For you, Chinita

Asher has been dressed. GRITS chose the psychedelic t-shirt and swimming trunks himself.

This is the pair reading before a nap. Apparently, GRITS reads better with Tita's old swimming goggles on backwards. (And apparently, trips to the grocery store are much more tolerable with Tita's old swimming goggles on properly. Ay!)

GRITS' Baby Asher

A friend that just moved away gave me a bag of clothes and toys for which to find homes. Before I was able to get to it, GRITS found his Baby Asher.

-Last night, some friends of ours came over for dinner, including their youngest son, Asher. Girum has fallen in love with this little boy.-

You'll see that he is taking very good care of Baby Asher... putting him in his booster seat, sharing his water with him and entertaining him with play-cooking. Presently, he is napping with his Baby, after having sung him to sleep. "Hush little Asher, don't say a word."

My sweet son is ready for his brother and sister!

Mystery solved

An alley-chat yesterday with Neighbor Flo solved the mystery of the appearing toys. She has been bringing them over, sneaking them into the garden so that the neighborhood urchins don't find them. (Thankfully, she doesn't include Baby GRITS in the "neighbor urchins" group.)

For Princess Hibiscus

A summer dinner

More mysterious appearances

... of rides for tots.

Junior Firefighter

"Even though this is my dream come true, I am petrified and I will not let go of my mother."

"'Poking fun' helps me calm down a bit."

"I'm so cool with super-tío Ma-Map... but I'm still a bit wary."

"Close the door so that we can go!"

Our new afternoon tradition

The case of the mysteriously...

appearing rides for tots continues. A couple of months ago, I went out to the garden to find a couple of tricycles next to our garage. Today I went out to find this:


We are ready for next summer already!

Bouquets of sharpened pencils

I smelled school in the air this morning! Is that why I can't stop reading books about Montessori and classical education? I've been insatiable concerning anything education lately. Hm.

In garden news, I rescued a quickly-grown zucchini from death-by-critter just in time. There were little claw scratches all over it. Shoo. I'll need it for the ratatouille this Sunday.

And this is my favorite plant combination lately:


While I was rescuing vegetables, GRITS was busy...

... driving his tricycle (or moto, as he likes to call it) into our neighbors' wall.

Naw-ice! (RIP, BM)

This is what we call a "cochazo."