Ketchup again

A lot has been going on, and none of it has been blogging. Here it is.

• My parents came to see us over the weekend. They brought my sister M1 and her two kids, N (age 5) and R (age 1). It was pretty much great. The house was packed and chaotic - imagine 11 people in your 1600 square foot 3/2 ranch for three or four days. We eat good, we talk good, even the kids mostly played good, except for Z who thought R looked literally delicious. Z has a very big, toothy mouth.
• I took my mom and sister to the flea market. We got lots of fruits and veggies, of course. Also cold horchata and churros. And little Chinese PJs for the baby girls (including my brother's adorable preemie) and blingy gangsta Mario shirts for the boys. Z and R also got pink strollers for their baby dolls. There is no justice when moms are doing the buying for baby girls - there was no compensatory gift for the boys to balance out the strollers. But I understand they did go out for ice cream after their park outing with dad and grandpa that morning.
  
• We spent the evening at the lake with hummus and veggies and warm breezes and cool green water full of floating, featherlike eucalyptus leaves. Watching the sailboats is my idea of fun on a Saturday night these days. However, there was a lot of garbage on the ground. Not so good for curious baby girls. We left after only a couple of hours.
• My mom is staying all week to help out, hang out and stay with the kids while G and I go up to Yosemite overnight tomorrow and Friday. Grandmas rock! Say it with me! Grandmas rock!
  
• Took a day off Monday to go junk shop/antiquing and Costcoing with my mom. So fun. I got a nice big blue Mason jar (this is what I use for canisters) and some sweet little Mexican silver earrings. Also a bunch of Usborne history books for my boys.
• Grandma is spending one special day with each child this week. She took S to the nickel arcade and to Target. Today all A knows is he wants a Target trip, too. She is a saint. Those are the places I most hate to go with my kids.
• She is also repainting my poor, pathetic faux-French-country dining set. First life: horrible '90s pickle finish. Second life: distressed chocolate brown. Third life: Bangkok Russet. I think I am going to like the third life best.
• I read a couple of books: Eat, Pray Love, and These Is My Words. I am guessing I will not have time to totally review them, so here is a little two-book capsule. I liked them both - the first took more patience as a memoir that stubbornly held back the most interesting and potentially sympathy-worthy details (why the marriage failed) but in the end it was worthwhile. It was a mind-opener in terms of approaching God, most of all. The second was just very freaking fun to read - scary and romantic and educational.
• I have been grilling. Finally got the new canister hooked up to the grill and boy is it worth the effort! Baby eggplants and pattypan squash were the stars last night - just tossed with some olive oil and lemon juice and salt and pepper and parsley. Served with leftover roasted chicken and cut up watermelon and cantaloupe. Heaven, I tell you.

Like I said, G and I are heading up to the park for the next couple of days. I'll check in when I get back.