Tonight, I packed Finn's snack. I fretted about how many muffins to include. I put his water bottle in the fridge to chill. I have the morning all mentally mapped out. For tomorrow, Finn goes to preschool.

It's only for two hours, but he's going to preschool! I am excited for him, the friends he'll make, the crafty stuff he'll bring home, and the fun he'll have. The places this kid -- he's a kid now. Really. Look at him. -- will go! Oh, the places he'll go!

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
by the incomparable Dr. Seuss

"Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose...

"Out there things can happen

and frequently do

to people as brainy

and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,

don't worry. Don't stew.

Just go right along.

You'll start happening too."

Don't worry, Rosemary. He'll be back soon to cuddle in bed with you and receive all those warm, squishy kisses you specialize in.

Go Finn!

No words needed for these picts. Maybe a tune, though.

Turducken: A Five-Act Comedy of Fun and Deliciousness

Or

Turducken: A Five-Act Tragedy of Roasted Carnage and Bacon Death

Part 1: Party Supplies Please Children.

For our Labor Day Classic, we ordered a turducken from a butcher and a keg from Beau's Brewery. It's a simple formula, really. Birds + Beer = Fun. When the delivery truck showed up to drop off the keg, the kids were ecstatic.
"A truck brought that! A truck brought that red thing! A truck brought that big red thing! It's cold! It's cold! A truck brought that big red cold thing!"
Luckily, that big red cold thing fit in our fridge.
And so too the bird. When Dylan brought home the turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken stuffed with Italian sausage, I was worried about the size. For all that fowl, it was sort of small.
It is deboned, though, and, essentially, a big, solid meat ball, and we had more than enough turducken for all. Poor birds. Happy tummies.

Part 2: Families Arrive, Children Run Amok, and A Great Feast is Had.
The jury is in. Rosemary approves of parties. Also on the "Like" list: bubbles, lots of friends, good music, and general twirling in the living room while squealing with joy while two middle-school boys look on, doing their very best to look as cool as possible despite the fact they are hanging out with a very giggly toddler.
Meanwhile, this is Finn in full party mode.
He did at one point retire to his room, but the next day, he announced he wanted "more party." Finn also requested the moon be brought into the house, not that these requests are related. Just saying.

Part 3: The Turducken
Very kindly, Everett volunteered to carve the bird-in-a-bird-in-a-bird.
With military precision, I might add.
It was good. Any meatlover could not argue with this package of bird all wrapped in bacon. What? Didn't I mention there was also bacon involved? The duck and the chicken were wrapped in bacon. Do not attempt a calorie count. I repeat. Don't go there.

Part 4: Parents Return!

The bird has been eaten, deemed delicious. All the wee party-goers have been tucked into bed, and neighborhood babysitters are hard at work. The party continues!

The only snag is the keg is discovered to be leaky; much is discussed about the suckiness of this fact, and a great debate erupts about getting more beer.
Conversational short version: there is a lot of foam, a bit of lost beer, and some anger expressed toward Beau's.

Figure A: Foam.

Figure B: Lost beer.
Figure C: The Debate

Figure D: Screw You, Beau's!

Part 5: Don't Worry. Be Happy.

We still managed somehow to enjoy ourselves.

Alls well that ends well. Happy Labor Day, People.

Sadly, summer has come to an end, and with it, Dylan's vacation is over this weekend. A hot summer, it's been fun, and the last week was a wonderful bookend to all the beach days, splash pads, and general summer goodness. Here are some pictures from our last day trip to the beach.

Here at Lac Phillipe, Dylan and his trusty assistant are BBQ'ing the hot dogs.


He's a good daddy.

The lunch bunch enjoyed these last hot dogs in the waning dog days of summer.
With temperatures reaching 40+ with the humidex, this week was made for the beach. We splashed in the water.
Finn enjoyed some cheese with Princess Flower Bunny in the shade.
Rosemary chilled in a lawn chair.

We soaked in the summer.


As we were packing up to leave, Finn took some pictures of his friend, Maia, owner of Princess Flower Bunny who you may remember from the cheese-eating picture, as though he wanted to capture the memories too on his little broken camera. Aw!

Happy day!

I Celebrate Your Life

Mom, your birthday means so much to me;
To have you in my life another year,
The time I spent enfolded in your love,
Each day, each moment with you is so dear.

I cherish the very special bond we have.
You lift my spirit in so many ways.
I celebrate your life; I honor you,
And send to you my love and care and praise.

By Joanna FuchsHappy birthday, Mom! I love you and miss you lots. Finn says, "Hi Grandma," too.

The newly vamped Museum of Nature was our Saturday destination. For any Ottawan readers, honestly, it's much the same as it was, but now with more glass! Okay, so Dylan says it's a lot different. Whatever. Glass, fancy stair case, yadda yadda. Oh, and Saturday mornings are no longer free. That's different.


"Ooooohhh, creepy," says the three-year-old.
No, that is not a big Elmo doing crafts with Rosemary and me; it's Finn.
"

If this picture had sound, you would hear the chanting for, "Poutine! Poutine! Poutine! Now!" Post-museum munchies, I guess. Nature will do that to you.
Post-museum face: also a known consequence of educational fun.