the sun's so hot i forgot to go home

The fam and I went on a week vacation in Rocky Point, Mexico a few weeks ago. I'm just now getting around to documenting it because I am just now admitting to myself that it's in the past. The new semester has started for Nate, and I'm back to work. At least we can say we had a great time before we had to hunker down for four months.

There's nothing like spending every day on the beach drinking pina coladas, playing volleyball, body surfing, doing water aerobics, reading, and getting tan. We took a few trips into town to eat and sight see. We ate at the Blue Dolphin and Lucas Chicken, two very different restaurants. The former was elaborately decorated with tile motifs on doors and walls, antiques, flowers, and a wall boasting famous patrons. The latter was basically a giant hut with a menu of maybe 8 items served family style. It was definitely my favorite of the two. Nitty gritty.

All in all, it was a lovely time. We all needed a little R and R.

Here we are - Liz, Steve, Nash, Haven, Mom, Dad, Nate, Me, and Max (the fetus-filled bump beneath my sundress)


Liz and the kids on the pier at Rocky Point


Nate and I on the beach as the sun goes down


Nate and his brother, Kevin


Haven showing off her Mexican bracelet


The boys

why my life is like a bowl full of cherries

I went to Cherry Street Antiques today. I've passed it several times but had never gone in. I wasn't even sure if it was in business. It's an old house converted into a store, so it looked worth a stop... finally. There was an old lady behind a counter and on the phone when I entered. I didn't see her, but I heard her ask if I needed anything. I felt like Bastian walking in the book shop in Neverending Story. Not a soul was in there but the old lady and me, and the rooms were filled top to bottom with all sorts of stuff. "Just browsing," I said. I gathered the bottom of my long maxi dress in my one hand and pulled my purse close with the other to avoid knocking anything over. I made my way around the rooms and considered a few things... an old hanging bird cage, a hummingbird wind chime, an old leather purse... but I justified only one purchase - a children's book called "We Were Tired of Living in a House" by Liesel Moak Skorpen. I couldn't resist. Just look at the illustration...

And the text... Oh, the text.

"We were tired of living in a house
So we packed a bag with
sweaters and socks and scarves
and mittens and woolen caps.
And we moved to a tree.
We liked our tree.
There was always a breeze in the afternoon
that rippled through our roof.
Above in a branch lived a speckled bird
who sang all day for the sake of a song,
and our roof in the autumn turned scarlet and gold.
We liked our tree..."

Bah! So good.

When I was little and would play house, I would claim to live on Cherry Tree Lane. I loved the word "Cherry," the look of the deep red, shiny fruit, the association with summertime... There's a movie I love called "The War" where a teacher asks the students to write an essay on "Why my life is like a bowl full of cherries." Well today my life is like a bowl full of cherries because I found a sweet little book that I can't wait to devour with Max.

You asked for it...