Delusions

Ahhh... The optimistic refrigerator of January, full of already-chopped vegetables and healthy leftovers, ready to create all sorts of responsible meals. So different from the dissipated refrigerator of December I finally cleaned out.

Cool kids

We ride at dawn! (Or possibly after naptime...)

View

A year and a half after moving to our house, the view out the kitchen window is still one of my very favorite things.

New every morning

My total lack of perfection in, well, many of the things I'm trying to do right now is one reason my word for 2017 is grace.

We may be disorganized around here, but we're looking forward to 2017.

Letters

Interaction

Evelyn discusses the aquatic creatures with a friend on our trip to the aquarium.

Cicadas

It's an intense cicada year. Not only are they enthusiastically loud in the evening, but their shed exoskeletons are everywhere.

Helper

Evelyn is now at the age where she's much happier if she can help out while I'm working in the kitchen. Sponging off the counter is worth whole minutes of entertainment.

Perch

 My daughter, the girl who sits in things.

Appliances

One of these appliances is not like the other.

Rain

Evelyn enjoyed the thundery rainstorms we had a few days ago.

Picnic

Evelyn and I had an impromptu lunch picnic in a plaza in Southlake while running errands. She was remarkably coordinated with her blue shirt, skirt, and blueberries.

Surreal

It doesn't feel like it's been a whole year since Evelyn and I were just hanging out in bed together taking lots of naps all day.

Advanced

Evelyn thinks that swim class is pretty awesome.

Evelyn moved up to the level two swim class today. Apparently, that entails a certificate, even at the tender age of one. What a gifted child. =D

Patient

We have an unbelievably patient, forbearing hound.

There is no way to crop this picture to conceal the chaos that one of the two
beings in this picture consistently leaves in her wake.

Love

Baby cousin love is... more hands-on. 

Contained

"Oh hello! Welcome!"

Evelyn has discovered a great new fort. Habibti stopped using her crate several years ago, but we got it out when we were going to Michigan, and she was going to be staying elsewhere. She didn't end up using it, but Evelyn thinks it's the best hideout ever and spends a great deal of time in there. She particularly appreciates the door that opens and closes.

Correct

Ben took this great picture of Evelyn properly enjoying her new rocking chair from Grammie and Grandpa.

Not pictured: Evelyn standing on the chair, holding onto the back with one hand while she rocks violently and drops things off the side, emitting impressively warlike growls. She's a delicate, prim child all right!

Unbelievable

Every time I try to dry clothes on the line this summer, it rains. Yesterday we got home in sunny, not a cloud in the sky, hundred degree weather, and I put out the clothes. It proceeded to rain and thunder unbelievably hard while it was still sunny out! I really think I should start charging to go do laundry in drought areas.

Questionable

Listen, I'm not saying that parenthood has made us completely lose our minds, but it may not have made us any more respectable, either.

Pictured: How we entertain ourselves while Evelyn is napping.