The Return of Neck Beard, the One-Eyed Pirate

Don'tcha just love those days where everything kind of falls into place without any special effort on your part? Yesterday was like that for us.

A couple of weeks ago we ended up driving somewhere (though I can't, for the life of me, figure out where we were going) and passing the apple orchard on the way. Since then I've been really jonesing for some apple donuts and fresh cider.

Yesterday morning we headed out to All Season in Woodstock with The Princess in tow...complete with the monkey backpack/toddler leash for maximum fun (anything that means she doesn't need to ride in the stroller is a big win in her eyes). After we got there we decided not to do the picking thing...just bummed around the shop and got a little bit of lunch before heading out of there with our apples and assorted yumyums.

Hambone and D's house is on the way home from the orchard, so we stopped in for a visit. D has decided to quit smoking for the first time in her life, and is having a hard time dealing with it. I'm proud of her, though...it is not an easy thing and she's been smoke-free for a few days now.

While we were there, D called The Hubbs on his cell. Turns out he had just gotten off a plane from Tampa and didn't feel like going home, so he decided he'd head up by us.

Which reminded me...we were supposed to meet JAK for a fancy Wendy's dinner that evening. We called J and switched plans around so that they came over to our house for a visit instead.

For an impromptu barbecue, I think we did pretty well. I made that salsa-cream-cheese dip that JoAnn got me hooked on, which would have been enough on its own if you ask me. :) But there were also burgers and hot dogs, salad and random chippy-type thingamabobs. The Princess happily showed off her new dunkin' skills while hogging the dip...just like her momma would. I guess I'm rubbin' off on her after all!

K is an amazing little girl. It kills me every time I see her, how much bigger she is and all of the new things she's doing. It's easy to get caught up in your own kid and what she's doing every day...but other people's kids are total reality checks. It never seems like that much time goes by between visits, but it sure shows in the kids' looks and new skills/activities.

The Princess turned into a pumpkin first. Funny story, actually...J had the audacity to leave K with me for a minute so she could pee (I know, the nerve of that gal!!) and K wanted none of it. She crawled over to the bathroom door and keened for her mommy with such a pathetic look on her face that I just had to pick her up.

I walked her back into The Princess's room, where we had all been playing, and she let out a plaintive wail. Which sent The Princess into hysterics. It was actually very funny.

K practically launched herself at her mommy as soon as the bathroom door opened, and The Princess was climbing my leg like a cat. I tromped out into the living room with my howling toddler, flipping her upside-down to give Spider-Baby kisses to her daddy, aunt and uncles. I plopped her in bed, where she immediately clutched onto Dirt Pink (her blankie, for those of you who are not "in the know"), rolled over and stuck her thumb in her mouth. I do believe she was snoring before I shut the door.

Not long after that, K let us know in no uncertain terms that she wanted her George and it was time to go home.

After JAK left it was just The Hubbs, D and me for a while. I put in Death Proof and snuggled into the couch, half-watching the movie and half-listening to the conversation...which, by the way, gets exponentially more Twilight-Zone-ish with every alcoholic beverage that is consumed.

Hambone popped by after our friend's surprise birthday party to hang out for a bit. I think this was in the neighborhood of 9:00, and D had had all he could takes and he couldn't takes no more. Let's put it this way...he actually morphed into Neck Beard the One-Eyed Pirate for a while there. Covering his left eye with a hand, scrunching up his face, yelling AAAAARRRRGGGHHH!!! while thrusting his Corona bottle into the air. Good times!

Poor guy woke up early in the morning in Florida, traveled home to Illinois, had some lunch and came up to our house. He hasn't seen his townhouse in about a week and it was starting to take its toll by this point. The Hubbs got him set up on the futon and came back upstairs to join Hambone and me in front of the Tarantino fest.

Which, by the way, my brother had yet to see. I know, how could I have allowed that to happen?

So I ended up staying up until 11:00 to watch the rest of the movie with my hubbs and my big bro before hitting the hay. All in all, a very good day.