Our Son, the Petty Criminal

On Saturday, Elliot concluded that our kitchen faucet sprayer wasn't up to snuff, so he decided to pocket this bad boy at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Once we got home, he waited until we weren't looking, retrieved it from his secret (but not so secret anymore) stroller compartment, and tore into it like a kid on Christmas.

Since the sound of ripping cardboard always gives parents a bit of an adrenaline rush, we quickly discovered him and his crime. Realizing he'd been found out, he looked at us like the guilty man he was--and ran for cover.

I have since made an honest man out of him by pressing the ill-begotten sprayer into the hands of a nice stocker at BB&B--and taking off before it occurred to him to charge me $15.99 for the thing.

Next time, Elliot, make yourself useful and pick up a dish towel or two. We could actually use those.

Why My Brothers-in-law Are Awesome

They voluntarily watched Elliot while I wrote, thought, read, went out to eat, and hiked at a 10-day writing conference in Maine. They learned how to get a fit-throwing toddler into his stroller, how to pack a baby bag (never, ever forget the snacks!), and how to put a reluctant Elliot to bed. They even managed to convince him that Mario Kart Wii is far better television than Thomas (thank you!). And they did such a good job with it all that when I came back, Elliot was still asking for his uncles.

I bet your brothers-in-law aren't this cool.

(My mother-in-law covered the last five days, so basically ALL my in-laws are pretty awesome).

Also - if you have never been to Maine, GO!

Fourth of July

We had a great Fourth of July. Chris got off work (woo-hoo!) and some of our favorite Washington, DC peeps, Steve, Sariah and Ben came to visit. We hit up the boat pond and the granite slide in the morning, Shake Shack for lunch, and Riverside Park for the fireworks.

While I'm in Maine

Elliot has run the "Hudson Cup" and learned to enjoy the sprinklers at the park. (Photos courtesy of Chris's blackberry, so they are a bit fuzzy).

Caleb's Baptism

I like this kid.

My Love Affair with HomeGoods

Sorry for the break in our regularly scheduled all-Elliot-all-the-time programming, but I just wanted to take a moment to say how much I love HomeGoods. Seriously. I want to kiss it. Particularly whenever I sit in my comfy new desk chair (belated birthday present from my mom) or my less comfy, but still very well loved living room chair.

If you haven't ever shopped at HomeGoods, give it a try. Trust me--it's jam packed with eclectic, fun stuff and it's extremely affordable (I'd never buy sheets or towels anywhere else). You'll thank me for the tip.

Family Photos

We recently had family photos done by Blue Lily Photography. I really liked how they turned out. Here are a few of my favorites. Any advice on which ones we should order prints of?