get it out there.

For the best daddy ever...

Comin' at Ya!

Mister has almost figured out how to crawl...he has all the pieces, he just hasn't quite figured out how to put them together. If his butt is up, his head is down...and his arms just don't seem to go the right way.

He has mastered scooching, creeping, whatever you want to call it.

Here he comes!

Comin' to get ya!