Le sigh

This weekend started with a salad. An ambitious salad for a few picnics we had to attend. With mostly un-ambitious eaters. 

It was a recipe from my new idol's blog. Her name is Rebecca Woolf and I am pretty sure we were separated at birth, even though she is a few months younger and was born on the West Coast. She wrote a book, I read it. She posted a quinoa salad recipe and I made it. 

I loved it. 

Everyone hated it. And there was SO MUCH LEFT. And NO one wanted it. It is basically quinoa with veggies and a smidge of yogurt. Effing tasty. I even roasted the fucking peppers myself. 

Whatever. 

Friday night was a picnic in the park with the Frenches. Caroline was twirling and pom-pom-ing and there was a singalong for little kids. The women in that town always confuse me. I don't know how Dana does it. Milo liked the singalong and I left the camera in the car. Whoopsie. 

We met up with some distant relatives and friends on Saturday for a pot luck picnic in a park in some town I've never been to and now want to live. 

Milo borrowed a pink tricycle:

Is that not the coolest bike you have ever seen?

Everyone was standing around talking about second master's degrees and doctorates and CPAs and lawyers...I ran away. I was TERRIFIED of being asked, 'What do you do?'

My thoughts raced. Could I legitimately say I was a stay-at-home mom AND a writer? Nope-feels like a fraud. 'Part-time Lush employee' doesn't really have the same ring as 'Doctorate in Divinity'. Or, 'I used to be an engineer.'

I feel awkward around educated people that I don't know. 

So I took Milo to the park where he MASTERED the slide! He is a sliding maniac!!!

He also likes to run off when we aren't looking and try and make friends.

 Brian got him that time, but I also  did a lot of running. Kids. Parks. Running. Whew. Also-those two little girls and that elderly fellow there? Yeah-we don't know them. I love how my little kid just GOES to other little kids. We need to find him a preschool. Or something. 

After the picnic and sliding, Milo and I went home to rest a little, and Brian went to Wiffleball. After our rest (it was not a nap. There was no napping happening THAT day) Milo and I went over to my in-laws' home for sandwiches and hangin out. 

 Milo likes to play with the hose and watering can and the fountain and the geraniums. He also liked playing with uncle Scott's iPhone (hint hint) and running around in circles. 

On Sunday I worked an early shift, got home and then Milo and I went to see Brian play soccer, but we never made it past the playground. Slides, man. Slides. 

I can't post this without mentioning the family I had talked about  last week. Their tragedy colored my entire weekend, as their story did not have a happy ending. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. If you sent any. If you didn't, well then you can go suck it. 

I am going to take this opportunity to say that YES bad, terrible, awful, unimaginable things DO happen to good people. This does NOT mean that God (or however you view it/him/her) does not love them, or you. 

Luckily this family has a strong faith. As I've said many times to myself this past week...I cannot fathom going through what they went through as an atheist. No fucking way.