fashion forward

In case you haven't been keeping up with all the latest high fashion trends, t-shirt togas are so in right now. Here is M modeling a look from her newest collection of ready-to-wear garments (complete with one-of-a-kind drool art):

I'm sure Sarah Jessica Parker and Posh Spice will be calling soon to schedule their fittings with our up-and-coming designer.

twang

The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill has live bluegrass music on Fridays from April to October. People from all over the Triangle come with their blankets and lawn chairs, spread out on the lawn and relax as the weekend gets started. We tried to meet up with some Theta alums there, but it was so crowded (this was the first weekend back for the UNC students -- guess we'll pay attention to that next year) that it took us over an hour to find anyone we knew. The food and drink left lots to be desired so next time I think we'll pack our own. Still, we enjoyed groovin' to the music (the Cadillac Stepbacks were the entertainment tonight).

experimentation

Madeline love LOVE loves water. If there is water around, she wants to play in it. Great for us when it's bathtime or pooltime, not so great when we're trying to get somewhere in a hurry and she is drawn to the downspouts and grimy street puddles. We're learning to cope with her addiction.

It was a nice, hot summer day, so I set her up on the backporch with a basin of water and various kitchen utensils and containers. She splashed, poured, funneled and sprayed water all over the place until that basin was empty. Good times!

(No, that's not a real block of cheese in the background. That is a cheesehead hat given to me by the Green Bay Packers since I was part of the design team for the refurbishment/reconstruction of their stadium.)

the many uses of soap

Two tips that might be helpful to new parents:

• Rub bar soap to "grease" up the guides of a drop-side crib so that it doesn't squeak or shudder when moved and inadvertantly wake the sleeping baby... ...also great for dresser drawers that tend to stick...
  
• Pour liquid hand soap on a chubby thigh that has gotten stuck in between the crib rails and it will slip right out... ...way less traumatic than trying to disassemble (or saw apart) the crib while the trapped baby is screaming... ...hacksaws and babies just don't mix.
  

As an unexpected bonus, both of these solutions add a fresh scent to the baby's room. Hooray!

is that a pic-a-nic basket?

We've been enjoying some unseasonably mild temps this week, so we decided to celebrate tonight with a supper picnic and some pre-bathtime play at Duke Park. The playset in the background of the pic is the one for the small tots -- the big kid one has some pretty impressive features, including a two-story climbing tower with two twisty slides. Can't wait until Madeline gets to go on those!

rawesome weekend

There is something in the Bartel genetic code that results in a great affinity for playing games -- card games, board games, video games, outdoor games, word games -- you name it, we've probably had some version of it appear at a family gathering. We also end up marrying gamers and that just adds to the fun. With the long distance to travel to make it to the Summer, Thanksgiving and Christmas get-togethers each year, and now with the wee babes in tow, the NC Bartel clan hasn't been able to gather with the greater group for the extended weekends of fun like we used to. And so in the spirit of those game-playing fests, we hosted a BBQ on Thursday for the Bartel cousins (minus Abby & Linus who were visiting the motherland and plus Curtis who is now an honorary Bartel) and played board games well into the night. And then again on Saturday. And again on Sunday. Adrian introduced us to new games in his collection (Pandemic, Bohnanza, Race for the Galaxy). We played some familiar games (Citadels, Alhambra, Arkham Horror) and one that was a blast from the past (Acquire). It was spectacular.

Let's do it again -- soon!

what?

This is where Pickles decided to sleep last night.


Our cat is so weird.

outdoor adventures

We usually spend a little bit of the afternoon outside, mainly in the front yard where there is plenty of late-day shade and a variety of things to explore (pine straw to tear apart, mulch to eat, flower petals to pluck and taste, pinecones and sticks to carry around -- you get the idea). And as Gma B has demonstrated in many family vacation photos, a purse is always a must on any outdoor adventure!

water, water everywhere

Josh's employer had Family Fun Day today at Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe, the waterpark in Greensboro. I think that we had more fun playing in the kids' areas than the adults did standing in line for the thrill rides! There were a number of toddler-friendly features, including free use of the wee-sized lifejackets, special double innertubes for the lazy river that have a "seat" for kids on one side, and a kiddie sized wave pool.
Just as we were getting ready to head out for a well-deserved afternoon nap, a storm rolled in and they closed down the park. As a result, we received rainchecks on our way out so that we can come back another day and enjoy the park again. Great timing! Maybe we can check out some of the "adult" rides next time...

for nate & kendra

I'm glad you discovered the overwhelming fun of IKEA. Oh, how I miss the days of living 30 mins away from one! Here are the before and after pics of our kitchen remodel in which we used IKEA cabinets with Ädel fronts (medium brown color). As usual, click on the pics to view them in a larger size... I've been very happy with the finished product.