We pressure washed the entire exterior, I got sweaters put into winter storage and went through things to donate, and we went to my parents’ house for Easter with the family–the most photogenic part of the weekend:
Category: Skyler
Good And Bad
I got to babysit my nephew Friday night and put him to bed…but I’m not used to a five-year-old’s biome and got a sore throat on Saturday.
It was lovely fall weather so I thought I should try to get into the mountains Sunday…but overdid it.
Good thing Dr. Toby is on the case!
Friday Links
1. Doc and I took my nephew for dinner and a playground outing last night, which was lots of fun for everyone except Toby, who threw up in protest.
2. With the new car payment, I’ve been on more of a budget–but I still think I could be saving more for short-term and long-term things. And I still think about money a lot. So I both related to a lot of this and simultaneously felt slightly better about myself: Many Middle-Class Americans Can’t Come Up with $400 In an Emergency.
3. Related, when I’m having trouble staying on my budget (aka looking at J. Crew), I remember this fantastic SNL skit from a while back:
Happy Birthday, Skyler
My nephew is turning FIVE tomorrow and it is blowing my mind. I mean, I’m still living in the same house, doing the same things, but he’s gone from a thumbs up like this:
To one like THIS:
Humans are pretty cool, y’all. And this human is one of my favorites. Happy birthday, Bubbs!
Where’d I Go?
Camping! Doc and I headed up to the Uinta mountains Thursday night after work to try to catch some of the Perseid meteor shower–and to take my nephew camping for the first time.
We saw some meteors (no pics) and we also saw a tasty view from the camp breakfast table the next morning:
And some lakes with waterlilies and good clouds:
The pictures get a little scarce after my brother’s family showed up Friday afternoon (and if I thought I was “adulting” poorly, I feel much better about my skills after keeping a 4.5 year old safe in a riverfront campsite…) but this one about sums it up:
Family tents:
My brother’s favorite part of camping–fire:
And using group persuasion to convince my nephew to brush his teeth (it takes a village): 
Whew! Kids are tiring (newsflash) but I’m glad I got to be there for Skyler’s first camping trip. Thanks to Doc for going along with my plan and helping to wrangle him–he had a great time.
Happy Birthday, Skyler
How did my nephew get to be four?!
Even though his daddy still calls him “the baby” sometimes, he’s a little kid now (!). And he’s stubborn and funny and wild and smart and just a delightful little person. Even if he is growing up too fast. Happy birthday!
Easter Weekend
Weekends Are The Best
The last 48 hours were full of Things That Make A Really Good Weekend.
The weather was perfect:
My nephew, his mom, my mom, and I all went on a hike in Millcreek. I think he liked it!
I dressed like my pots and took pictures of feet:
I checked on how all the potted plants are progressing (nasturtium seeds are coming up! cannas are unfurling!):
And I admired the lavender, which is early this year:
Not pictured: Re-reading the first two The Dark Is Rising books, going to yoga, dinner with my best friend, and planning a sewing project. Com again soon, weekend!
Happy Birthday, Skyler!
It’s my nephew’s third birthday today! I didn’t think he could get any cuter, but he really does every day:
(This was from his birthday party Saturday. Note the blurry delight on his face and note the train cake, which my mom made and my dad decorated.)
Happy birthday, Bubbs! I think I speak for all Kaminskis when I say you’re our favorite member of the family.
Play Date!
My friend, for whom I made the memorial quilt, has a little boy who’s about my nephew’s age. They live out of town but were here on a visit, so the two of them and my brother’s family met up at my place last night for a play date.
The thing about toddlers is you don’t really have a lot of time to take pictures. I wish I could have captured Toby’s reaction to the event (surprisingly brave) or the time when the two little boys were both on my bed “resting” with cookies. It was a lot of fun.
I find that if I’m around kids, I’m grateful for the quiet after they’re gone for about 15 minutes–but then I start to miss the noise.
Toby, however, tells me he does not.