flea

I broke out shorts this afternoon while mowing the lawn (unsuccessfully; we need to borrow a power mower) and am stunned by the Blinding White Legs of Springtime. I am pondering one of those self-tanners that are sort of lotion and build up gradually (because I fear The Orange). Anyone got a recommendation? I don't want to look tan, just not, like, hurt people.

We had a day yesterday of errands - visited all three historic cemeteries in town (that I know of): Old Athens (1802-1892), the main cemetery for everyone for the first half-century of town, Oconee Hills (1856-now), the fancy 'suburban' cemetery inspired by Mount Auburn and full of Victorian pathos as well as modern monuments, and Poplar Grove, an African-American cemetery in use from the late 19th century to as late as the 1970s, and only recently surveyed and cleared of brush. There are photos of the first and last at flickr; Oconee Hills asked that we not take pictures.

Then we signed Casper up for the YMCA camp, saw lots of faces I recognized, though no friends of Casper's.

We went to the nice independent kitchen store and bought a fancy blender so we can make smoothies instead of buying them for big bucks (and this morning it occurred to me we can make frappuccinos!). Online recipe recs, or favorite blends, anyone? Dillo basically ran amok (no nap). Then to the grocery store, where they were nearly sold out of Easter candy the day before Easter (WTF?) and picked Casper a beta, which she named Rosalina.

Today more quiet, at home, except mr. flea took Dillo out from a "drive" to make him nap, since he was crazy boy again. We've dyed eggs, made and frosted a bunny cake, had an egg hunt in the yard, and are prepping our fresh ham roast to go in the oven.

I leave you with Casper's really incredible bedhead:

Dillo:
Diapers, fill up portable wipe case, thermometer and tylenol into kit in case
3 days outfits, Easter outfit, pajamas, blue boots (ugh, will need to take them off for security. What better shoes? Robeez?)
car seat
books
Little pillow from crib? Blanket? Something to help with bedtime in a strange place.
Swimsuit
winter coat, mittens, hat. Rain boots?

Casper:
small toys and small books in her own backpack
3 days outfits, red dress for easter, black shoes (need to polish?)
pajamas
booster seat
winter coat, hat, scarf, mittens. rain boots for snow, or grey sneakers?
swimsuit

General:
Crocs for Easter baskets
ipod (make sure is charged)
camera (ditto)
snacks for plane (grapes, nuts?)
umbrella stroller, or sling? May need to transport sleeping Dillo.
birth certificates for kids

We have to pack tonight (after a picnic dinner at the Y and Casper's first soccer) because we're leaving from work tomorrow. I have already pulled some of Dillo's clothes but need to pull the rest after work today and before dinner, so he's not sleeping in there and me fumbling around.

Easter is this weekend, and my in-laws are visiting, and my FIL is a devout Catholic, so there are several things to think about:

1. What/where to have dinner on Friday, as FIL will not eat meat on Fridays in lent and doesn't consider a vegeterian meal a meal. Go out to someplace with a fish option, or hit the Whole Foods and cook?

2. Try, once again, to convince him that it would be cool for us all to attend Easter service in the Looniversity Chapel. MIL wants to do this every time they visit, and they always end up going to the Catholic church, alone. Maybe it would work if we told him we'd all go? Or he could go separately to an early Catholic service, and then we'd all go together to the ecumenical Looni service?

3. Iron Casper's new Easter dress. My mother splurged on us (http://www.hannaandersson.com/style.asp?from=SC%7C6%7C2%7C24%7C25%7C1%7C%7C) and it is gorgeous. Dillo has matching pants (well, babypris, but they're a little big, so they're pants right now.)

4. Think of something to eat for Easter dinner. Also, shop. I suppose the thing to fall back on is roast pork loin; we don't like ham. Pork loin went over well with FIL once before, I think.

5. Easter baskets. MIL is bringing gifts from the EB (clothes, we consulted on needs and sizes; she is so considerate.) Will need to acquire some candy, yarn for grass? (I hate that artifical grass; my mother always uses green yarn as she's a knitter). We have baskets. To ponder what our EB tradition will be, as Casper is old enough to remember at this point. My family always did jelly bean trails from the bedroom to the (barely hidden) basket. I think the cat would chase the jelly beans all over the place, plus we do enough wandering around the house at night that it's not the best idea, probably.

6. To think about the message of Easter we want to communicate to Casper. In my family Easter is a Unitarian-y sort of spring/rebirth celebration, lots of bunnies and chicks and flowers and stuff, less corpsified Jesus. Don't think this should be a problem this year, despite devoutness of FIL - he's not a proselytizer. While Casper is okay with the whole "baby Jesus is born at Christmas" thing, I think she is a little young for "crucified, died and was buried," even if he did rise again on the third day.

7. Um, Passover starts tonight [edit: last night. It's not religious ignorance, it's what day of the week is it confusion]. In spirit of pan-religious education, this one is even harder for the 3 year old brain than Easter. Maybe next year we'll try to get together with friends for a Seder.