Sand Pail List, Revisited

In May, I created my “Sand Pail List” of things I wanted to accomplish this summer. How’d we do? Let’s take a look:

Going to the park
We did go to local playgrounds, but not nearly as often as I’d intended–except for when we were in Santa Barbara. We went to a lot of playgrounds in Santa Barbara.

Summer concerts
Not one. Turns out that the ones held in my friend’s town are on Sunday nights, which didn’t work for us, and we never investigated the ones closer to home. Maybe next year.

Going to the beach
We got to the beach three times this summer, and are going again once Baguette gets her cast off. Labor Day may be over, but southern California’s summer is not.

Swimming lessons
Happening right now! Well, not right now. But we’ve enrolled Baguette in the current session at our local Y, because you cannot keep her out of the water. (Me, either.)

Cooking
Err . . . I’ve done a little, but certainly not as much as I meant to. And I still haven’t gotten back to that farmers’ market.

Well, there’s always fall. What should I call that one–maybe Leaf Bag List? I wonder if that works in the land of no fall colors.

Photo by ~W~, via Flickr.

5 Things I Found While I Was Looking Around

50 of the World’s Best Breakfasts on Hostelbookers.com Blog

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and now that can be true in even more countries.

Portraits of Dogs as They Shake Off Water on Petapixel

For those days when you think, “My dog is so dignified. How silly could he or she look?”

10 Best Places for Escaping World Conflict on Expatify

When the revolution comes, you are going to thank me.

Your Age on Other Worlds on Exploratorium

I’ll have to move to Saturn to be younger than Baguette, and even then she’d have to stay on Earth. Not worth it.

List of common misconceptions on Wikipedia

That thing you thought you always knew? It’s wrong.

Photo by duncan, via Flickr.

Santa Barbara Sojourn

Santa Barbara – what’s not to love?

Every girl needs a jaunty hat. Even if it’s her mother’s.

Exhibits were made to be climbed.

Whee!

A girl after my own heart–when I was trying online dating, my full add title was “Mary Jane Watson Seeks Peter Parker; No Green Goblins Need Apply.”

Time for a run (so, also a girl after her Daddy’s own heart).

BEACCCHHHH!

Giraffes enjoy being hand-fed romaine lettuce, and Baguette enjoys hand-feeding romaine lettuce to giraffes. Win-win!

Who needs a straw cup?

Never go in against a Sicilian donkey when grooming is on the line!

Baguette’s first time on the carousel. Mommy’s first time not riding a horse.

Finally! The beach!

We are not sure when the beach became so important to her life. This is her third trip ever.

Bullies Come in All Shapes and Sizes, Part III

I just came across this post on GeekDad about a first-grade girl bullied for carrying a Star Wars lunchbox. It’s a couple of years old, but it resonated with me.

Why? I didn’t carry a Star Wars lunchbox. I’m old. I pre-date Star Wars. But I was an Adam-12 fan, and I carried a lunchbox from that show.

One morning, as I was walking to my class, two boys started to taunt me. It went like this:

Boy #1: You’re a boy.
Me: I’m a girl.
Boy #2: No, you’re a boy. Only boys watch Adam-12.
Me: That’s not true. I’m a girl, and I watch Adam-12.
Boy #2: That means you’re a boy.
Me: No, it doesn’t. Look, I’m wearing a skirt.
Boy #1: That just means you’re a boy in a skirt.
Me: . . .

Look, if you’ve been reading this blog, you know that this is where the conversation ended. And it didn’t end because I ran away crying, or because a teacher put a stop to it.

No, it ended because I hit Boy #1 in the head with my lunchbox. Which was full, because it was morning. And made of metal, because that’s what lunchboxes were made of.

You know what happened? Nothing. I didn’t get in any trouble, either at home or at school. I’ll bet neither of those boys was willing to admit that someone they saw as a victim was completely unwilling to fill that role. And maybe, just maybe, they thought better of pulling that kind of crap with some other little girl. The only thing that happened was that I got a dent in my lunchbox.

I’ve always been proud of that dent.

Photo by Andrew Baron, via Flickr.

5 Things I Found While I Was Looking Around

“Smell Like a Monster” on YouTube

Thank you, Sesame Street! (And thank you, too, Wandering Scientist!)

Chicken, Mozzarella, and Asparagus Pasta on The Coterie Blog

Yum. Just, yum.

23 Fun Summer Bucket List Activities for Families on Parenting Squad

If August finds you running out of ideas for what to do with your kids, here are some more.

Cats in Sinks

You really shouldn’t need more explanation than that.

Calm

Perfect for the crazy days.

Photo by super-structure, via Flickr.

Birthdays in the Era of Pinterest

The On Mom has a post about party planning and Pinterest that definitely is worth a read. As for me, I like Pinterest. I think it’s fun, and I use it a fair amount.

I don’t base my life on it.

See, my approach to Pinterest is to save and share things I like. I just want to look at them, not transform my existence. But I keep reading about how Pinterest is increasing “mom guilt” as real-world moms feel their efforts don’t measure up to the perfection on Pinterest.

Sorry, but I think that’s your fault. You shouldn’t be taking pins so personally.

Even in the real world, I’m apt to scale back from what I see. We’ve been to a number of birthday parties for our neighbors’ children and Baguette’s classmates, and they’ve all been nice. We’ve been to several indoor playgrounds, a backyard pool party, and one bounce house/ball pit/wading pool fiesta.

My thoughts? The indoor playgrounds are expensive, but really easy. So that’s tempting, because I don’t have to clean the house. The pool party was nice, but we don’t have a pool. And I am not yet ready to rent a bounce house. I’m just not.

So far, Baguette’s birthday parties have featured family getting together for a cookout followed by cake. We have not invited her friends. Our thought has been that she didn’t understand gifts, and she didn’t know what parties were.

Well, she does know now–and that’s fine. We’re not trying to keep the concept of parties from her. So when her third birthday rolls around, we’ll plan something more child-focused than the birthday parties we’ve had so far.

We’ll invite some of her friends, I’ll make a cake (if I have time), and I’m totally open to buying themed plates, napkins, and cups. I’ll even spring for the coordinating banner.

But why should I worry about whether it matches something on Pinterest? Baguette couldn’t care less, and it’s her party.

Photo by asleeponasunbeam via Flickr.

5 Things I Found While I Was Looking Around

Almost Untouched Nature – Waterfall Restaurant, Philippines on Bright Side of

I’d like to eat here.

Most Gawked All-Time on Foodgawker

And I’d like to eat all of this.

Every Cat Should Have a Dog on What’s That Smell?

This makes a strong argument.

Artist transports Star Wars characters into feudal Japan on dvice

And now from the sublime . . .

Lego Futurama on Flickr

. . . to the ridiculous (but in a good way).

Photo by Postsumptio, via Flickr.

5 Things I Found While I Was Looking Around

A Very Model Halloween on YouTube

It’s never too early to start coming up with costume ideas.

25 Handy Words That Simply Don’t Exist in English on So Bad So Good

I think #23 is my favorite.

Seasonal Ingredient Map from Epicurious

I really need to buy some plums.

What Should I Read Next?

For those of you who miss the “If You Liked [title]” shelf at the video rental place.

Funny Underwater Dogs on Flashsolver

Dog. Ball. Pool. Camera. Go!

Photo by losmininos, via Flickr.

Talking Points

Mr. Sandwich: We’ll try to strike a happy medium between oppressive control and Lord of the Flies chaos.

Me: I miss Brontosaurus.
Mr. Sandwich: What do you mean?
Me: They got rid of them. Now they’re Apatosaurus.
Mr. Sandwich: What? Why?
Me: Some kind of nomenclature thing.
Mr. Sandwich: F*%k these “Pluto’s not a planet” people.

Mr. Sandwich: The flooring in Gwyneth Paltrow’s home is made of stones from a Peruvian schoolhouse. In other news, the Peruvian children are now going to school in a tent.

Mr. Sandwich: “Toddler injured by piranhas?” Who lets a baby play near a piranha tank? Well, we are officially not the worst parents ever.

Who’s Funnier?

I’ve got a new board on Pinterest. Because Adam Carolla is wrong.

Photo by Dave Malkoff, via Flickr.